Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[Loefet]

I used https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lul.accelerometer&hl=en on my Nexus 4. Every point plotted is an average of 10 readings. One reading was taken every 20 ms. Graph was done using google docs.

 

Are your logs available anywhere? What accelerometer did you use? How is it connected to the ride?

 

I think normalization is pretty important, and is not hard to do.

Nice program, but we use a home built unit which in it's latest version use a 3 channel accelerometer with +-16g's in range which also have a 3 channel rotational sensor as well, so we can in theory get a lot of data of the rides we log. Since it's more a project my brother is playing around with, it's really he who have most logs that we have so far. Our accelerometer unit is really small and we have it strapped to our chest, just like a heart rate monitor, just so that we log everything what the rider feels at the heart-line.

 

I agree with you on the normalization aspect and I would love to be able to normalize and do some noise reduction but it requires quite a load of calculations to get right as far as I know, and I'm no programming whiz to be able to get an automated program for it.

What programs do you use for normalization and doing the noise reduction, or is that a feature which is built in to the program above?

 

If you want to know more contact my brother, lond here on TPR, to know more.

[Wes]

Gentlemen, as a man of science, I have checked all of the hypotenuses and double checked the flux capacitation dynamic to come to the Pythagorean conclusion that, yes, Hulk is awesome.

 

[rcjp]

Interesting. I assume that, given that there is forward acceleration throughout the ride, you didn't sit in the middle, right?

 

I don't see how forward acceleration can be influenced greatly by the seat on the ride.

Well let's say you sit in the very back of a coaster. If there is a big first drop (like on hypers and gigas) you will notice that the back is pulled by the rest of the train over the top. If you sit in the front, on the other hand, you will be left sort of hanging for a while before the rest of the train enters the drop. This can also be noticed on some loops, for example. When I rode batman the ride at sfgadv I remember that, when sitting in the front, it would have a sort of hanging feel once that part of the train had cleared the top of the loop while in the back it was the opposite: it would be "pulled" down the second half of the loop. The longer the trains are the bigger the difference is. In theory, the middle is where there are less forward or backwards forces as it is the center of mass of the train.

 

You can clearly see the two stops on the graphic as then the forward acceleration is negative but throughout the rest of the ride there are smaller variations partially cause by this.

[TNK]

I agree with you on the normalization aspect and I would love to be able to normalize and do some noise reduction but it requires quite a load of calculations to get right as far as I know, and I'm no programming whiz to be able to get an automated program for it.

What programs do you use for normalization and doing the noise reduction, or is that a feature which is built in to the program above?

 

It is really easy to do the rotation of the measuring device and to do some basic noise reduction. You only need some spreadsheet calculations.

 

To rotate the coordinates of the measuring device take a look here http://www.mathematics-online.org/inhalt/aussage/aussage444/. That is the rotation in a single plane. Since you have 3 dimensions, you have to apply the transformation 3 times.

 

I will go step by step explaining how I got the graph for another IOA coaster Dragon Challenge: Hungarian Horntail

 

Imagine that your measuring device is an cube withe 3 axes: forward, lateral and vertical, and you want to rotate it in the right position

 

This is my raw data:

Notice how in some places the vertical acceleration hit a limit at about 40 m/s^2, that is because the sensor in my Nexus 4 has a maximum range of 39.22 m/s^2, that is 4g, with g considered at 9.805

 

At the beginning of the graph the gravitational acceleration has components on all 3 axis of the sensor, more on the lateral, and less on the forward.

 

Using the formula here http://www.mathematics-online.org/inhalt/aussage/aussage444/, I rotated the device around it's lateral axis, until the forward axis was on the horizontal plane, so the gravitational component on it would be 0. Because of the noise, I used an average value to find the rotation angle.

 

The lateral component is unchanged, only the forward and vertical components are changed.

I did the same exact thing for the the lateral axis, I rotated the device around it's forward axis. This time the forward axis is unchanged, and the lateral axis becomes 0, transferring it's gravitational component to the vertical axis. Notice how the fact that the device clipped at measuring the full acceleration is not evident anymore.

