Dark Ride Paradise - Wild Bill's Nostalgia Center

[MisterP]

I'm loving this thread. It looks like I'm just other graybeard who's also a dark ride nut.

 

Too bad most of the great ones are nowhere near St Louis. Because getting to ride the ones on Coney Island and at Canobie, Kennywood, and especially the HM at Knoebel's were great, and they left me wanting to ride all other classic ones on the Jersey shore or the west coast or wherever.

 

Of course, I grew up getting to ride some classic darks at SF STL (tilt house and Injun Joe's Cave at then SF-MidAmerica), and Fire in the Hole & Flooded Mine at SDC. So I was into them at an early age. Then after my first trip to WDW at age 9, I became a bit of a dark ride fanboy (and of audio-animatronics as well).

 

I'd love to see parks go back to building them (without laser guns ).

 

I guess they're too cost-prohibitive for most parks, eh? Involve too much upkeep? Low ride capacity?

 

I guess an obvious answer is that parks don't feel they will draw in new guests with a slow-moving scenic ride in 2011 with what would be seen as pretty antiquated (albeit effective) effects and gags. They believe that everyone is mostly looking for thrills. And knowing the target age demographic of most parks, and seeing the ages of the posters on this thread compared to 99% of the other ones, I would say they are correct.

 

But I enjoy a great dark ride almost as much as a great coaster...

[larrygator]

I recently got an e-mail from someone who tells me he and his business partner are working on just such a project. I need to do a little more research into this and I'll get back to you all once I can confirm some fact.

 

That is pretty damned exciting. At this time, is there some hint about where they might be looking to build this... whatever it is they're conceiving?

 

OK, I relent. Here's a clue:

[cfc]

^It's being built at your house?

[RoCo]

^ (But seriously, if that IS your house, well done, sir. )

 

I'd love to see parks go back to building them (without laser guns ).

 

RIGHT ON! Don't even get me started on this...

 

Okay, so a seaside location, perhaps? Yeah, that would be highly approved.

[larrygator]

^ (But seriously, if that IS your house, well done, sir. )

 

I'd love to see parks go back to building them (without laser guns ).

 

RIGHT ON! Don't even get me started on this...

 

Okay, so a seaside location, perhaps? Yeah, that would be highly approved.

 

Sorry, not my house. That would be cool though.

[johnychen]

Now if only someone will resurrect my favorite dark ride. The Alpine Sleighs that use to been at Astroworld.

 

 

www.dafe.org/articles/darkrides/alpineSleighs.html

[cfc]

I think the old dark ride I miss the most was the Lost Dutchman Mine at the long gone Frontier Village park in San Jose. It had this cool miner skeleton that pushed down a dynamite plunger and "blew the place up" at the end.

 

I'm not sure where "Lost Frontier Mine" comes from in this old postcard.

Edited November 17, 2011 by cfc

[larrygator]

I think there is enough room for a couple of dark rides on this plot of land.

Yes, this is a location.

[RoCo]

^Let the sleuthing begin! Yeah, that is one fine piece of property right there...

 

If we're putting together an "Impossible Wish List of Dark Rides To Recreate," I'd like to add Disneyland's old "Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland." Not strictly a dark ride, and not scary at all, but boy, as a kid, I ate that up. BTMR is awesome, but I still miss Rainbow Caverns a ton.

 

I was at AstroWorld while the Alpine Sleighs were still there, a long time ago, but for the life of me, I have no recollection of riding it. So whether I did or not, it sucks hard either way that it's gone.

[larrygator]

I love that there are other dark ride enthusiasts on TPR, but once I start revealing what classic rides are in the possession of my contact I'm going to filter this discussion to focus on what is in the process of being saved and restored.

 

But for now, wax poetically about all the classics.

Edited November 18, 2011 by larrygator

[Chroniq]

Is there any chance that Nights in White Satin has been saved and will be restored at this location? If so, I'll take a season pass....

 

 

Full Disclosure: After Larry posted that google maps image, I was like "oh, the games on bitches".. So if anyone has happened to fly over this location or is an alien then please post your guesses. For Mr. Toad's sake.

[larrygator]

Unfortunately "Nights in White Satin" was not saved. The rides that have been purchased are much older, as the owners are fans of the classics. And I can assure you that many people on TPR have ridden at least one of them. I've actually ridden 2 of them. I would have ridden 3 of them if I'd become a dark ride fan sooner in life.

[chadster]

I recently got an e-mail from someone who tells me he and his business partner are working on just such a project. I need to do a little more research into this and I'll get back to you all once I can confirm some fact.

 

That is pretty damned exciting. At this time, is there some hint about where they might be looking to build this... whatever it is they're conceiving?

 

 

OK, I relent. Here's a clue:

 

Well she certainly looks excited and ready for it. The dark rides that is. Pervs.

[Nrthwnd]

Great idea, Larry!

 

My First Dark Ride I remember.

 

My Dad took me on it, and I was scared to bits on the whole thing.

But after getting off, like the coaster at my home park Playland,

I wanted to go on it again. And again and again, lol.

 

1962 - at the Seattle World's Fair (I was 9!)

 

Flight To Mars

 

And have enjoyed dark rides ever since,

whether cheesy and totally portable, or new and totally immersive.

 

(EDIT To add: By the way, Larry - if I was dreaming up my own "Dark Rides Alley,"

I had always wanted there to be at least six to begin with, three on each side, and helming

it all at the end of the 'alley' would be my "castle," Flight To Mars. )

A pic I found of it in my files, with a sort-of re-do in a paint job on it, lol.

An older pic of it with a vehicle scooting by on the right 'balcony.' (Thankyou to James Bello Collection.)

[larrygator]

^I was wondering when you were going to join the thread.

