Walt Disney World recently added a new attraction to its lineup at Epcot. The Sum of All Thrills ride is a simulator that allows guests to use math and science principles to customize and then experience their own thrill ride. Simulated experiences include bobsleds, roller coasters, and jet planes. Robotic arms suspend and move writers through the air.

The sponsor of the ride is the Raytheon company--a defense contractor. The ride is the first of its kind in the Orlando-area theme parks, with other parks rumored to be following suit with their own simulator thrill rides--most notably the Harry Potter Wizarding World attraction to open in 2010 at Universal Orlando.

The robotic arms are attached to pods--guests sit in the pods and are encapsulated in them. This allows for a very authentic experience because there's no outside stimuli to interfere with the experience. The robotic-arm technology, called the KUKA RoboSim 4-D Simulator allows for a much smoother ride than a traditional roller coaster or thrill-ride attraction.

The ribbon-cutting for the ride was attended by Raytheon CEO William Swanson and Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton on October 14, 2009.

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