You can find this same spirit in wildly different places - like Jungle Jim’s International Market in Cincinnati, Ohio. While Jungle Jim’s is, on paper, a grocery store, it’s become a destination attraction in its own right. One of its most talked-about features? The bathroom entrances are disguised as portable toilets. It’s unexpected. It’s funny. And once you walk through, you’re met with high-end, beautifully finished restrooms. The juxtaposition surprises guests and sparks word-of-mouth, photos, and lasting memories. All from a restroom.

Attraction Application: Use humor and surprise to transform a mundane moment—like visiting the restroom or a ticket booth—into a memorable “wow” experience. Even utility spaces can deliver delight and drive guest buzz.

Now look to Wall Drug in South Dakota — a highway icon that started with free ice water and turned into a tourist empire. From photo ops with giant jackalopes to an animatronic T-Rex and themed Western storefronts, Wall Drug became a must-stop destination by leaning into kitsch and embracing over-the-top roadside charm. They turned necessity (getting people off the highway) into an unforgettable experience.

Attraction Application: Embrace your setting, theme, or even your limitations, and turn them into over-the-top experiences that invite photos, storytelling, and nostalgia. Don’t be afraid to go big, bold, or kitschy if it gets guests engaged.

Or consider Uranus Fudge Factory (with locations in Missouri and 2 in Indiana). Yes, it’s cheeky. Yes, it walks the line as guests enter the building and every employee yells out “Welcome to Uranus!”. But this roadside stop gets people talking — and stopping — because it isn’t afraid to be playful. It blends classic Americana, tongue-in-cheek humor, and old-fashioned candy making into something visitors can’t help but remember (and share online).

Attraction Application: Lean into playful branding and themed interactions. Train your team to participate in the guest experience through scripted greetings or humor that fits your environment—it builds a sense of community and gives people something to talk about.

Then there’s Container Park in Las Vegas — an open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment complex built entirely from shipping containers. Not only is it sustainable and flexible, but it turns architecture into attraction. The park includes a giant praying mantis sculpture that breathes fire nightly. It proves you can do big things with basic parts — if you think differently.

Attraction Application: Rethink your physical spaces. Use unconventional or modular materials to create immersive, flexible environments that are cost-effective but visually striking. A well-placed kinetic sculpture or fire effect can turn your entry plaza into a spectacle.

Source: Tomás Del Coro

The bottom line is this: innovation doesn’t require reinvention. It requires observation.

Whether it’s a farm-built basketball game, a toilet fa?ade that makes you laugh, a roadside megastore, or a fire-breathing insect made of steel, the common thread is the willingness to explore outside your comfort zone. Not every solution will come from another theme park. In fact, many won’t.

So take a walk through a feed store. Visit a quirky roadside attraction. Stop into that international market on your next trip. Ask yourself: What’s working here? What are they doing that I’ve never thought of before?

Our guests crave the unexpected. And the best way to give it to them might be by looking somewhere you never expected.

How ITPS Can Assist

At ITPS, we specialize in helping our clients see possibilities where others see limitations. Whether you’re reimagining existing spaces, refreshing guest touchpoints, or developing entirely new experiences, we bring a fresh perspective rooted in decades of operational insight. From concept development to implementation, we help you uncover creative, cost-effective solutions—sometimes inspired by the least expected places. Let us help you turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.