Disney Develops Floating Omnimover Ride

[DizneyFreak2002]

As per the patent application:

A floating omnimover ride with high capacity throughput and enhanced control over speeds of passenger boats. The ride includes a water containment structure with spaced apart sidewalls defining an elongated guide channel that defines a loop-shaped ride path or circuit. The ride includes a volume of liquid contained in the guide channel to a desired depth. The ride also includes a chain of passenger boats floating in the liquid contained in the guide channel. Each of the boats is linked to the two adjacent boats with a connecting link such that the chain of boats is a continuous loop. The chain of boats has a length that is approximately equal to a length of the ride path, and during operation of the ride, the boats in the chain are moved along the loop-shaped ride path at a predefined rate by a pump station moving the liquid in the guide channel.

Hmmm, interesting... Anyone want to see images or read more about it can view it on Google here: Disney Floating Omnimover Patent

[stephicakes]

Hmmmmm... interesting

DizneyFreak2002 - since you always seem to be in the "know"... any word on theming, which park, or time line of when (if) we might hear official word on a new ride?

thanks!

[Melanie]

When I read the title, it made me think of Pooh's Hunny Hunt in Tokyo, as those vehicles 'float', but not float in water. But, when I read the article, not so much.

[BrerGnat]

So, it's basically Small World in Disneyland, but with the boats all connected.

What's up with the Pirate Ship in the image?

My first thought was that this would the the rumored Water Ride for Avatarland, but maybe not.

OR, perhaps they will retrofit POTC with this type of technology?

This was filed back in 2011. Hmm...

[BuffaloJason]

It looks to me like this is talking about a flume type ride where the boats are actually propelled by the water current. Aren't the "boats" in its a small world pulled along a track?

[DizneyFreak2002]

DizneyFreak2002 - since you always seem to be in the "know"... any word on theming, which park, or time line of when (if) we might hear official word on a new ride?

thanks!

Shanghai Disneyland maybe???

So, it's basically Small World in Disneyland, but with the boats all connected.

What's up with the Pirate Ship in the image?

My first thought was that this would the the rumored Water Ride for Avatarland, but maybe not.

OR, perhaps they will retrofit POTC with this type of technology?

This was filed back in 2011. Hmm...

Refiled in January... I guess they need to file these things every so often? Not too familiar with patent laws...

As for the ride, more than likely for Pirates in Shanghai... But there are one or two other water/boat rides rumored to be in the works, so it is possible it could be for the castle ride through or another water ride... I guess it is possible, if Avatar comes to be, that the boat ride uses this system too... But remember, just because Disney creates a ride system doesn't mean they will use it... Patenting it just protects their research and development... They can also sell it to other attraction creators...

It looks to me like this is talking about a flume type ride where the boats are actually propelled by the water current. Aren't the "boats" in its a small world pulled along a track?

I don't think the boats are pulled along a track in Small World but rather guided along... This new system, think of Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, those omnimovers, only with boats as the ride vehicles...

[Main Street Jim]

It looks to me like this is talking about a flume type ride where the boats are actually propelled by the water current. Aren't the "boats" in its a small world pulled along a track?

The "small world" boats are free-floating in a flume (with side rails) much the same as PotC. Look at the gaps between boats until you get to the end when they all stack up.

[Belle of the Ball 051411]

Shanghai Disneyland maybe???



Refiled in January... I guess they need to file these things every so often? Not too familiar with patent laws...

As for the ride, more than likely for Pirates in Shanghai... But there are one or two other water/boat rides rumored to be in the works, so it is possible it could be for the castle ride through or another water ride... I guess it is possible, if Avatar comes to be, that the boat ride uses this system too... But remember, just because Disney creates a ride system doesn't mean they will use it... Patenting it just protects their research and development... They can also sell it to other attraction creators...



I don't think the boats are pulled along a track in Small World but rather guided along... This new system, think of Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, those omnimovers, only with boats as the ride vehicles...

I work in patent law. The application was indeed filed in July 2011. The Patent Office didn't publish the application until a few weeks ago in January 2013 (a publication of the application is not the granted patent but merely a published version of the application; it still has to go through the patent examination process, which usually takes years). That is why you see 2 dates.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I work in patent law. The application was indeed filed in July 2011. The Patent Office didn't publish the application until a few weeks ago in January 2013 (a publication of the application is not the granted patent but merely a published version of the application; it still has to go through the patent examination process, which usually takes years). That is why you see 2 dates.

Gotcha... I studied this in college, but geez, that was back in 1992-1993 LOL... I have forgotten all I learned, plus, I never did go into the patent, trademark, and copyright legal field, though I should have... Very interesting field...

Question: how fast are patents approved? Disney filed this in 2011, which protects them from filing date, correct? And only can be seen by the public once published? There is no way for the general public to find these filed patents prior to publishing, right?

[Belle of the Ball 051411]

Gotcha... I studied this in college, but geez, that was back in 1992-1993 LOL... I have forgotten all I learned, plus, I never did go into the patent, trademark, and copyright legal field, though I should have... Very interesting field...

Question: how fast are patents approved? Disney filed this in 2011, which protects them from filing date, correct? And only can be seen by the public once published? There is no way for the general public to find these filed patents prior to publishing, right?

You are correct that an application is not made public until it is published (so no, there is no way for the general public to see applications before they are published applications). One is protected from the filing date (or priority date, i.e. provisional application or foreign filing).

I looked this patent application up in private PAIR and what's interesting is that this application was just patented on February 19th!

The patent number is 8,375,864. They received 2 official actions and received their notice of allowance. Usually the process takes years due to delays by the patent office. I guess the art unit (technology division) that this application was assigned to was not backlogged because this went through very quickly (as in it had just published a few weeks before it was patented!).

Some cases I have worked on have taken two years to receive a first office action (and have taken 3 or so years to get a patent issued; very long and expensive process)! So, Bravo Disney and the USPTO!

[DizneyFreak2002]

You are correct that an application is not made public until it is published (so no, there is no way for the general public to see applications before they are published applications). One is protected from the filing date (or priority date, i.e. provisional application or foreign filing).

I looked this patent application up in private PAIR and what's interesting is that this application was just patented on February 19th!

The patent number is 8,375,864. They received 2 official actions and received their notice of allowance. Usually the process takes years due to delays by the patent office. I guess the art unit (technology division) that this application was assigned to was not backlogged because this went through very quickly (as in it had just published a few weeks before it was patented!).

Some cases I have worked on have taken two years to receive a first office action (and have taken 3 or so years to get a patent issued; very long and expensive process)! So, Bravo Disney and the USPTO!

Much appreciated Belle... Much appreciated

Love Google Patents!!! Oh, and they have another patent on a ride vehicle too.. Not related to this, but something else...

[Belle of the Ball 051411]

Much appreciated Belle... Much appreciated

Love Google Patents!!! Oh, and they have another patent on a ride vehicle too.. Not related to this, but something else...

Let me know if you ever want me to do some digging and look up something on the USPTO website!

[Tekneek]

Might just be patent squatting on an innovative idea to potentially lock out competition, or at least require them to license it from Disney. It may not mean they have any intention of implementing it in the near future.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Let me know if you ever want me to do some digging and look up something on the USPTO website!

Will do...

[DisneyDINK]

My first thought was the loading and unloading would have to be just like HM, SE, UtS, etc. - a moving walkway.

Then I thought that if it is for a new PotC how lame the drops would be.