 

Ah, so much to still reveal. Where is this place, who is behind it and what are the rides? I'll start with one of the backers.

 

Growing up he was up obsessed with one particular dark ride at a park he traveled to frequently with his family. He eventually worked at that park and learned his trade training with his mentor. He spent approximately 20 years practicing his craft helping to restore and spruce up well over 50 dark rides, actually closer to 100. However, he has seen the decline of dark rides, in number and popularity, and decided he wanted to do something about up. Now he is focusing with a passion on his own rides.

One of the driving forces behind the project.

Edited November 20, 2011 by larrygator

[RoCo]

This project is starting to sound like it's got a very good chance of getting real sooner than later and that is making me freak out a little bit.

 

I totally remember "Flight To Mars" at Seattle's Fun Forest! Just rode it once, in the early 70s?

 

It's a tragedy that "Nights In White Satin" wasn't saved. I wonder if Sally would recreate it for the right price... (probably can't be done what with the licensing issues, etc., but it's fun to dream.)

 

And speaking of dreaming, one more Disney dark ride for the "Impossible Wish List:" Adventures into Inner Space. How effed up and creepy was that eyeball?!

[cfc]

Speaking of Inner Space, you can always watch this:

 

[larrygator]

This project is starting to sound like it's got a very good chance of getting real sooner than later and that is making me freak out a little bit.

 

The project owners are hopeful that it will be up and running sometime late in 2012. I'll be posting more info tonight (if I don't have to work too late) as additional pictures are on my home laptop.

Edited November 22, 2011 by larrygator

[Chroniq]

^

[Nrthwnd]

I totally remember "Flight To Mars" at Seattle's Fun Forest! Just rode it once, in the early 70s?

 

Yes, and it continued to stay there well into the early 1990's, I'm pretty sure. I remember riding it again in the late 1980's, with a local friend, when it was located near the FF's main coaster, "Whirlwind". The facade was pretty run-down looking. And the ride itself, I have no memory of how (probably) falling apart it was, heh heh.

 

By the way. Larry, another Blue Sky Idea I always had about a Dark Rides Project was, (when I won that several million dollars, hmm?) buying up several travelling midway dark rides. Then presenting them to two institutions here, that dealt with technology, and design. And setting up a 'competition' where each team of techs and arts students would repair and fix a picked dark ride, then re-do the design on it, but staying within the original theme and design it (still) has on it, though maybe run down, etc. And of course, stay within the safety demands on these things, as well.

 

Then, when the whole project was finished, the rides were tested and everybody further advised by actual professionals in this industry, the whole thing would be setup somewhere, for the public to ride, enjoy and VOTE on, which one they enjoyed the best. Maybe it would all be set up at Playland, my home park! That would be very cool. And then the park would get a nice set of dark rides that would be great to ride again and again, lol.

 

[SoCalCoasters]

This project is starting to sound like it's got a very good chance of getting real sooner than later and that is making me freak out a little bit.

 

I totally remember "Flight To Mars" at Seattle's Fun Forest! Just rode it once, in the early 70s?

 

It's a tragedy that "Nights In White Satin" wasn't saved. I wonder if Sally would recreate it for the right price... (probably can't be done what with the licensing issues, etc., but it's fun to dream.)

 

And speaking of dreaming, one more Disney dark ride for the "Impossible Wish List:" Adventures into Inner Space. How effed up and creepy was that eyeball?!

 

Actually, when I talked with a Sally Corp rep a while back, I specifically asked about recreating the ride, and they said if they did get the opportunity they would be able to. I REALLY want to get ahold of the re-recorded song that the Moody Blues did just for the ride.

[larrygator]

By the way. Larry, another Blue Sky Idea I always had about a Dark Rides Project was, (when I won that several million dollars, hmm?) buying up several travelling midway dark rides. Then presenting them to two institutions here, that dealt with technology, and design. And setting up a 'competition' where each team of techs and arts students would repair and fix a picked dark ride, then re-do the design on it, but staying within the original theme and design it (still) has on it, though maybe run down, etc. And of course, stay within the safety demands on these things, as well.

 

Bill - these rides are being meticulously recreated from the artwork to the original stunts. I mentioned earlier that I rode two of the dark rides being refurbished, but I rode them towards the tail end of their first life in a neutered state.

Attention to detail chronicling each painting by famed traveling showpainter Sergei. Each team member was respectfully impressed with subtle but noticeable artwork in the quiet atmosphere of the Pretzel dark ride! Names of the team will be revealed shortly.

^Somewhere in this picture Chroniq "thinks" there is a clue.

 

 

The other business partner is someone I'll refer to as WBZ for the time being, to provide some intrigue. Actually, I just want to add to the suspense before I reveal the location. I have not had contact with WBZ yet, so my description of him will be based on what others have said. WBZ is an entrepreneur who owns the plot of land where the rides are currently being rehabilitated and also where they will re-open for future generations. WBZ currently runs an existing business on this property, this business has been in operation for over 25 years, so you can be assured this is not a fly-by-night operation. WBZ buys lots of "junk". One man's junk is another man's treasure. There are other specifics I could tell you about WBZ, but then some of you would do a Google search. So I'm going to hold off on more details for the time being. WBZ is a big fan of the 60s and the next picture promotes WBZ's business online and is a fairly good characterture of the second business partner.

Edited November 22, 2011 by larrygator

[DougMJr]

Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to go through many dark rides. But this thread has inspired me! The next opportunity I get to ride a dark ride I'm taking it!

[BeemerBoy]

The ghost of Jerry Garcia?

[cfc]

^"Grateful Dead: The Ride" would be the scariest thing ever. My god! It's the ghost of Jerry Garcia! And he's playing an endless guitar solo! The horror! The horror!

 

Then again, I've never been a fan of the Dead.