Breaking News: Guardians of the Galaxy Ride Patent Reveals Secrets!
The first-ever Marvel attraction that is slated to open in a domestic Disney Park is under construction, and things just got interesting! Unless you’re physically in Epcot, updates on the Guardians of the Galaxy attraction are null until the rides’ opening…until now! The Walt Disney Company filed a patent for the ride vehicles that, to the naked eye, are boring blueprints. So, why am I so intrigued by these patents? Find out!
A Big Reveal
As far as Disney’s coasters go, they’ve mastered both forward and backward motion pretty seamlessly. The backward section of Expedition Everest is one of my favorite parts of any attraction, but Disney apparently isn’t interested in repeating past successes. No, they’re looking to twist and turn our conception of roller coasters as we know them- literally!
The patent filed by Disney indicates that the ride vehicles will not only have the capacity to move forward and backward, but also rotate! A simple patent file lets us in on what is possibly a very big secret: a revolutionary, state-of-the-art ride track system we’ve never seen before!
Raising the Bar
Raising the bar is basically the mantra of Imagineering. The ride cars for Guardians won’t rely on a chain system and the force of gravity to move riders through outer space. These independently-motorized cars will be completely free from the track and move on their own, independent of the other vehicles on the track.
One of the coolest things about the patent is that it shows us how the ride vehicles will get their power. The track itself will house metallically powered plates that can charge the ride vehicles’ power houses while they’re stopped…and while they’re in motion!
In addition to this awesome technology, the patent also lets us in on a clue about the ride format itself! Passengers will ride in a vehicle that is perched high above the track, allowing for some unprecedented movements that I’m predicting right now: the first-ever swiveling roller coaster at a Disney Park! The ride vehicles will have the ability to rotate on the track, allowing guests the ability for a 360 degree view as they ride. That’s pretty darn awesome! Although, there is one big question remaining…will guests be able to control this motion themselves?
Raising the Bar…or Meeting It?
Apparently, there are other theme parks in the Orlando area NOT associated with the Disney brand (read: Universal). I have, of course, never visited (read: I (very shamefully) visited twice this year). I will, under no circumstance acknowledge the attraction in question (read: Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts). Great, so now that we’ve covered my complete ‘ignorance’ on the subject at hand, let’s get to the nitty gritty of a ride I’ve NEVER ridden, and how it ties into the Guardians attraction.
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Patent
Guardians of the Galaxy Patent
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is a 100% screen-based roller coaster. The mine cars that haul passengers through the depths of the bank are, in my opinion, one of the smoothest roller coaster vehicles I’ve ever ridden. The cars sit high above the track and the swivel motion allows riders to see the attraction in 360 degree…hang on.
When I read about Disney’s latest patent, my mind immediately went to the Gringotts attraction, and how the Guardians ride system seems shockingly, if not exactly similar to the one over at that other theme park down the road. Disney has never been a company to play copycat, and although the patent shows signs of advancement, their lack of forward-thinking and inventiveness can certainly be the beginning of a trend I’m hoping never comes to be.
One thing is for sure; Disney will not build a groundbreaking attraction half-heartedly. The Guardians ride is slated to be the worlds’ longest indoor roller coaster. With that massive title hanging over the Imagineers’ heads, I would bet this patent only scratches the surface of what we can expect when the attraction opens in 2021. For right now, all we can do is speculate, and I want to know your thoughts! Leave me a comment and let’s start a conversation!
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