3. The VR of Now

The VR of now is disguised in a clever package. Are you familiar with Disney Infinity? This wildly popular videogame is an exercise in world-building. Players get to inhabit the various realms of their favorite Disney movie characters, and “all” it costs their parents is a console and software purchase followed by a series of micro-transactions for characters (aka playable toys) and game buffs.

In exchange for this payment, parents and children receive countless hours of enjoyment in a manner that exists beyond the possibilities of a theme park. Walt Disney would be first in line to remind you that imagination fuels his theme parks, but there are limits to what we can build with brick and mortar.

Videogames have no such limitations. A programmer can create a Jack Sparrow adventure that dwarfs Pirates of the Caribbean as a ride. They can even surpass one of the current tests of VR at Walt Disney World, Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold. This game lets a person spin the wheel as the captain of a pirate ship, while teammates attempt to ward off enemy assailants via the strongest means at their disposal, cannon fire. The immersive gameplay is engrossing, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what Disney Infinity already offers. And that’s just what programmers are doing with VR right now. In fact, the company is currently exploring ways to transition Disney Infinity to virtual reality headsets.

In terms of park deployment, Ratatouille: The Adventure offers the most modern spin on the concept. It also uses the “cave” premise to thrust the rider into Gusteau's restaurant in the movie, Ratatouille. By moving the guest at the same speed as the picture in front of them, Ratatouille: The Adventure creates a VR simulation of a mouse trying to navigate a kitchen full of dangers. It’s almost a recursive experience as you exit the streets of Disneyland Paris only to rush through the virtual streets of Paris on the ride.

4. Tomorrow’s VR

Oculus Rift @ Gamescom 2014
Image: Marco Verch, Original (license)

Oculus Rift is the reason why virtual reality is such a hot topic right now. The oft-delayed headset was one of the most popular Kickstarter campaigns ever, and it’s become a darling of angel investors as well. Science fiction novels, movies, and television programs have trained people to believe that this sort of virtual reality simulation will become as popular as the internet, possibly even its eventual replacement. So, many industries are anxiously awaiting Oculus Rift to see if it lives up to the hype.

Anticipating the impact of this headset upon theme parks isn’t difficult since two of the titans of the business have already tried to build virtual versions for videogames. They understand that not everyone can live in a place with a park. Even people who visit a lot still get homesick for their favorite attractions when they’re not there. And the locals who live where the most popular parks are get tired of the crowds. They’re no different than people who prefer to watch movies in the comfort of their own home rather than at a movie theater. With VR, everyone can enjoy the amusement park experience on their own terms.

After all, a virtual reality device that can provide a relatively comparable experience to an actual park visit instantly becomes a moneymaking proposition for the business. Meanwhile, it’s a wonderful opportunity for the consumer. You can’t always afford to visit a theme park, especially as prices continue to skyrocket.

Visiting a theme park requires money, vacation time, and travel. The potential of VR is to negate these problems by providing a similar experience simply by putting on a headset. Once you power up your Oculus Rift, you’ll have the ability to transport yourself into your favorite realm similar to Disney Infinity, only in a much immersive fashion. And it also empowers you with the opportunity to visit theme parks in faraway places. Have you ever wanted to ride something at Europa-Park or one of the newly popular theme parks in Dubai or China? As soon as they build a VR app for Oculus Rift, you’ll have the ability to do so, and it’s an experience that should only improve in coming years.

If all this sounds too good to be true, consider one other aspect of virtual reality. There’s currently a working simulation of a Disney theme park experience. This VR achievement provides 480 Hz motion tracking using several blended 4k projections to achieve the impossible. The technological marvel is called the Digital Immersive Showroom, or more conveniently as The Dish, and you’d swear you’re on the holodeck of the Star Trek Enterprise if you’re ever lucky enough to visit it.

Alas, you’ll have to either become an Imagineer or befriend one in order to do so right now. It’s located in a secure Disney facility, but the company is already working on a more general version to employ in new theme park attractions. Disney understands that virtual reality is about to revolutionize the future of theme parks, and so they’re already taking steps to plan for the coming changes.