Abstract
In the overlapping realms of digital design, engineering, tourism/leisure and thrill seeking, roller coasters are sought after attractions capable of drawing millions of visitors to amusement and theme parks located all over the world. More recently (from 2015) however, numerous new and existing roller coasters have been retrofitted to accommodate a Virtual Reality (VR) experience overlay – evidence of the infiltration of the digital disruption in yet another industry. Subsequently, in this paper, we firstly endeavour to examine the global footprint of the European Steel Roller Coaster Industry (ESRCI) as an export of the European economic region, while secondly, determining to what extent Virtual Reality (VR) has already infiltrated the industry. As a result, an exploratory study was conducted to identify the operational roller coasters of 23 European-based steel roller coaster manufacturers, also noting the country in which each roller coaster is operating. The results were used to establish a global footprint of the ESRCI, while an indication is also given to whether any of these manufacturers’ operational roller coasters have already been retrofitted with VR. Initial findings confirm that although the concept of the VR enhanced roller coaster is still fairly new (introduced in 2015), the effects are already wide spread with 8 of the 23 ESRC manufacturers having been affected by VR additions to one or more of their operational roller coasters within the 3 year time frame (2015 – 2017). While VR product development and integration strategies are still in the early stages, as it currently stands, VR is identified as a key role player and complementary technology for further consideration in the roller coaster industry going forward. Moreover, by adopting a manufacturer and industry centric point of view on the subject matter, this paper provides a point of departure for examining the current usage and trends of VR in the ESRCI, which may be transferrable to the roller coaster and amusement industries at large. This, in turn, may advance future discourse in the understanding of whether VR poses a threat to new roller coaster infrastructure development, is a complimentary asset to existing roller coaster infrastructure or is merely a passing fad.