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.

[BraddyB]

Sounds similar to Virtual Space Mountain in Disney Quest.

[Strmchsr]

It's in Innoventions. Can't remember when it was announced, but it's been a while. Sounds like fun, but I have a feeling the line for it will be a mile long.

[Melanie]

This is very cool! I guess I can talk about this now. My sons were pulled from the gift shop at Imagination to go upstairs into the old Imageworks area and test this out a couple of months ago. They gave feedback on the computer table itself, including instruments used, etc. They only got to do the actual building, as they didn't have simulators set up, so we are excited to go back and experience the entire attraction. Glad to hear it's open!

[Imagineer1981]

Sounds exactly like virtual space mountain. In fact, its probably how they will take the best part of Disney Quest and move it into another Park so they can close Disney Quest and make it into the Epsn Zone that it has been rumored to become

[BrerGnat]

This looks cool. I wanna try it!

I love Innoventions, but lately the exhibits have been a snooze. Glad to see them add something that actually has a pretty big "fun factor."

And, I'm not sure how long the line is going to be, since hardly anyone is ever even IN Innoventions, unless it's raining.

[Ian]

This has been available at Disney Quest for like 10 years?

Why are they hyping this like it's some brand new idea??

[Wadeace]

dose any one know if this has opened yet.

[Strmchsr]

dose any one know if this has opened yet.

The article above says it opened today.

I should note that I found out the ride has a height restriction of 48" for the non-inversion tracks and 54" if you choose to do inversions on your coaster.

[joelkfla]

This has been available at Disney Quest for like 10 years?

Why are they hyping this like it's some brand new idea??

1. It has a sponsor (Raytheon).
2. It is a robotic arm, so it should provide more freedom of movement than the roll-and-tilt pods at DQ.
3. Harry Potter-land at USF is rumored to feature a robotic-arm-based attraction, so this may be seen as beating them to the punch.

[BowTie7]

Remember this is a very low capacity attraction (I read 160 per hour somewhere else), be prepared for a long wait once word gets out (which should be quick with locals going to food and wine festival).
Legoland in California has a ride with just the robot.

[Lakin]

Sounds similar to Virtual Space Mountain in Disney Quest.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[tcswife]

You can see this attraction in pictures at the official Disney Blog, through the Disney website. It is interesting to say the least! My husband says there is no way he will get on. It is simply a robotic arm that you sit in and buckle up and go for your self made thrill ride!!!

[azcavalier]

1. It has a sponsor (Raytheon).
2. It is a robotic arm, so it should provide more freedom of movement than the roll-and-tilt pods at DQ.
3. Harry Potter-land at USF is rumored to feature a robotic-arm-based attraction, so this may be seen as beating them to the punch.

It still seems "old hat". I did something like this at WonderWorks Children's Museum in Pidgeon Forge, TN about a year ago. Almost made me hurl because I let my wife's teenage cousin "invent" the ride. I told her "No more than one loop or corkscrew", and of course, she put in about eight. I hit the "panic button" to stop the ride, and she was mad at me. Tough. I had warned her.

In any case, I don't see how this is much different at all than that ride, or the one at DisneyQuest, other than there's a fan to simulate forward movement.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

I hit the "panic button" to stop the ride, and she was mad at me.

I need one of those handy panic buttons for ToT and Mission Space!

[CU Tiger]

This would have to be one heck of a ride for me to wait for the lines that will be created with such low capacity.

[MNNHFLTX]

This has been available at Disney Quest for like 10 years?

Why are they hyping this like it's some brand new idea??

From what I've been told, the simulator is totally different than the one at Disney Quest--it allows for a lot more variation in the type of ride and more complex manuevers. And they incorporate more math and physics skills in the learning portion of developing a ride.

[dmosher]

I can see how the new technology would make this already used concept better, I have seen the lines that are always present at Disney Quest's version and dread the blockade this will cause. I hope they will be working out a decent que for this to keep the crowds out of the way. Maybe if they work out a fastpass-like you come back at this time thing.

D