With the first example being produced for Baosun Wildlife Park in Hanoi, Vietnam, Simworx’s Mini Flying Theatre has brought this kind of attraction into the reach of smaller operators.

This version of the ride offers a more accessible price and also a smaller overall footprint than a full-sized Flying Theatre, but with the same cutting-edge ride technology being utilised.

The ride has an hourly capacity of 250 and is capable of seating 20 people at a time over two rows, with seats all mounted on a central structure.

Including its dome, the Mini Flying Theatre has a footprint of 16m x 18m and requires 11m height clearance in which to operate.

Guests board the ride from the floor, meaning there are no huge infrastructure costs for operators in terms of building lifts, stairs or wall reinforcements.

The attraction then lifts guests into the air with a smooth transition to panorama mode, with the rear rows of seats moving above those in front.

Guests experience movements perfectly synchronised to the on-screen media content, including a programmable tilt, combined with the seats moving forwards and backwards, while the sensation of flying is enhanced with riders’ legs dangling freely.

“Once the Mini Flying Theatre is built, it goes through a rigorous Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and programming procedure before we pack and ship the attraction,” says Monkton.

“Here, we also try out the ride ourselves for the first time and really get a feel for what it’s like when onboard. This is the fun part for us and we’re able to give our opinions on the movement and the overall experience. We’re all big ride fans at Simworx so everybody is always excited when we get the chance to have a go on something new.”

Supplied by film maker Metropolis, the “Fly Over Vietnam” film specially commissioned for this project lasts nine minutes and 50 seconds, with the experience playing out on a large-format dome screen. Supplied with 10.2 surround sound audio and a 4K projection system, in addition to the motion synchronisation, the attraction is fully interfaced with projection and sound systems and uses custom showreels on a digital format AV solution.

“It will take around a month for the Mini Flying Theatre to reach Vietnam, where it will then be unpacked and assembled,” says Monkton. “It will again go through rigorous testing on-site during the commissioning stage.

The Flying Theatre will also be tested with the AV to ensure it’s synchronised.

The Simworx team will then train the client’s staff on-site on how to operate and maintain the ride, before finally handing it over to the park.

Once the ride is opened to the public, the Simworx after sales service team will always be available to offer support to customers where necessary.

Client: Baosun Wildlife Park

Capacity: 20 seats

Ride capacity: 250 people per hour

AV: Immersive dome screen supplied with 10.2 surround sound audio and a 4K projection system

Safety: Retractable safety monitored restraints, height requirement of 1.1m

Dimensions: 16m x 18m x 11mH

Film supplier: Metropolis

The Jurassic Island installation at Trans Studio is the first time Simworx has combined its Immersive Tunnel with a water ride

A joint venture between Simworx and water ride manufacturer Interlink has brought together each company’s strengths to create a brand-new experience.

Called the Immersive Superflume, the attraction puts a new spin on the traditional log flume with the incorporation of an Immersive Tunnel and other AV elements.

Developed for Trans Studio, an indoor theme park in Jakarta, Indonesia, the ride’s footprint covers 6,325sq m (68,000sq ft) and it can accommodate approximately 780 people an hour.

After entering the attraction, visitors are seated in a 16-person themed boat, which takes them on a 300m (984ft) long log flume-style ride, with the added element of AV technology.

During the Immersive Tunnel section, each boat is fixed onto a highly dynamic, 3DOF motion base and surrounded by 3D film projection. During this part of the ride guests experience physical platform drops, rolls, dynamic lighting and surround sound, all of which combine to give an amazing new style of adventure.

“As the Immersive Superflume was a partnership project with Interlink, there were two sides to this build,” says Monkton. “The water log flume ride was created by Interlink, while we focused on our Immersive Tunnel element.”

Entering talks with Trans Studio, Simworx sent the park its sales proposal and concept images of what it imagined the ride would look like. This, says Monkton, helps the client to visualise how the ride system can be integrated into the chosen venue and the theming that could be used to bring it to life.

After the contract signing, Interlink and Simworx had a launch meeting where they talked through the specific details that needed to be considered and the ‘ins and outs’ of exactly how the ride would operate.

Following this, Simworx issued a final design document to the client for approval and at this point, the procurement stage began, with the buying of materials required for the project. “Purchase orders are sent out to our supply chain and following their delivery a few weeks later, the assembly process can begin,” says Monkton.

“This project was assembled at Trans Studios itself, so prior to that, all the parts had to be built and shipped over to Jakarta,” he continues.

Custom-made screen
“The immersive screen had to be custom-made from fibreglass to accommodate the flume boat actually passing through it via built-in doors,” says Monkton. “These had to be able to open and close while also blending in with the rest of the screen and projected media.

“Once complete, the dome moulding was broken down into parts for shipping,” says Monkton. “The motion base that allows for movement of the boat in the tunnel was also manufactured and tested thoroughly before shipping.”

Once the immersive tunnel was complete, the next thing to be addressed was AV and motion base programming. Simworx’s specialist AV technicians worked to create an immersive experience with the use of wind, projection, aroma, lights and audio, all programmed in time with the on-screen media.

For this project, Simworx worked with Falcon’s Creative Group, which produced a custom film and audio soundtrack that takes riders on a journey through Dinosaur Island. During the ride, visitors are thrust into a battle between the rulers of the prehistoric world.

Waterproofing
The project is the first water ride Simworx has worked on and there were a number of challenges to consider, as Monkton explains: “We don’t usually deal with water in our immersive tunnels,” he says. “This meant dealing with challenges such as making our 3D glasses waterproof and working out how the water would be drained away from the motion base.

“Interlink also had to come up with a boat locking solution to ensure the boat could be secured to the motion base allowing for movement, but then released to allow it to continue the ride. Even small things such as finding a waterproof paint finish for the screens had to be considered.”

The Jurassic Island installation at Trans Studio is the first time Simworx has combined its Immersive Tunnel with a water ride

The immersive screen was custom-made from fibreglass to accommodate the flume boat element of the ride

Client: Trans Studio

Capacity: 5 x 16 seat boats

Footprint: 115m x 55m

Length: 300m

Vertical lift: 12.5m

Chute: 12.5m

Total ride time: 6 minutes 10 secs

Ride capacity: Approx. 780 people per hour

AV: Curved 270 degree concave custom 3D screen with integrated drive through automated exit doors, 5 off Christie Mirage 304K Projectors, 7.2 Surround Sound Audio System

Safety: Electric motion base with custom top frame, conveyer and safety locking interface

4D effects: wind, water spritz, rainforest aroma, dino breath aroma

Film supplier: Falcon’s Creative Group

Phone: +44 (0) 1384 295 733

Fax: +44 (0) 1384 296 525

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.simworx.co.uk