Virtual reality rides set to invade theme parks in 2016

It’s beginning to look like 2016 will be the year that virtual reality takes theme parks by storm with plans for nine VR coasters in the works and VR dark rides, thrill rides and haunted mazes already on the drawing board.

Canada’s Wonderland amusement park outside Toronto will add VR headsets to the Thunder Run roller coaster in 2016 for an upcharge fee after testing the devices on the ride during the offseason, according to company officials.

Thunder Run riders wearing VR headsets will fly on the back of a fire-breathing dragon above a medieval village and experience an imaginary corkscrew element on the inversionless mine train coaster. The VR experience will require riders to travel twice around the track without knowing exactly when the second lap begins. Daily capacity for the virtual reality experience will be limited to continue to allow non-VR riders on Thunder Run.

VR headsets will likely be added to another coaster at one of the 11 locations in the Cedar Fair amusement park chain, said CEO Matt Ouimet during a recent interview.

Read the rest at LATimes

Knott's News: While this may sound exciting, there are 3 things that have me worried: 

1) The fact that it's - in some capacity - turning a normal attraction into an upcharge attraction 

2) That fact that securing these head sets will destroy capacity. Remember, this is the same company that doesn't want people wearing hats or have cameras out on their rollercoasters, so safety will be prioritized as always, especially when you factor in the cost of each of these units.

3) The fact that you have to put on a mask that some other sweaty person just had on their face (considering the fact that they have to wash and sanitize 3D glasses after each use, it makes you wonder what they have planned for these).