A Percy Jackson and the Olympians theme park ride? What should it be?

October 28, 2009, 5:00 PM · After taking suggestions yesterday on new Tomorrowland attractions, let's try a new theme for a potential blockbuster attraction:

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Publicity shot from Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Publicity photo from "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief." Image courtesy Fox.

Disney has the publishing rights to this popular five-volume series about a modern teen-age boy who's really the son of a Greek God. But Fox has the film rights to the characters and stories, potentially complicating its path to a theme park. (Did Disney retain theme park rights when it signed author Rick Riordan? Given that Disney's not producing the film, I'm guessing no. But with Universal invested in Harry Potter and Disney on a buying spree, I'm going to assume that Disney would be the most likely theme park home for the Half-Bloods.)

So here's my question for your discussion: What would make a great Percy Jackson-themed theme park attraction? Tell us what scene or setting from which book you'd use as the theme for the ride (or show), and what ride system or show mechanism you'd use for the attraction.

I thought about a new Disney "mountain" for Disney's California Adventure, San Francisco's Mount Tamalpais from "The Titan's Curse" book. But I got stumped on what ride system would best fit with the action at the end of that book.

Ultimately, I'm going with a 3D version of a Kuka robocoaster track ride, based upon "The Battle of the Labyrinth." You're given the quest of finding Daedalus's laboratory inside the labyrinth, with an explosive volcano eruption at the end.

What's not to love about that?

Percy Jackson fans, let's hear your suggestions in the comments.

Replies (5)

October 28, 2009 at 7:23 PM · Oh my! I have had an idea for almost a year now!

Okay, so the ride would be much like the system used for Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. The queue would be themed to the Labrinth in the fourth book. After a long run of queue there is a Pre-Show where Chiron instructs the "recently found half bloods" (the riders) on what their quest will be. After that, they enter a short queue before boarding the cars and putting on the glasses.

The ride would feature important scenes from the first book mostly and it would feature light, #-D, and animatronic effects.

I also had an idea for a Sea of Monsters shoot-em-up dark ride where riders shoot monsters.

October 28, 2009 at 8:11 PM · After Sum of All Thrills, I am not all that impressed with the Kuka arm. I know I am in the minority. Sure, it works great for Sum of All Thrills, but until Harry Potter, I will remain skeptical.
October 28, 2009 at 9:32 PM · I haven't been in the Epcot Kuka, but I tend not to like design-your-own rides. Mostly people are terrible at it, and fail to transition elements properly. The Kuka at Legoland is quite fun, and this system holds great potential as a track ride vehicle, with more degrees of freedom than the Omnimover, not to mention a more open seat and vehicle.
October 28, 2009 at 10:33 PM · As a Sum of all Thrills Rider, it requires you to do some kind of Physics. I pushed it to the limit with mine. I just personally don't get the hype of it all. I want to see Disney or, more likely, Universal take it to the next level.
October 29, 2009 at 8:08 PM · When composing expecttions for Potter it is NOT "Kuka." It is "Kuka + Universal Creative."

There can be NO DOUBT that the UC team has CONSISTENTLY out-paced WDI -- again and again andagain. Hulk, Spiderman, MIB, Mummy.

If Kuka is indeed the vehicle being used for Potter the attraction's success will NOT be because of the vehicle ... it will be because of what Universal Creative DOES with the vehicle.

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