Systems and methods for maneuvering a vehicle

An amusement park ride system, comprising:

• a guide rail defining a ride path, wherein the guide rail comprises a bend defining a turn;
• and
• a ride vehicle comprising:
• a chassis configured to couple to the guide rail and to direct the ride vehicle along the guide rail in a direction of travel;
• a cabin configured to house one or more guests;
• and
• a slider disposed between the chassis and the cabin, wherein the slider is configured to laterally translate the cabin in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel, wherein the slider comprises a counterweight configured to move opposite the cabin as the slider translates the cabin in the direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel;
• and
• a control system configured to control the translation of the slider.

A method, comprising:

• directing a ride vehicle along a guide rail defining a ride path in a direction of travel toward a turn;
• actuating a slider to laterally actuate a cabin of the ride vehicle in a first linear direction substantially transverse to the direction of travel, from a first neutral position toward a first side of the ride vehicle aligned with an outside of the turn as the ride vehicle approaches an apex of the turn;
• actuating the slider to laterally actuate a counterweight in a second linear direction, opposite the first linear direction, from a second neutral position toward a second side of the ride vehicle aligned with an inside of the turn as the ride vehicle approaches the apex of the turn;
• actuating a rotator to rotate the cabin of the ride vehicle in a first rotational direction opposite of a turn direction as the ride vehicle approaches the apex of the turn, wherein the rotator is disposed between the cabin and the slider;
• directing the ride vehicle along the guide rail in the direction of travel through the apex of the turn;
• actuating the slider to laterally actuate the cabin of the ride vehicle in the second linear direction, toward a central plane of a chassis of the ride vehicle, returning the cabin to the first neutral position as the ride vehicle departs the apex of the turn;
• actuating the slider to laterally actuate the counterweight in the first linear direction, toward the central plane of the chassis of the ride vehicle, returning the counterweight to the second neutral position as the ride vehicle departs the apex of the turn;
• and
• actuating the rotator to rotate the cabin of the ride vehicle in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction as the ride vehicle departs the apex of the turn.