Skyscraper
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Yeah you're right Matt, Ghostly Manor is Paultons' only dark ride currently.
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Paultons Park: General Discussion
The 2nd is Dinosaur Tour Co Dark Ride Database classes it as a Dark Ride
Matt N
TS Member
It’s outdoors, though; I don’t think it counts. Though it’s a slow-moving themed attraction, it’s very much a light ride for the bulk of the ride where it’s outdoors (apart from the short cave scene)!
By that yardstick, Postman Pat at Alton would probably have passed for a dark ride!
Bowser
TS Member
We can add Zufari and Saw to the list too, Merlin absolutely swimming in dark ride attractions, give us some outdoor rides!
Just going off what Dark Ride Database counts
Bowser
TS Member
Blackpool themselves list Valhalla as a dark ride, it would count in the same manner that you’ve included Sub Terra (arguably more so), as would Gruffalo and Pirates of the Caribbean etc.
A dark ride in the traditional sense is being transported through a themed narrative, be it on rails, water or now trackless (I’d probably include walkthrough too).
Blackpool also has River Caves, though it’s currently closed for maintenance but I’m sure it’ll be open any day now.
Back on topic, the issue with dark rides is they tend to be more expensive to build and maintain. The same with water rides. So the notion of Paultons building a dark water ride seems unlikely. Obviously they would benefit from indoor attractions. I’m surprised more (any) UK theme parks don’t build what many European parks have, a large themed covered area with multiple flat rides and facilities.
Nice to see your optimism returning Matt.
Not a chance!
Possibly next year, probably the year after as the "big new thing".
But with the derelict dome above, full of asbestos, on old bailey bridge supports, I don't expect reopening any time soon.
If ever.
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
I really don’t know why, but I find indoor theme parks or theme park areas far less aesthetically pleasing than outdoor ones. I don’t know why but when attraction are places indoors, they tend to look a bit cheap and naff, but I can’t really explain why.
Examples I use to make this point are the indoor area of Toverland, Fantasy Island’s pyramid, the indoor parks in Dubai, I’d even say that the Legoland Minilands I’ve been to which are undercover (Malaysia and Japan) just don’t look as good as the outdoor ones.
Is there anyone more eloquent who can better explain what I’m saying here, or am I just talking gibberish?
NuttySquirrel
TS Member
I'm in agreement. No matter how well done the rides and surrounding theming, it's hard to forget that you're basically in a big metal shed. It seems much harder to make these rides properly immersive. There's often an issue with sound as well - noise from the public just echoes around and gets amplified so it's rarely possible to hear anything other than excitable children - rather like a soft play centre.
Perhaps there are some examples of indoor areas that attempt to address these but the ones I've been to at Toverland, Plopsa Germany and Plopsa de Panne have all had this same atmosphere.
Matt N
TS Member
I sort of get what you mean.
I think part of the issue with indoor areas is that there’s a 4th dimension parks have to think about theming-wise. Outdoor theme park areas don’t have to think about a ceiling because the sky acts as a natural one… but in an indoor area, you have to think about the ceiling. Often, parks may lack the budget to theme the ceiling properly, resulting in a slightly ugly-looking metal roof.
With dark rides, this isn’t such an issue, because parks can darken the building to hide the bits they lack the budget to theme… but you can’t do that with a free-flow indoor area.
Metroland never really took off, apart from locals.
I know the usual UK standard "failed to keep investing" rule applies, but anywhere on the west coast seaside holiday areas should be able to make a killing with the usual British weather...every wet day is a peak day.
I know the Tower used to make a killing on the wet days in the seventies and eighties.
I know the usual UK standard "failed to keep investing" rule applies, but anywhere on the west coast seaside holiday areas should be able to make a killing with the usual British weather...every wet day is a peak day.
I know the Tower used to make a killing on the wet days in the seventies and eighties.
Bowser
TS Member
I get what you mean and whilst i can think of examples that counter this (eg DisneySea though obviously that's the optimum of most things aesthetically) and disagree on what i've seen of the Dubai parks (Warner Bros looks incredibly immersive, especially Gotham), i think overall the practical benefits outweigh this.
East Coast Mariner
TS Member
For me, it's the noise. They're great in theory, but they're always so loud. It's good for parks to have a lot undercover (shelters, gazebos etc), in my opinion, but not actually indoors.
flyingguitar
TS Member
I think indoor lands could be very powerfully and intresting theming wise, but we haven't really seen a fully themed land yet.
Could you imagine a cave type themeing, perhaps something like LOTR with the mountain. It could be really cool.
You can also have differnt time settings, for instance night time is quite easy to do and works well, or maybe a jungle with a lot of leaves covering the roof.
I think disney have done this really well with not a full land but mini lands (the Mexico pavilion at epcot and pirates of the carabean at DLP) the darkness and night time setting make it feel really atmospheric and you could easily believe you were in some place at night.
Could you imagine a cave type themeing, perhaps something like LOTR with the mountain. It could be really cool.
You can also have differnt time settings, for instance night time is quite easy to do and works well, or maybe a jungle with a lot of leaves covering the roof.
I think disney have done this really well with not a full land but mini lands (the Mexico pavilion at epcot and pirates of the carabean at DLP) the darkness and night time setting make it feel really atmospheric and you could easily believe you were in some place at night.
