VR and Nostalgia: Using Animation Content at Theme Parks to Boost Visitor Experience

Interviews with experts and visitors conducted using a convenience sampling method were combined with archival research to understand the effect of adding VR technology to Korean theme park attractions, as well as to look at how nostalgic attributes in animation content can enhance the immersive experiences of the visitors. The interviews showed that having sophisticated, narrative driven, high-quality content is more important to visitors than the extent to which the VR technology is state-of-the-art. Findings also suggest that adopting existing well-known animation content to VR attractions will result in visitors experiencing better emotional connectedness, enhanced presence, and fuller immersion. Finally, ensuring that the quality-driven VR content evokes nostalgia will lead to repeat visitation by visitors.