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Dark Rides
Control meets creativity S
ome things don’t change. It has always been the case that theme parks want to give guests the most memorable experiences possible - experiences they will talk about for years to come. But the ways in which
they do this are evolving - and I see this coming increasingly through providing more uniquely tailored guest experiences. State of the art technology in areas like real-time game engines, advanced
sensor and tracking technology as well as data interactions has opened up a world of new possibilities for designers. That having been said, I am hoping that guests do not notice any trends in
dark rides, as it makes our jobs harder! We know every area of technology from displays to ride vehicles is advancing at a rapid pace. We need bold creative visions to keep shining through and leading the way. A brand-new dark ride is one of the most high-risk projects an operator
can undertake. The expense of constructing the often-massive show buildings alone can be eye-watering, however a successfully executed dark ride can become the jewel in an operator’s crown. The dark ride format gives attraction designers the highest possible degree
of control, you can put your guest anywhere you want and control every aspect of what they see and hear. With the right budget, you can create almost anything you can conceive. The expectations of theme park enthusiasts have never been higher, and
there are now so many genuinely mind-blowing dark rides out there. We work closely with our customers to really listen and help create what they and their guests want next. Operators are enjoying more connected, reliable, and lower maintenance
attractions than ever. They are increasingly demanding ever more data about the performance of their attractions. We are always looking to select the most reliable products, then design and install them in a way that lowers the total cost of ownership. Holovis recently helped to open the Lego Factory Adventure Ride in
AUGUST 2023
DeepSmarts and HoloTrac platforms to identify and analyse numerous different characteristics of each guest in the AGV ride vehicle and accurately track and replicate their hand and upper-body movements. This is achieved via the HoloTrac sensor arrays hidden in the scenic
elements off-board the ride system and throughout the attraction. These sensor arrays integrate with the HoloTrac’s Computer Vision and AI systems and at key moments in the experience, allow the guests to be transformed into life-sized Lego Minifigures in front of them, mirroring the guests’ different characteristics and moving in real-time as the guests move. This means that in a split-second, guests are magically transformed into an accurate Minifigure of themselves. As this attraction used the very latest computer vision and AI systems within
the HoloTrac platform, there was an intensive development and testing period on a like-for-like ride testing rig at Holovis HQ, where our teams installed and configured the unique sensor arrays and developed the on-board processing systems required to deliver the highly challenging and complex attribute recognition solution (hairstyle, gender, shirt colour, glasses etc.) and ensure system accuracy and stability, given the many challenges we faced around human behaviour, actions and scenarios that would be outside of our control. These latest-technology sensor and software systems were installed in key
areas of the attraction to ensure accurate processing of the guest data in real-time from the ride vehicles and to always ensure a seamless and magical guest experience from the attraction.
Park World hears from Stephen Joy, technical director at Holovis, on why dark rides allow for maximised control and boundless creativity
Legoland South Korea after helping to open it in Legoland New York in 2021. The Lego Factory Adventure Ride is a prime example of a dark ride utilising advanced technology like real time tracking to create a truly immersive experience. Lego Factory Adventure unique dark ride attraction utilises Holovis’
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