System and method for tidal change simulation

Abstract

A show effect system of an amusement park may include a platform positioned within a reservoir and configured transition between configurations to control submersion and extraction of at least a portion of the platform with respect to a liquid disposed within the reservoir, a fluid source coupled to one or more inflatables and configured to control fluid flow into and out of the one or more inflatables, one or more hinges coupling the first side of the platform to a structure of the reservoir, and a controller communicatively coupled to the fluid source and configured to instruct the fluid source to inject fluid into or extract the fluid from the one or more inflatables to lift or lower the second side and rotate the platform about the one or more hinges such that the platform transitions from a first configuration to a second configuration.

1 . A show effect system of an amusement park, the show effect system comprising:
 a platform positioned within a reservoir and configured to be positioned such that at least a portion of the platform is submerged in a liquid disposed within the reservoir;   a reservoir entry that provides guest access to the reservoir, wherein a first side of the platform is adjacent the reservoir entry;   a fluid source coupled to one or more inflatables and configured to control fluid flow into and out of the one or more inflatables, wherein the one or more inflatables are coupled to a second side of the platform opposite the first side;   one or more hinges coupling the first side of the platform to a structure of the reservoir; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the fluid source and configured to instruct the fluid source to inject fluid into or extract the fluid from the one or more inflatables to lift or lower the platform by rotating the platform about the one or more hinges such that the platform transitions from a first configuration with a first level of platform submersion in the liquid to a second configuration with a second level of platform submersion in the liquid, wherein the first level of submersion is different than the second level of submersion.   
     
     
         2 . The show effect system of  claim 1 , wherein the transition from the first level of submersion to the second level of submersion exposes a first portion of the platform. 
     
     
         3 . The show effect system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 in response to a first input, instruct the fluid source to inject the fluid into the one or more inflatables to achieve the first configuration; and   in response to a second input, instruct the fluid source to remove the fluid from the one or more inflatables to achieve the second configuration.   
     
     
         4 . The show effect system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid source comprises:
 one or more first pumps configured to inject fluid into the one or more inflatables and one or more second pumps configured to extract fluid from the one or more inflatables; and/or   one or more reversible pumps configured to inject fluid into the one or more inflatables in a first mode of operation and extract fluid from the one more inflatables in a second mode of operation.   
     
     
         5 . The show effect system of  claim 1 , comprising a sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the sensor is configured to provide sensor data corresponding to one or more guests interacting with the show effect system. 
     
     
         6 . The show effect system of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to analyze the sensor data to determine that movement of a first guest of the one or more guests matches at least one of a plurality of movement templates stored in a database. 
     
     
         7 . The show effect system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor data is indicative of a number of guests positioned on a surface of the platform and the controller is configured to control the show effect system based on comparing the sensor data to a threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The show effect system of  claim 1 , comprising at least one actuator coupled to the platform and the structure of the reservoir, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to instruct the at least one actuator to actuate to adjust the platform. 
     
     
         9 . The show effect system of  claim 1 , wherein the transition between the first configuration to the second configuration occurs at a rate that is difficult to perceive. 
     
     
         10 . A show effect system of an amusement park, the show effect system comprising:
 a reservoir with a liquid disposed therein;   a platform positioned within the reservoir and configured to submerge at least a portion of the platform with respect to the liquid disposed within the reservoir;   a first side of the platform coupled to a structure of the reservoir via one or more hinges;   a second side of the platform opposite the first side of the platform;   an actuation system coupled to the second side of the platform; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the actuation system and configured to instruct the actuation system to lift or lower the second side of the platform such that the platform is rotated about the one or more hinges such that the platform transitions from a first configuration with a first level of platform submersion in the liquid to a second configuration with a second level of platform submersion in the liquid.   
     
     
         11 . The show effect system of  claim 10 , comprising a reservoir entry adjacent to the first side of the platform, wherein the reservoir entry comprises a guest portal and wherein the first side of the platform extends to or through the guest portal to facilitate guest transition onto the platform. 
     
     
         12 . The show effect system of  claim 10 , wherein the actuation system comprises a fluid source and one or more inflatables configured to be filled and emptied by the fluid source. 
     
     
         13 . The show effect system of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid source comprises one or more pumps and the one or more inflatables, the one or more inflatables comprising air-tight bags. 
     
     
         14 . The show effect system of  claim 10 , wherein the actuation system comprises a hydraulic actuator or a mechanical lift. 
     
     
         15 . An attraction system for an attraction, the attraction system comprising:
 a platform coupled to one or more objects and positioned within a reservoir having a liquid disposed therein, wherein:
 in a first configuration, a first portion of the platform is submerged within the liquid disposed in the reservoir and not directly visible to a guest and a second portion of the platform not submerged in the liquid and directly visible to the guest; and 
 in a second configuration, at least some of the first portion of the platform is exposed from the liquid along with the second portion of the platform; 
   a sensor configured to transmit sensor data indicative of information corresponding to the guest;   at least one actuator coupled to the platform and configured to adjust a position of the platform between the first configuration and the second configuration; and   a controller coupled to the sensor and the at least one actuator, wherein the controller is configured to:
 instruct the at least one actuator to adjust the position of the platform based on the sensor data. 
   
     
     
         16 . The attraction system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a fluid source coupled to at least one inflatable and configured to inflate and deflate the at least one inflatable. 
     
     
         17 . The attraction system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct the at least one actuator to transition to the first configuration or the second configuration after a period. 
     
     
         18 . The attraction system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine a movement of the guest corresponds to a stored movement template in a database based on the sensor data; and   instruct the actuator to adjust the position of the platform based on the determination.   
     
     
         19 . The attraction system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive sensor data indicative of a number of guests positioned on a surface of the platform;   determine if the sensor data exceeds a threshold; and   instruct the at least one actuator to adjust the position of the platform based on the sensor data exceeding the threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The attraction system of  claim 15 , comprising at least one hinge coupling the platform and configured to support a weight of the platform.