Theme Park Game Changers

[kap91]

it’s really not. as others have said before, new. It just refined existing techniques and systems. It’s basically a Soarin’ 2.0. It is fun, it it’s not a game-changer. It has the same ride system as Soarin’, it’s a little more immersive but not new or original. Forbidden Journey, Matterhorn, and Hunny Hunt are game changers because they did something remarkable for ride systems and the industry as a whole.

First the ride system of the two are nothing like each other. FOP has more in common with the mechanics of Back to the Future than Soarin. Flight of Passage is the first large format projection simulator that doesn't use the traditional iMax parabolic screen but a custom screen and projection tech designed to have perfect viewing angles from all seats. (except perhaps Kong 360 but that's really just a bunch of projectors in a straight line and definitely not designed for good viewing angles from any seat). It's the first ride system ever to integrate the queue/a room in the attraction as part of the ride system itself. It's the first attraction that can dynamically change the script and pre-show content to fill time as needed. It's the first attraction to use a ride vehicle that uses haptics to increase immersion. It's the first simulator attraction ever that has been able to convincingly create the illusion that you're not in a simulator.

I can also make the argument that the attractions you list weren't game changers. Hunny Hunt is an evolution of UOE/GMR/Tower. Matterhorn an evolution of the classic scenic railway attraction at places like Tivoli, and FJ just a rearrangement of the mechanics used in Spiderman with some Journey into Imagination thrown in. Now I would agree that all three attractions you listed are game changers, but there's more than enough original and groundbreaking/next level feats in FOP to consider it a game changer.

 

[TheDuke]

Not too many people are listing it, but Soarin' absolutely has to be on there. Especially if you're going to list FoP and Forbidden Journey, which are largely based on it.

Other than that there's the obvious ones, Matterhorn as the first steel coaster, Peter Pan, Pirates, and Haunted Mansion for creating the Disney dark ride template, Tiki Room and Great Moments w/ Mr. Lincoln (even though I never did it) for the AA's. You could maybe include Space Mountain, it was the first indoor/dark coaster, right? There are Space Mountain knock offs at a lot of smaller parks.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Have to agree to disagree then on FOP. Your experience of it seems to have been quite different than mine, even being in the same seat. My point in the post was that "game-changer" is subjective.

it’s definitely a good ride, but my family’s reaction including me says it all, “i wouldn’t wait 2 hours for that ride, not even one hour, even both of the harry potter rides were better than that.”

 

[kap91]

it’s definitely a good ride, but my family’s reaction including me says it all, “i wouldn’t wait 2 hours for that ride, not even one hour, even both of the harry potter rides were better than that.”

And I've seen people coming off literally moved to tears of joy - something I haven't seen from any other attraction anywhere. Different strokes I guess.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

And I've seen people coming off literally moved to tears of joy - something I haven't seen from any other attraction anywhere. Different strokes I guess.

funny enough, some people i’ve seen got off that feeling sick and wanting to throw up. They literally give you a health thing before to tell you, now! They added that. Also, i’m sure some people that got sick really must feel worse after waiting for more than 2/3 hours?? Disagree about the tears of joy, i’ve seen youtube videos of people getting off rides like Mystic Manor, Symbolica, Radiator Springs, or even Forbidden Journey, with tears of joy because of how much they liked it. I’m just saying... again, It’s a fun ride but not one to wait that long for, and to cry all about. Mystic Manor has 5 minute waits every day. Only i’ve seen girls and moms get off the ride crying. No guys do that haha.

 

[Bairstow]

Inventing the game?
https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201302/3378/

 

[Damon7777]

I would say Carsland and Wizarding World were game changes since they showed that highly immersive, single IP lands could be successful. I

First things first: your topic is stellar

Please note that changing the game does not necessarily mean it is the best, only that it is highly influential.

Believe it or not I don't see Carsland as a game changer nor Pandora, neither is Star Wars. None of those.

Roger Rabbit's Toon Town is the real game changer for single propery land back in '93 Disneyland. And Potter took that model to an absurd level.

 

[Robbiem]

Ride wise I’d say inner space was a game changer (first omnimover) along with small world (boat tech) and hunny hunt (trackless)

The other gamechangers id add are

butter beer. Before potter park food was at best mildly themed standard fare. Potter made food and snacks part of the show and Disney have been looking for its version

Figment - major character created for a park. Without the purple dragon we wouldn’t have duffy

Walt Disney World- proved Disneyland wasn’t a one off sucess and invented the whole resort experience rather than just visiting a park.

Tokyo Disneyland- showed Disney style parks would work outside the us.

 

[Bairstow]

First things first: your topic is stellar

Please note that changing the game absolutely does not necessarily mean it is the best, only that it is highly influential.

Believe it or not I don't see Carsland as a game changer nor Pandora, neither is Star Wars. None of those.

Roger Rabbit's Toon Town is the real game changer for single propery land back in '93 Disneyland. And Potter took that model to an absurd level.

Dunno if the Rescue Rangers coaster really fit with the Roger Rabbit stuff, though.
Disneyland sort of had a Peter Pan mini-land for a while between the ride and the ship restaurant thing. Paris still has theirs. These were never officially separate parts of Fantasyland, to the extent that makes a difference.

 

[Animal_Kingdom_09]

Love the topic.

