I Never Saw Animatronics Like This: Epic Universe Team Reveals Challenges of Theme Park Tech
I can't take my eyes off Dr. Victoria Frankenstein. I've seen plenty of theme park animatronics before, but as this robot moves fluidly in front of me, there's something otherworldly about how she was designed: her digitally animated face is projected on a physically animating head, and it looks like a video game character has come to life. But just as I try to figure out what makes her tick, I'm distracted by the reveal of another jaw-dropping animatronic: her 800-pound, 9-foot-tall green monster walking toward the audience.
Now Playing: How Universal's Robots Push Boundaries of Animatronics
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It's only fitting that some of the most advanced animatronics created reside in Dark Universe, a spooky world where mad scientists push the limits of technology. This is one of five immersive lands inside Universal's Epic Universe, a new theme park in Orlando, Florida -- and the first major theme park to open in the US in 20 years. At the grand opening this month, I spoke with some of the creative minds who brought the tech to life, which you can watch in the video embedded above.
For several years, I've been reporting on how technology is enhancing theme park experiences, but I've never quite seen something at the scale that Universal has pulled off. Not only did the team patent new technology for characters like Dr. Frankenstein, but it was impressive to see the sheer number of robotics scattered all over these themed worlds.
At Isle of Berk, a land themed to the viking world from the How to Train Your Dragon movies, there are 30 animated figures just lounging about -- some sleeping dragons, some blasting icy air, others just swinging near stores -- all exposed to Florida's harsh summer temperatures.
The dragons of Berk take on multiple robotic forms. Some are untethered, as cute baby dragons perform stunts and walk around guests. These young dragons move in a way that's reminiscent of other quadruped dog-style bots.
If you visit Toothless, dragon trainers make sure you know the rules to not touch the eyes or teeth.
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The star of the land is a life-size, interactive and emotive Toothless that you can touch (and even feel him breathing). Another animatronic version of Toothless flies over your head in a stage show. But Berk is full of dragons, and there are plans to include drones (er, flying dragons) to soar above the land throughout the day. Some guests have spotted one being tested in the park already.
But when you have more moving parts, it means more can go wrong. With robots woven into almost every aspect of entertainment here, Universal certainly faces more risk in keeping the experience smooth for guests with high expectations.
Universal's creative teams told me during my visit that it was a risk the company wanted to take to try something new. I hope they can keep the effects running as intended. As someone who follows emerging tech, it's delightful to see it used to bring fantastical worlds to life. Sometimes, tech really does feel like magic.
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