 

When stationary, the gravitational acceleration is 0 on both lateral and forward axis

But the device is still not "straight", when the train is going forward, the acceleration is split in two components, between the forward and the lateral, but not on the vertical, we already ensured that the vertical is really "vertical".

 

On the hill, even at constant speed, the gravitational pull is spitted between the vertical, the forward and the lateral. This is the opportunity to rotate the device one more time, so the gravitational pull has no lateral component. I rotated the device around the vertical axis, at an angle that the lateral acceleration is 0 while the train is climbing the hill.

 

This time, since the train is moving, there is even more noise, so it is even more important to use an average value when calculating the right angle of rotation.

Now I calculated each point as the average of the previous 10 values, noise reduction.

And as the average of the previous 20 values, a more aggressive noise reduction.

I hope I was clear enough, if you need help, or I haven't explained something properly, please let me know.

[TNK]

You can clearly see the two stops on the graphic as then the forward acceleration is negative but throughout the rest of the ride there are smaller variations partially cause by this.

 

What you are saying is true, but I don't thing that there are any conclusions to be made based on a single graph. I think that the variation is insignificant among all the other forces involved.

 

It would be very interesting to get data in an consistent way, a few samples from the front seat, a few from the middle and a few from the back, and compare them.

 

I went on Manta the other day, on the back seat, and it was amazing. Front row is definitely overrated.

[TNK]

Dragon Challenge: Hungarian Horntail elements in the ride:

Please correct me if I am wrong!

 

1. start moving

2. start climbing the hill

3. 0g loop

4,5,7,8 kinetic energy is used (breaking, red) to spin the train (lateral g, blue)

6. break

9. final break

10, 11 breaks

12. final stop

 

40 seconds, total ride time.

[Mrlittle]

Sorry to take away from the science talk. I might even be late on this but its great news to hear they are upgrading the projectors for both The Simpsons ride and Forbidden Journey. I remember the first time I went through Journey and thought wow, these videos look aged. It's as if Universal listens to us.

[lond]

Interesting. I assume that, given that there is forward acceleration throughout the ride, you didn't sit in the middle, right?

 

I don't see how forward acceleration can be influenced greatly by the seat on the ride.

Well let's say you sit in the very back of a coaster. If there is a big first drop (like on hypers and gigas) you will notice that the back is pulled by the rest of the train over the top. If you sit in the front, on the other hand, you will be left sort of hanging for a while before the rest of the train enters the drop. This can also be noticed on some loops, for example. When I rode batman the ride at sfgadv I remember that, when sitting in the front, it would have a sort of hanging feel once that part of the train had cleared the top of the loop while in the back it was the opposite: it would be "pulled" down the second half of the loop. The longer the trains are the bigger the difference is. In theory, the middle is where there are less forward or backwards forces as it is the center of mass of the train.

 

You can clearly see the two stops on the graphic as then the forward acceleration is negative but throughout the rest of the ride there are smaller variations partially cause by this.

 

Loefet and I have 20+ measurements of Balder from almost every row and we can approximate where in the train the measurement was recorded with the force-characteristic of the airtime hills. You can see this in almost every coaster.

 

Good explanation about rotation and noise reduction.

 

/// Marcus

[Jew]

The only thing I know about Hulk is that it has a terrible B&M rattle now. That's scientifically proven!

[KBrylczyk]

Sorry to take away from the science talk. I might even be late on this but its great news to hear they are upgrading the projectors for both The Simpsons ride and Forbidden Journey. I remember the first time I went through Journey and thought wow, these videos look aged. It's as if Universal listens to us.

 

Unfortunately I doubt it will help Harry Potter. Simpsons is a simulator through and through, so an upgrade is great. For Potter, though, the image will be better but the integration will still be crap. The whole zipper-style they devised with the vehicles entering the domes was a great idea on paper but poor on execution. Also, the speed difference between screen scenes and live scenes is kind of ridiculous. Spider-Man / Transformers managed the speed differential perfectly. Potter goes from 0-60-0 in 1/2 of a second.

