Hi everyone!
New member here.
It's clear to me that there are some experienced theme park professionals and designers in here and I wanted some opinions please.
I work for a company called Holotronica and we specialize in all things holographic. From analogue holography to live holographic effects:
My question is:
Do you see a movement towards mixed entertainment within parks of the future? i.e. VR, AR, MR and more digital entertainment
With this becoming an integrated part of the experince as a whole as well as the actual rides
OR
Will theme parks remain, at their heart, about physical thrills and real-life sensory stimulation with any digital experiences being more confined to domestic experiences?
I'd love to see more holography and AR at parks but I think it may be best used to enhance the visitor experience - maps, in queue entertainment, decoration and signage etc
thoughts and feedback appreciated.
In my humble opinion, new tech needs to effortlessly show what it adds to the story and increases it's perceived value. It cannot leave most people wondering "why reinvent the wheel?".
We will likely see holograms being added to nighttime shows, VR integrated into some attractions, and AR to add another layer of interest to spaces between the rides, shows, shops, and restaurants. People will have opinions of it all, but these experiences will only be added to what a park already does, not replace it.
Robert is spot on. Show what value you are adding to their story and experience.
VR/AR is just a fad, one that is starting to pass. Just like 3D and VR before it.
The amount of people willing to wear a stupid hat to play a game and go on a ride is less than you think. Once the novelty has worn off, nothing beats real life.
Hi Robert, Mike and Chad,
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Sorry it has taken me so long.
Robert, that is interesting as it is sort of where I am. I think that AR/VR/MR rides are interesting as a one-off but will rarely have audiences flooding back or re-joining the queue immediately afterwards. We are currently working with story tellers for a live family show of a magic storyteller that I hope manages to stir the emotions in our audience. It is going to be interesting finding out. I never really appreciated the narrative in rides but now it is glaringly obvious and is fundamental to the rides and experiences I remember the most fondly. I will always be a sucker for a good old fashioned Ghost Train and here in the UK Derren Brown and Thorpe Park have created something interesting but I still think that current visual effects and technology can be used in more subtle ways for a greater impact.
Mike, I completely agree. I think that tech will be incorporated into the overall visitor experience. US parks achieve this much better than here in the UK I think - you really feel like you are in a special land rather than a site with some attractions.
Chad, I have to say that I think AR / MR and VR to a degree is here to stay. You will see more and more AR/MR apps on your mobile device including interactive map functions and information tags viewable through your device that can enhance places of interest.
I do think that VR in it's current guise is far too isolating and no where near engaging enough. People look for shared experiences. However, the prospects for VR based learning and even for treatment for psychological trauma in a controlled environment are very interesting.
Thanks again everyone. Food for thought.
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Hello and welcome to Theme Park Insider!
The short answer is... if a designer can use the tool to enhance a story, he or she will use it. No big company is going to do an AR or holograph experience just for the sake of having the tech in the park. (And if one did, it wouldn't last.) But if a park can find a way to use that tech with other technology to establish and advance an emotionally compelling narrative experience, then your chances of selling that tech increase substantially. Parks are looking for a tech mix that works to serve their product, which is emotion.
The first thing to pitch anyone, if you are looking for a place in this business, is on your storytelling ability. Tech follows and serves that. Always.