RRoocchheesstteerr IInnssttiittuuttee ooff TTeecchhnnoollooggyy RRIITT SScchhoollaarr WWoorrkkss Theses 9-1-2011 NNeeww aammuusseemmeenntt rriiddeess:: PPllaattffoorrmmss ffoorr ppaarreennttss aanndd cchhiillddrreenn ttoo sshhaarree ffuunn Ming Chiang Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn Chiang, Ming, "New amusement rides: Platforms for parents and children to share fun" (2011). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. New Amusement Rides: platforms for parents and children to share fun Ming Hsuan Chiang Master of Fine Arts Industrial Design Program School of Design College of Image Arts and Sciences Rochester Institute of Technology September 2011 New Amusement Rides: platforms for parents and children to share fun Ming Hsuan Chiang Master of Fine Arts Industrial Design Program School of Design College of Image Arts and Sciences Rochester Institute of Technology September 2011 Thesis Committee Approval Chief advisor approval Date Prof. Stan Rickel Associate advisor approval Date Prof. Kim Sherman Associate advisor approval Date Dr. Kirsten Condry School of Design Chairperson approval Date Prof. Patti Lachance For my parents 1 Abstract Since Bakken, the world‟s first amusement park, opened in 1583 at Klampenborg, Denmark [1], amusement parks have become a fun place for people to spend quality time with family. Early versions of American amusement parks in the United States entertained patrons by providing picnic groves, concert halls and events like fireworks. However, with the rapid evolution of technology, the primary characteristic of many of today‟s parks are rides which are, first and foremost, breathtaking. In other words, amusement parks tend to gratify a desire for thrills rather than provide a space for parents and children to enjoy spending time and playing together. My thesis proposes a way to make the amusement park a place for play where parents and children share fun together. I design two rides which target six- to twelve-year-olds and their parents, and enable them to positively interact and collaborate with each other. After conducting research, including field trips to experience firsthand current amusement rides, a study of middle childhood development, and a questionnaire collecting people‟s perception of play, I design Carstruction and Spacejump to satisfy people‟s desire for true play. It is my intent for riders to play an active role and provide certain interactions between the riders in order for the ride to function. This cooperative dynamic encourages child development as well as parent-child relationships. Operating instructions and computer-generated scenarios are illustrated, and a semi-scale mockup of a ride is fabricated for an evaluation of its feasibility in terms of technology, marketability, and legality. Following a trial ride, users‟ feedback is documented and inspires future design revision. 2 Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Contents ............................................................................................................................................. 2 List of Figures .................................................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Inspiration ............................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 Problem Statement ............................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Objective .............................................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 2 Research Plan ................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Design Process .................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Research Plan ..................................................................................................................... 13 2.2.1 The Research on Current Amusement Rides .......................................................... 13 2.2.2 Comprehensive Study of Children‟s Museum ........................................................ 21 2.2.3 Middle Childhood Research ................................................................................... 23 2.2.4 Questionnaire .......................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 3 Design.............................................................................................................................. 29 3.1 Concept .............................................................................................................................. 29 3.2 Dazzleland Amusement Park ............................................................................................. 30 3.3 Carstruction ........................................................................................................................ 31 3.3.1 Design Concept ....................................................................................................... 31 3.3.2 Operation................................................................................................................. 32 3.3.3 Dimension ............................................................................................................... 33 3.3.4 Scenario Simulation ................................................................................................ 34 3.4 Spacejump .......................................................................................................................... 35 3.4.1 Design Concept ....................................................................................................... 35 3.4.2 Configuration .......................................................................................................... 36 3.4.3 Operation................................................................................................................. 39 3.4.4 Dimensions ............................................................................................................. 40 3.4.5 Scenario Simulation ................................................................................................ 41 3 Chapter 4 Mockup Fabrication ........................................................................................................ 43 4.1 Beam .................................................................................................................................. 43 4.1.1 Computer-Aided Design ......................................................................................... 45 4.1.2 Simulation ............................................................................................................... 45 4.2 Semi-Scale Mockup ........................................................................................................... 46 4.2.1 Computer-Aided Design ......................................................................................... 48 4.2.2 Fabrication .............................................................................................................. 49 Chapter 5 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 56 5.1 Presentation and Demonstration ........................................................................................ 56 5.2 Users‟ Feedback ................................................................................................................. 56 5.3 Continuation ....................................................................................................................... 