 

I'm reallllllllly hoping they fix it for Hollywood. I do love the ride, I just feel it needed an extra year of incubation in the lab before being made.

[TNK]

Loefet and I have 20+ measurements of Balder from almost every row and we can approximate where in the train the measurement was recorded with the force-characteristic of the airtime hills. You can see this in almost every coaster.

 

Do you have data regarding the seat on the row? I feel that an lateral seat really makes a difference compared to a middle seat, not only because of the better view, but also because of the G forces.

 

What are you trying to do with the data? Are you going to make it public, or publish it?

[ajfelice]

Just going to throw this out there.

 

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit was an absolute surprise. I didn't expect much more than an average ride, but it was anything but that. Great airtime, forceful, and comfortable. It may be a nasty ride to maintain, but it kicks some serious butt. Haters gonna hate, but I cannot find a reason to complain about this one.

 

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure were both amazing parks, but I'm too lazy to type up a full report so I just wanted to make my opinion on this coaster known.

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.licensing.biz/news/read/creative-licensing-details-merchandise-plans-for-bill-and-ted-s-25th-anniversary/038954

 

A range of apparel, toys and posters will mark the milestone in 2014

 

Independent entertainment licensing agency Creative Licensing Corporation has detailed the merchandise programme for Bill and Ted's 25th birthday celebrations in 2014.

 

The stars of 1989 movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and its 1991 sequel Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey celebrate 25 years in 2014, and there will be a range of apparel, toys, posters and live show marking the milestone.

 

The duo have enjoyed a life beyond the films thanks to Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure at Universal Studios Orlando Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood. The show has been running since 1991 and will now continue to run for the next five years thanks to new deal with Universal.

 

Elsewhere, a new Bill and Ted comic book series is on the way from BOOM along with collectible figures from Funko and art posters from Mondo.

 

Fans will also be able to wear Bill and Ted clothing thanks to new deals with apparel makers Global in the UK and Junkfood and ODM in the US.

 

Bill and Ted will also return to the big screen in the near future, with Alex Winter recently confirming that work is under way for a third film.

[HWFan]

Hey everyone!

This year at Thanksgiving, I found out that my aunt's long time boyfriend is something like the executive producer for the Universal Parks. He is ultimately in charge of all designs for the parks. He talks to JK Rowling on a weekly basis about how the design and construction process is going. Sometime within the next four months, we are taking a trip down to get kind of an inside look at the parks with him for free, and I wanted to see if anyone had any questions to ask him either about individual projects (at any park) or the design process in general. I promise to write them down to have them ready for whenever we go.

 

My aunt said that he's a HUGE theme park geek like most coaster enthusiasts and that whenever the new train got dropped off, he didn't stop talking about it for days.

[Jew]

^If he values his job, I am not sure there is much he can say...

[jray21]

I was thinking the same thing. Any good questions we'd want answered he is probably restricted from talking about. That's really cool though if you get to do a construction tour with him!

Edited November 30, 2013 by jray21

[Mrlittle]

Bill and Ted will also return to the big screen in the near future, with Alex Winter recently confirming that work is under way for a third film.

 

I always liked the Bill and Ted movies. I just wonder if they will be able to get Keanu to be a part of it. It's not like he is very busy. I really need to get to HHN to see the Bill and Ted show one of these years.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

Wonder if Bill & Ted will return to Hollywood in a more PG Format? Or a new ride if anything.

[Woodie Warrior]

Wonder if Bill & Ted will return to Hollywood in a more PG Format? Or a new ride if anything.

I don't think they'll ever get a ride. But I'm pretty sure Universal will bring back Bill & Ted to Hollywood next year.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Wonder if Bill & Ted will return to Hollywood in a more PG Format? Or a new ride if anything.

