A ride vehicle for an attraction of an amusement park includes a ride seat, a pivot adapter configured to rotate relative to the ride seat, a gear of the pivot adapter comprising a first set of teeth, a passenger restraint piece coupled to the pivot adapter and configured to rotate with the pivot adapter between a closed and an open position, and a cap having a second set of teeth. The cap is configured to be positioned to engage the gear of the pivot adapter such that the second set of teeth of the cap engages with the first set of teeth of the gear, and engagement between the second set of teeth and the first set of teeth substantially blocks movement of the pivot adapter relative to the ride seat in a rotational direction.

An automated damping system including a damping device arranged and disposed to provide variable resistance to a load. The variable resistance provides resistance values corresponding to a displacement position of the damping device. The system includes a damping profile generator that calculates a damping profile and a sensor is arranged and disposed to measure one or more damping affecting properties. The sensor provides the one or more damping affecting properties to the damping profile generator. The damping profile provides the variable resistance based upon the one or more damping affecting properties of the load.

It is disclosed a water amusement ride (1) comprising at least one vehicle (2) comprising means (6) for accommodating at least one passenger, a container (10) for storing water having an opening (10a) to define a water surface (S). The vehicle (2) is movable between a raised position (RP) with respect to the water surface (S), and a stop position (SP), in which at least part of the vehicle is submerged in the water. The ride further comprises lifting means (30) to move the vehicle from the stop position to the raised position, and wherein the vehicle (2) moved from the raised position (RP) towards said stop position (SP) is decelerated by the contact with water in said container (10) to reach the stop position (SP).

A tower may support a horizontal track and a vertical climbing wall therebelow. A trolley, movable along the track, may be selectively driven toward and away from the tower by belay lines, line and capstan, positive drive, or some combination. Belay lines reeved over pulleys on the trolley may be taken up and paid out independently from the trolley, while fixed or moving. A rider may climb, be lifted, or both to near the intersection of the tower and track, from there to fall or jump into a controllable trajectory such as swinging or simulating a parachute landing. Swinging may be rapidly attenuated almost entirely by “bumps,” lifting a rider to remove momentum and kinetic energy as a rider moves toward a pivot point overhead. Control may be simplified based on sensing and using timing past bottom dead center (BDC).

A ride attraction system includes a tower track and a ride vehicle configured to accommodate one or more riders. The ride vehicle is coupled to and configured to move relative to the tower track and the ride vehicle includes one or more user input devices. The ride attraction system further includes an image system configured to display a ride environment, wherein the user input devices are configured to enable the one or more riders to interact with elements of the ride environment via the one or more user input devices. The ride attraction system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the ride vehicle and the image system and configured to control movement of the ride vehicle relative to the tower track based on signals from the one or more user input devices.

A free fall simulator comprising: a wind tunnel system; a flight chamber connected to the wind tunnel allowing for a continuous flow of circulating air, and a cooling system for cooling of the air circulating in the wind tunnel system, wherein the cooling system comprises: an air inlet sucking in a part of the air circulating in the wind tunnel system; at least one heat exchanger comprising a coolant; and at least one air outlet adapted such that the cooled air leaves the cooling system through the at least one air outlet. The cooling system further comprises: a closed pressure chamber comprising a cooling area having pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, and at least one auxiliary fan. The at least one heat exchanger is located inside of the closed pressure chamber so that the cooling of the circulating air takes place in the cooling area.

A ride attraction system includes a tower track and a ride vehicle configured to accommodate one or more riders. The ride vehicle is coupled to and configured to move relative to the tower track and the ride vehicle includes one or more user input devices. The ride attraction system further includes an image system configured to display a ride environment, wherein the user input devices are configured to enable the one or more riders to interact with elements of the ride environment via the one or more user input devices. The ride attraction system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the ride vehicle and the image system and configured to control movement of the ride vehicle relative to the tower track based on signals from the one or more user input devices.

A free-fall apparatus comprising a vertical structure that houses and supports a lifting assembly that includes a wearable harness, a support member, anchored pulleys, a lifting cable, and a lifting device. The vertical structure also houses and supports a braking assembly that includes a pair of cylinders, pistons, anchored pulleys, and braking cables. The amusement ride's unique design provides end-users with selective control of their entertainment experience by allowing each end-user the ability to decide when to engage the release mechanism that induces the safe yet exhilarating free-fall experience.

A dark ride tower system includes a tower having first and second levels. The first level includes a stationary room having stationary walls and the second level includes an adaptable room having adaptable walls configured to be rearranged into a plurality of physical configurations. The dark ride tower system also includes a lift system configured to alternatingly move a ride vehicle between the first and second levels. In addition, the dark ride tower system includes a first projection system configured to generate projection mapping on the stationary walls to simulate movement of the ride vehicle relative to the stationary room while the ride vehicle is disposed within the stationary room. The dark ride tower system also includes a second projection system configured to generate projection mapping on the adaptable walls to present a show scene while the ride vehicle is disposed within the adaptable room.

A spherical compartment is designed to hold a cargo or one or more individuals and absorbing impact as the spherical compartment is dropped from a height. The spherical compartment includes a frame with vertically oriented frame elements and at least one horizontally oriented frame element. The frame elements may be air beams; thus, the frame may be an air frame. The frame may carry a suspension system that suspends the payload within an interior of the spherical compartment. An outer skin affixed to the frame may impart the spherical compartment with low wind resistance. Methods of using the spherical compartment are also disclosed.