Flying Theatre


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New heights


Simworx tells Park World how the Flying Theatre format is evolving, with an increasing emphasis on immersion and narrative engagement


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lying Theatres have emerged as a beloved attraction among guests and parks alike, thanks to their universal appeal and family-friendly nature. Offering an immersive and exhilarating experience suitable for


all ages, they stand out as a crowd favourite. The pivotal moment of any Flying Theatre adventure lies in its reveal phase, delivering a breath-taking spectacle that captivates audiences with awe rather than sheer intensity. Whether it’s the sensation of being lifted into the air, the dramatic unveiling of shutter doors, or the graceful motion of seats turning, the blend of weightlessness and enveloping media environments creates a mesmerising and unforgettable experience. While the remainder of the ride may offer a gentler pace, with guests gracefully ascending and descending in a weightless sway, the incorporation of subtle special effects such as simulated wind adds to the joyous sensation of flight without overwhelming intensity. This delicate balance between enjoyment and intensity caters to the preferences of a broad spectrum of theme park visitors, particularly those who seek thrills without the heart-pounding adrenaline rush, making it an ideal choice for families and younger attendees alike. Flying Theatres present a myriad of opportunities for theme parks and


entertainment venues, serving as a marketable and distinctive attraction that sets them apart from competitors, as they are still quite unique and can attract a wider audience of guests seeking thrilling but family friendly attractions. Venues can leverage the versatility of this media-based attraction for its repeatability by utilising a variety of media to refresh its offerings with different shows and entice guests to come back and embark on different adventures. Seasonal events provide additional opportunities for this kind of attraction to be transformed, allowing venues to incorporate holiday-themed tie-ins into the attraction’s media content, enticing guests with unique experiences at their special ticketed events. The use of media in these attractions makes an IP collaboration and integration with a Flying Theatre a great opportunity


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for a venue to entice more visitors to embark on a flying adventure with their beloved well-known characters. Flying Theatres offer a very appealing option for venues with educational or cultural focuses, providing a dynamic platform for immersive storytelling and conveying historical or educational messages in engaging ways, enriching guests’ experiences with immersive learning opportunities. Over the past few years, we’ve seen efforts to increase the operational


efficiency of Flying Theatres, which often have lower throughputs due to the duration of the experience and the way they must be boarded. Ways of dealing with this we’ve seen are multiples of Theatres as well as solutions such as double-sided boarding to speed up throughput. We’ve also seen manufacturers looking to switch up the traditional Flying Theatre format with different types of experiences that aren’t just sitting in a paragliding tandem sort of format, exploring different ways of making guests feel weightless. At Simworx we’ve explored this with our Pegasus Flying Theatre attraction that utilises our motion-base technology to simulate the gentle weightlessness and flying motion while sitting in a seat, legs astride as if riding a motorbike or creature. These different types of formats offer a variation on the experience to keep it fresh for guests as well as offering opportunities for better narrative tie-ins. Recent trends in the Flying Theatre industry indicate a significant shift


towards immersive narrative-driven content in media experiences. Originally, these attractions heavily relied on live-action helicopter or drone footage, primarily offering fly-over experiences of existing locations. However, there has been a notable transition towards utilising advanced CGI, VFX, and narrative- driven storytelling, particularly aimed at engaging younger audiences with more exciting adventures. The integration of intellectual properties (IPs) into themed attractions has become increasingly popular, extending its influence into the Flying Theatre market as IP holders seek innovative ways to immerse


FEBRUARY 2024


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