No more long lines? AI and other new technologies are transforming amusement parks this summer.
Theme park companies are leveraging technology to transform the guest experience.
Legoland uses AI to track ride attendance and manage lines.
Disney is partnering with Nvidia and Google DeepMind to bring AI-powered robots to its parks.
It is a truth universally acknowledged: Lines are the worst part of amusement parks.
Sure, too many $8 pretzels can gut your budget, but there's something uniquely taxing about waiting in line for a popular ride on a sticky summer day.
There might be a fix, however: artificial intelligence. New technology of all kinds is transforming the theme park experience in the United States, helping drive growth in the industry.
Among the theme parks leveraging new technology is Legoland.
"We're using a technology called Vision AI," Adrian Thompson, operations transformation director for Legoland's parent company, Merlin Entertainments, told Business Insider. "We have cameras placed over our attractions that analyze the number of people physically riding those attractions at any given time. It doesn't identify you uniquely, but it identifies the number of people riding an attraction."
Thompson said incorporating AI into attraction line areas allows ride managers to receive data in real time, mitigating potential issues or delays.
"If they see anomalies in that data — the number of dispatches has reduced or the queue times have gone up — they can take action at that moment and make changes," Thompson said. "Before, when it was all paper-based, we didn't have access to all that data in real time. You might not have gotten that information until the end of the day, at which point it's too late to impact the guest experience."
About 40 miles north of Legoland is SeaWorld, where Expedition Odyssey opened to the public last month. Expedition Odyssey is an immersive flying theater ride that transports guests to the Arctic using real footage of the icy landscapes and wildlife.
"There's no CGI in it," Conner Carr, the vice president of rides and engineering for SeaWorld and Busch Gardens' parent company, United Parks & Resorts, told BI. "The standard on those ride types has always been to generate with animation or CGI effects for a ride film."
Instead, SeaWorld sent teams equipped with custom-lensed cameras and drones on expeditions to the Arctic to capture the videos.
"For us, it's not just a theme park experience. It's that zoological aspect, too," Carr said. "We don't want to sit in an office and draw a beluga whale. We want to show them a real one."
Although the authentic footage helps set Expedition Odyssey apart from its peers, Carr said there's another reason he refers to it as the "most technologically advanced ride" SeaWorld has ever done.
A typical flying theater involves guests entering their seats, enjoying the show, and exiting before another group can enter. Expedition Odyssey uses a rotating main tower that allows guests to load the ride while another is already watching the footage. Once the ride is done, the tower will essentially flip, and the groups will switch places.
"This lets us keep the line moving and procedures like you would see on a coaster, but on a completely new type of ride that typically doesn't allow that," Carr said.
Carr said another way guests interact with new technology at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens theme parks is by including audio and visual aspects in the line.
"That's what Penguin Trek does," Carr said, referring to a roller coaster at the Orlando park. "When you dispatch on the ride, you have special effects and lights that make you feel like you're in an ice cave that's falling."
That technology is also found at Busch Gardens, where guests can ride the Phoenix Rising roller coaster, which utilizes media screens, lights, and onboard audio.
At SeaWorld, Carr said 3D scanning has become a reliable tool for repairs and creating models.
"It is not just roller coaster track replacement. We use 3D scanning all over the place," Carr said. "The technology has been amazing for new projects like Penguin Trek and Expedition Odyssey."
Augmented reality is another type of technology becoming more prevalent at amusement parks, including Legoland California and Legoland Florida.
The Lego Ferrari Build & Race attraction allows guests to build and test cars, then use augmented reality to scan and race them virtually. Hands-on activities are a priority for Legoland theme parks, where the Ninjago ride uses hand-tracking movements that let riders use hand gestures to test their skills.
"The beauty for us is we're always going to do hands-on experiences because it's Lego," Thompson said.
Carr said SeaWorld and Busch Gardens have a similar approach, given their animal conservation efforts. "The mission is to inspire and educate right alongside rescuing all the animals," he said.
Other theme parks in the United States are also flexing their tech acumen, including Disney, which partnered with Nvidia and Google DeepMind to develop Newton. The open-source physics engine will help robots learn to navigate tasks more accurately.
Disney intends to use the technology to enhance the robotic characters in its theme parks to be more lifelike.
"This collaboration will allow us to create a new generation of robotic characters that are more expressive and engaging than ever before—and connect with our guests in ways that only Disney can," Kyle Laughlin, the senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering's Research and Development, said in a press release.
