11 replies to this topic

[MarioSonic94]

Since the park is slowly (but surely) getting back on the right foot in terms of flat rides, it begs the question: Will we ever see the simulator make a comeback? Personally, I could definitely see it returning to the park. Whether it returns to the Right Stuff hanger or have an entirely new building somewhere in the park (Movietown could be a prime location), a simulator is a definite must have for any theme park. One thing's for sure, if it returns, it needs to have am awesome film to go along with it (either an exclusive film or a good film from Iwerks film library)

[batmanrobinchiller]

I totally agree that Great Adventure needs its simulator back! GA is not the same without the Right Stuff 1 taking it's place on the Boardwalk. As for Movietown, they should bring back that "Movietown feel'' from the 90's with the Batman Stunt Show and the extensive props that went with the area (HBO Back Lot, movie props, posters, etc). The theme park world is not the same anymore. It's all about the coaster and not the rides/attractions that compliment it.

[GAcoaster]

I think the idea of a simulator theater is nice, but not practical. As attractions, simulators time came and went. In the 90's they promised to be the future of theme park attractions since you could make incredibly thrilling rides that could be changed out with the simple change of films, but they never panned out to be all that. The public got tired of the gimmick, and the film makers never stepped up to make unique films for them since there was no real money in it.

I think they will make a comeback in the next few years since technology is getting better (and more importantly cheaper) to do it the RIGHT way. You can't just have a theater with a flat screen and moving seats that don't offer a full range of motions anymore. With things like Spiderman and Harry Potter really showing the possibilities of what simulators can do, someone will begin marketing the technologies at a lower price tag so parks like Six Flags can make the investment and actually recover that investment. For a seasonal park a $100 million dollar (or even a$50 million) investment is just not feasible. If they can bring the costs down below $20 million suddenly they become more realistic additions for seasonal parks.

I can see in a few years doing a simulator theater with banks of seats on Kuka arms being the new wave, where the seats have real range of motion. Put that inside a domed screen theater with digital projection and you have the next generation of simulator. Right now the cost is too high, but give it time and give it some industry backing just like the Iwerks theaters in the 1990's. You have to make it cheap enough for smaller parks to afford AND get enough parks to buy them to make the content affordable and available. It still costs too much too make a film just for one park, so you need to get Six Flags and Cedar Fair and SeaWorld and Hershend and any other parks/aquariums/museums/science centers to make the same kind of investments to make it feasible.

I could see Cedar Fair (especially with Ouimet at the helm) teaming up with some manufacturer and creating something like this at a reasonable price that they can roll it out to all their parks and create unique "family" attractions, and Six Flags and other parks reaping the benefits in the long run. I'm curious to see the new Turtle Trek simulator at SeaWorld Orlando where it will be a full 360 degree dome 3-D projection and see how that works. Things like that cost a fortune to develop, but once they've been done, knocking it off costs a lot less. Look at Curse of Dark Kastle at BGW...MUCH cheaper than Spiderman's $100 million (but still more expensive than Six Flags wants to spend), and since it hasn't been cloned for the other SeaWorld properties, I'd guess too expensive for them as well.

When the simulator theaters of the 1990's were rolled out they were supposed to be the end of roller coasters since they could always be updated...that never happened because people still want the REAL experience more than watching any movie.

[coastercrazy9]

Is Soarin's technology patented, if not that would be an amazing addition.

[GAcoaster]

It is, but the same system is available from INTAMIN (who built it for Disney)

[Andrew M]

im hoping GA is planning something for the old simulator theater. It's been supposedly "under funstruction" for the past two years so you would think since they havent torn it down yet that they have something up their sleeve.

or on the other hand i dont wanna believe they just havent had the time or money to do so.

[Absimilliard]

It is, but the same system is available from INTAMIN (who built it for Disney)

Intamin had nothing to do with the Soarin' rides. A WDI imagineer invented the concept and a steel mill in Vancouver, BC build the giant erector sets that lift the cars in front of the screens.

Vekoma and Huss already built copies of it. I tried the Vekoma version in Taiwan and it was a nice concept. Basically, to get around the erector set patent held by WDI, the Vekoma version loads in a room and then your suspended car just move forward in front of the screen. Nice images and the suspended car had side movements, as opposed to Soarin;. Huss sold a few ride systems similar to it in China and I believe one in Taiwan.

[Up_Up_and_Away]

Intamin had nothing to do with the Soarin' rides. A WDI imagineer invented the concept and a steel mill in Vancouver, BC build the giant erector sets that lift the cars in front of the screens.

Vekoma and Huss already built copies of it. I tried the Vekoma version in Taiwan and it was a nice concept. Basically, to get around the erector set patent held by WDI, the Vekoma version loads in a room and then your suspended car just move forward in front of the screen. Nice images and the suspended car had side movements, as opposed to Soarin;. Huss sold a few ride systems similar to it in China and I believe one in Taiwan.

The Imagineer (Mark Sumner) used an erector set (a toy) to create a working model of the ride system, which was then manufactured by Dynamic Structures of Port Coquitlam, BC. The point is that the technology is out there and available....

[CycloneMan]

I don't know if Great Adventure would necessarily bring a new simulator into the park. Let alone SF as a company bring them into the parks. Simulators aren't as popular as they used to be. Yes, parks still get new simulators but it's not as often as it used to be, and most of the simulators being put in these days are just replacing older ones. With everything going on in Orlando (Harry Potter, Spiderman updates, Antarctica), I have a feeling more parks are going to try and do a more immersive experience with thrill rides. Could they possibly put a new simulator in? Sure, anything's possible. Do I think it's likely? No, no I don't

[Chiller]

I can see a interactive dark ridde of some kind coming to the park before a simulator. I think that building will either be used as storage forever or eventually be torn down for something new.

[BuddyChrist]

Simulators are too past their prime to be a viable addition anymore. Anybody can go to a movie theater now and experience the 3D movies that were once exclusive only to theme parks. Sitting through a movie with moving seats is not exciting for audiences anymore, they want to be involved and immersed into a ride. Dark rides and interactive dark rides are what the public really wants nowadays, they'd be wise to seriously consider one of those.

[Up_Up_and_Away]

Until we hear legitimate rumors regarding the status of the structure, I'm closing this topic.