Cedar Fair's Future in Dark Rides

[Ride On_17]

We all know that earlier this year Canada's Wonderland announced the addition of Wonder Mountain's Guardian, a new innovative and interactive family dark ride/roller coaster combination. However, little information about the ride was released. I just came across an articel explaining more of the details of the ride, and it also said we can expect similar dark rides to be added throughout the Cedar Fair chain in the coming years. There were several things I found particularly interesting in this article:

-The ride will be customisable, with characters and plot hoped to be able to be changed as easily as being done overnight. This would allow for clones of the ride at various CF parks, but with each park having a completely different experience and theme.

Quote from the article: "Unlike Walt Disney, though, Ouimet doesn't mind repeating himself. That's why, if the initial ride is successful, he plans to roll-out clones across the Cedar Fair chain. Because of the customisable nature of the system, too, the ride will even change during the year at Canada's Wonderland - a version filled with zombies is already planned for Halloween 2014. Ouimet claims that Cedar Fair will develop a "library" of content that it can rotate around its parks, ensuring that they always have something new to offer."

-It will only have a $10 million price tag. I was shocked to find this out. I was thinking it would be much more expensive, but kudos to Ouimet if he is able to add a world class dark ride at such a low cost. Hopefully it will turn out great despite the relatively inexpensive price tag.

This sounds like an awesome ride and it seems like Cedar Fair will be adding more of these to other parks if Wonder Mountain's Guardian is a success, which I predict it will be. I wouldn't be surprised if KI and CP get versions of this within the next several years. Here's the full article:

http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20131126/15148/disney-cheap-how-cedar-fair-plans-reinvent-dark-ride

[ethancoaster]

If Cedar Point gets a different experience and theme, I think instead of a dragon, the creature should be a griffin. I'm really excited about Wonder Mountain's Guardian alone. I'm glad Ouimet is steering the company in a different direction. It will be great if one day a Cedar Fair fan could visit their favorite park while not having to travel all the way to Universal.

[upstop]

Hmmm...seems very cost effective and fun too! I wonder if KI could see a "mountain" in the future?

[Ride On_17]

My guess is that no big signature structure will be added, but rather every other park will just have a generic building to house the ride. I could be wrong, but I feel like Knotts could get one in its old Dino buiding, maybe KI could get one in the old Crypt building or maybe a new building in that same location, and then there are the rumors for CP to get one, if not in a new location, in the old Pirate Ride building of somehow in the Coliseum.

[bkroz]

The mountain would probably cost more than the ride.

[Oldschool75]

Hmm what generic building could KI turn into a dark ride. Hmmmm?? I wonder Maybe one that sits dark for most of the year?

[upstop]

The Tomb Raider building is kind of small for a coaster...but an extension could be added to accommodate a rollercoaster type ride. I like that idea.

[Ride On_17]

I think it would make sense to put it there. 1) KI gets a new ride, and a new family-friendly dark ride at that. 2) That building gets used, or at least the same area which, would please everyone who keeps wanting to do something with it.

[RingMaster]

I see this as less of an answer to Spiderman and more of an answer to Toy Story Mania at Disneyland/WDS. Hopefully there will be some thematic props and setpieces installed to make the screens.

[GamesAndRides]

Speaking of Wonder Mountain's Guardian, They said somewhere That it can turn it to a Zombie Dark ride For Halloween Haunt.

[ethancoaster]

^Yes, the content can be changed easily to vary the experience. This was info was released when Triotech had just came out with the Interactive Dark Ride concept. So yeah.... zombies. My question is about when the ride will be themed to Zombies. I wonder if when september/october rolls around, will the content change, or will it only change during the Haunt.

[westcoaster]

So good for Cedar Fair! Right direction, plus hopeful KI gets dark ride #2, and with the restoration happening at Knotts its a good time in the chain for the parks.

[The Interpreter]

Kings Island has a dark ride of sorts.

Cedar Point does not and hasn't for years (one of Mr. Kinzel's worse decisions). It really should be a priority for Cedar Point (and Dorney Park, for that matter) over Kings Island.

[BB1]

I want my Phantom Theater.....

