Transportation-Part IV: Comparison & Strategy, Sky Trams vs. Jeep, Article by Anyajoy Options

[Anyajoy]

ZT2 ES Transportation - Part IV: Comparison & Strategy, Sky Trams vs. Jeep Tours
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This article will compare Sky Tram Tours and Jeep Tours the following three ways:

1. Cost to build
2. Upkeep costs
3. Revenue gained

A final paragraph will ask questions and offer strategies.

What is the cost to build tours, a sky tram tour and a Jeep tour, in the same zoo? The answer may surprise you! Two tours were built in the same zoo, with the same exhibits and animals. Both tours either entered or passed over every exhibit. For the sake of a fair, even comparison, vehicles to accommodate 48 guests will be included. First, consider the Sky Tram Tour.
 aerial.PNG ( 214.94K ) Number of downloads: 89

Station: $1,600
Poles: $1,875 (for 25 poles at $75 each)
Total Cost to Build (without vehicles): $3,475
Vehicles - 4-seat ($850 ea.): $10,200; 2-seat ($475 ea.): $11,400; 1-seat ($250 ea.): $12,000
Total Cost: $13,675 - $16,475

Now the Jeep Tour,
 jeep_map.PNG ( 211.64K ) Number of downloads: 74

Station: $1,000
Road: $2,180 (for 218 segments at $10 each)
Vehicle Gates: $2,080 (for 13 gates at $160 each)
Crossing Gates: $800 (for 8 gates at $100 each)
Total Cost to Build (without vehicles): $6,060
Vehicles - 6-seat ($500 ea.): $4,000; 3-seat ($300 ea.): $4,800
Total Cost: $10,060 - $10,860

Upkeep costs are exactly the same for stations on both tours, $25 per month, per station.
What about upkeep costs for vehicles? Again, comparisons will be made for the accommodation of 48 guests.
Upkeep costs for the Sky Tram Tour:
Station: $25/month
4-seat at $70 each: $840/month
2-seat at $40 each: $960/month
1-seat at $25 each: $1,200/month
Total Upkeep Cost per Month: $865 - $1,225

Upkeep costs for the Jeep Tour:
Station: $25/month
6-seat at $75 each: $600/month
3-seat at $50 each: $800/month
Total Upkeep Cost per Month: $625 - $825

Both kinds of tours bring in revenue. In the test/research zoo created for this article, the sky tram tour brought in more revenue during a game year than did the Jeep tour, approximately $2,300 per month for the sky tram tour vs. $1,900 per month for the Jeep tour. However, in fairness to Jeep tours, the test zoo was already built (exhibits, pathways, etc.) before the tours were added. When planning a Jeep tour for a zoo, plan ahead before creating exhibits. The most important thing to try to achieve is to prevent Jeep tours from bogging down, either from animals obstructing the path or from guests on foot getting in the way of the tour's progression. Both tours tested were, and remained during the testing, five-star tours.

While researching the Jeep tour for this article, many guests gave up waiting for a vehicle to drive into the station and just walked away. This didn't happen with the Sky Tram because the vehicles are constantly moving. Remember, you want guests to be able to ride on the tours. They don't donate funds until they have a positive tour experience.

Achieve higher revenue from both types of tours by:

1. Placing the station or stations in well-traveled areas.
2. Keeping the area around the station free of congested pathways or buildings other than the station.
3. Keep the tour moving! With Jeep tours, this means a careful monitoring of the zoo and the tour.
4. Make sure there are a lot of healthy, happy animals for guests to see on the tour.
5. Increase revenue by placing tour objects.

So how does a Zoo Tycoon decide what kind of tour to build? The novice will likely have an easier time building a sky tram tour. With sky trams, road doesn't have to be placed, congestion on the tour isn't a problem, and the zoo and the tour itself do not require as much monitoring as a Jeep tour.

When the maximum number of vehicles (variable according to the length of the tour) is added to a sky tram tour, the tour automatically regulates the leaving of each vehicle from the station. It's possible to get some clumping of vehicles on sky tram tours when the entire circuit isn't filled. For the most part, however, the tour basically runs itself.

Are there any problems with sky tram tours? Guests occasionally leave the tour and end up in exhibits. Try placing tour objects, especially volcanoes and geysers near enough to be seen but far enough to be somewhat in the distance. The only "falling off" of guests in the test zoo for this article occurred near a volcano. Also avoid placing raised walkways too near the sky tram.

What about Jeep tours? What is a good strategy for creating these types of tours? The best strategy is to plan ahead. Be careful of the following situations:

1. The need for a lot of crossing gates. In spite of the fact that most guests will observe them, in congested areas guests can actually become trapped in the gates while they are in the lowered position. Also, when a long progression of Jeeps cross the road, making guests on foot wait, guest dissatisfaction occurs, especially when the waiting guests need to get to restrooms, food stands, etc.
2. The placing of food and water for animals too near the tour road. While guests love to see the animals up close, too much animal activity on the road delays the tour and causes problems with delayed returns to the station.
3. Allowing the animal population to become too large. This again has an impact on tour delays as a greater number of animals make possible more animals on the road.

Both types of tours have exciting possibilities and problematic challenges. Remember that it is only with Jeep tours that guests can pass through two kinds of tunnels. Remember also that with sky tram tours, guests are above and do not miss much. Happy tour guests = $$ donations. Experiment with both kinds of tours and find what works best.


See also:
Part I: Sky Tram Tours
Part II: Jeep Tours
Part III: Tour Objects

This post has been edited by Anyajoy: May 21 2006, 06:37 PM

[Anyajoy]

Here is Part IV of the tour articles.