Dark Rides
www.parkworld-online.com
Simworx
Park World spoke to Simworx, a world leader in the design, development and manufacturing of 3D / 4D attractions for the Theme Park and Entertainment Industry.
We are extremely passionate about the art of the dark ride format, and while honouring the history of the genre, we love to find new and dynamic ways to technically innovate Dark Rides further. Progress is a cornerstone of our industry and one Simworx consistently strives for. As well as being a narrative escape it can also
be a practical one - a respite from harsh elements and a half marathon worth of walking that a guest can do in an average park day. Additionally, Dark Rides can feature a wide
variety of themes and experiences, appealing to diverse guest demographics. They can incorporate interactive elements, intellectual properties and immersive storytelling environments. These elements enhance guest engagement and satisfaction through environmental storytelling but also potential emotional connections with pre- existing IP and their built-in fan base.
Dark rides are typically media-driven, therefore providing operators with the perfect platform to tell a compelling, immersive story that will fully engage guests. As so many well-known brands are now licensing their IPs in theme parks, Dark Rides can provide them with the perfect platform to promote their key characters using the core media that gave content! Combining motion with projected film media, beautiful theming, special effects, and pre-shows that build up the anticipation for the main story up ahead; all create a magical environment for guests to fully immerse themselves into the world of the character.
In recent years the rapid evolution of trackless dark rides has allowed operators to add a new dimension of storytelling by breaking from the linear constraints of classic tracked ride vehicles. At Simworx we have created the AGV Dark Ride to innovate this medium further. We do this by utilising quick acceleration for thrill factor, dynamic movement that helps bring the story to life and 360-degree movement that allows the vehicles to roam along a predetermined path that can be easily adjusted for differing capacities and throughput. Our AGVs can do a never-before-seen range of motions and interact with each other to create new exhilarating storytelling opportunities.
Alongside the revolutionary advancements of the Simworx AGV, a large trend is in scalability within rides. This is due to the boom in Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) and Family Entertainment Centres (FEC). Operators of these destinations need attractions that can fit a variety of size requirements, and Simworx meets these requirements with attractions such as The Immersive Tunnel and Pegasus Flying Theatre. We are also seeing a rise in interactives and
gamification within attractions, with the lines for Dark Rides being just as integral to the experience. Simworx integrates these elements through walkthrough pre-shows before our 4D cinema and the AGV on board interactive elements.
With screens being such a large part of our everyday life, we understand that media- based rides need to engage guests in new and innovative ways. With media-based attractions like the ones
switch out content whether it is for a re-theme or a seasonal overlay. This keeps the experience fresh for the guests which in turn will keep up attendance numbers for the park. This also includes gamification where you turn the passive experience of going through a dark ride to an attraction where the guest has an active role in the story.
The next evolution of Dark Rides is giving riders increased agency within an attraction - being able to make choices that can change or affect the experience or outcome. With the Simworx where one vehicle follows another. The AGV can move omnidirectional, take different routes, use different speeds and have multiple AGVs working together in the same area. For instance, 3 AGVs could leave the loading station at the same time, but go on different routes, encounter each other at various times during the ride and all have a same ride. We plan to integrate ways for guests to get involved in what routes the AGV takes.
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AUGUST 2024
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