Sun, Fun, and Structure: What Resort Activity Schedules Reveal

Authors

Phileshia Dombroski, Ph.D., Winona State UniversityFollow
Kayla D. Mohney, Ed.D., Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania - Lock HavenFollow
Rebecca L. Moriarty, Winona State UniversityFollow
Ava Beal, Winona State UniversityFollow
Libby Scanlon, Winona State UniversityFollow
Emily Bailey, Winona State UniversityFollow
Cyan N. Kvacky, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania - Lock HavenFollow

Abstract

Daily activity schedules are central to the guest experience in resort environments, guiding participation, communicating brand identity, and structuring leisure time. This mixed-method content analysis explored how resorts across the United States design and present these schedules, emphasizing accessibility and program diversity. Eighteen publicly available resort activity schedules were evaluated using accessibility tools (PAC 3, Adobe Acrobat, WCAG 2.2) and coded for 4,166 individual activities across eight categories. Findings revealed moderate adherence to accessibility standards. Most schedules met minimum font size and color contrast guidelines, but only 25% were compatible with screen readers and 80% lacked alternative text or structural tagging. Across the schedules analyzed, wellness/fitness and social/entertainment activities accounted for the largest share of listed programs, while cultural/educational and nature/environmental offerings were more common among resorts with higher nightly rates. Resorts offering a greater number of daily activities also demonstrated higher program diversity (r = .49, p = .039). These findings illustrate how activity schedules both reflect and shape guest experiences while revealing systemic accessibility gaps. The study offers an empirical baseline for evaluating the inclusivity and structure of resort recreation materials, inviting broader discussion of how communication design intersects with leisure equity.

Keywords

: resort recreation, tourism accessibility, recreation programming, inclusive design, experience design, digital accessibility

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Dombroski, Ph.D., Phileshia; Mohney, Ed.D., Kayla D.; Moriarty, Rebecca L.; Beal, Ava; Scanlon, Libby; Bailey, Emily; and Kvacky, Cyan N. (2025) "Sun, Fun, and Structure: What Resort Activity Schedules Reveal," Proceedings of the Recreation Experience Community Network Research Symposium: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/recnet_proceedings/vol1/iss1/5