Kick Off Summer Like a Pro With Your FEC Staff

Summer offers prime opportunities for both indoor and outdoor family entertainment venues, and your team needs to be firing on all cylinders. That’s why a fun, engaging Summer Kickoff Meeting is the perfect way to energize your crew, recognize past wins, and set the tone for the season ahead.

But with the busy season fast approaching, it’s easy for planning to fall through the cracks. Don’t let your kickoff be forgettable! Instead, build a meeting that’s as exciting as your attractions. To help you do that, we’ve brought back and tailored one of our most popular blogs with the seven essentials to help you throw a kickoff that sticks.

No. 1: Start with a Summer Theme.

Give your team something fun to rally around—whether it’s a motto like “Soak Up the Fun!” or an acronym like SPLASH (Service, Positivity, Leadership, Action, Smiles, Hospitality). A good theme helps unify your messaging and keeps everyone aligned. Use it in staff huddles, signage, and incentive programs all season long! Consider how you might get your team involved in creating the theme, now or for one in the future.

No. 2: Celebrate Recent Wins.

Before you dive into what’s next, take a moment to recognize what’s recently gone right. Highlight team members who made guests smile, upsold like pros, or showed significant improvement. Mix it up with both data-driven awards (most birthday parties hosted, highest arcade sales) and fun superlatives (“Most Creative Game Attendant” or “Restaurant MVP”) to vary recipients and make the awards more fair and relevant. Dig back through those recent comment cards and reviews and share insights with the team.

No. 3: Set Fresh Goals.

Summer is all about momentum—and setting clear goals helps keep the team focused. Whether it’s boosting guest reviews, increasing party bookings, or cutting down wait times, make sure your goals are measurable and shared across departments. Even better—invite the team to help shape them. When they help set the targets, they’re more likely to crush them.

No. 4: Equip Your Team for Success.

Training doesn’t have to be boring. Keep it interactive and energizing—think mini-challenges, role-play games, or live demos. Then, continue the learning throughout the season with quick refreshers and coaching. Ask your team what tools or training would help them succeed—they might surprise you with ideas you hadn’t considered!

No 5: Connect the Dots (The “So What?” Factor).

Don’t just roll out new rules or initiatives—explain why they matter. Whether it’s a new party package or guest service goal, make sure your team sees how it benefits them, your guests, and the overall mission. Tie it into growth opportunities, incentives, or how it sets them up for future success.

No. 6: Build the Team While You Train.

Want the team to care about each other as much as they care about guests? Work in some team-building! Keep it light and meaningful—like “Pitch Your Favorite Attraction” if you’re focusing on upselling, or “Common Ground” games to build empathy and connection. The goal: stronger bonds, better service.

No. 7: Feed the Fun.

Food is a must. Whether it’s pizza, full catering to showcase your new seasonal offerings, or even just ice cream sandwiches or popsicles, make it festive. Not only does it create a great vibe, but it also helps your team experience the guest perspective (and maybe even improve their recommendations!).

Let’s Make This the Best Summer Ever.

Your Summer Kickoff isn’t just a meeting—it’s your team’s launchpad into a busy, high-energy season. Use these seven elements to fire up your crew and make this summer one to remember.

Want to dive deeper into any of these steps, read the original post here.