Although the attractions industry continues to entice guests from around the globe, the volatility caused by the Trump administration's tariffs has become an unpredictable obstacle.
"New tariffs will make securing product — like games, plush, and merchandise made outside the United States — more expensive to import. Ahead of the rate hikes, some operators created additional storage space and took possession of goods earlier in the season than what they have imported in the past to avoid paying the tariffs," the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions said this month.
The association said the tariffs have also strained the US relationship with Canada, potentially affecting theme park attendance this summer.
"Also of concern for several American facilities: a softening in the zest to travel south by Canadians who are accustomed to spending their summers in the United States. The current political climate between the two nations may adversely affect the sentiment to travel in the months ahead," the IAAPA said.
However, the uncertainty hasn't stopped companies from steamrolling ahead with ambitious projects. Universal's newest theme park, Epic Universe, opened to fanfare this month in Florida, while Disney announced plans to develop its seventh theme park in Abu Dhabi.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
27 minutes ago
- CNET
Early Fourth of July Deals: Save Hundreds at Amazon, Best Buy and Target Before the Holiday Weekend
Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart are gearing up for July 4, even though we are still a few weeks away from the holiday weekend. But in anticipation of this occasion, some companies have already released some fantastic deals. If you're anticipating Fourth of July sales, you're probably also tracking Prime Day. This sales event will occur July 8 through 11 so there will be plenty of opportunities to snag all of the items on your summer wish list at a discount. These deals will save you tons on TVs, laptops and outdoor items. It also includes your favorite brands, like Apple and Anker. Just make sure to dive into the offers quickly because these pre-holiday sales may not last long. Don't forget to check back often because we're constantly updating this page as items sell out or new deals become available. Early July 4 tech deals These are the best tech deals we've found so far among the early Fourth of July sales. We've spotted deals on some of our favorite TVs, tablets and more. Insignia 50-Inch F50 4K Smart TV: $180 This TV has a great size, loads of features and a good picture. It's also 40% off right now so getting it for $180 is a chance you shouldn't miss. Details Save $120 $180 at Amazon Close Apple M3 MacBook Air 13-inch laptop: $899 We named the M3 MacBook Air the overall best laptop of 2024, and this discount makes it even sweeter to upgrade to a model with a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, an 18-hour battery life, 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. Details Save $200 $899 at Best Buy Close More early July 4 tech deals: Early July 4 home and kitchen deals Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum cleaner: $350 Dyson has often earned spots on our list of best vacuums, and the V8 Plus model is perfect for tackling dust and debris. If you've been considering an upgrade, don't sleep on this vacuum deal -- the V8 is now just $350, the lowest price we've seen. Details Save $120 $350 at Amazon Close Ring Battery Doorbell: $50 The Ring Battery Doorbell is an excellent way to add a bit more security and convenience to your home. And it's now half off if you're a Prime member, which is a great deal. Details Save $50 $50 at Amazon Close Ninja Creami ice cream maker: $169 Make your own ice cream concoctions at home with the viral Ninja Creami, thanks to this rare discount. It's easy to use and makes restaurant-quality frozen desserts with the click of a button. Details Save $30 $169 at Walmart Close More early July 4 home and kitchen deals: Early July 4 mattress deals Now is a great time to upgrade your mattress and score a great deal. Here are our favorite mattress deals to shop during early Fourth of July sales. Nectar mattresses Score a new mattress for as low as $349, plus 66% off bundles. Choose from tons of styles and designs. Details Up to 50% off mattresses See at Nectar Close Mattress Firm You can get up to 20% off adjustable bases and up to 60% off Mattress Firm's bestsellers. Pillows and sheets are also 20% off. Details Save up to 60% See at Mattress Firm Close DreamCloud DreamCloud is offering some significant savings, giving up to 60% off mattresses. (So, you could potentially score a mattress for as low as $299) Plus, you can also save $599 with the included accessories and get 66% off bundles. Details Save up to 60% on mattresses See at DreamCloud Close More early Fourth of July mattress deals: Early July 4 outdoor deals Upgrade your backyard or prep for your next summer camping trip with these hot early Fourth of July outdoor deals. Solo Stove sales Solo Stove, which offers a wide selection of fire pits and accessories, is currently offering up to $230 off bundles. In addition to fire pits and accessories, the company also has pizza ovens and other outdoor goodies, including furniture. Details Save up to $230 bundles See at Solo Stove Close Christopher Knight 2-piece mesh chaise lounge set: $329 Reduced by almost $200, these Christopher Knight chairs are now a