Virtual Reality (VR) is using technology to create simulated environment. VR can bring the users anywhere and experience them as if they were actually there.

Theme and amusement park increasingly shows interests in VR and AR to provide more immersed and unique experiences (list here). Alton Towers in UK introduced VR to the steel flying roller coaster in 2016 (click here for more info). Six Flags in the US created ‘Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster’ using Samsung Gear VR headsets (Click here for more info).

Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience of computer-generated perceptual information and a real-world environment where objects resides. The experience of AR is sometimes across multiple sensory modalities such as visual, auditory, haptic, olfactory and somatosensory.

The main AR used in theme and amusement park is blending it with the real world by overlaying 2D or 3D content in the field of view. Cedar Point in the US create ‘Battle for Cedar Point’ which bring visitors into a virtual world as they battle it out to take control of the Cedar Point realm. The visitors are required to download “The Battle for Cedar Point” app and can jump on the attraction (Click here for more info). The operational advantage of using AR is minimal investment for the theme park