Knott’s Berry Farm is an amusement park located a short drive from Disneyland in Orange County, California. The sprawling 160 acre playground literally began its life as a berry stand and now boasts over 40 roller coasters, water rides, and other attractions. The park receives nearly 4 million visitors every year, and starting Q2 of this year park guests will have a whole new way to enjoy their stay: virtual reality.
VRstudios is partnering with the amusement park to “design and install a specialized VR experience.” Details as to what exactly this experience is going to be are sparse as of now. However, Christian Dieckmann, the VP of Knott’s Berry’s parent company Cedar Fair, said it will be a “free-roaming VR installation.” The experience will be offered “for a small fee in addition to admission.”
VRStudios is a multifaceted company that creates immersive installations of varying scope. It offers VR solutions for enterprise, simulation and arcades, with a focus on completely wireless walk-around systems. Previously, the company partnered with Universal Studios in Florida for a Halloween-themed multiplayer experience that was tied into a larger attraction within the park.
More and more amusement parks have been incorporating VR into attractions. Last year, for example, Six Flags started using headsets on certain roller coasters for an alternative way of experiencing a familiar ride. The idea of VR entertainment at a theme park seems to be expanding past a supporting role and into its own category of attraction. Check back as we’ll undoubtedly see more theme park VR launches as the year progresses.
