Goldstein says virtual entertainment rentals hit a wall in the 2008 downturn. Annual sales at his Nanuet, N.Y., company sank from $2 million to $1 million. But business is now starting to see an uptick.

The outfit typically rents equipment at corporate and university events, trade shows and promotional tours. Thrill rides are always a hit, and the company is working on a new concept — flying-carpet trips above Paris and China.

For more sophisticated virtual entertainment, look to Walt Disney's theme parks and Comcast's Universal Studios, says Drew Davidson, director of the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University.

“The Harry Potter Experience and the Spiderman ride at Universal Studios in Florida do a good job of exposing people to the new technology,” says Davidson. At Disney World, visitors experience VR tech in the DisneyQuest indoor interactive theme park.

EON Reality in Irvine, Calif., a short drive from Disneyland, has been quietly developing and selling virtual reality software for 13 years.

“When 3-D movies arrived at the local cinema, it [finally] became easier for people to grasp what our products do,” says Brita Kjallstrom, global marketing director.

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