New Omnitable patent - possible CoP replacement?

[GrumpyFan]

I know it's a stretch, and Disney patents idea all the time, but a new application that they filed made me immediately think of it as a Carousel of Progress upgrade/replacement. What do you think?

Here's a couple of pics, and the description of the patent application.

A circular omnimover or omnitable ride system. The ride system includes a stationary, centrally-located platform for loading and unloading passengers. A turntable assembly is provided that includes a turntable with an upper surface substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the platform. The turntable has a centrally-located hole or passageway defined by an inner sidewall to receiving the non-rotating platform. Passenger vehicles are mounted along an outer edge of the turntable via translation mechanisms. A drive mechanism rotates the turntable about a central axis at a constant rate. The vehicles are moved through a station space and a show space during one or two full rotations of the turntable. The passenger vehicles are loaded and unloaded in the station space via the platform and then dispatched by the translation mechanism into the show space, which may involve increasing the vehicle’s radius and changing its vertical position relative to the turntable.

You can see the full patent application here:
Patent Application 2013/0059670 – Omnitable Ride System

Although, I have to wonder if the CoP building is really big enough to house something like this.

 

[JenniferS]

Cool.
A whole new COP in EPCOT? Yes, please.

 

[afar28]

I really hope COP stays, but this patent is similar to the roating theater concept cop has

 

[PUSH]

This could potentially fix the problem with people standing up during the show. Although I don't think they would spend the money to do this on an attraction that the average visitor couldn't care less about.

 

[Lexxweb]

This is scary because it looks too similar to CoP. I feel like CoP should be held to the HM, POTC, JC, standard. Something that's too classic to ever replace. If they keep updating the final scene, the show will always be relevant. Even updating the animatronics and little things with the show as time and progress (no pun intended) evolves.
That having been said, this does look kinda cool. Hopefully it's a new attraction going somewhere else.

 

[The_Mesh_Hatter]

That looks like COP with about a fifth of the capacity. I don't see the point.

 

[GrumpyFan]

That looks like COP with about a fifth of the capacity. I don't see the point.

COP doesn't exactly draw huge numbers right now. But, with the constant motion, it might turn similar numbers, depending on the show.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Some rough capacity math, please correct me if my numbers are wrong.


Guestimating that each car is about 6 foot in length, with 1 foot between, totalling 7 foot = 280 feet all the way around.
The stated ride speed is between 1 and 4 feet per seconds, so let's assume 2.
At this speed, it means it would take just under two minutes (112) to complete the circuit. (that's a short ride time)
The second picture shown had 40 cars, with 2 seats each = 80 (max) at any given time.
So, if you figure 70 (avg) capacity, turning over every 2 minutes, that equals about 2,100 per hour (60 / 2) * 70 = 2100 per hour * 12 hours
If that's right, the capacity is actually pretty high, but it makes for a short ride time. I would hope the lines would be short too if this were a real example.

 

[The_Mesh_Hatter]

Carousel of Progress has a capacity of 3600 people per hour. Haunted Mansion's capacity is 2600 people per hour.

 

[DManRightHere]

If I had to guess, it makes me think of an attraction to replace cop and not an update. (I don't see how this system could handle the different scenes for cop) If it would be a replacement ride it would seem way to short for that building!

I'd hate to see Cop leave, but happier if it reappeared in Epcot. It fits better there anyways.

 

[Funmeister]

Think West Coast - STARK

 

[Disneyfan_76]

I'm wondering if something like this could fit in the footprint of WoL?

 

[FigmentJedi]

Don't you realize what this is? They finally perfected the Journey into Imagination turntable concept.

 

[Ignohippo]

I hate change. Despise it. I love the classic, the original.

That said, CoP has to go. It holds absolutely no relevance or appeal to today's audience. It's boring, antiquated, and sadly so far out of date that there's simply no way of fixing it. I guarantee you that if they took a poll, 97% of the guests in the audience are first-timers and almost the same amount wouldn't do it again.

It sits on land that is arguably the most prime location in Tomorrowland. A really great new attraction in that location could single-handedly redefine Tomorrowland. I would hope they'd use that area to build something amazing and new, but, knowing TDO, they'd more than likely take the cheap route and just retro-fit the building as the patent suggests.

IMO, anything new would be a bonus...

 

[marni1971]

It seems more like a proof of concept. Any show would be amazingly short.

 

[George]

I'm most excited about "show elements". I bet those will be awesome! :lookaroun

 

[danlb_2000]

It seems more like a proof of concept. Any show would be amazingly short.

Yeah, I don't think this would be suitable to a COP type show since you wouldn't be in any single scene long enough. Now as a complete replacement for COP using the same show building that's a possibility.

 

[montyz81]

How is this different then the turntable in the original Imagination ride?

 

[montyz81]

I hate change. Despise it. I love the classic, the original.

That said, CoP has to go. It holds absolutely no relevance or appeal to today's audience. It's boring, antiquated, and sadly so far out of date that there's simply no way of fixing it. I guarantee you that if they took a poll, 97% of the guests in the audience are first-timers and almost the same amount wouldn't do it again.

It sits on land that is arguably the most prime location in Tomorrowland. A really great new attraction in that location could single-handedly redefine Tomorrowland. I would hope they'd use that area to build something amazing and new, but, knowing TDO, they'd more than likely take the cheap route and just retro-fit the building as the patent suggests.

IMO, anything new would be a bonus...

I don't think they can get rid of it. It's there something from Walt that says this ride must exist pemenantly?

 

[BalooChicago]

It's a flattened SE isn't it? I agree with others, seems like it would be crazy short.