Now more than ever, theme parks and other attractions rely on outdoor technology like digital displays, electronic kiosks, and guest-service equipment. But when the season ends, park operators are left with two choices: leave equipment exposed to the elements or haul it all into storage. Leaving technology exposed to weather, dust, moisture, and other environmental conditions when not in use or out of season is never a good idea—it can lead to premature wear and damage that shortens equipment lifespans, while the labor involved in moving it all to a safe, covered area may be excessive for smaller attractions and parks.
There is an alternative, however. A planned approach to protecting outdoor technology during the off-season, such as the addition of custom weather-resistant covers, can help parks preserve equipment and make seasonal reopening much easier and faster.
Today, we’ll be going over what types of attractions equipment needs protection, how to approach the environmental challenges of attractions like moisture, and why custom-fit covers are important.
Why Custom Covers Should Be Part of a Long-Term Maintenance Strategy
One large part of maintaining equipment over its service life is protecting it during the off-season. Custom covers not only help to reduce technology’s exposure to environmental conditions that can shorten its lifespan, but they also establish a consistent approach to seasonal shutdowns that can help your maintenance and facilities team to operate more efficiently.
For parks with equipment that remains in the same place year after year, having covers designed for specific applications can also make the shutdown process easily repeatable. Instead of having to figure out how to protect each piece of equipment when the park closes for the season, maintenance teams can use covers that are specifically designed around their equipment and the individual conditions that they are faced with.
Rather than thinking of each piece of equipment separately, the most important thing is to consider protection as part of the overall maintenance plan. When you account for the environment, equipment requirements, and the needs of those who will be installing and removing covers, parks are able to design a solution that both lengthens the life of equipment while also streamlining seasonal shutdowns.
Identify What Needs Protection with Custom Covers
Attractions like theme parks, water parks, and zoos utilize a broad range of technology that support daily operations, whether that’s guest-facing displays or equipment that enables employees to manage rides and attractions. But after the season ends, some of this equipment can remain outdoors or in partially exposed areas, where it is subject to weather and other environmental issues.
Begin by identifying which equipment will remain in place during the off-season, which can include:
· Digital signage and display screens
· Electronic kiosks and ticketing equipment
· Control panels and other electronic controls
· Outdoor monitors and audio equipment
Not all equipment will require the same level of protection. Consider things like location, exposure to the elements, and whether the equipment is likely to remain in use during the off-season.
When you create an inventory of equipment that will remain exposed, you can help park maintenance teams hone in on where additional protection may be needed before the park closes for the season.
Get a Good Idea of the Equipment’s Environment Before Specifying a Custom Cover
Before taking a look at what you can do to protect the above equipment, it’s a good idea to consider what the equipment will be exposed to on a daily basis.
Weather Exposure
Rain, snow, UV rays, and freezing temperatures can all have a degrading effect on outdoor equipment. Fluctuations in temperature can also cause condensation, which is why it’s important to think about both climate and how long the equipment will need to remain covered.
Environmental Concerns
Dust, dirt, leaves, and other debris can accumulate on equipment as well as in equipment components when they are left exposed for long enough. In some places, moisture can create additional challenges, especially for sensitive electronics.
Attraction Conditions
Some attractions can face environmental conditions that can affect ride components. For instance, water parks may have high humidity and exposure to chlorinated water, while parks located in coastal areas must deal with salt air. Even in dry climates, equipment can be exposed to dust and debris.
Choose a Custom Cover Made for the Equipment
Attraction technology comes in all shapes, sizes, and configurations, and that means a cover designed for one display may not fit another. To combat this, order custom covers that account for things like equipment dimensions, protruding components or cables, connections, or even mounting hardware. This ensures that the cover provides appropriate coverage without interfering with essential features.
Think about how the cover will be used, not just in the off-season but throughout the year. Equipment that needs to be accessed frequently will require a different design than one that will remain covered and undisturbed for months at a time. Planning ahead of time for installation, removal, and storage helps to ensure that the cover is suited to the equipment itself as well as any needs of the maintenance team.
The right design will bring all these considerations together, providing coverage that is both suited to the equipment’s environment while also making the cover easy to use.
Think About How the Custom Cover Will Be Utilized
Many attractions are only open during certain seasons, such as water parks in the summertime or even ski resorts during the winter. While the off-season can often last months, that doesn’t mean that installing covers to protect equipment should be a cumbersome and labor-intensive task. In order to best protect equipment, operations managers and supervisors should ask themselves the following questions:
Who will install the covers?
How often will they need to be removed?
Does maintenance need access to the equipment?
Can one person install the cover?
Where will the covers be stored?
Does the cover need handles, closures, vents, or other features?
Will equipment need to be accessed without completely removing the cover?
A cover should both protect equipment as well as fit into the park’s maintenance routine, not one or the other. To ensure that the cover will actually be used the way it should be, it should be easy to install and keep equipment accessible when necessary.
How to Build a Custom Cover Protection Plan into Seasonal Attraction Shutdowns
Outdoor technology protection requires more than just installing a cover before the park closes for the season. In fact, incorporating equipment protection into a park’s seasonal maintenance routine can allow teams to prepare for extended shutdowns as well as pinpoint potential issues before reopening.
Before Closing: Take a look at which equipment will remain outdoors or partially exposed throughout the entirety of the off-season. After a thorough cleaning of equipment, inspect it for damage that has already occurred or other maintenance needs. Ensure necessary repairs are addressed before covering the equipment, and document its condition to make inspections easier when the park reopens.
Store and Protect Equipment: Once equipment is deemed ready for shutdown, install the covers and ensure that they are secured properly.
During the Off-Season: Take some time to periodically check covered equipment (if conditions or access are allowed). Look for things like signs of cover damage, accumulated debris or moisture, or even the shifting of the cover itself. Make sure you fix these issues as soon as possible to ensure ample protection.
Before Reopening: Take the covers off and inspect equipment for any signs of damage or other concerns. Clean equipment again, if necessary, and ensure that it functions the way it should before returning it to service in the park.
Prepare Your Park’s Technology Before the Season Ends with Custom Covers
Months before exposure begins, planning how you will protect equipment during seasonal shutdowns can prevent degradation and damage that can come back to haunt you when the season begins anew. For technology located outdoors that will not be moved between seasons, properly designed custom covers can be a large part of an even broader maintenance strategy to ensure time and money saved once the park reopens for the year.
FAQs
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Theme parks, zoos, and other attractions may need to protect things like digital signage, display screens, electronic kiosks, control panels, outdoor monitors, and even audio equipment. The equipment’s location and environment can all help to determine whether a cover is an appropriate choice.
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Custom covers are designed specifically to fit equipment dimensions, which can allow parks to provide appropriate coverage to reduce exposure as well as make installation and removal easier and less laborious for maintenance teams.
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Description text goes hereWell before seasonal shutdowns begin, attractions and parks should be able to identify which equipment needs protection and plan out cover requirements. Allowing time for equipment to be measured, materials to be selected, and for the cover to be designed and manufactured will help to ensure that the covers are ready when the park closes.
Order Your Custom Covers Today
Have outdoor technology that needs protection between seasons? Equip can help develop a custom cover based on the equipment and environment.
📧 Email: info@equipinc.com 📞 Call: 719-599-0300
Request a quote today and keep your assets covered, protected, and ready for anything.
