I have an idea for a darkride that could be placed either in Tomorrowland or at Epcot. Imagine if you will an enhanced motion vehicle, like the one’s used in the Dinosaur ride at AK, traveling from wormhole to wormhole taking you on an adventure from one immersive alien world to another.
The ride would begin on earth and passengers would board the ride vehicle. Suddenly the vehicle would start shaking and we would hit our first wormhole made from spectacular looking digital imagery. The ride vehicle would tilt back and we would feel a whoosh as we are then spit out in to our first alien world.The use of 3D sets would landscape the worlds. As we travel along this strange planet, we would start to see animatronic life forms. This ride will have no place for the large oval eyed grey or green aliens that we see in every sci-fi book, movie or comic. I think that we could use our imagination to come up with some very strange looking characters. The use of that nifty new digital image stuff could play a role in developing “liquid looking" aliens.
Each planet we travel to could have very different looking aliens, based on their environment. Each of the planets could have its own environment; water, desert, mountains, wetlands, etc. Each of the worlds should look beautiful and foreign.
The enhanced motion vehicle would give this ride a nice thrill factor as we travel through the terrain. I cannot decide if the last world should have some scary aliens for an added thrill, or if it should be kept somewhat mild so as not to scare the little ones. Some reader input here would be welcomed.I know that in the right hands this ride could be a smashing success. I envision the finished product being a mix of E.T from Universal, the movie Contact and Journey to the Center of the Earth from Tokyo Disneyland. Please, as always, share your thoughts and let me know what you would like to see in a ride like this.
10 comments:
sounds great !!!but what if you used soarin tech.for the ride sys.
That's a great idea! I think it would be somewhat less impressive as far as the immersive environment goes, but it would give you an awesome flying sensation. Also, it would probably cost less money to make which always makes the big wigs happy. Thank you for your input.
I like the whole idea. I really like using the digital imaging - for the aliens, and the environments that they are in. LOTS of projection and the new things that can be done with it; also lots of LED curtains...
A good story line would help a lot - travelling to the different planets/environments...
<<<"Also, it would probably cost less money to make which always makes the big wigs happy">>> What happened?
<<<"none of my articles take feasibility, logistics or budgets in to consideration">>>
Go for broke! Maybe there's a way to take Soarin' to another level! As good as it is, there are still better seats than others, that make the illusion that much better. Maybe even having the whole system on a huge track that moves around a circular building on a track, going through different rooms. Now that would be expensive!, but fun.
I'll put more thought into a deeper storyline.
A good storyline would be the only way to go. After I wrote the article, I thought that it needed a storyline as well. I am very happy that you want to work on one. That is what this site is all about. There are a lot of people that read my articles that do not participate. I am looking forward to read what you come up with. I don’t know who owns the rights to the movie Contact, I think it is Warner Brothers, but that would be an easy solution for a storyline. However, an original one would be even better. As for your quotes, I still contend that "none of my articles take feasibility, logistics or budgets in to consideration." I wrote “Also, it would probably cost less money to make which always makes the big wigs happy" in a reply to an article not in one Your idea to “Maybe even having the whole system on a huge track that moves around a circular building on a track, going through different rooms.” Sounds cool, explain more on how you see it working. I figure that if the track moved to different rooms, then the ride car would have to go through a hole. It could be really cool if you imagine the end of “If You Had Wings” on steroids. Perhaps a series of giant spheres where the ride cars face up toward the walls as it zips around the tracks. Then you would only see what is projected and you wouldn’t be able to see the track or where you are going. Think of the end of “Spaceship Earth” when you are traveling backwards looking up at the stars, but way more exciting.
I like the idea of the cars facing up, and not being able to tell which way you are going. Anything that helps the feel of movement... Using a simulator base (or the whole apparatus that is in Soarin') that moved through different rooms, everyone could be facing a wall/screen, then turn a corner into the next room... If the whole thing was circular, or rounded corners, there could always be something projected, with transition scenes or images of space, stars, or something to show movement to the next "location"...
It would almost be like a Carousel of Progress, but instead of facing the middle, guests would face sideways, going around the middle.
Story ideas coming ---
The Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris is somewhat like this. One cool about this type of ride is it could last a long time. I mean look at how ET has done, 17 or so years and still going!
I love your site.
I saw this thread and thought I would put my two cents in.
What about Star Wars for the storyline. In Episode 1, 2 # 3 alone you visited what 10-15 planets. Yes some for only a few seconds, but most like the lava planet from Episode 3, or the water planet from Episode 1, of the Imperial City on Coursant for more time.
You can call it "Path of the Jedi" or something like that. The idea is we are visiting significant places in the Star Wars timeline. You have the story written already. We do not have to explain anything. Only why are we here.
Thanks,
Angelo (angelo721@bellsouth.net)
Thank you for the complement Angelo. I agree this concept would fit with Star Tours 2.0. However, in saying that, I feel that it would need more of a plot line or else I think the Star Wars fans would be disappointed. I have finally thought this through and I now see my concept as a very mellow and surreal experience from planet to planet. If they were to make the scenery beautiful and the aliens interesting, I think that it would be a hit. So... In conclusion, take out the scary alien that I first thought may be a good idea and just make it a beautiful journey around the universe. Something Marc Davis would be proud of. (see Marc Davis'"Enchanted Snow Palace")
Bluesky;
I think your blog is wonderful, and this is a great idea. I haven't thought enough to provide input about the ride vehicle and such, but I wanted to respond to something you said in your post.
You debated about ending the ride with a scary alien scene for some action. I've actually thought quite a bit about the tendency for things to end with lots of action. I guess it's one realization of going out with a bang, leaving them wanting more, etc.
But I more and more feel like the end should be memorable but not necessarily action-packed and intense. I'm not saying you SHOULDN'T have a scary room, (it would probably be much more awesome with one), but that you should maybe end with something really beautiful and inspiring. What springs to mind is maybe a visual effect that gives a feeling of enormous space or something. Something about the vastness and diversity of the cosmos. You know what I mean.
Especially if there was at least one terrifying, action-packed room, I suspect that the guests would leave feeling more enriched than if the ride vehicle was just sort of chased back into "the real world."
Once again: you rock, dude.
For some reason I thought tying this idea with 'Treasure Planet' might be a cool idea.
Unfortunately not many people remember (or wants to remember) the film so I'm not sure it would be a good idea popularity wise. (I personally loved the film)
Warping through warpholes could be replaced with Capt. Flint's Warp Portal, and perhaps the audience could be in the shoes of Capt. Flint and his crew.
Sabotaging and doing pirate actions from portal to portal.
Although I'm not sure how the ending would be.
Neat idea nonetheless.
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