Techniques for concealed vehicle reset

Ride vehicle reset mechanism.

Embodiments disclosed herein include an amusement park ride. The amusement park ride include a ride vehicle that can transition from a first configuration to a second configuration during the duration of the ride. The amusement park ride can include a loading area for loading passengers into the ride vehicle and a separate unloading area for disembarking passengers from the ride vehicle. After disembarking passengers from the ride vehicle the ride vehicle travels to a transition area concealed from the public where the ride transitions from the second configuration to the first configuration. In the transition area, maintenance can be performed on the ride vehicle and calibration can be performed on one or more of the ride vehicle systems (e.g., projector or audio systems).

FIELD(1) The present disclosure relates generally to rides, in particular amusement park rides.BACKGROUND(2) Amusement park rides or simply “rides” have been around for more than a century and have been used to entertain millions of visitors to amusement parks, theme parks, carnivals, and fairs, typically by moving one or more riders in each vehicle along a track. For example, roller coasters move passengers rapidly along a track while some theme rides may include slow or show portions as well as fast or thrill portions. Park operators are continually searching for new ride designs to enhance the passenger's experience and to encourage repeated use of a ride, i.e., looking for something that makes the ride different or unique enough each time that a park visitor will take a ride many times.(3) Some amusement park rides can implement special effects inside the show pod. Amusement park rides implement special effects inside a confined vehicle or show pod. The special effects need to be reset at the end of the ride. Some practical special effects needs to remain in place until after the passengers have exited the vehicle or pod. The vehicle or show pod also requires routine maintenance such as audio and projector calibration that can be tested and/or reset to baseline values as well. Because the calibration is typically not possible to do, practical effects are not used inside a passenger compartment and calibration activities happen less frequently during downtime.BRIEF SUMMARY