No amusement park outing is complete without the purchase of an obligatory on-ride photo. You know the one that hung on your refrigerator for years. Your eyes are half closed because a 1000 watt flash just exploded in front of you. You look like a wet cat after crashing through a wall of unnaturally blue water. And your face is contorted into an expression you’ve never used before. It’s a moment you wanted to cherish forever.

The technology of the on-ride photo has had some slight advancements over the years, but it has always lagged behind consumer trends. That is set to change in 2016 as many amusement and theme parks look to adopt new on-ride camera technology which will allow riders to view, purchase, and share video of their experience – all online.

Amusement parks are wisely betting that this move will generate a boost in revenue with a new generation of smartphone users and GoPro enthusiasts likely to pay for shareable content. However, what many amusement park insiders may not realize is the marketing boost they should experience as well.

Back in the day, your $5 photo from Splash Mountain was likely only seen by grandma and whatever friends were allowed in the kitchen. But by selling photo and video files which visitors can easily share with thousands of friends through social media, amusement parks are basically charging customers to advertise their attraction. It’s a smart social media strategy that’s working for other destinations, and we expect to see much more of it as the year unfolds.