THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 23, 1996 TAG: 9606220361
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES SCHULTZ, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 38 lines
Some day soon you won't have to pay theme park prices for a few minutes in a computer simulator. A trip to a cineplex in your local mall and $10 may be all you need.
It's already happening in Orlando, Fla. where Movie Rider offers two simulator flicks, for a combined admission of $8.95. Viewers are treated to ``Alpha-1 Cowboy,'' a futuristic cops-and-crooks thriller, and ``Dino Island,'' which is about a group of scientists that discover and then battle ferocious dinosaurs.
Don't count on feature-length play, though. Running time for each of Movie Rider's mini features is about 15 minutes. That works out to about $36 an hour. Also on the way are movie theaters that move in synch with images on huge, wraparound screens, enhancing simulator intensity.
``People have less leisure time and more leisure choices,'' said Garry cq Bickett, senior vice president of marketing for Paramount Parks, parent company of Paramount Kings Dominion outside Richmond. ``Those companies who will excel are those who will provide excellent entertainment.''
Smaller simulators will arrive more quickly because they are cheaper, easier to locate in places like mall video arcades. They're also less difficult to reprogram than their more sophisticated cousins.
Unlike roller coasters, which require a lot of room, simulator cabins and their hydraulic lifts can be easily placed into traditional retail space, says Mid-Atlantic Coaster Club treasurer and roller coaster enthusiast Steven A. Thompson,
When you consider the weather, it's logical to put simulators inside, Thompson said.
``It's something that will happen,'' he predicted. ``It seems to fit.'' MEMO: [For a related story, see page D1 of The Virginian-Pilot for this
date.] by CNB