Disney debuts do-it-yourself thrill ride

[WRWDisney]

Don't know if anyone else had seen this yet, but I pulled this from a major news outlet. Sounds exciting I hadn't heard anything about it before now. The article says it opened today; can anyone confirm this? Where in Epcot?

(CNN) -- Any kid can dream up a roller coaster. But those who visit a new exhibit at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park can actually take a ride on their fantasy creations.


Kids climb into this robotic carriage whose virtual-reality technology gives them a customized thrill ride.
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Epcot on Wednesday opened a new attraction called "Sum of All Thrills," which lets kids use computer tablets to design a virtual roller coaster, bobsled track or plane ride. After inputting their designs, kids climb into a robotic carriage that uses virtual-reality technology to help them experience the ride they've created.

"This is really the next generation -- where there's a lot more personalization involved" in the amusement-park experience, said Eric Goodman, Disney's lead project manager on the ride.

This make-your-own-ride approach appears to be a growing trend in the world of amusement parks and museums. Taking cues from the video game industry, park and ride designers have realized that people -- especially young ones -- want to interact with and even design their own thrill rides.

 

[Scurvy]

It's in Innoventions. It had a soft opening yesterday and my sister and her husband (who are there now) went on it. Their review was that it's awesome and they think the lines for it will be terrible once it's open and people hear more about it. The official opening was this morning. I missed it by a couple of days - can't wait to get back and try it!

 

[ericar]

There are already some good videos up on Youtube .

 

[Disco]

Sounds like the rollercoaster creator from Disney Quest? Not very exciting, just made me throw up.
Does this mean they moved it out of DQ and are closing it down?

 

[Scurvy]

Sounds like the rollercoaster creator from Disney Quest? Not very exciting, just made me throw up.
Does this mean they moved it out of DQ and are closing it down?

They are similar in the they both can simulate roller coasters, but they are very different types of technology. The one at DQ is the same technology as the ones in malls all over the country - it is on a base that allows it to tilt forward and backward and side to side, and roll over. The new KUKA arm has a much wider range of motion, and doesn't have to fully enclose the riders like the DQ type does. You can see some of the differences by checking out the videos that people have posted.

I have heard that this technology is going to be an important part of the new Harry Potter section at Universal, and that Disney lost out in the bidding war to get exclusive rights to it. Maybe the fact that it's a demo at Innoventions as opposed to being part of a ride is what allows Disney to feature it at Epcot.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

Wow, that looks really cool. The technology is amazing, I've never seen a roller coaster simulator like it. There's always going to be a huge line for it.

 

[MemoToMe]

I think one site has the likely persons per hour (pph) at somewhere around only 160. The speculation is that it will have wait times that eclipse either Soarin' or Test Track.

 

[AlienBrain]

I think this is a good thing because it will (hopefully) suppress lines for Soarin', Test Track, etc.

 

[wishdisney]

i went on it yesterday. the wait was about 35-40 mins, since their is a pre show and then the design lab. it was awesome! i picked roller coaster out of the three (jet, bobsled are the other choices)

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Yesterland ran an article (with many photos) about it the day after it opened:

http://www.yesterland.com/thrills.html

 

[Faldred]

I think one site has the likely persons per hour (pph) at somewhere around only 160. The speculation is that it will have wait times that eclipse either Soarin' or Test Track.

Who knows... maybe it'll be the first Innoventions exhibit to issue Fast Pass...

 

[safetymom]

http://www.disunplugged.com/2009/10/14/sum-of-all-thrills-opens-at-epcot/

 

[katmittens]

We just returned and even though we did not get a chance to check it out, we talked to a CM at the Pub at England and he was a worker for the ride. It sounded really great. We talked to him for about 30 minutes all about the ride and Disney in general and had a great time. We will be checking it out in Jan.