Kennywood's Gold Rusher to take last ride

Found out today at the DAFE 'wake' that the ride vehicles and track are headed to Parque de Diversiones in Costa Rica ,the same park where Knoebels' Whirlwind ended up. The stunts and figures will remain at Kennywood for use during Fright Nights.

I also agree with Tambo. I'll take a straight darkride anyday over a Sally interactive/shooter. I simply cannot enjoy myself when l have to concentrate on shooting things all over the place. Unfortunately, since I have a 3 and 7 yr. old, I have to ride them anyway...Oh well.

I love a darkride that totally immerses you. Haven't been to KW or Knoebel's yet. But Spider-Man and Curse Of DarKastle were just totally amazing! I'm one of the few I know who'll say this, but between those two, I actually liked "Curse" more. There was so much going on around you, and it was so non-stop.

Is Parque de Diversiones the park that is like a charity park?....because if so kennywood also donated the flying carpet and trinado to them last year. I don't see what people are fusing about if it is a sally shoot em up ride if you don't like having to concentrate at aiming at targets and not getting to enyoy the scenes then just don't use the gun..this way you have the best of both.

Yes, this is the same park that is operated for a charity. I'm glad to see that the ride system will have a new lease on life.

From what I'm hearing, Kennywood will NOT be getting a Sally dark ride for 2008. *** Edited 8/27/2007 4:29:50 AM UTC by Brother Dave***

Now that the focus is back to the Gold Rusher, I am glad it is heading to Costa Rica. Thats quite a park.

DarKastle is a great ride. Much better story line, and enough effects for the money spent.

Agreed, I actually really like DarKastle.

Now I have never been on the high-tech interactive MIB... but the problem with the interactive shooters I have been on (Ghost Hunt [Lake Compounce], Den of Lost Thieves [Wildwood], Den of Lost Thieves [Indiana Beach], Scooby Doo ride [I forget the correct name... PKI], Gobbler Get Away [Holiday World], Reeses Cup Challenge [Hersheypark]) is that, take away from the shooting, they are not all that interesting to see.

On many of them they have nothing but painted 2-D cutouts to shoot at. Take away the target shooting, the only one that I thought even stood up even half as a "tradtional dark ride" was Den of Lost Thieves at Indiana Beach and even that would have been rather on the weak side if the arcade factor would be removed.

In general, dark rides are really becoming an endangered species. I can recollect riding around 36 different dark rides (Yea, I'm a geek... coaster track record AND dark ride track record). Of those, 13 are definately gone, I am not sure of the fate of 3 of them, and 4 more are "in danger" of beign closed over the next few years (next year?). *** Edited 8/27/2007 3:04:03 PM UTC by SLFAKE***

DarkKastle is pretty good, but I think the pacing and effects are not always right in parts, like going under cool mist when its supposed to be fire. Spiderman is perfection however.

Too bad every park doesn't have the kind of budgets BGW and IOA have. :)

Does anyone have a guesstimate on DarKastle's price-tag?

Personally, the motion-effects on DarKastle may not have been QUITE up to the Spidey level, but I liked the storyline and exterior theming MUCH more....almost enough to call the ride "experiences" pretty much even.

Ghosts, Pirates, and Scooby Doo ;) themed interactives all work for me on both levels...whereas GG and HP's did in fact leave me wondering if I'd ever ride them again...

SFLAKE, could you tell me what those 13 dark rides were? What are the 4 that are in danger of closing? I know definitely Rye Playland wants to remove it's two dark rides plus the Mind Scrambler (2 girls killed). Coney Island's dark rides face an uncertain future after this season, And Trimper's in OC, MD future is uncertain unless the old man Granville manages to convince the family to keep the park or get the state to lower the taxes.

Sally did a large shooting dark ride for Six Flags back in 2003. It used real fire, real sets, lots of animatronics and even trackless vehicles that sit 6 people! The name is "Challenge of Tutankhamon" and is located at what is currently "Walibi Belgium".

Six Flags and Sally did an awesome job for it, reutilising an old building that used an house a water based dark ride and then adding the ride to it. Total cost I heard was 5-6 millions euros...

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSRQ4Nt3tO8 *** Edited 8/27/2007 4:09:28 PM UTC by Absimilliard***

Rob K, for the last time, this is about the Gold Rusher. And for the record, 'old man Granville' is not a term for Mr. Trimper. His family has been very dedicated to the amusement cause in Maryland, and they have some tough decisions to make in the next few seasons.

No offense, but those darks they have will not make much of a difference in their decision.

Rob K, sicne "this is about the Gold Rusher", I won't go into the list of 13... but I will say that the 4 endangered one are the two at Rye Playland and the two at Ocean City MD.

I suppose it is not quite as bleak as it really sounded. Only 4 of the lost rides were lost because of park decisions to close them (Kennywood's Gold Rusher, Hersheypark's Gold Nugget, Morey's Mummy 3d Walkthrough... if this is in fact gone and a walkthrough on the Ocean City Pier that I can't remember the name of). 3 more burned (Dorney's Bucket of Blood and Dracula's Castle at Wildwood along with the Dungeon Boat Ride underneath it). The other 7 were "lost" because the parks they were at closed (or in Conneaut Lake's case currently SBNO with a very bleak future).

So, as Agent Johnson said about Trimpers... the decision that they will make over the next few seasons will not hinge on the dark rides... so I suppose the 7 that alluded to that were closed because their parks are no more couldn't really be looked at in the same light as Kennywood and the decision to close Gold Rusher. *** Edited 8/27/2007 6:41:23 PM UTC by SLFAKE***

Really the only "older" dark ride I would throw a fit over would be Knoebles, that ride was amazing pre enthusiast days IMO.