Trackless Ride System to Debut at Hong Kong

[Main Street Jim]

Don't see anything about this here at Intercot, so here goes:

Disneyland’s new Mystic Point area will feature a trackless ride system, operated by the barcode technology used at supermarket checkouts. The theme park has lauded the ride one of the “most sophisticated” attractions it has built worldwide. The 32 cars, which travel through the zone scheduled to open in May, will be controlled only by Wi-fi and radio-frequency identification sensors, rather than tracks.

Greg Hale, chief safety officer of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said the high-tech system would use a “unique” frequency that could not be interfered with by normal gadgets, such as smartphones, or the Fire Department’s radio signals. The five-minute ride – up from the average three-minute trip in other areas – will travel through some of the zone’s 13 show scenes, incorporating 40 visual effects using 36 projectors.

Mystic Point is billed as home to “mysterious forces and supernatural events in the heart of a dense, uncharted rainforest”. The trackless cars will take visitors through the haunted house-themed Mystic Manor, where explorer Lord Henry Mystic displays the artifacts he has collected on his travels.

Disney’s decision to abandon tracks is understood to be part of its strategy of diversifying guests’ experience. By using sensors, the cars can travel more flexibly, meaning they do not have to take the same route every time – giving visitors an incentive to take the ride several times.

Hale reassured those concerned about the new technology that the park had stringent safety checks, including unannounced inspections of the facilities. He said there were more than 1,000 checks every day by 200 engineers and technicians. Hale urged travellers to be patient when rides were suspended for such inspections, stressing it was imperative to maintain safety.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

This sounds really neat, I love the options for different experiences ... but I'm not so sure about the "1,000's" of checks that will have to be done. Sounds like a receipe for delays.

[chrim]

This sounds like a bit of a hybrid of the trackless ride system used at WDW in The Great Movie Ride and Universe of Energy and the tracking system used for parade floats at the Magic Kingdom. (At least I think that system uses RFID tags embedded in the pavement -- although I could be mistaken.)

I wonder how many branch points there will be? Of course, if Disney splits the ride into various zones, with only one ride vehicle per zone (the way roller coasters are often built) then that could greatly reduce the chances of a collision.

[The Horned King]

It's a very similar to the lps system (local positioning) to Pooh's hunny hunt in Tokyo Disneyland and aquatopia at Disney Seas. Both very impressive. And I believe the new ratatouille ride that is currently under construction at the disney studios in paris is using it aswell.

From what I understand each showscene or zone is run by a seperate computer. So when a car reaches the end of a show scene it transfers them to the next computer, and it tracks the vehicles using a matrix in the floor tiles. (I'm presuming a mass of sensors) and then the wifi to each vehicle to tell it it's course? Unlike the great movie ride which follows a wire only, I am under the impression that each vehicle travels between sensors so in theory the path can be changed, So wifi would say to the vehicle to head to sensor A, then the floor sensors would track it and make sure it was heading in the right path, avoiding other vehicles?

Pooh's Hunny hunt sends round four to five vehicles in the same scene and they all "dance"around each other. I will be very intrigued to see what comes to light.

[Melanie]

Pooh's Hunny hunt sends round four to five vehicles in the same scene and they all "dance"around each other. I will be very intrigued to see what comes to light.

Coolest ride ever! I'd not realized until now that Aquatopia uses the same system, but I guess you are right. I've wondered why this technology hasn't ever been used stateside.

[The Horned King]

Yeh, aquatopia looks very lame without water. Ha Ha Ha. I'm sure there is a very valid reason for the technology not making it states side. But I guess you have to leave something unique for different audiences. For example Paris doesn't have a single Enhanced motion vehicle in sight! Will be checking out the ratatouille ride in paris as soon as it opens, so will report back here!

It's a very similar story with most ride systems. Different versions all improving on the initial design. I mean take test track. Took them ages to get that right. Then Journey to the centre of the earth emerged. And now the mind blowing Radiator springs racers. The end result and almost flawless ride system!

Also, (Would it be ok to post a link for pooh's hunny pots for those that haven't seen it? Don't want to step on any admin's toes is all!)