AI in Attractions
www.parkworld-online.com
Increasing Engagement with Technology: How
AI is Making a Splash J. Wickham Zimmerman, CEO of Outside the Lines, looks at why artificial intelligence is the perfect technology partner for theme parks.
A
s AI becomes more integrated into seemingly every industry, its usefulness to theme parks is becoming even more
apparent, especially when it comes to creating unique and personalised guest experiences. AI is the perfect technology partner for theme
parks for two reasons: First, it can track, sort and analyse vast amounts of data, including last visit, ride preferences, and more. Second, the more data AI technology collects, the smarter it grows, which means it can continue to improve guest experiences as it learns. In theme parks all over the world, AI is
already making impactful changes. Some parks are using AI to sort and utilise data captured through wristbands, including purchase patterns and traffic flow. Other parks are using AI to create virtual concierges and manage ticketing. But the most thrilling aspect of AI in
theme parks is the possibilities it presents for exceptional and personalised entertainment. For example, at one theme park hub in Grand Prairie, Texas, AI technology is now being used to create an engaging attraction that interacts with guests in a completely new way.
Finding New Forms for Interactive Play Illuvia is a large-scale show fountain at the centre of EpicCentral, a 172-acre entertainment district encompassing several theme parks, hotels and restaurants. Since EpicCentral opened in 2023, Illuvia
has been dazzling guests with its nightly show featuring jets that shoot up to 60 feet in the air and spray nozzles that create screens for large- scale video projection. Each show is filled with music, lights and a choreographed water show that delights guests of all ages. But as the designers and builders of Illuvia,
our company Outside the Lines, Inc. (OTL), wanted more - we wanted to find a way that Illuvia could interact with guests in between
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shows and throughout the day, increasing engagement and enhancing the guest experience. We had worked on many other interactive water features, such as splash pads in public parks that allow kids to cool off and play with the water. Now we had something new and different in mind, and that’s where AI came into play. That is when Aquarius Interactive was born: an
AI technology that mimics guests’ movements in front of the fountain and installed it at Illuvia in early 2024. It works like this: internet protocol cameras
capture the shapes and movements of guests in the area in front of the fountain. Aquarius Interactive then translates that data to move the water and lights of the fountain to mimic the guests’ movement in return, resulting in a direct interaction with the guests. Aquarius Interactive can also play a host of various games with guests, including chase-and-follow and a whack- a-mole style match that entices guests to figure out where the fountain will pop up next. While there is no signage to clue guests into
Illuvia’s new interactive features, it’s usually the youngest guests who are the first to figure it out. Their delighted reactions are the reason this technology was created - to encourage curiosity and to inspire new discoveries.
Innovation Continues Because Aquarius Interactive can already precisely detect the size of a guest, where a guest is and what they are doing, it is capturing a considerable amount of valuable data that can be used for a variety of purposes, including monitoring traffic flow patterns and measuring length of stay in the area around the fountain. The technology can also be integrated into any DMX-controlled system to control sound, lights, fog and water, leading to a host of possible uses in the future. It might be used to create wayfinding in a park, leading to a particular
“The possibilities for AI in theme parks are virtually limitless, and
only dependent on our own creativity”
attraction or display, or to create an interactive themed maze for guests to traverse. However we harness the capabilities of AI, we
can certainly find new and innovative ways to impact guests’ experiences in positive ways. The possibilities for AI in theme parks are virtually limitless, and only dependent on our own creativity as we design the attractions and the theme parks of the future.
J. Wickham Zimmerman is the CEO of Outside the Lines, a design-build themed construction company that specializes in creating one-of-a-kind rockwork, water features and themed environments for retail entertainment, hospitality, gaming, and golf properties around the globe. More information is available at
www.otl-inc.com.
AUGUST 2024
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