The One Where Nostalgia Backfires: Evidence from Theme Parks

Abstract

As theme parks seek more opportunities in using intellectual properties to redesign their services, this study explores the potential impacts of such modifications on consumers’ attitudes towards the theme parks. More specifically, it investigates the joint effects of service redesign, nostalgia, and consumer expertise on consumers’ brand love for theme parks. The results suggest when theme parks undergo service redesign, nostalgia may play a negative role in predicting consumers’ brand love. Moreover, nostalgia and consumer expertise may have joint negative effects on brand love when theme parks undergo service redesign. This study contributes to the hospitality literature by contrasting past studies that display the positive effects of nostalgia in influencing consumer behaviors and suggests the potential drawbacks of nostalgia in the service industry. It also illustrates nostalgia is an intricate marketing tool for the industry.