Dark Rides?

I still feel that I am one of the few that are screaming, begging, pleading, etc. for CP to get a FREAKN' dark ride, and I'm not talking throw a shell over a ride and have that shell leak in the rain dark ride...

I know "But CP doesn't do themes" to me that's bogus. CP needs to pay a couple extra dollars and invest in something for the people do do when it rains or they need something warm.

I still would LOVE to see a Spiderman or Dark Castle type ride here at the point. And this time take CARE of the ride, unlike Disaster Transport.

I'm SOooo tired of hearing people over 30 say they miss Earthquake and the Pirate Ride, and people asking when CP is going to bring them back.

CP is one of the few parks that I think are BEGGING for a dark ride. I would love to see GL also take their shark attack and turn it into a Sally Dark ride, it's an ideal building and que set up already...well, if you remove that big tank. *** Edited 3/4/2006 8:02:44 AM UTC by RollerCoasterGod***

I dont necissairly agree with the statement that only big destination parks benefit from dark rides. Look at Kennywood, definatley not a destination park, lots of local visitors that visit multiple times a season, yet they have had a long rich history of dark rides, with LeChahoot, Old Mill, Gold Rusher, and Noahs Ark.....

If only big destination parks benefit from dark rides, why is Holiday World getting one?

Yeah, attractions that the whole family can do (and enjoy) together, from pre-schoolers to grandma and grandpa, what good could they possibly be? ;)

Thats interactive Andy. Heck I'd consider their flume a darkride, and raven and legend (At night of course)

No, there are well done, Stand alone, Non interactive darkrides that hold their own! The hit by a car, train or buss gag works great, So do the mystic doors at waldameer. Spiderwebs ect. Problem with them at most park is they either couldn't afford or had no desire to maintain them. And of course vandalism.

Many older parks had at least one and often many darkrides. Many parks ran with vendors opening attractions and running them on a lease at their park. Of course, what do you build to make money? DARKRIDES AND ROLLERCOASTERS! and the most insane flats you can build.

A concessionaire who built a good ride stood to make good money and this is how many came to be!

Lesourdsville Lake had two of them, As a kid I remember having a ton of fun in them. The one caught fire and the other one by the time it closed had basically no working or effective gags left.

I too think Cedar Point should have one, Although Disaster Transport kinda qualifies. I liked the Pirate ride and definatly feel somethings missing. Of course I feel theres a ton of things missing from CP that bascially ARE NOW.

Chuck

I left one out of the list--that is it reopens--and that would be Jocco's Mardi Gras Madness at SFNO. So I came up with ten darkrides at Six Flags parks, or eight if you want to subtract the Houdini's Great Escapes. With the loss of Frontier City this year, I wonder if that ride will be transferrred anywhere else?

To add a comment to what someone said above, Noah's Ark at Kennywood is definitely not a darkride (remember that you're the one doing the transportation). It's more like a glorified funhouse, and I mean that with all respect.

What is Tornado at SFGE....I must've missed that one... :(

Traditional dark rides really have gone away for the most part, interactives are the wave of the future....

Re: The Noah's Ark thing. Frankie's Castle at IB is a walk-thru as well....I guess technically that makes them "not a dark ride", but they're still LOADS of fun! :)

I pretty sure Skull Mountain is a dark right. If you want more dark rides try going to parks at night.

^There are only a select few coasters that arent lit up like a Chrismas Tree sadly, that goes for any other ride too, but its especially depressing for coasters you know would be incredible in complete or realitve darkness.

I think it would be cool to make a wild mouse into a dark ride. Put the scary effects and the ends where the car makes its sharp corners!

Yeah, Kennywood did a good job with theming their mouse. I'd love to ride a huss jump (with a good ride program) in the dark. yum!

Anyone remember the defunct Mountain Park in Holyoke, Mass? They had like 4 dark rides if I remember correctly. One dinousaur themed one had this cool thing where the cars came out and turned around over the midway.

After reading this forum, as well as, a back issue of IN-PARK magazine all about dark rides I'm wondering back to all I've missed over the years. I mean yeah, I've ridden all of the rides like Spider Man, Jurassic Park, DarKastle, and I see why they are called dark rides, but what I'm talking about are the real classics like those at KW, Knoebels, and IB.

Maybe I can redeem myself with Gobbler's Getaway! *** Edited 3/6/2006 1:20:01 AM UTC by Floorless Fan***

A coaster in the dark is not a darkride according to D.A.F.E. There are exceptions though like Rock N' Rollercoaster because of the scenes that are passed through. Skull Mountain however, would not be considered a darkride.

Dark rides are definately things that the entire family can do togehter, and that is what SF is looking to install. I would definately look to see some dark rides in the futures of all SF parks.

I have only riden a few of the interactive dark rides, but I like them much more than the regular dark rides. If you take a look at the disney parks, they made almost every ride into some sort of dark ride, even splash mountain is a log flume ride, but it is also a dark ride too.

I have to admit that I love the Buzz Light Year Space Ranger Spin at MK. Every time I go there, I make it a point to ride it. The adults love it, the kids love it. It is a perfect ride. If SF put in something with a Yosemitie Sam theme much like Buzz, they would probably get the jumps in attendance they are looking for.

^Dont you mean Elmer Fudd? Hutin Wrabbits seems a more direct way to theme it.

Intamin Fan, I respect D.A.F.E.and all that, But I don't let them think for me.

If I consider a pretzel a darkride. Or Flight of Fear a darkride. DAFE isn't gonna tell me any different.

Same goes for ACE and their views on whats a classic and whats not. Some rides used to be disqualified because they wern't braked by the stick.

I just wonder when thinking for yourself got throw out the window.

Chuck, who's for both organizations but isn't gonna listen to their PTC is the best coaster trains stance ect. just because a ranking member owns the company.

Some themed indoor rollercoasters I would not label as a darkride, like Rock'n Roller Coaster. But Revenge of the Mummy is a dark ride, which switches into an indoor roller coaster with untraditional cars. I can see theme parks continuing to blend the two. Anyone who believes themes do not add to the excitement of thrill rides lacks imagination.

I don't post much anywhere anymore, but this one has got me upset for some reason. With the way some rides are blurring the line between what is a coaster and what is a dark ride, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to figure out how to classify them.

Is the Devil's Den at Conneaut a coaster since it is gravity-powered and has a hill? How about Thunder Run at PCW? Can that classify as a dark ride since it is powered and has some "special effects"? This is all subjective, just like the dueling/racing coaster counts. I have to laugh at the comments from people that are trying to tell people how they should think. I think that's one of the reasons I'm becoming less and less enchanted with enthusiast message boards. There's an ever-growing number of self-proclaimed "experts" telling me what rides in my count are coasters, that Cedar Point is getting a 500-foot coaster, and that they know what's best for me. I would like to point out that I do respect the opinions and info of many of the long-time posters here (Jeff, Walt, Gonch, gator, etc.), but some of the posts I have read from some other members lately just crack me up.

Sorry, but the day I start letting an enthusiast run my life is the day I go buy some rope and finish things off. Of course, knowing my luck, the rope would break... but then I'd have a great lawsuit on my hands! ;)

Ray P. (who is still a park/coaster fan, but is having a better time keeping that to himself)

I don't post much anywhere anymore, but this one has got me upset for some reason. I would like to point out that I do respect the opinions and info of many of the long-time posters here, but those who spend their precious expertise knocking down opinions of others who post actually defines snobbery. Who is forcing you to participate is this discussion anyway?