Flying Theatre
www.parkworld-online.com
The sky’s the limit
Dynamic Attractions is brimming with knowledge, ambition and big plans
G
uests love flying theatre rides because they allow us to do something that’s otherwise impossible. The moment a guest feels their feet lift off the ground and they find themselves suspended in mid-air, a
smile lights up their face. As they feel the wind blowing and see the ground fall away, they sense what it’s like to fly. They’re given an opportunity to experience something truly magical. We’re often told by clients that Dynamic’s Flying Theatre is the most popular ride in their park, and for good reason. Park operators need rides that appeal to all ages, have a high throughput,
are safe and reliable. Flying Theatres check all the boxes. It’s an “8 to 80” ride, so the demographic is extremely broad. And Dynamic’s theatres have a reputation for both quality and reliability. For operators, that’s critical. Operators require the advanced expertise it takes to build and maintain the complex technical elements needed for total guest immersion to drive and sustain new business while enhancing safety and operational performance. We consider ourselves to be both creatives and engineers; we like to push
the limits of what is possible. A clear example of this can be seen in Dynamic’s new Compact Flying Theatre. Traditional Flying Theatre rides require a fairly large facility to house the ride and media screen. While this isn’t a problem for major parks, it adversely impacts smaller regional parks and local operators. To address this, Dynamic developed the Compact Flying Theatre. It requires no excavation, features ground-level loading, and has a low ceiling height requirement. Because of this, the Compact Flying Theatre fits into buildings that could never house a traditional Flying Theatre. Alongside large parks, it’s not a surprise that in recent years we’ve seen a
trend where regional parks and independent attractions are expressing interest in adding a Flying Theatre. We’re also seeing the emergence of curved LED displays over traditional projection systems. The whole themed entertainment industry changed during the COVID-
19 pandemic, and with it, the needs of operators and the desires of guests. Operators need flexibility. For some, this means being able to easily update
28 parts of the attraction when attendance begins to wane.
For others, this means being able to meet local or seasonal demands for an attraction. At Dynamic, we’re hard at work developing the next generation of Flying Theatre that directly addresses the needs of the post-COVID attraction operator.
Meanwhile, visitors to theme parks want a great experience. Younger guests
place a tremendous emphasis on interactivity and social connectivity. At Dynamic, our next generation Flying Theatres are being designed to deliver the thrilling experience that will made this type of ride a success well into the future. Over the years we’ve seen fads such as adding VR to attractions, however
these sorts of developments often fizzle out because they forget to stay true to the core ride experience. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement, however. The evolution of Flying Theatres will bring about interactivity, connectedness, and a greater level of immersion for guests. Meanwhile, operators will see the barrier to entry lowered. They’ll see greater operational flexibility, and the ability to quickly pivot to meet visitor demands. SkyFly, Soar America is a Flying Theatre attraction at The Island in Pigeon
Forge, TN. It opened in 2021 and marked the first time we became co-owner and co-operator of a Flying Theatre attraction. The experience was incredibly helpful in expanding our understanding of what operators need and what guests are looking for. The attraction went on to win USA Today’s coveted Best New Attraction
award. It features an elaborate themed environment with a virtual queue that allows the operator to adjust guest dwell time. The queue & preshow space boast over 30 minutes of unique media to make the dwell time a fun experience. The ride film itself was produced by Dynamic. SkyFly is a tremendous attraction and serves as a showpiece for what is
currently ‘state of the art’ in a Flying Theatre attraction. However, we are always hard at work to deliver the next great Flying Theatre experience.
FEBRUARY 2024
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