Abstract: An amusement park ride vehicle includes a chassis, a cabin, a slider, and a rotator. The chassis is configured to direct the ride vehicle along a ride path in a direction of travel. The cabin is configured to hold one or more passengers. The slider is configured to translate between a neutral position and a cantilevered position relative to the chassis in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel and to carry the rotator and the cabin along the direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel. The rotator is coupled between the slider and the cabin, and is configured to rotate the cabin relative to the slider.

Abstract: An amusement park ride vehicle includes a chassis, a cabin, a slider, and a rotator. The chassis is configured to direct the ride vehicle along a ride path in a direction of travel. The cabin is configured to hold one or more passengers. The slider is configured to translate between a neutral position and a cantilevered position relative to the chassis in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel and to carry the rotator and the cabin along the direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel. The rotator is coupled between the slider and the cabin, and is configured to rotate the cabin relative to the slider.

Abstract: An amusement park system in accordance with present embodiments includes a ride vehicle configured to move along a path, an aquatic portion of the path defined by a water flow path, and an aerial portion of the path defined by a track configured to support a bogie. The ride vehicle is configured to freely float and move along the water flow path in response to currents of the water flow path. The ride vehicle is configured to be carried along the track by the bogie.

Abstract: Systems and method for generating a vanishing illusion special effect are provided. One approach involves two rooms that mirror each other and are separated by a wall. The wall includes a frame through which the transition glass is configured to move. The transition glass includes a mirrored portion and a transparent portion. A controller may instruct an actuator to move the transition glass such that the mirrored portion is in alignment or out of alignment relative to the frame. In a further embodiment, a first ride vehicle and a second ride vehicle mirror each other and are separated by a transition glass that also includes a mirrored portion and a transparent portion. A controller may regulate the movement of the first ride vehicle and the second ride vehicle from a position in alignment to a position out of alignment relative to the mirrored portion or the transparent portion.

Abstract: An amusement park ride vehicle includes a chassis, a cabin, a slider, and a rotator. The chassis is configured to direct the ride vehicle along a ride path in a direction of travel. The cabin is configured to hold one or more passengers. The slider is configured to translate between a neutral position and a cantilevered position relative to the chassis in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel and to carry the rotator and the cabin along the direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel. The rotator is coupled between the slider and the cabin, and is configured to rotate the cabin relative to the slider.

Abstract: Systems and method for generating a vanishing illusion special effect are provided. One approach involves two rooms that mirror each other and are separated by a wall. The wall includes a frame through which the transition glass is configured to move. The transition glass includes a mirrored portion and a transparent portion. A controller may instruct an actuator to move the transition glass such that the mirrored portion is in alignment or out of alignment relative to the frame. In a further embodiment, a first ride vehicle and a second ride vehicle mirror each other and are separated by a transition glass that also includes a mirrored portion and a transparent portion. A controller may regulate the movement of the first ride vehicle and the second ride vehicle from a position in alignment to a position out of alignment relative to the mirrored portion or the transparent portion.

Abstract: A ride system includes a platform assembly that receives a ride vehicle for transporting a ride passenger, an upward drive pulley system, and a downward drive pulley system. The upward drive pulley system is drivingly coupled to the platform assembly and upwardly drives motion of the platform assembly along a vertical axis oriented along a gravity vector. The downward drive pulley system is drivingly coupled to the platform assembly and downwardly drives motion of the platform assembly along the vertical axis. Additionally, upwardly and downwardly driving motion of the platform assembly exposes the ride passenger to a plurality of entertainment shows, and the entertainment shows are positioned on a different vertical level with respect to one another.

Abstract: A ride system to control ride vehicle motion includes a carriage that receives and secures a ride vehicle. The ride system also includes a plurality of pulley systems drivingly coupled to the carriage. Each pulley system of the plurality of pulley systems include a pulley, a pulley cable engaged with the pulley and attached to a portion of the carriage, and a motor drivingly coupled to the pulley to drive pulley motion and pulley cable motion, and thereby cause the portion of the carriage to displace in accordance with the pulley motion and the pulley cable motion.

