Entertainment Designer: Could theme parks be the place where technology and magic truly intersect? Often, tech-related discussions focus on the latest themed app, a touch screen, or in-ride developments. But Universal Studios Florida has recently been recognized by the Themed Entertainment Association’s Thea Awards for their outstanding achievements in technology for the development of the interactive Harry Potter wands. And we’re excited about the wands, because they are a beautiful example of how theme parks can use technology to bridge the gap between story and experience in themed attractions.
4 comments:
This is so, so, so cool! As a huge fan (and absolute nerd) of Harry Potter, I would pay so much money to be able to venture into Universal and wave a wand around Diagon Alley. The only thing I'm not sure about with this venture is that there's a volume of people that come into the Harry Potter World and want to try all of the interactive bits of the exhibit. There would probably be a lot of malfunctions that would arise, but if Universal is willing to pay for all the repairs then I'm not going to complain. A wand is a perfect way to get a lot of money from customers and guarantee that people will tell their friends and make them come to HP World. You get to create your own experience with the movements your wand makes, and this decade is all about making your own interactive fun.
How cool! I didn't realize Universal was doing this. I've actually done a very similar thing at a place called MagiQuest in Myrtle Beach, SC. It is a very cool place with a huge room/playspace made up to be a sort of medieval quest. You get a wand that works with different parts of the playspace and use it to accomplish tasks and move up levels in the game. My brother and I used to play this a lot as children, and since the wands were able to save your playing information, we were able to go back summer after summer. It seems that the wands at HP world use the same kind of technology as those did, an infrared bead on the tip that helps you to interact with the space. I think this is an incredible move for Universal; the best part of Harry Potter world is that it's a life-size, immersive version of the books, which for people like me is unbelievably exciting. I think adding an interactive element to it is a total game-changer and will definitely be extremely successful.
its not often that a theme park or story has such a perfect object to use as a way for guests to interact with the park. I've seen things like this but not to the scope of what universal is planning. I keep imagining myself as a young kid and being able to go around and touch everything i see with my wand in order to make something happen. knowing that the park opened not that long ago it is great to see that even though they finish one thing they are already working on another. this really adds to a guest experience because it makes a place alive and in a kids eyes full of magic. its like taking the elements of video games where the player has access to the powers of the characters on the game and interacts with the world in the same way. using these wands allows the guests to have the powers and abilities that Harry ,Ron and Herminone have in the books and in the movies.
First of all, this is very cool. I know I personally would have been over the moon to experience this as a kid. The application is exciting, and adds yet another layer to an already adored world. However, second, I am concerned about the manifestation. What happens when multiple people try to trigger the same magical effect at once? Do they run out of batteries? Is there an issue with rain and the devices getting wet? Is there a range? I see trouble striking with electrical signals confusing different sensors. I hope that there are good solutions to these problems (I'm not a person well versed in technology), but since this is a newly implemented program, I remain concerned. Harry Potter is popular because of its fully realized and textured world. I only worry that in an attempt to create magic, Universal has made something limited and my ultimately feel very false.
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