1) Admission fees. Disneyland was one of the first amusement parks to charge an admission fee just for the privilege of paying for the rides. This allowed the park to control who was allowed in, and kept out most troublemakers.

2) E-Tickets. This defined the favorite rides at a theme park, and added a term to the language that is still used, even though e-tickets have not been used in 36 years.

3) EPCOT. This created multiple, connected theme parks on one property and also created the theme park destination vacation. Since 1982, we have seen, just in Orlando, Universal with 3 parks and Sea World with either 2 or 3.

4) Single price admission. Paying one fee to use a park all day is probably the biggest game changer of them all.

5) Disney MGM Studios. This started the competition with Universal Studios Florida. I believe that MGM was first, with the initial idea occurring between 1983 and 1985, but I could be wrong on the timing. This competition to create a one stop vacation destination would lead to Animal Kingdom, which clearly was designed to compete with Busch Gardens in Tampa and Williamsburg.

There are probably others, but I can't think of any big ones that changed or created an industry since Disney opened AK 20 years ago. There have been technology improvements but I don't think of those as game changers.

 

[Bairstow]

What was the first interactive dark ride? The Flooded Mine at Silver Dollar City?

 

[Damon7777]

What was the first interactive dark ride? The Flooded Mine at Silver Dollar City?

May I ask what is your definition of 'interactive' as far as attractions are concerned?

 

[Bairstow]

May I ask what is your definition of 'interactive' as far as attractions are concerned?

I'm thinking more about light gun shooter rides like Men in Black, where rider input is constantly effecting the animatronics than the one chance to vote on Horizons.

 

[rio]

I'm surprised no one said the Magic Express yet. That was the single biggest change for overall vacation immersion for myself. Yes, I know the post said influential rather than liked or disliked, but this does help influence which resort or attractions we visit.

The other 2 most recent for me would be Fastpass+ and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Interactive cues are nice, but haven't made as big of a change to the Disney parks, our vacation planning, or the theme park industry as a whole as the other additions. Other recent additions seemed to have piggy backed off of or precluded these.

 

[imperius]

Oh man people think FOP is a game changer, yet Forbidden Journey isn’t. That’s pixie dust at its finest.

 

[philbrody]

virtual queues and front of the line access. I've gotten so spoiled with not waiting I literally wont go into a theme park unless I don't have to wait in line.

 

[jimbaker84]

it’s definitely a good ride, but my family’s reaction including me says it all, “i wouldn’t wait 2 hours for that ride, not even one hour, even both of the harry potter rides were better than that.”

I would tend to agree about the wait time, i don't think any attraction is worth anything over a one hour wait, however i have to disagree regarding the HP attractions being better. I think it's all about personal preference but FOP just seems a better overall package than anything else at the moment.

 

[tomast]

You don't deserve any flack.

I experienced Pandora for myself today and while the land is gorgeous, it's not worth the price tag. The boat ride is too short and Flight of Passage for me truly was a Soarin' 2.0. I think if the screen was more curved and the seating arrangement was in such a way where you couldn't easily see the other riders next to you, it would be more immersive. I didn't really have to move too much to see the people next to me or the entire system moving up and down while riding. I also saw the edges of the screen. Maybe sitting in the center of the seats changes that perception, but I was in seat 13 and clearly saw the ride system and screen edges. It reminded me of Back to the Future, where if you ended up in one of the corner rooms, your experience would be more warped and nowhere near as good as the centered cars.

I enjoyed the ride, but the way some people talked(including people in line in front of me who had already ridden), this was way better than Soarin', Everest, Spider-Man, and Forbidden Journey combined. It's not that at all. It's an obvious evolving of the Soarin' ride system with 3-D. Fun, but not a game changer.

Matterhorn is a game changer.
Tower of Terror is a game changer.
Spider-Man is a game changer.
Pooh's Hunny Hunt is a game changer.
Forbidden Journey is a game changer.

These attractions did something remarkable for ride systems and the industry.

I'm not a big Harry Potter fan, but nothing has wowed me the way Hogsmeade and Forbidden Journey did when I first experienced it in 2010...Diagon Alley came close...that land is remarkable, but it's Star attraction(Gringotts) isn't as phenomenal as HPFJ.
I truly hope Super Nintendo Land or Star Wars Land can bring the wow factor.

Totaly agree with the game changers and with the FoP expirience, I was unabled to not see the people at my side, it was not inmersive, I prefer Soarin all times.

I think maybe the tecnology of monster inc laugh floor, (it would be way better if they used audioanmatronics instead of screens) or the speaking mickey meet and greet but not sure of the future of the teconlogy

 

[Bairstow]

Totaly agree with the game changers and with the FoP expirience, I was unabled to not see the people at my side, it was not inmersive, I prefer Soarin all times.

I think maybe the tecnology of monster inc laugh floor, (it would be way better if they used audioanmatronics instead of screens) or the speaking mickey meet and greet but not sure of the future of the teconlogy

Using screens for living character attractions like Turtle Talk and Laugh Floor offer a number of advantages over physical animatronics, namely visibility, versatility and speed of expressions, and near absolute fidelity to the characters' established movie appearance. A lot of animated characters have facial expressions that are literally impossible to replicate with physical means. I do think it would be interesting to see a living character attempt with one of the new hybrid, projected-face characters that Disney is now building, and the concept of live-acted animatronics itself is not without precedent.