Theme park aficionados have a new ride experience that grants them more control over the attraction.
A Universal Destinations & Experiences patent for “Choreographed Ride Systems and Methods” revealed what’s to come: an interactive ride that combines cutting-edge technology with personalized customization. As described in the patent, the system utilizes precise control mechanisms to adjust vehicle trajectories and spacing, ensuring a seamless and exhilarating ride that adheres to the desired intensity level, whether it's a close encounter simulation or a more relaxed experience.
The technical sophistication of the ride system is evident in its ability to adapt in real time based on rider inputs and system feedback. Sensors track the positions of the vehicles, enabling the control system to make instant adjustments to maintain the planned choreography and ensure safety.
CEO Dennis Speigel of International Theme Park Services said, “On any ride, you get a crosscut of demographics from children and teens to young adults and older adults, and different people are looking for different experiences.”
Speigel noted that when a ride allows for hyper-customization, it satisfies more people and encourages people to try it again.
“If I liked the ride at level one, how am I going to feel at level four? That’s going to bring me back to the same ride for a different experience,” said Speigel.
Executives with Universal don’t have more details to share right now, but it’s possible the ride could be part of Epic Universe or another Universal Orlando park, given how much development has been cooking locally.
Universal has filed a flurry of patents related to theme park experiences, from lowering wait times to making rides more adventurous.
A patent titled “Attraction System for Amusement Park” showed the company is developing technology for a ride that creates the sensation of movement even when the rider is stationary or mostly still, like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but a level up.
Meanwhile, Universal has revealed details about rides opening next year – from the immersive Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment to the coaster Curse of the Werewolf.
Major investments in its theme parks may be coming at just the right time for Universal, considering that 2026 is projected to be the year attendance levels return to pre-pandemic numbers.
Ernst & Young’s Maria Psathas — a technology consultant — noted in an April 2024 article that trending technologies will help theme parks deepen customer loyalty and engagement by delivering experiences more immersive than what’s been seen before.
“The customer lifecycle spotlights where the end-to-end journey changes from a transactional to a constant engagement model,” Psathas wrote.
To get there, explained Speigel, everyone in the industry is racing to roll out hands-on, participatory experiences.
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