Ride technology through the years
Sentinel Staff Writers
Posted May 2, 2005
When Disneyland opened in 1955 -- launching the modern theme-park industry -- it was heralded for ride wonders such as Peter Pan's Flight (where passengers' cars were suspended from overhead rails to create a "flying" sensation). Some other ride innovations through the years:
Pirates of the Caribbean
Opened: Disneyland, 1967
Innovation: Heralded for its extensive use of "audio-animatronics" to bring pirates, dogs and donkeys to life for visitors who took a boat ride past ghost ships and through a Caribbean town plundered by buccaneers. The ride opened at the Magic Kingdom in 1973. The Disney World attraction has 125 audio-animatronics figures -- 65 pirates and villagers and 60 animals and birds.
Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3-D
Opened: Disney-MGM Studios, 1991
Innovation: Disney parks have had 3-D features since 1956. But for the first time, the actions of these 3-D film characters affect the world of the audience, such as cannonballs fired from the film creating holes in the back of the theater. Later 3-D attractions added more sights, smells, sounds and even motion to the seats.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Opened: Magic Kingdom, 1998
Innovation: Capitalized on the popularity of the Toy Story movies in creating a ride that arms guests aboard spinning spaceships with infrared lasers in a video-gamelike adventure where the points add up with every shot at the evil Emperor Zurg and his forces. Next for Disney: a video game called Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
Mission: Space
Opened: Epcot, 2003
Innovation: Teamed up with NASA and HP to create a spaceflight simulator that buckles in up to four passengers at a time in each of 40 capsules. It uses a sophisticated mix of video, sound and centrifugal force to create the illusion of a launch and trip to Mars.
Turtle Talk With Crush
Opened: Epcot, 2004
Innovation: Puts Crush (the turtle from Finding Nemo) on an undersea movie screen at The Living Seas, where he can talk live to guests via technology that includes digital projection and voice-activated animation.
Lucky the Dinosaur
Debut: California Adventure, 2003
Innovation: Unlike old animatronic figures operated by hydraulics, the 12-foot-long, 9-foot-tall dinosaur is operated by electric motors and sensors that are controlled through a central computer, regulating everything from the booming "thud" that accompanies Lucky's footsteps to the batting of his eyelashes. He comes to Animal Kingdom's DinoLand U.S.A. this month.
Sentinel Staff Writers
Posted May 2, 2005
When Disneyland opened in 1955 -- launching the modern theme-park industry -- it was heralded for ride wonders such as Peter Pan's Flight (where passengers' cars were suspended from overhead rails to create a "flying" sensation). Some other ride innovations through the years:
Pirates of the Caribbean
Opened: Disneyland, 1967
Innovation: Heralded for its extensive use of "audio-animatronics" to bring pirates, dogs and donkeys to life for visitors who took a boat ride past ghost ships and through a Caribbean town plundered by buccaneers. The ride opened at the Magic Kingdom in 1973. The Disney World attraction has 125 audio-animatronics figures -- 65 pirates and villagers and 60 animals and birds.
Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3-D
Opened: Disney-MGM Studios, 1991
Innovation: Disney parks have had 3-D features since 1956. But for the first time, the actions of these 3-D film characters affect the world of the audience, such as cannonballs fired from the film creating holes in the back of the theater. Later 3-D attractions added more sights, smells, sounds and even motion to the seats.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Opened: Magic Kingdom, 1998
Innovation: Capitalized on the popularity of the Toy Story movies in creating a ride that arms guests aboard spinning spaceships with infrared lasers in a video-gamelike adventure where the points add up with every shot at the evil Emperor Zurg and his forces. Next for Disney: a video game called Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
Mission: Space
Opened: Epcot, 2003
Innovation: Teamed up with NASA and HP to create a spaceflight simulator that buckles in up to four passengers at a time in each of 40 capsules. It uses a sophisticated mix of video, sound and centrifugal force to create the illusion of a launch and trip to Mars.
Turtle Talk With Crush
Opened: Epcot, 2004
Innovation: Puts Crush (the turtle from Finding Nemo) on an undersea movie screen at The Living Seas, where he can talk live to guests via technology that includes digital projection and voice-activated animation.
Lucky the Dinosaur
Debut: California Adventure, 2003
Innovation: Unlike old animatronic figures operated by hydraulics, the 12-foot-long, 9-foot-tall dinosaur is operated by electric motors and sensors that are controlled through a central computer, regulating everything from the booming "thud" that accompanies Lucky's footsteps to the batting of his eyelashes. He comes to Animal Kingdom's DinoLand U.S.A. this month.