61 5.3.1 Carstruction ............................................................................................................. 61 5.3.2 Spacejump v2.1 ....................................................................................................... 62 5.3.3 Spacejump v2.2 ....................................................................................................... 63 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................... 67 4 List of Figures Figure 1-1 People of all ages enjoy the bounce game on a trampoline in Prof. David Morgan‟s backyard. .......................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 1-2 On my field trip, I ride Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point Amusement Park. ................ 8 Figure 2-1 This figure displays the design process of my thesis. .................................................... 12 Figure 2-2 The research plan has three major parts. ........................................................................ 13 Figure 2-3 On Pirate Splash Battle, a father (wearing white T-shirt) and his small children enjoy the ride repeatedly. ......................................................................................................... 15 Figure 2-4 Foreground, even big kids enjoy playing Falck Fire Brigade. Background, parents and their child cooperate, and have fun together. ................................................................. 16 Figure 2-5 Cedar Point amusement park abounds with various roller coasters. .............................. 17 Figure 2-6 Cinderella‟s Castle is one of Disney World‟s most remarkable landmarks. .................. 19 Figure 2-7 This quadrant analysis diagram assesses some current major amusement rides ........... 20 Figure 2-8 Photo at left displays one of the edutainment installations, on right, the Science of Big Machines in COSI. ......................................................................................................... 22 Figure 2-9 Many maneuverable and edutainment exhibitions are in the National Museum of Play. Photo at far left shows the toy car assembly line. .......................................................... 23 Figure 3-1 Dazzleland amusement park is a conceptual amusement park where parents and children play and share fun together. ............................................................................. 30 Figure 3-2 Above - The concept sketch of Carstruction. ................................................................. 32 Figure 3-3 The operation diagram of Carstruction marks the five steps of the ride‟s experience. .. 33 Figure 3-4 The dimensions of Carstruction and the bricks is pictured above. ................................ 33 Figure 3-5 This computer-generated scenario of Carstruction visualizes whole-family-fun with the activity. ........................................................................................................................... 34 Figure 3-6 Fun is when you get to run around. ................................................................................ 35 Figure 3-7 The concept development of Spacejump demonstrates each step of the process. ......... 36 Figure 3-8 Picture above is the computer-aided design and rendering of Spacejump. .................... 37 Figure 3-9 The seat configurations of Spacejump demonstrates all three positions. ....................... 38 Figure 3-10 Above is a step-by-step rendering of the operation of Spacejump. .............................. 39 5 Figure 3-11 A 1:10 model represents the dimensions of Spacejump. .............................................. 40 Figure 3-12 This computer-generated depiction of Spacejump demonstrates how it may be used in an amusement park. ....................................................................................................... 41 Figure 4-1 The trial beam is attached to the carabiner, the clamper, the wire, and the bolt. ........... 44 Figure 4-2 This exploded view specifies the dimensions of the beam. ........................................... 45 Figure 4-3 A 16-foot long wood beam is built first for simulation and tests. .................................. 46 Figure 4-4 The semi-scale mockup of Spacejump includes a newly designed seat. ....................... 47 Figure 4-5 The structure is better seen in this exploded view of the Spacejump mockup. ............. 49 Figure 4-6 Above - The detail of the bearing system of Spacejump mockup. ................................. 50 Figure 4-7 Above - The king post and the beam of the Spacejump mockup. .................................. 51 Figure 4-8 Above - The trestle of the Spacejump mockup. ............................................................. 52 Figure 4-9 Above - The slide system and the counterweight of the Spacejump mockup. ............... 53 Figure 4-10 Above - The seat for the Spacejump mockup. ............................................................. 54 Figure 4-11 Above - The final assembly of the Spacejump mockup. .............................................. 55 Figure 5-1 People participated in the thesis presentation and demonstration of the Spacejump mockup. .......................................................................................................................... 57 Figure 5-2 People were invited to take a ride on Spacejump. ......................................................... 57 Figure 5-3 Users‟ feedback was the inspiration for the next version of Spacejump. ....................... 58 Figure 5-4 Riders Ho-Chan Kan, Chia-Chen Lee, and Yu-Qiong Wang gave some feedback of Spacejump. ..................................................................................................................... 59 Figure 5-5 The mechanism of Spacejump v2.1 features the counterweight at the center of the system. ........................................................................................................................... 62 Figure 5-6 The mechanism of Spacejump v2.2 allows each beam to be attached a counterweight and operate independently. Two people are attached at the end of the beam. ............... 64 Figure 5-7 I hope more rides will be installed in DazzleLand Amusement Park in the future. ....... 65 6 Chapter 1 Introduction Play can occur only in a condition of freedom, because it is above all doing what you want to do, when and where you want to do it. – Richard Dattner [2] Amusement park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group of people [1]. My thesis project designs two unique amusement rides as a platform for parents and children to share fun. My thesis contains the following: an overall introduction that includes a problem statement and the objective of this thesis; a research plan that includes field trips, childhood research, and a questionnaire; then newly designed rides, a fabrication of a ride, and finally, the conclusion. 1.1 Inspiration In the summer of 2009, Prof. David Morgan invited me to his home, and there was a trampoline in his backyard. His children invited guests to join their bounce game in which people circled the perimeter and jumped simultaneously to launch a person sitting at the center on the trampoline (Figure 1-1). I was impressed by the simplicity of the game and noticed that both adults and children were entertained and having fun. Several pictures popped into my head and ignited my curiosity. I kept thinking, “when children and parents jump and tumble on the trampoline, what