[NoChickens]

I'd like to have Phantom Theatre back, didn't know it was yours. Can I borrow it sometime?

[BB1]

Who said I had it?!

BB1, not being "witch trialed".

[Delirium13]

As a fan of dark rides I think this is great news and look forward to seeing rides similar to what Canada's Wonderland is getting rolled out across the chain. Hopefully they won't stop with just this one, I'd love to see multiple dark rides including one of Phantom Theater's caliber in the park in the future. Love the direction Cedar Fair is heading in!

[Tuskin]

Sounds like something that would fit in nicely in the Crypt Building.

[westcoaster]

Could you imagine with this type of dark ride, a very easy way to change up the park, and add the whole family of fun in the process. Like summer with family dark ride to a Halloween horror at night during the Haunt:

[upstop]

My guess is that it won't have animatronics, but be more like a two or three dimensional film, and family coaster. Then it would be easier to switch out films and reprogram the bumps and grinds of the ride vehicle.

[Nick_Plummer]

A Th13teen like ride.

[Tanna]

My guess is that it won't have animatronics, but be more like a two or three dimensional film, and family coaster. Then it would be easier to switch out films and reprogram the bumps and grinds of the ride vehicle.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I love animatronics, but that includes the appreciation of someone actually building it.

This ride show is naught but cast images in 3d, and very cost effective compared to the sculptures like Phantom Theatre. Changing out and updating would be comparatively cheap to keep it fresh.

[jzarley]

Speaking of dark rides...

Does anyone else remember the old "Earthquake" dark ride at CP? I only have very vague memories of it (as a child, I went to KI much more frequently than CP...), but I seem to remember it being located somewhere along the main midway. I recall it being ride-through, and at various points it looked as though parts of the scenery were falling on you. It was certainly no "Funtastic World of Hana-Barberra" (but then, what else was? :-), but I seem to remember it being fairly fun (at least to a child of six or seven or so...)

There was also a ride at Carowinds (early 90s maybe?) that was pirate ship themed...you simply sat on long horizontal wooden benches in a tube that was mean to recreate the hull of a ship. The outside of the tube moved around you in varying stages of motion...you never actually moved (I don't believe you were even belted to the bench in anyway), but it gave the most incredible illusion of making you feel as if you were turning upside down! Like the short-lived "Alien Encounter" ride at WDW, it provided an amazing sensory experience in a really low-tech ride.

[thedevariouseffect]

Earthquake was in the same building that Snoopy Boutique is currently in. Right next to the Arcade/Coliseum

[westcoaster]

A new Man In charge and dark rides returning gotta love it:

[Tr0y]

I don't its necessary for Kings Island to get a dark ride like the guardian its practically boo blasters except played on a big tv screen, i would love the idea of Kings Island getting another indoor coaster or dark flat ride other than what the guardian is.. The coaster would have to be small, something along of the lines of ricochet at kings dominion.

[The Interpreter]

So, it appears the dark ride push at Cedar Fair is at least delayed. Cedar Point remains without one. Boo Blasters still abound at the legacy Paramount Parks.

Why?

What's next?

And when?

Terp, who likes to ask, sometimes inconvenient, questions.

[ethancoaster]

I think they may have skipped a year because they could be planning multiple dark rides at a time for 2017. You know, I'd love to see a Devin Olson documentary about a Triotech.

[Honorarius]

I hope they continue to develop the technology involved and learn things from previous installations, making each one they make better than the last... In which case I hope that KI gets theirs far, far down the road...

 

Better a bit of a wait for a great ride than a mediocre ride now...

 

Sincerely,

Someone Who Has Ridden Guardian...

[Ride On_17]

I also find it interesting how next year CF is trying out several new indoor motion simulator-esque dark rides. It seems as though they're starting to branch their new dark into two different directions. Maybe in the coming years, could parks see both types of dark rides? Or are they seeing which is the most popular? Or will future installations be a cross between both types? Regardless, I'm sure CF will look at what guests enjoy the most and will do their best to keep newer additions as high-tech and improved as possible. The next few years will be fun to watch and see what happens!