The Future of Attractions

[Thrill Reconnoiter]

This is something that has plagued designers and management teams for years: What is going to be the future of high-level thrills?

Some people argue that going taller/faster will always be the main drive for thrills (TTD, KK, MF, SROS) while others claim that the future is going to be interactive rides (ROTM, EE).

What is your take?

[Jake]

It seems that as of late amusement parks are figuring out that guests come for an experience, not just for steel mosnters plopped on top of concrete.

Take a look at anything at any Disney or Universal theme park for example. Dueling Dragons, Mummy, Expedition Everest, Big Thunder, etc. They all have at least one thing in common. They are all experiences, they're more than steel track and supports, mounted into a concrete fixture.

However, it seems that even the regional chains like Cedar Fair and Six Flags have caught on as well. With additions like Tony Hawk and Maverick, they have stepped their feet into the pool that is "creating ride experiences". I can only hope that they continue on this path, and continue to raise the bar with theming and storylines for their attractions.

So with that, my conclusion is this. There is a definite shift towards attractions that offer an "experience". Something that guests will remember their entire lives, something more than a steel giant, more than a bagillion loop-dee-loops, and massive hills.

[Tom]

I think it will be a mix of height, speed and interaction. Also as technology increases we will see a more "free" ride, as less supports, or less restricting. I see probably in the next 15-20 years a coaster hitting 500 feet, but not an acceleration coaster, something different. Not sure but the Vekoma thrill lift would be a cheaper way to get to that height I believe, a completely different ride experience thats for sure. Either that or a traditional lift hill at a severe angle, 50-60 degrees. Or instead of a chain hill, LIM's like on Maverick or a cable lift. Any park that would consider this would have to have a)tons of land to work with as the layout would have to be huge b)tons of money to pay for it, c)a good way to market it to get more people.

For future trains, I would like to see a sort of bucket seat technology. It would eliminate size restraints for the most part as the seat would move up and down, higher for smaller passengers, lower for larger ones. Also something that would be pretty cool, I think, would be a floorless acceleration coaster.

[Jake]

For future trains, I would like to see a sort of bucket seat technology. It would eliminate size restraints for the most part as the seat would move up and down, higher for smaller passengers, lower for larger ones. Also something that would be pretty cool, I think, would be a floorless acceleration coaster.

I've thought the same thing, similar to X's restrains. A restraint that could fit nearly everyone. It would be a great idea, and definitely be useful tecnology.

[Haunt-Freak]

I actually think that parks will go more in the direction of theming. I think that rides will become more and more complex in theming, and in a good way too.

I'm just looking forward to new ideas, inventions, and rides.

[Exceller]

I think that we'll get a mix of the coasters and the dark rides. Right now, more and more themed rides are popping up all around us. For now, it is the themed rides that are popular, but in twenty years something new might have popped up. I don't know, maybe we'll see a 510 ft launched coaster that goes upside down (I can dream, right).

For now though, let's just go with the flow and see what happens in the future.

[Michael]

I don't think the future is going to be about speed, height, or theme alone. What has been showing up latley are creative and fun ideas, rides like Maverick, Renagade, and Furios Baco. These rides are not there to set records, but treat the public to wild elements, high g forces, and flowing layouts. They are comming up with designs that actually have some thought behind them, unlike TTD and KK type rides.

I think we are going to see a new era in rollercoaster and ride design. I think the designers are simply trying to create the most thoughtful, intense, and beautiful creations possible. Not going for the old "let's see if we can top the next coaster by a few feet to claim a pointless record". :p

[Voyage100]

I don't think the future is going to be about speed, height, or theme alone. What has been showing up latley are creative and fun ideas, rides like Maverick, Renagade, and Furios Baco. These rides are not there to set records, but treat the public to wild elements, high g forces, and flowing layouts. They are comming up with designs that actually have some thought behind them, unlike TTD and KK type rides.:p

Yes, as you said, I don't think as, the speed, height, and so on. Themes could be the bottom line to make its thrills, such like the tunnel with some head chopper will give us 'almost going to crash' effects, the track design that fits into the 'scenery thing', for instance, mountain-themed, outer space-themed, creepy themed, future-themed, urban-themed, would give us some feeling as we're in those realistic world, and we can get more bigger fun.

What coasters are needed is:

1: To be creative and be able to let all of us have fun.
2: Themes around the ride
3: Loopers should have comfy g's ( 3 to 4 in max )
4: Loads of Zero G spots.
5: Use the landscaping more, as the Voyage at Holiday World, you know it has big difference in elevation, and has 100 foot which goes let its ride speed up to the maximum, so it can give us big thrills when going through the woods, racing down its biggie hill from the starting point of 'return-run'. ( which is actually the tallest spot of the Voyage )

[Mike T]

The thing that really irks me isn't the design of the ride, but the one thing that everybody always tries to avoid... that being the queue line. Some of the best ways to wait in line (in my opinion) are lines that aren't overly themed, but lines that keep guests occupied. For example, a style of queue that I think a lot of attractions have the ability to use, due to the versatility of the design, is a queue that incorporates loud music with cheap effects such as lighting and fog/mist. Simple laser beams can still be seen in sun light, and its not like there are heavy restrictions on audio decibel levels, so it makes for something that can help pass the time by. I think in the world of Amusement Parks, its time to quit investing into the ride, and then just stopping there, its time to entertain guests even in the most straining situations.

When you ask somebody how their day was at an Amusement Park, the general first response that you will get will be something in relation to the crowds or how long that guest waited in line. In my opinion its time to eliminate that afterthought from the experience.

[jolash]

^And I think Busch does a great job at doing that. Griffon has 2 or 3 flat screen monitors set up in the queue, with the audio playing loud throughout the queue. Although it be very repetitive, it shows the original trailer for Griffon, as well as a trailer for the entire park. It really does help the time.

Alpengeist also has several random things in the station and queue that are fun to look at. Loch Ness has several different scenery objects set up in the overflow queue. Curse of Darkastle is also an excellent example of this, as the background story for the ride is told throughout the castle portion of the queue.

I think CF tried to do something along the lines of this with TTD, with the TTD vs. real dragster facts. It's not much, but it's entertainment. They also tried something with the monitor in the queue for Maverick, although, I have yet to see what's actually played on that monitor (it's never been on while I'm there).

At the same time, sometimes the looping sound effects and movies get annoying. Instead of being played throughout the queues, they should have different clips isolated to small sections of the queue. How many times do I really have to watch the Hulk clip while waiting in line? Or better yet, TTD's "Ready to Go" sound byte. It's played on every dispatch, and it's loud enough to hear from the queue, so you hear it far more than you'd like, and it sure loses its charm once you board the train.

But it's true. The one thing you spend the most time doing at a park is waiting in line. Why not make that time worth something?

[Tom]

I think the best thing for queue's would be what Six Flags used to do, old cartoons. I noticed at my last SFMM visit they had turned some back on, just didn't clean the glass covering it. It is better than the repetitive music and videos. Something I wish they would do is turn Riddler's Revenge's music and moving lights back on instead of just the white lights they do have on. The theming is already there use it.

[Jake]

Or better yet, TTD's "Ready to Go" sound byte. It's played on every dispatch, and it's loud enough to hear from the queue, so you hear it far more than you'd like, and it sure loses its charm once you board the train.

Jeezus, after hearing that for an hour I wanted to kill myself.

I think the best queue period would have to go to Dueling Dragons, I saw a video on youtube and it's absolutely fantastic.