I've always been a sucker for a good roller coaster. I grew up in Colorado, where my family made several trips every summer to Elitch Gardens, a family-owned amusement park dating back to 1890.
My first exposure to thrill rides came in the form of two rickety old wooden coasters, known as Mr. Twister and Wildcat. Opened in 1964 and 1936, respectively, the two were entwined, so you might see another car whiz alongside or overhead before suddenly veering off in opposite directions. I remember hopping out and immediately running to the end of the line to go again.
In 1974, Mister Twister was rated the third best coaster in the nation; it turns out I had a pretty good initiation.
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Despite my fond memories, I hadn't introduced my kids to amusement parks until last month, when we made our first family trek to Disney World. Our visit happened to coincide with the grand opening of Pandora: World of Avatar, an impressive 12-acre space inspired by James Cameron's movie. The area's thrill ride, Avatar Flight of Passage, is a 3D, virtual reality experience that allows guests to fly through Pandora on the backs of "mountain banshees." As described on The Verge, "Audiences face a gigantic 3D screen, with chairs pivoting and tilting to recreate the feeling of plummeting down the face of a cliff, or pulling left in a tight corkscrew around a floating mountain. Bursts of wind and sprays of mist enhance the sense of immersion … it appears you're inside Avatar itself."
I've got to say, it was incredible, providing the heart-racing, breathtaking experiences I loved as a kid, despite the fact the rider technically hardly moves at all.
Technology is having a drastic impact on what's possible, and people are embracing virtual reality and all that comes with it, as evidenced by the four-hour long wait for the ride.
This shift bleeds into other aspects of life, as well. A recent report found the number of video consultations between physicians and patients will double in five years, reaching 5.4 million by 2020. And as David Reid points out in his article, "Telehealth benefits: Should brokers join the movement?" nearly all patients treated by telehealth say they're "very satisfied" with the experience, while one-third actually prefer the telehealth experience.
AI will also play an increasingly large role in our industry, as Marty Traynor discusses in his most recent column: "Making benefits enrollment and eligibility tracking an 'Alexa skill' may not be a far-fetched concept. It seems crazy to think that benefit technology systems could dematerialize into AI skills today. But five to 10 years from now, it may seem inevitable."
Near the end of our Disney trip, we received several extra Fast Passes after one of the non-virtual rides broke down. (I know, I know.) I asked the boys which ride they wanted to go on again and was thrilled when my youngest immediately yelled "Space Mountain!" Yes, technology's great, but there's still plenty of room for the real thing.
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Paul Wilson
Paul Wilson is the editor-in-chief of BenefitsPRO Magazine and BenefitsPRO.com. He has covered the insurance industry for more than a decade, including stints at Retirement Advisor Magazine and ProducersWeb.
