New Rides

[5Parks]

I was just wondering are there people who just think of new rides or do the people that imagine then also constructe them?

 

[Disco]

I was just wondering are there people who just think of new rides or do the people that imagine then also constructe them?

One word explains it all,
Imagineers.
They imagine it and are involved through the entire construction process. I'm sure the big picture idea comes first then they worry about how to make it after...

 

[Faldred]

Imagineering covers all aspects of the design, from the thematic elements to the audio and visual touches to the engineering and construction of the ride.

While I doubt that the person who sketches out the concept is in charge of installing tracks, they work on the same team.

 

[troynkasey]

Think of imagineers as a construction company. You have architects who design, maybe a contractor who organizes work, a forman who runs the daily on site jobs and then an inspector to verify everything was done properly. Each portion is involved throughout the process, however one person isn't involved all the way through. I believe imagineers are the same way. They come in all shapes, sizes, and specialties because obviously someone isn't capable of doing everything.

 

[Timmy Boy]

They sometimes rely on ride manufactures to construct the ride. Imagineers are involved in building the buildings, the queues, the ride story, but the actual ride track and ride vehicles (also ride software) are usually an outside company. Granted these outside companies design the ride exactly how Disney wants it, they are the ones who do the math and calculate everything out.

Rock N Roller Coaster - Designed and built by Vekoma
Expedition Everest - designed and built by Vekoma
Primevil Whirl - designed and built by Reverchon
Matterhorn (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Arrow Dynamics
California Screamin (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Intamin
Mullholland Madness (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Mack Rides
Maliboomer (Disneyland) - Designed and built by S&S Power

I'm sure there are others, but these are ones I'm sure of.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They sometimes rely on ride manufactures to construct the ride. Imagineers are involved in building the buildings, the queues, the ride story, but the actual ride track and ride vehicles (also ride software) are usually an outside company. Granted these outside companies design the ride exactly how Disney wants it, they are the ones who do the math and calculate everything out.

Rock N Roller Coaster - Designed and built by Vekoma
Expedition Everest - designed and built by Vekoma
Primevil Whirl - designed and built by Reverchon
Matterhorn (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Arrow Dynamics
California Screamin (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Intamin
Mullholland Madness (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Mack Rides
Maliboomer (Disneyland) - Designed and built by S&S Power

I'm sure there are others, but these are ones I'm sure of.

I was just about to say that...

though i think the matterhorn was built by WED...arrow was instrumental and partnered with them...they built the ride systems for all the opening day disneyland attractions and many that followed...i think i recall the matterhorn being kinda a co-op for the two.
Anyway...the matterhorn was of course the first steel roller coaster as we know it...using tubular rails to run on. so it is a milestone in the amusement business that lead directly to every steel monstrocity that we see today.

but yeah...imagineers more than likely don't build the rides anymore. they work on some elements and can do the whole thing when needed...but they also outsource much of the nuts and bolts that go into exciting new additions in WDW...

of course...there aren't any...so my grandmother could be in charge of the designing right now.

the last major disney thrill ride that was built entirely in house (if i recall) was the tower of terror...and splash mountain preceeding that...

those two being the pinnacle of disney's designs.

other things since - like Soarin - are great additions....but then again for every soarin...you have a test track...so it all tends to balance out.

but the outsourcing makes alot of sense after the themepark boom of the later 80s and 90s brought about alot of exciting high tech ride designers....

such as vekoma and intamin and s&s that were mentioned. but also my two favorite firms - CCI (awesome woodies...but now defunct) and Bollinger and Mabillard (pretty much all ski-lift type coasters packed with rolls, loops, corkscrews, helix, and my favorite - cobra roll) who's designs include Hulk, Montu, Alpengeist, Batman, Kraken, and dozens of other steel screamers.

 

[johnGorski]

Imagineers but in order for them to go forward they they have to get it cleared by the Greedy Iger and TDO.

 

[robertdangelo]

They sometimes rely on ride manufactures to construct the ride. Imagineers are involved in building the buildings, the queues, the ride story, but the actual ride track and ride vehicles (also ride software) are usually an outside company. Granted these outside companies design the ride exactly how Disney wants it, they are the ones who do the math and calculate everything out.

Rock N Roller Coaster - Designed and built by Vekoma
Expedition Everest - designed and built by Vekoma
Primevil Whirl - designed and built by Reverchon
Matterhorn (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Arrow Dynamics
California Screamin (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Intamin
Mullholland Madness (Disneyland) - Designed and built by Mack Rides
Maliboomer (Disneyland) - Designed and built by S&S Power

I'm sure there are others, but these are ones I'm sure of.

Prince Charming's Regal Carousel(formerly Cinderella's Golden Carousel) was built by The Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It's the Oldest Ride at WDW, was built in 1917 and came from a defunct Amusement Park... Maplewood Olympic Park in NJ.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

The Blue Sky department of Imagineering is the department that focuses on new ideas. Of course they're not the only ones with ideas. There are over 140 disciplines working together on the attractions. It takes teamwork to make magic.

 

[doconeill]

Prince Charming's Regal Carousel(formerly Cinderella's Golden Carousel) was built by The Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It's the Oldest Ride at WDW, was built in 1917 and came from a defunct Amusement Park... Maplewood Olympic Park in NJ.

Sometimes I wonder if a carousel has actually been built in the last 50 years - it always seems like it was a PTC creation that someone got from somewhere else...in some cases, the carousel is the only thing that survives a park...

 

[robertdangelo]

Our local amusement park lost it's 1920's PTC-38 carousel to a fire in 1994. The adjacent arcade and fun house was also destroyed. Seabreeze Park in Rochester, NY is the 4th oldest Amusement Park in the US. They built a new carousel using authentic PTC parts, including an original frame.

Here are some pics: http://www.nca-usa.org/psp/SeabreezePark/

 

[ChrisFL]

Sometimes I wonder if a carousel has actually been built in the last 50 years - it always seems like it was a PTC creation that someone got from somewhere else...in some cases, the carousel is the only thing that survives a park...

IOA has one...it's not quite a traditional one, but it IS one.