Simworx Factory
4th September 2022
Simworx is a UK-based supplier that produces a variety of motion-based attractions, including 4D cinemas, dark rides, and flying theatres. They also hold the patents for the Robocoaster, used to drive Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at the Universal parks. Today’s adventures were based around a tour of their testing facility in Dudley, England that was organised through the European Coaster Club.
The main activity of the day was the chance to try out their AGV, a new trackless dark ride vehicle that can tilt, turn, and move autonomously at a speed faster than anything else on the market. Individual vehicles cost in the region of £400,000 – and you’ll need a fleet of 12 to 16 of them for a decent sized installation, plus the themed scenes for them to route past, for perhaps £250,000 apiece. The total investment required is somewhere in the region of £15-20 million, though for that you'll get a signature attraction capable of handling an enormous number of guests per hour. Sitting in the test vehicle was great fun; I look forward to enjoying the finished product in many different parks in upcoming years.
