Dynamically reconfigured dark ride system and methods

A method of providing a ride experience, using a dark ride system comprising a ride space;

• a set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided passenger vehicle platforms dispatchable within the ride space, each wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided passenger vehicle platform comprising a passenger accommodation area, a vehicle motive system which comprises a mechanical motion generator configured to impart rotational or translational motion upon the passenger accommodation area in a plurality of degrees of freedom, and a vehicle transporter, and a vehicle motion controller operatively in communication with the vehicle motive system;
• a set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided themed scenery vehicle platforms dispatchable within the ride space;
• a load and unload area for passengers disposed proximate the ride space;
• and a control system which comprises a scenery-bearing vehicle controller operatively in communication with the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided themed scenery vehicle platforms and adapted to control the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided themed scenery vehicle platforms during a show to form a plurality of variously-shaped areas within the ride space presenting varying aspects of mobile scenery at differing times to passengers, a passenger vehicle platform controller operatively in communication with the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided passenger vehicle platforms and adapted to control the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided passenger vehicle platforms through changing scenery during a show, and a show element controller, comprising an environment controller, the method comprising:
• a) allowing a predetermined set of passengers to board a predetermined subset of the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided passenger vehicle platforms dispatchable within the ride space at the load and unload area for passengers;
• b) positioning the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided themed scenery vehicle platforms dispatchable within the ride space into an initial spatial arrangement within the ride space;
• c) using the control system to control lighting, projection, audio and other show elements related to the overall ride-show experience during a ride show;
• d) dispatching the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided passenger vehicle platforms into the ride space at a predetermined time into the ride show;
• e) as the passengers in their wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided passenger vehicle platforms are made to face one area of scenery defined by the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided themed scenery vehicle platforms, using the control system to mutually choreograph and change a predetermined subset of the set of wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided themed scenery vehicle platforms during the ride show;
• f) at a conclusion of the ride show, using the control system to position the wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided vehicle passenger platforms at the unload area;
• and
• g) allowing the predetermined set of passengers to exit the wirelessly-controlled and tracklessly-guided vehicle passenger platforms at the unload area.