 

See...script writers for that show shouldn't have to worry about offending people, especially if a show like Book of Mormon still goes on free & clear. All people need to learn how to take an effing joke.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

Wonder if Bill & Ted will return to Hollywood in a more PG Format? Or a new ride if anything.

 

See...script writers for that show shouldn't have to worry about offending people, especially if a show like Book of Mormon still goes on free & clear. All people need to learn how to take an effing joke.

 

 

It would be a fun Dark Ride though. Time Travel, Rufus, And they go to Hell too.

[robbalvey]

Margaritaville has a NEW MENU!!!

Many of our friends are huge fans of Margaritaville, and when we heard they had a new menu, we decided to had to check it out.

 

FULL DISCLOSURE!

Elissa and I are not "parrotheads" or Jimmy Buffett mega-fans at all (We'll leave that to Adam!) but we had been to Margaritaville a few times before at Universal Orlando, and while it wasn't a first choice for us, we never minded going and always thought the food was "decent."

 

That all may change now because the new menu turned out to be GREAT!

 

Those of you who may not be fans of the music or the restaurant before, should really go check it out! Really liked the new items and the atmosphere is fun. It's kind of like a "Senor Frogs for older people!" (Meaning people that didn't just turn 21!) lol

 

Anyway, the photos can explain a bit more...

Maragaritaville is located at Citywalk in Universal Orlando. And for us Orlando locals, just show your drivers license, parking is free for Florida residents!

Yup, it's kind of like a party all the time in here!

Take a look at the new menu. Lots of new items. Maybe some old favorites might be gone, but I have a feeling you'll find some new "go to" items.

Check us out! We're hanging out at Jimmy Buffets place with the gang!

First off... let's just say that the Margaritas are some of the best I've had. I mean, it's in the name, so they HAVE to be good, right? Well, they are! And being served in a mini-blender is not only silly, but it's awesome!

OMG! Elissa found food she will eat! She was all over the new Cheese Curds. (Trust me, it's not a pleasant sounding name, but they were delish!)

The new shrimp skewer has some amazing spice to it! And how did they know pineapple was my favorite fruit?

More new appetizers! The Drunken Shrimp Skillet and the Asiago Crab Dip. Both were excellent! (I think we were a bit more drunken than the shrimp, though!)

If you've seen Book of Mormon, this will give you some flashbacks!

LOL! We ran into Michael while we were having dinner! Funny how run into other industry folk during IAAPA! (Where's the Mini???)

VOLCANO ALERT!!! That's right! When the Volcano goes off, crazy stuff starts to go down!

[vine]

[/vine]

Oddly enough, not only did Elissa find one new item on the menu she liked, but TWO! That's almost a record for her! Pretzel Sticks FTW!

Our entrees came out and they were all FANTASTIC! This was the Jambalaya. Spicy! Just the way it should be!

Jack had the Volcano Burger, which was just ridiculous!

Jacqi went for the shrimp trio. There wasn't anything left moments after this photo was taken!

 

Um, and this... the Chocolate Hurricane. If we didn't have diabetes when we came in the restaurant, we most certainly do now! (Honestly, it was AMAZING!!!!)

[vine]

[/vine]

And on the way out, you can grab all the Margaritaville merchandise you could possibly want!

 

The new menu was fantastic! Great to see restaurants get a re-fresh where current fans can find new favorites, and first-timers or casual visitors might become the next Parrotheads! Check it out next time you're at Universal Orlando!

Edited December 2, 2013 by robbalvey

[Hilltopper39]

The new menu looks great, can't wait to check it out sometime soon! That jambalaya looks good, in my experience jambalaya can really be hit or miss at most restaurants so glad to hear this one might be worth trying!

[AndrewRnR]

I was there the other night - while it is sad to see some old items go the replacements are awesome. The Volcano Burger (chili, Fritos, "volcanic" cheese and guac on top) was awesome!

[coasterbill]

I'm not going to lie... I'm a bit of a parrothead. I can't wait to check this place out.