Virtual reality turns Alton Towers flying coaster into intergalactic spaceship
Set to debut in April, the first VR coaster experience at the theme park in Staffordshire, England, will take riders on an intergalactic journey aboard the existing Air flying coaster.
Riders wearing Samsung Gear VR headsets will encounter molten planets, frozen tundras and newborn stars as they travel 45 mph along the twists, turns and loops of the 2002 Bolliger and Mabillard coaster.
After boarding the Air train, riders put on Samsung Gear VR headsets, and the virtual adventure begins. A ground crew of service droids prepares the jetpack flight vehicle for space travel as an artificial intelligence robot named Eve goes over the cosmic flight plan.
During the 80-second journey, riders pass through the clouds of the Great Orion Nebula, over the lava lakes of the fictional volcano planet Nero 5, across the frozen landscapes of frost-covered Keplar 9, and they witness the birth of a new star.
This summer, a new Ghost Train attraction combining virtual reality technology with special effects and magical illusions will debut at Alton’s U.K. rival Thorpe Park outside London.
See the full story here: http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-alton-towers-galactica-virtual-reality-coaster-20160224-story.html