BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of amusement parks. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for implementing flexible passenger loading time in an attraction of an amusement park.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in increasing an efficiency of loading passengers into ride vehicles of attractions of amusement parks. For example, some attractions may include loading systems that have ride vehicles continuously moving along a loading zone as passengers unload from a ride vehicle and as new passengers load into the ride vehicle. However, some passengers may take a long time to leave the ride vehicle and/or may take a long time to board the ride vehicle. That is, a loading passenger may not be fully boarded and secured within the ride vehicle before the ride vehicle reaches an end of the loading zone. In such instances, movement of all of the ride vehicles through the attraction and/or the loading zone may be affected to give the loading passenger extra time to board the ride vehicle. For example, in one scenario, each ride vehicle may come to a complete stop in order to allow the loading passenger extra time in the loading zone to board the ride vehicle. Slowing or stopping of the ride vehicles' movement through the attraction may be detrimental to a throughput of the attraction, which can lead to increased waiting times and decreased revenue for the amusement park.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the subject matter may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

In an embodiment, an attraction loading system includes a loading platform. The loading platform includes a rotational portion configured to rotate about a central vertical axis of the loading platform and a stationary portion extending between a first edge and a second edge of the loading platform. The first edge and the second edge of the stationary portion include respective interfaces of the stationary portion with the rotational portion. The rotational portion rotates from the first edge to the second edge. The attraction loading system further includes a loading path disposed about a circumference of the loading platform and a ride vehicle configured to travel along the loading path.

In an embodiment, a method to load passengers into ride vehicles includes flagging a ride vehicle that is traveling along a first portion of a loading path and directing the flagged ride vehicle to stop along a second portion of the loading path. The method also includes determining an occupancy status of the flagged ride vehicle while stopped along the second portion of the loading path. The method further includes directing the flagged ride vehicle from the second portion of the loading path to travel along the first portion of the loading path based on the occupancy status.

In an embodiment, an attraction loading platform system includes a loading platform. The loading platform includes a stationary portion and a rotational portion. The rotational portion rotates about a central vertical axis of the loading platform and from a first edge of the stationary portion to a second edge of the stationary portion. The attraction loading platform system further includes a motor configured enable rotation of the rotational portion and a controller configured to control a speed of the rotation.

