Gatemaster Technology

09/02/2026

Your ticket price may not be the reason guests decide your attraction is too expensive.

Today’s consumers are looking at the entire cost of the day, tickets, parking, food, add-ons, travel, and everything in between.

And as people become more selective about where they spend their leisure dollars, attraction operators have an important question to answer:

Does the entire experience feel worth what guests are spending?

In our latest article, we explore what “worth it” means to today’s guests and practical ways operators can strengthen the value of the experience without automatically lowering the price.

We also share insight from Stephen Davis of Integrated Insights and his recent Live With Sondra conversation about what the 2026 consumer data is telling us.

👉 Click the link to read the full article: https://hubs.li/Q04wfx_w0

Consumers have more choices than ever when deciding how to spend their free time and money. A family considering a day at your attraction may also be thinking about a weekend trip, sporting event, concert, restaurant, or simply staying home.

09/01/2026

Next week is IAAPA Presents: ZooTampa at Lowry Park! 🦒🎢

Sondra Shannon and Arianna Blackwell are getting ready to head to ZooTampa next week, and they’re looking forward to a day of learning, connecting, and exchanging ideas with fellow attraction professionals.

If you’ll be there too, make sure you find them and say hello! 👋

And if there’s something happening at your attraction that you’d love to talk through while you’re together, they’d be happy to connect.

Who else will we see at ZooTampa? Let us know in the comments!

09/01/2026

You can design an incredible guest experience, and still lose it in the ex*****on.

During a Live With Sondra conversation, Norman Gidney shared an important reminder: operational design is creative design.

Long waits, congestion, and poor guest flow can change how even the best experience feels.

As you plan for next season, ask: Where is operational friction getting in the way of the experience you want to create?

If something comes to mind, bring it to a Working Strategy Session.

👉 https://hubs.li/Q04w3Hwf0

08/31/2026

A new system can still leave you with the same old problems.

If you’re considering a technology change before next season, don’t start by asking which system has the most features.

Start by asking: What do we actually need to be better?

Your team’s workflows. Your guest experience. Reporting. Training. Support. The time it takes to get things done.

In our latest article, we’re sharing practical strategies attraction operators can use to define what success looks like before choosing their next system, so a change actually moves the operation forward.

👉 Click the link to read the full article: https://hubs.li/Q04vYzSJ0

08/29/2026

Before you start thinking about everything you need to improve, remember everything your team just accomplished. 👏

The long days. The busy weekends. The unexpected challenges. And through it all, your team welcomed guests and created experiences people will remember.

As the season winds down, take a moment to recognize how far you’ve come.

Then, when you’re ready to look ahead, think about one question:
What would make next season better for you and your team?

Whatever your answer is, we’d love to help you work through it.

👉 Schedule a Working Strategy Session: https://hubs.li/Q04vJ4_y0

Have a great weekend! 🎢

08/28/2026

Your 2027 plan doesn’t only need a to-do list. It may need a stop-doing list.

As this season winds down, think about what made your team’s job harder than it needed to be.

The duplicate work. The manual processes. The temporary workarounds that became permanent. The extra steps everyone learned to live with.

Before you add more for next season, ask: What can we stop doing?

If you need help figuring out what to simplify or leave behind, bring it to a Working Strategy Session. We’re here to help.

👉 https://hubs.li/Q04vH_vW0

08/27/2026

Sondra Shannon and Leona Shannon will be at the 2026 Golden Ticket Awards, September 11th–12th in Austin, TX! 🎢

They’re looking forward to great conversations, new connections, and spending time with the people who keep the attractions industry moving.

If you’re attending too, be sure to say hello! And if you’d like some dedicated time to talk about your attraction, what you’re working through, or what’s ahead for next season, schedule an in person meeting while they’re there.

👉 Schedule a time to connect: https://hubs.li/Q04vyJnx0

See you in Austin!

08/27/2026

The problems you ignore at the end of this season will be waiting for you next season.

Your team already showed you where the friction is. The repeated complaints, workarounds and slowdowns are clues.

Pay attention now. Fix what keeps getting in their way.

👉 Schedule a working strategy session with our team and let’s figure out what needs to change: https://hubs.li/Q04vwtZ20

08/26/2026

How much revenue did guests want to spend at your attraction this season, but never did?

Maybe the food line was too long. An upgrade was difficult to purchase. An add on wasn’t offered until guests arrived. Or your team simply didn’t have the information they needed to help guests take the next step.

Those moments may seem small, but across an entire season, they can add up.

Our latest article looks at where revenue opportunities may have been missed this season, and, more importantly, what you can do differently to capture more of them next year.

👉 Click the link to read the full article: https://hubs.li/Q04vpGJ20

A busy season can bring in a lot of revenue. Tickets are selling.

08/25/2026

This is your final chance to take the stage at GT Summit 2027.

If you work in the attractions industry, you’ve learned something that could help someone else.

Maybe it’s a challenge your team overcame. A strategy that changed the way you operate. A lesson you learned the hard way. Or an idea you believe more attraction professionals need to hear.

The GT Summit is built around sharing that kind of knowledge.

We’re looking for attraction professionals who are willing to bring their experiences into the room and help others in this industry learn, grow, and prepare for what’s next.

You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need something valuable to share.

📅 Speaker applications close this Friday, August 28th. If you’ve been thinking about applying, this is your chance.

Apply here: https://hubs.li/Q04vc4Z30