One of the most high profile contracts was to fit cameras to Top Gun rollercoasters at three former Paramount properties, Canada’s Wonderland, Ontario; Carowinds, North Carolina; and Great America, California. In each case the coaster trains were equipped with 32 cameras – one per pair of riders.

“These are all big, fast rides but the system still worked very well,” says CDRide’s Ronny Segal, ”and the video display screens in the purchase booths have almost become attractions themselves.”

An unexpected success for CDRide, however, came on a much smaller ride, a Miner Mike coaster at the Adventuredome/Circus Circus in Las Vegas. “We thought the DVDs might not sell so well there because parents can simply stand at the front of the ride and shoot it themselves, but we were wrong, the superior videos we offer have been very popular with guests,” adds Segal.

The DVDs typically sell for between 30 and 50 per cent more than ride photos, but as the production costs are similar, the profit margins are greater. As the CDRide technology is also capable of producing still images, operators can do away with their old photo systems. All parks who had CDRide are now adding more systems on new rides.

Innovative gifts can also be offered, such as personalised videos, souvenir photos combining multiple images, or video clips as mobile phone downloads. The latter, says Segal, offers has great potential as users do not need to have cash on them to pay, rather they are charged via their phone bill.

There’s also one other advantage for operators: Installing video cameras to rides helps prevent vandalism. “It’s like a surveillance system, people know the cameras are there and tend to behave more during the ride.”

CDRide is hoping to move into the European market soon.

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