Abstract: A ride system includes a platform assembly that receives a ride vehicle for transporting a ride passenger, an upward drive pulley system, and a downward drive pulley system. The upward drive pulley system is drivingly coupled to the platform assembly and upwardly drives motion of the platform assembly along a vertical axis oriented along a gravity vector. The downward drive pulley system is drivingly coupled to the platform assembly and downwardly drives motion of the platform assembly along the vertical axis. Additionally, upwardly and downwardly driving motion of the platform assembly exposes the ride passenger to a plurality of entertainment shows, and the entertainment shows are positioned on a different vertical level with respect to one another.

Abstract: An amusement park ride vehicle includes a chassis, a cabin, a slider, and a rotator. The chassis is configured to direct the ride vehicle along a ride path in a direction of travel. The cabin is configured to hold one or more passengers. The slider is configured to translate between a neutral position and a cantilevered position relative to the chassis in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel and to carry the rotator and the cabin along the direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel. The rotator is coupled between the slider and the cabin, and is configured to rotate the cabin relative to the slider.

Abstract: An entertainment figure system includes an entertainment figure having an attachment point, a bogie coupled to a track and to the attachment point of the entertainment figure via a cable and a winch coupled to the cable. The bogie is configured to translate along the track and the winch is configured to adjust a length of the cable extending from the winch and thereby modify a distance between the attachment point and the bogie.

Abstract: An entertainment figure system includes an entertainment figure having an attachment point, a bogie coupled to a track and to the attachment point of the entertainment figure via a cable and a winch coupled to the cable. The bogie is configured to translate along the track and the winch is configured to adjust a length of the cable extending from the winch and thereby modify a distance between the attachment point and the bogie.

Abstract: A ride system to control ride vehicle motion includes a carriage that receives and secures a ride vehicle. The ride system also includes a plurality of pulley systems drivingly coupled to the carriage. Each pulley system of the plurality of pulley systems include a pulley, a pulley cable engaged with the pulley and attached to a portion of the carriage, and a motor drivingly coupled to the pulley to drive pulley motion and pulley cable motion, and thereby cause the portion of the carriage to displace in accordance with the pulley motion and the pulley cable motion.

Abstract: An amusement park system in accordance with present embodiments includes a ride vehicle configured to move along a path, an aquatic portion of the path defined by a water flow path, and an aerial portion of the path defined by a track configured to support a bogie. The ride vehicle is configured to freely float and move along the water flow path in response to currents of the water flow path. The ride vehicle is configured to be carried along the track by the bogie.

Abstract: An attraction system includes an elevator assembly having an elevator path that intersects a ride path of the attraction system, an elevator car having a support and configured to travel along the elevator path, a ride vehicle having a cabin coupled to a bogie, and a cabin projection of the cabin. The ride vehicle is configured to travel along the ride path via the bogie, in which the bogie is configured to travel into the elevator car via the ride path, and the support is configured to capture the cabin projection on at least two sides when the ride vehicle is in a loaded position.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a ride system includes a turntable, a multi-axis motion device, and a control system. The multi-axis motion device may be mounted in a fixed position on the turntable. The control system may be configured to manipulate the turntable and the multi-axis motion device in synchronization with an environment of the ride system. In various embodiments, the control system includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, where the memory is configured to store a ride experience command sequence. The processor may be configured to use a turntable motor controller to manipulate a turntable to execute a ride experience command sequence and use the motion device controller to manipulate a multi-axis motion device to execute the ride experience command sequence.

Abstract: A unique combination of amusement park attraction ride vehicles with gesture-based game controllers to create a new form of interactive amusement ride, where on-board game displays, cameras and gesture recognition software for each of a plurality of riders, capture rider gestures and convert those gestures into signals that are inputs to, and affect, the interactive experience or game elements of the attraction.