The choice of hardware depends on the park’s security needs, aesthetic goals, and expected throughput. Speed Gates vs Tripod Turnstiles vs Full Height Turnstiles
| Era | Technology | Key Features | Throughput (guests/min/lane) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1950s–1980s | Mechanical ratchet turnstile | Manual ticket tear, coin drop, physical counter | 6–8 | | 1990s | Barcode/ magnetic stripe | Handheld scanners, ticket validation | 10–12 | | 2000s | RFID wristband/ card | Tap-and-go, basic integration with POS | 15–20 | | 2010s | Biometric + RFID | Fingerprint/ palm scan, season pass linking | 20–25 | | 2020s–present | AI camera + mobile wallet | Walk-through gating, facial recognition (opt-in), real-time load balancing | 30+ | theme park turnstiles