good 37% off. The clean lines of these lounge chairs will complement any outdoor decor, and they feature adjustable backs, so you can go from sitting to napping in seconds. Details Save $193 $329 at Amazon Close Anker Solix C1000 portable power station: $449 If you're going camping this summer, a portable power station is an asset -- coming in handy if you unfortunately lose power at home. This model has 11 versatile ports and is strong enough to keep an electric grill, projector or coffee maker powered up. It has a maximum rated power of 1800W, but can reach a peak power of 2400W. Details Save $350 $449 at Amazon Close More of the best early Fourth of July outdoor deals: When do July 4 sales start this year? While Independence Day falls on July 4 every year, holiday sales often tend to hang around for a few days before and after. Amazon also announced that its next Prime Day will take place from July 8 to 11, so the two sales may blend. Where are the best pre-July 4 sales? Fourth of July sales offer some of the best prices on tech, appliances, mattresses and fashion, making it a great time to snag stellar prices on must-have items, and there are a ton of retailers still participating in the holiday savings. Unsurprisingly, Amazon is usually one of the best places to buy because it sells products from almost all major brands across these popular categories, making it a tremendous one-stop shop for all of your Fourth of July buys. Outside of Amazon, we recommend checking out appliance and tech sales at Best Buy, Home Depot and Lowe's, as well as holiday sales on a large variety of categories at Target, Nordstrom and Walmart, among others. Should I shop July 4 sales or wait for Prime Day deals? There's no definitive way to say whether Fourth of July sales or Prime Day deals are best. Both sales offer plenty of deals, including some of the best prices we'll see all year. Plus, it's likely the two sales will blur into one big discount extravaganza, given their proximity. Fourth of July sales offer more variety in retailers, although much of your shopping may take place on Amazon anyway. There are also plenty of non-Amazon retailers that will keep their sales rolling through mid-July, often directly competing with Amazon Prime prices. Because you'll be able to shop so many Fourth of July sales in just a few weeks, grab what you need and then keep tabs on Prime Day deals later for anything you miss out on. How to keep up with the best July 4 sales There are a lot of ways to ensure you're getting the latest scoop on Fourth of July offers. The CNET Deals team covers all the best price drops, discounts and deals every day from across the web, highlighting the best offers. We'll be tracking all the major retailer sales following the Fourth of July holiday and sharing the promotions you need to hear about, and there are plenty of ways to hear from us. One option is to bookmark to check out our latest coverage. You can also follow @CNETDeals on X to see everything we publish or sign up for our CNET Deals newsletter for a daily digest of deals delivered to your inbox. Another great option is to sign up for CNET Deals text alerts for curated deals during major shopping events. Remember to install our CNET Shopping browser extension to help ensure that purchases you make all year round will be at the lowest price available.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump and TSMC pitched $1 trillion AI complex — SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son wants to turn Arizona into the next Shenzhen
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Masayoshi Son, founder of SoftBank Group, is working on plans to develop a giant AI and manufacturing industrial hub in Arizona, potentially costing up to $1 trillion if it reaches full scale, reports Bloomberg. The concept of what is internally called Project Crystal Land involves creating a complex for building artificial intelligence systems and robotics. Son has talked to TSMC, Samsung, and the Trump administration about the project. Masayoshi Son's Project Crystal Land aims to replicate the scale and integration of China's Shenzhen by establishing a high-tech hub focused on manufacturing AI-powered industrial robots and advancing artificial intelligence technologies. The site would host factories operated by SoftBank-backed startups specializing in automation and robotics, Vision Fund portfolio companies (such as Agile Robots SE), and potentially involve major tech partners like TSMC and Samsung. If fully realized, the project could cost up to $1 trillion and is intended to position the U.S. as a leading center for AI and high-tech manufacturing. SoftBank is looking to include TSMC in the initiative, given its role in fabricating Nvidia's AI processors. However, a Bloomberg source familiar with TSMC's internal thinking indicated that the company's current plan to invest $165 billion in total in its U.S. projects has no relation to SoftBank's projects. Samsung Electronics has also been approached about participating, the report says. Talks have been held with government officials to explore tax incentives for companies investing in the manufacturing hub. This includes communication with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to Bloomberg. SoftBank is reportedly seeking support at both the federal and state levels, which could be crucial to the success of the project. The development is still in the early stages, and feasibility