

Nintendo rides are coming to Universal's theme parks (Super Mario is real) - dpflan
http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/07/nintendo-rides-are-coming-to-universals-theme-parks/

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dpflan
I can see augmented reality being used heavily. There definitely could be a
smartphone component for interacting with the theme park. I haven't been to
Universal or Disney in a long time, so if anyone has and can provide comment
on the state and use of technology there I'd appreciate.

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delinka
Universal Orlando is using robotic vehicles that move around a course and
place the riders in front of large projection screens to get immersion. Some
rides use polarized 3D glasses to enhance the experience. The tech is not
exactly new, but the newest additions to the park (the Harry Potter-themed
attractions) are using pretty much the same tech, just with a more modern
robot that has finer control while carrying more weight.

As for non-ride tech, there was some recent coverage about Disney's new
wristbands at [http://www.wired.com/2015/03/disney-
magicband/](http://www.wired.com/2015/03/disney-magicband/) (with commentary
at
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9177105](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9177105))
Universal has nothing like this currently.

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dpflan
I can see a Mario Kart ride utilizing technology for an immersive experience -
either as augmented reality with a stationary yet reactive 'kart' or actual
kart-racing.

The idea's have been around for a while like this (way back) mentioned from
Randy Pausch's lecture:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo&t=26m32s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo&t=26m32s)

Are the parks slow because it's hard to change or are they being cautious?
Wouldn't they want to try outlandish things?

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delinka
I think the slowness is intentional- if they try every outlandish thing, it
would become very easy to spend loads of money without seeing a good return.
Being slow about these things lets them plan, analyze, consider ... all while
technological advancements march on. When they're ready to implement, it's
even better than it would have been at first inception.

