John over at the Disney Blog recently posted a great article about how interactivity is the new "trend" for theme parks, rather than just allowing guests to passively enjoy immersive, beautifully detailed environments. Examples of new interactive attractions might be ...
- The new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster over at Universal Studios, which allows you to choose your own "soundtrack" while you ride;
- The American Idol experience, where you can both audition/perform and vote as a member of the audience;
- The new attractions to come out of the Disney Living Character Initiative (i.e. Turtle Talk with Crush, the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor ... where the characters on screen can actually talk one-on-one with individual guests)
... and more. I personally believe that interactivity can sometimes spoil the "classic," nostalgic elements of older rides (Spaceship Earth, for example) but are overall quite fun. Nothing, I think, can ever replace the experience of just soaking in a beautifully constructed fantasy world, whether it talks back to you or not. Not too long ago there were rumors about adding an interactive element to the Haunted Mansion, and that, I think, might be going a little too far.
Of course, interactivity isn't the only thing we'll see in future developments. I think that the new Harry Potter land at Universal will rely heavily on an immersive environment to satisfy fans of the series (they couldn't get by without including some gorgeous details) even as certain attractions there seek to be interactive. Olivander's Wand Shop, for example, is supposed to be an interactive experience where the "wand chooses the wizard".
What do you think about this trend?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment