Flying theaters and roaming dinosaurs: Disney, Universal explore new technology
Disney and Universal are exploring two very different ways to change the theme park experience: flying theater rides with new motion capabilities and roaming robotic lockers, including one shaped like a dinosaur.
Patent applications published Oct. 29, 2026, offer a look at what the companies’ engineers have been developing, from new ride systems to technology that could make storing and retrieving belongings part of the fun.
Theme park patents are a fascinating peek behind the curtain, offering a glimpse at ideas that Disney and Universal engineers are exploring long before guests might experience them.
We’ve seen patents for everything from interactive characters to new ride technologies, but two recently published applications are particularly intriguing: a Disney flying theater that could move riders in new ways and Universal’s roaming storage lockers, including one that looks like a dinosaur.
Patents help companies protect their inventions, but they aren’t promises that the ideas will become reality. Some concepts eventually make their way into theme parks, while others never leave the drawing board.
Either way, they’re an opportunity to see just how imaginative — and sometimes wonderfully unusual — theme park technology can get.
Universal patents roaming lockers disguised as dinosaurs
Imagine stepping off a roller coaster and having your belongings delivered directly to you by a friendly robotic dinosaur.
That’s one possibility illustrated in Universal City Studios’ patent application, “Autonomous Vehicle Locker Utilization Systems and Methods,” published Oct. 29, 2026.
The proposed system would allow mobile storage lockers to move autonomously through a theme park, collecting guests’ belongings before an attraction and returning them afterward. Instead of walking back to a crowded locker area, guests could potentially have their possessions brought to them.
Even with new locker areas offering more convenience than their predecessors, this storage unit could add convenience and fun. One illustration depicts a dinosaur-shaped robot with a storage compartment built into its body. Other examples resemble conventional storage cabinets or beverage carts.
The patent also describes ways these lockers could recognize guests, navigate around obstacles and communicate with one another to locate their owners.
As someone who has spent plenty of time navigating theme park locker areas, the possibility of having my belongings come to me is appealing. Having them delivered by a dinosaur? Even better.
Chances are, however, this would be a premium paid service. It’s hard to imagine the reason Universal wouldn’t charge for this service and try to have a return on investment on this technology.
What could be stored inside?
Universal describes lockers that could transport purchased merchandise, deliver food and beverages, and even move strollers or wheelchairs to designated storage areas before returning them to guests.
Some compartments could be heated or refrigerated, potentially allowing guests to receive food and drinks without carrying them around the park.
The system could also use guest passes, RFID technology, cameras or biometric identification to match belongings with their owners.
Perhaps the most entertaining possibility is turning the lockers into interactive characters. Universal describes customizable lights, sounds and movements, along with experiences in which guests could name their lockers or participate in scavenger hunts to find them.
A practical storage solution could become part of the entertainment.
From hotel delivery robots to theme park companions
Robots delivering items to guests aren’t entirely new to Universal Orlando.
Universal’s Aventura Hotel has used robotic delivery assistants to bring items to guest rooms, demonstrating how autonomous technology can serve a practical purpose in a hospitality setting.
Universal’s proposed mobile lockers take the concept further by introducing themed designs, guest recognition and the possibility of navigating a busy theme park.
The dinosaur illustration is especially entertaining, but it doesn’t confirm plans for Jurassic Park or Jurassic World. The application describes a system adaptable to different themed environments.
Photo by Blake Taylor
For now, the roaming dinosaurs remain an idea on paper, but they’re an intriguing example of how even an ordinary locker could become something memorable.
Disney patents a new kind of flying theater
Disney’s patent application, published Oct. 29, 2026, explores a new way to simulate flight using a movable seating platform.
The drawings show guests boarding in a relatively horizontal position before the platform rotates upright, positioning riders in front of a large screen. Mechanical linkages and actuators allow additional movement during the experience, potentially enhancing the sensation of flight.
How is Disney’s flying theater different?
Soarin’ already combines moving seats, a massive screen, wind and other effects to create the illusion of flying. Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom achieves a similar sensation through a different ride system.
Disney’s new patent focuses on how the seating platform transitions from loading to flight position and how its supporting mechanisms could produce additional movement. This patent also seems to eliminate any mechanisms that would be overhead, perhaps providing a clearer view of the screen.
Moving seats aren’t new to flying theaters. What’s interesting here is the specific combination of rotation, positioning and motion mechanisms illustrated in the patent.
Could this be a new Soarin’?
There’s no indication Disney intends to replace or refurbish Soarin’, or that this technology is destined for any particular attraction.
As a longtime theme park fan, I’m intrigued by how new movement systems could make simulated flight even more convincing. Soarin’ already demonstrates how effectively a screen and carefully coordinated motion can transport guests somewhere extraordinary.
Neither Disney nor Universal has announced plans to introduce these patented concepts at its parks. But between new flying theater technology and robotic dinosaurs that could deliver your belongings, there’s plenty to get excited about.
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