ORLANDO, Fla. — A patent application for a system that aims to reduce motion sickness on rides could benefit guests at Universal Orlando’s planned Epic Universe theme park, an expert said.
“I think it’s going to tie into some of the experiences you’ll see at the new Universal park that’s coming,” said Dennis Speigel, founder and CEO of International Theme Park Services.
The patent application is for a “ride vehicle restraint system with forced air system” and was filed by Universal City Studios LLC. That company is connected to Universal, according to Speigel as well as Bloomberg.
A spokesman for Universal Orlando declined to comment for this story.
Epic Universe is expected to feature attractions based off of Nintendo as well as the movie studios Illumination and DreamWorks. Illumination is behind “Despicable Me” and “The Secret Life of Pets.” DreamWorks films include “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Shrek.”
The patent is for a system that would direct air through a ride’s restraint and towards passengers. The application said rides may use an air flow toward passengers to mitigate “kinetosis,” or motion sickness.
“The forced air system may be operated to generate sensory effects coordinated with operation of a ride system and/or to mitigate effects or inducement of kinetosis during operation of the ride vehicle (e.g., by directing the air flow towards the face of the passenger),” the application said.
By combining the air system with the restraint, other structures that would normally include the system may be removed from the ride, the application said. It could also be a part of ride vehicles that wouldn’t be able to provide the forced air flow to riders without the new restraint system.
Speigel said the development coincides with theme parks continuing to evolve their experiences, which comes with a higher degree of motion.
“We’re doing things today that 15 years ago we didn’t even dream of,” Speigel said. “That intensifies the guest experience, and as we intensify the guest experience, we’re looking for ways to make sure physically they can accept what we’re doing.”
More guests experience motion sickness today than 10 years ago because of what theme parks can provide them, Speigel said. He added the sickness comes not only from a ride’s movements, but the sensory experience around riders.
“The things we can do with rides now, we never dreamed of, so we need to advance the physical acceptance side of that, too,” Speigel said.
He sees the patent application as part of the company’s planning for future attractions.
“I think this is tied more to what they can accomplish and provide to the guest in the future,” Speigel said.
Epic Universe is expected to join the Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks and Volcano Bay water park in Orlando. It is planned for between Sand Lake Road and Universal Boulevard.
The opening date for Epic Universe was originally set for 2023, but the project was delayed during the coronavirus pandemic. Construction on the new theme park resumed in March.
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