Dwell Time

Dwell time is the amount of time a guest spends at a venue or in a specific area of it, from arrival to departure.

Attractions estimate dwell time from entry and exit scans, ticket types, or time-slot data. A museum visit might average two hours, while a ropes course session might last 90 minutes. The term is also used in retail and in SEO, where it means time spent on a web page.

Why it matters for operators

Longer dwell time often means more food, retail, and add-on sales, but it also ties up capacity. Knowing your average helps you set time-slot lengths, staffing, and how many guests to admit at once.

Related terms

• Capacity management

• Per-guest revenue

• Timed entry