will depend on private sector interest and political support, sources familiar with SoftBank's plans told Bloomberg. To finance its Project Crystal Land, SoftBank is considering project-based financing structures typically used in large infrastructure developments like pipelines. This approach would enable fundraising on a per-project basis and reduce the amount of upfront capital required from SoftBank itself. A similar model is being explored for the Stargate AI data center initiative, which SoftBank is jointly pursuing with OpenAI, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi's MGX. Melissa Otto of Visible Alpha suggested in a Bloomberg interview that rather than spending heavily, Son might more efficiently support his AI project by fostering partnerships between manufacturers, AI engineers, and specialists in fields like medicine and robotics, and by backing smaller startups. However, she notes that investing in data centers could also reduce AI development costs and drive wider adoption, which would be good for the long term for AI in general and Crystal Land specifically. Nonetheless, it is still too early to judge the outcome. The rumor about the Crystal Land project has emerged as SoftBank is expanding its investments in AI on an already large scale. The company is preparing a $30 billion investment in OpenAI and a $6.5 billion acquisition of Ampere Computing, a cloud-native CPU company. While these initiatives are actively developing, the pace of fundraising for the Stargate infrastructure has been slower than initially expected. SoftBank's liquidity at the end of March stood at approximately ¥3.4 trillion ($23 billion). To increase available funds, the company recently sold about a quarter of its T-Mobile U.S. stake, raising $4.8 billion. It also holds ¥25.7 trillion ($176.46 billion) in net assets, the largest portion of which is in chip designer Arm Holdings. Such vast resources provide SoftBank with room to secure additional financing if necessary, Bloomberg notes Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Investors should consider this growth stock… it's SpaceX's competition
Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) is a US-listed growth stock that gives investors rare access to the commercial space sector. As a vertically integrated launch and space systems provider, Rocket Lab is often compared to SpaceX in its ambition and capabilities. But there's one crucial difference: you can actually buy shares in Rocket Lab, while SpaceX remains private. Rocket Lab delivers launch services, builds small and medium-class rockets, and manufactures spacecraft components for a range of commercial, government, and defense customers. With rapid revenue growth, an impressive order book, and expansion into new markets, Rocket Lab offers public market investors a way to participate in the booming space economy. It targets many of the same opportunities as its more famous, privately held peer. Rocket Lab and SpaceX operate in the same commercial space sector but differ significantly in scale, maturity, and valuation. Rocket Lab's market cap is currently $12.85bn, with trailing 12 months (TTM) revenue of approximately $460m. Despite strong growth — revenue nearly doubled from $240m in 2023 — Rocket Lab remains a smaller, earlier-stage player focused on small to medium launch vehicles and spacecraft manufacturing. Its valuation multiples are extremely high, with a forward price-to-sales ratio of 22.3 times, reflecting investor optimism. SpaceX, by contrast, is a far more mature private company valued at about $350bn. It's projected to generate $15.5bn in revenue in 2025. This is driven by its dominant Falcon 9 launch services and rapidly growing Starlink satellite internet business. SpaceX's valuation implies roughly a 22.5 times multiple on forward revenue. This is broadly in line with Rocket Lab. Focusing on Rocket Lab, the company is projected to deliver rapid revenue growth over the next several years, with estimates rising from $573m in 2025 to $889 in 2026, $1.2bn in 2027, and $1.69bn in 2028. This represents annual growth rates consistently above 30%, and even a jump of nearly 77% in 2030. However, the number of analysts providing forecasts declines sharply after 2027, dropping from 11–14 analysts in the near term to just two or one by 2028 and 2030. The one analyst projecting as far as 2030 sees $4bn in revenue for the year. I had the chance to buy Rocket Lab shares at $15 just two months ago. I missed out as unfortunately my attention had been diverted elsewhere. However, I found another entry point. And personally, I see this as an investment to hold for a very long period. The space industry is still in its early innings, with enormous potential as satellite launches, lunar missions, and in-orbit services become increasingly mainstream. And like any investment, there are risks. Rocket Lab remains loss-making. It's expected to turn a profit in 2026, when it will trade at 620 times earnings. And while this moderates to 140 times in 2027, it's still expensive and introduces plenty of execution risk. However, I certainly believe UK investors should consider this one. It could be a real winner going forward. The post Investors should consider this growth stock… it's SpaceX's competition appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool James Fox has positions in Rocket Lab. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Sign in to access your portfolio
