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Flying Theaters

A Flying Theater is a type of amusement ride that uses motion, film, sound and special effects to create a realistic flying experience. Flying Theaters are therefore also defined as multi-media, multisensory, media-based attractions.

Though Flying Theaters come in different forms and sizes what they all have in common is the use of one or multiple motion systems to simulate movement in combination with a big screen, in many cases a dome screen.

The first Flying Theater as it is understood today was introduced by The Walt Disney Company in 2001 in their „Disney California Adventure“- theme park as „Soarin’ Over California“. The creative team that developed „Soarin’ Over California“ was lead by Rick Rothschild, back then a Creative Senior Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering.

The predecessor of Flying Theaters were motion simulator rides such as „Star Tours“, „Body Wars“ (EPCOT, 1989) or „Wild Arctic“, (SeaWorld Orlando, 1994), which have been around in theme parks since the 1980’s. These motion simulator rides were so called „capsuled rides“. Guests were put into a capsule (like a professional flight simulator) which was mounted on top of a motion-system. The movie was either a small projection or even only a TV-screen, the sound came from multiple speaker systems and special effects were mostly reduced to wind.

„Soarin’ Over California“ was an instant hit which motivated Disney to build more „Soarin’“-attractions, the first being a copy of „Soarin’ Over California“ in their EPCOT-theme park in Orlando, Florida. Until today Disney has implemented „Soarin’ Over the Horizon“ (Shanghai Disneyland Park, 2016) and is right now completing an installation in „Tokyo Disney Sea“, which is scheduled to open in 2019.

Technology

In Flying Theaters the motion system or multiple motion systems are put in front of large screen either dome screen or a curved screen. The audio system is installed directly in the room and in most cases the full spectrum of special effects is applied: wind, scent, water-spray, lightning.

One goal - different concepts

Since 2013, when Flying Theaters became popular all over the world, different concepts have been developed:

The original Disney concept consists of a Dome screen and 9 gondolas in which guests are seated and heaved from the loading-position on the ground up into the dome-screen by 3 massive crank arms, to be positioned over the whole width of the screen with their feet dangling in the air. This technical solution was developed by the Canadian company Dynamic Attractions.

A comparable concept where the guests are also sitting in multiple gondolas in front of the whole width of a screen with their feet dangling in the air, was created and first installed in 2013 by the Taiwanese company Brogent:  „Fly Over Canada“ (Vancouver, Canada).

Instead of heaving guest up with humongous crank arms, Brogent uses large steel structures in the back of the theater with horizontal steel platforms with stairs to bring guests up to the respective loading positions.

Another concept consists of a huge platform on which guests take a seat in 3 rows and then the whole platform tilts towards the screen into a 90° upright position, and the guests are positioned again across the whole width of the screen with their feet dangling in the air.

All these concepts result in a very immersive ride experience. At the same time the disadvantage of these concepts is, that only guests who are seated directly in the middle of the screen get a perfect view. The view of the guests who are seated at the edge of the screen is distorted, because lines that should be straight appear curved due to the outer curvature of the dome screen. This shows, that when using dome screens, the position of the guests is of utter importance.

Although the „Soarin’“-concept was a success from the beginning, it took more than 10 years until the market became really interested in Flying Theaters. The reason may be that a huge space is needed for a system as described above, as well as the mechanical complexity and the enormous investment in infrastructure, e.g. steel structures of up to 350 tons or a 90-ton platform which tilts from a horizontal position 90° into a vertical position.

This led to the development of alternative systems which provide comparable or even better results in terms of view lines and overall guest experience with lesser investment. This is achieved by going back to the roots of motion simulator rides, but now in combination with the beauty of huge dome screens and open theater spaces instead of a ride-capsule. Modern all electric motion system technologies of today allow completely smooth motion contrary to the jerky hydraulic ones that were mostly used 40 years ago. Guests are positioned right in the middle of the screen sitting on a platform with stadium seating to provide perfect sightlines for all guests. Although dangling feet create a certain flying impression like when you are on a hang-glider, the perfect sightlines are decisive for the overall immersiveness of a flying experience.

Another advantage of this layout is, that it allows besides a traditional configuration where the guests are seated, a concept with guests standing and leaning during the experience in a semi-prone position against a support device. This enhances the flying feeling by creating the impression to be flying like a superhero but also simplifies and accelerates loading and unloading. An example for such an attraction - although with a smaller screen due to limited space - is „Washington Revelations“ in the “Museum of the Bible“ in Washington DC, built and implemented by the Austrian company Dynamic Motion Rides.

Future developments of Flying Theaters

The international trend to Flying Theaters shows that multi-media, multisensory, media-based attractions - espcially flying experiences - are not only for large theme parks but also a perfect fit for educational venues like musems, visitor centers and science centers.