For a simulator event with 100 or more guests, work out the number of rigs from throughput: decide how long each turn lasts, add changeover time, and calculate how many turns each rig delivers in the hours it runs. Then manage the line with sign-ups or timed slots, give spectators something to watch, and budget for staffing beyond four rigs. For scale, our Hard Rock Miami activation at Miami International Autodrome ran 8 rigs for 1,000+ guests in one day.
Step 1: Estimate how many guests will drive
Not everyone at a 100-person event will want a turn, and some will want two. Make your own estimate based on the crowd, and plan for the drivers, not the headcount.
Step 2: Do the throughput math
Turns per rig per hour = 60 ÷ (turn length + changeover), in minutes. The turn length is your choice; the table shows how it changes capacity.
| Turn + changeover | Turns per rig per hour | Rigs for 100 turns in 2 hours | Rigs for 100 turns in 3 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 12 | 5 (4.2, rounded up) | 3 (2.8) |
| 8 minutes | 7.5 | 7 (6.7) | 5 (4.4) |
| 10 minutes | 6 | 9 (8.3) | 6 (5.6) |
This is planning math, not a promise: real changeovers vary with how quickly guests get in and out of the seat.
Step 3: Understand the line
Queueing theory gives a useful rule. Little's Law, proved by MIT's John D. C. Little, says the average number of people in a system equals the arrival rate multiplied by the average time each person spends there. If 40 people an hour join the line and each spends 15 minutes waiting and driving, expect about 10 people at the rigs at any moment. If that is more than your space can hold, add rigs, shorten turns, or spread arrivals.
Step 4: Manage the queue
- Sign-up list or QR code. Guests join the list and are called when it is their turn, so they can keep mingling.
- Timed slots. For corporate groups, assign each team a window.
- Visible leaderboard. Spectators watch the standings change, which keeps the area lively.
- Final at a set time. End with a head-to-head between the fastest qualifiers so the whole room has one moment to watch.
Step 5: Layout
Group the rigs so staff can see all of them, keep the waiting area to one side, and keep walkways open. As a reference point, the 2010 ADA Standards set a 36-inch minimum clear width for accessible walking surfaces.
Step 6: Plan for motion sickness
A large crowd will include people prone to motion sickness. The CDC notes that eyestrain and headache are more common in simulators than in real-world travel. Every rig we rent is full-motion, so keep turns short and give them a comfortable place to watch the leaderboard.
Budget example
Using the same rig count as our Hard Rock activation, 8 full-motion rigs for one day: the rig subtotal is $22,000, the 20% volume discount brings it to $17,600, and staffing for the four rigs beyond the first four adds $3,000, for $20,600 plus tax and insurance. Staffing is included for up to four rigs; from the fifth, it is $1,500 per day for every three additional rigs. Delivery is free within 50 miles of Miami. Run your own numbers on our pricing page.
Call (754) 228-5654, email hello@simsforhire.com, or check your date. We reply within 24 hours, and we can book with as little as 24 hours of notice.