Thrillertainment is entertainment that is intended to thrill, excite, stimulate the senses – and sometimes cause fright. Thrill seekers enjoy the near-to-dangerous experiences which thrillertainment can give them. The experience of being thrilled causes sudden intense sensations including excitement and fright which can cause adrenalin to flow, and leave us in a variety of bodily states including being: in a heightened state of alert; ‘weak at the knees’; and having ‘butterflies in our tummies’.
These are all experiences that many (but not all) of us enjoy. Thrillertainment broadly appeals the most to younger people – particularly those in their mid to late teens and early twenties. This younger segment of the market are actively seeking out experiences that are new and exciting as a part of their growing and learning process.
Thrillertainment is a core product of, and the major attraction at theme parks, amusement parks, and fairgrounds where ‘scary’, ‘white knuckle’ rides entice those brave enough to try them out. Whilst the above best represents thrillertainment, this kind of entertainment can also be found more subtly on ‘ghost tours’, and ‘murder mystery weekends’. Some ghost tours such as the one held at Temple Newsam in Leeds feature actors playing ghosts and ghouls throughout the tour, that are designed to create atmosphere and instil a sense of fright amongst participants. Murder mystery weekends are designed to create atmosphere, intrigue, and trigger emotions in participants, which may be comparatively subtle thrills compared to those given by a rollercoaster, but none the less, they are still thrills, which puts them within the thrillertainment category within the entertainment industry.
Next week I will be experiencing thrillertainment first hand, when I visit one of the world’s greatest thrillertainment venues - Disney World in Florida, where I shall be visiting some Tourism students on work placement. A full report will appear on here thereafter.
These are all experiences that many (but not all) of us enjoy. Thrillertainment broadly appeals the most to younger people – particularly those in their mid to late teens and early twenties. This younger segment of the market are actively seeking out experiences that are new and exciting as a part of their growing and learning process.
Thrillertainment is a core product of, and the major attraction at theme parks, amusement parks, and fairgrounds where ‘scary’, ‘white knuckle’ rides entice those brave enough to try them out. Whilst the above best represents thrillertainment, this kind of entertainment can also be found more subtly on ‘ghost tours’, and ‘murder mystery weekends’. Some ghost tours such as the one held at Temple Newsam in Leeds feature actors playing ghosts and ghouls throughout the tour, that are designed to create atmosphere and instil a sense of fright amongst participants. Murder mystery weekends are designed to create atmosphere, intrigue, and trigger emotions in participants, which may be comparatively subtle thrills compared to those given by a rollercoaster, but none the less, they are still thrills, which puts them within the thrillertainment category within the entertainment industry.
Next week I will be experiencing thrillertainment first hand, when I visit one of the world’s greatest thrillertainment venues - Disney World in Florida, where I shall be visiting some Tourism students on work placement. A full report will appear on here thereafter.
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