AGV
Automated Guided Vehicle. Industrial transport device used in factory environments, and also in dark rides and other theme park environments. The vehicle can either operate on a fixed path (which could be a wire embedded in the floor of the attraction which the vehicle can sense) or be free-ranging, when other mechanisms are used to feed back the exact position and orientation of the vehicle to a central control computer.
ANIMATRONIC
Originally Audio-Animatronic™, this term describes a robotic figure, particularly in a theme park environment or on a movie set, which is able to repeat a limited range of pre-programmed functions, typically in synchronisation with a pre-recorded soundtrack. The term now describes a character controlled either electronically by radio remote control, or by cable/lever controls.
DARK RIDE
A themed attraction taking place in an indoor environment where the ride designers have total control over light and sound. Often incorporates a mechanical ride system to move the guests through the attraction at a known rate, and may also include special effects and animatronic elements.
More about Dark Rides
ESCAPE ROOM
An Escape Room is an interactive live game where your team is trapped in a room (or series of rooms) until you can solve a number of puzzles. Typical Escape Rooms have a time limit of around 60 minutes.
They may involve live actors, but often there are multimedia elements, as well as lighting & sound effects and a vast array of props which act as clues (or containers for clues).
They have a great deal in common with immersive theatrical experiences, and are wildly popular world-wide.
Escape Room page
FALSE PERSPECTIVE
A scenic design technique that makes a building or set appear larger than it actually is. The scale of objects that are supposed to be further from the observer is reduced to make them appear further away, even if they're not.
LDR
Light-Dependent Resistor. Electronic component used in a circuit to detect the presence (or absence) of light. Used in theme park attractions to detect a passing ride vehicle or in safety / security systems to detect movement past a particular point.
sACN
Streaming Advanced Control Network, or Streaming ACN.
Control protocol developed by ESTA to use a standard computer network to send a number of DMX universes between equipment. Similar to ArtNET.
SHOW BUILDING
Covered structure within a theme park containing a single ride system.
SOP / S.O.P.
Standard Operating Procedure. The preferred method for running a particular attraction or ride in a theme park / amusement park.
TEA
Themed Entertainment Association (California, USA)
TEA website
THEME PARK
Entertainment venue in which traditional fairground rides and more technologically advanced attractions are interspersed, often with live entertainments, and tied together thematically.