Haunted Mansion Reloaded
Disneyworld's Haunted Mansion ride has just gone through a major overhaul just in time for Halloween.
But if you are like me, you can't just jump a plane and fly down to check it out. But that doesn't mean you have to wait either.
We came across this video that someone took of the attraction. Granted it isn't 100% clear or in focus the whole time, but it does give you a sense of what to expect.
Check it out:
April 18, 2007
Group shines some light on Dark Rides
For more than a century, fun loving people have been turning to the “dark side” for entertainment. For the last six years the Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts group (DAFE) has been polling its members for their favorite dark attractions, that is “haunted house” and funhouse related attractions. DAFE recently released the results of their Sixth Annual Members Survey- Topping the list for the sixth consecutive year was Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, PA which received top honors as DAFE’s Favorite Dark Attraction Park.
Number one on the list of Top Ten Favorite Walkthrough Attractions was Kennywood’s Noah’s Ark, a large, rocking boat-shaped funhouse. Built in 1936 the Ark is the last of its kind in the US and one of two left in the world. DAFE Director Rick Davis notes- “The Ark’s construction was delayed in 1936 due to tremendous rainfall and flooding. When they decided to completely refurbish the Ark in 1996, the rains came to again delay its rebuilding.”
On the opposite side of Pennsylvania, the Haunted Mansion (also known as the Haunted House) at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA was again the number one choice in DAFE’s Top Ten Favorite Darkrides list. “Knoebel’s Haunted Mansion has been selected as DAFE’s favorite darkride for the last six years. Interestingly, the top three darkrides are all known as the Haunted Mansion. As a matter of fact, five of the top ten have the same name.”
DAFE (pronounced “daffy”) annually polls its membership on various issues, the highlight of which is asking members to name their favorite dark attractions-those walk through or ride through attractions related to funhouses and haunted houses from around the world. This year approximately 90 full-time and summer seasonal attractions worldwide were nominated. (Halloween seasonal attractions are not included in this survey.)
The Top Ten Favorite Darkrides- 2007
#10- Gold Rusher- Kennywood Park- West Mifflin, PA
#9- Revenge of the Mummy-The Ride© TM - Universal Studios Florida© TM-
Universal Orlando Resort© TM - Orlando, FL.
#8- Haunted Mansion- Disneyland- Anaheim, CA
#7- Whacky Shack- Waldameer Park- Erie, PA
#6- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror TM- Disney-MGM Studios-
Orlando, FL
#5- Haunted Mansion- Trimper’s Rides and Amusements-
Ocean City, MD
#4- Amazing Adventures of Spiderman- Islands of Adventure©TM-
Universal Orlando Resort© TM - Orlando, FL
#3- Haunted Mansion- Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom®-
Orlando, FL
#2- Haunted Mansion- Funland- Rehoboth, DE
#1- Haunted Mansion- Knoebel’s Amusement Resort- Elysburg, PA
The Top Ten Favorite Walk through Attractions- 2007
#10- House of Frankenstein Wax Museum- Lake George, NY
#9- Aladdin’s Lamp- Trimper’s Rides and Amusements-
Ocean City, MD
#8- Haunted House- Enchanted Forest- Turner, OR
#7- Ghostly Manor- Sandusky, OH
#6- Barl of Fun- Bushkill Park- Easton, PA
#5- Pirate’s Cove- Trimper’s Rides and Amusements-
Ocean City, MD
#4- Funhouse- Jenkinson’s Beach Boardwalk- Point Pleasant, NJ
#3- Pirate’s Cove- Waldameer- Erie, PA
#2- Frankenstein’s Castle- Indiana Beach, Monticello, IN
#1- Noah’s Ark- Kennywood Park- West Mifflin, PA
June 21, 2006
Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts' (DAFE) top 10 list
Looks like more Dark Rides news this week. Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts or (DAFE) has released the TOP 10 attraction in the US. DAFE's fifth annual survey asked members to name their favorite dark attractions--those walk through or ride through attractions related to funhouses and haunted house. This year more than 90 different attractions around the world were nominated. Here is their TOP 10 list with locations for those of you wanting
something different in your travels this year:
1. Frankenstein's Castle -- Indiana Beach, Monticello, IN
2. Noah's Ark -- Kennywood Park, West Mifflin, PA
3. Pirate's Cove -- Waldameer, Erie, PA
4. Funhouse -- Jenkinson's Beach Boardwalk- Point Pleasant, NJ
5. Pirate's Cove -- Trimper's Rides and Amusements, Ocean City, MD
6. Ghostly Manor -- Sandusky, OH
7. Skull Kingdom -- Orlando, FL
8. Barl of Fun -- Bushkill Park, Easton, PA
9. Allotria -- William's Grove, Mechanicsburg, PA
10. Hallow Graves Haunted House -- Funtown Pier, Seaside Park, NJ
- iamlegend
June 20, 2006
New Dark Ride at Disney
Check out the sweet concept art for this new Dark Ride at Disney. It's the Pirates of the Carribiean update. They are taking the existing ride and making some updates to reflect the new film. I don't really find skelton pirates that scary but whatever floats your boat. Check out the concept artwork here\
- iamlegend.
June 8, 2006
Summer Travel :: Scary Places :: Disgraceland
:: This is part of a series we are doing on spooky places to spend your summer vacation::
Why go to your local theme park this summer when you could visit somewhere really spooky. Check out Disgraceland. Disgraceland as the author calls it is really The World Landscape Park. It's located in Xi Pu, just west of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in the People's Republic of China. The neat thing about this place is that it has been abonded for quite some time. Oh did I mention the homeless children that play there?
Apparently a business venture gone bad. What's left is like exporing the rotting reamins of Disneyland. The author explains that you can basically go anywhere you want in the Park. From inside the remains of the exhibits to the bottom of the once full water attractions. Pretty cool. And this isn't your normal theme park this is the The World Landscape Park. So each area represtns (or tries to) a differnet area of the World according to China. Everything from the great pyramids to Polar town (??). And of course there are plenty of interesting other parts of the park that visitors were never meant to see, but now the doors are unlocked and you can wander freely. The author has some great photos of it all as well.
- iamlegend
May 30, 2006
Summer Travel :: The Monster Plantation
The Monster Plantation
Six Flags Over Georgia is pretty good about making a ride look fun and happy, but once you're committed they change the deal, scare you. and then want to make you happy again on the way out so your expression
doesn't give away the tricks.
The Monster Plantation is that kind of ride. It is a boat ride through a Monster Swamp where all the friendly monsters are having a sort of block party. It is set in the deep South inside a flooded plantation. You hop in a boat and slowly float into the entrance tunnel. You are graciously welcomed by Mizzy Scarlet, an animated
spaz of a lady, who jerks to life as the boat heads toward the back door of the plantation home. Once out of the back door, you bump into a monster Sheriff named Billy Bob who warns you to not go into the Marsh, where the unfriendly monster dwell. Of course, you can tell where that's going to lead.
Your boat passes through the winding grounds of the plantation as you observe all the animated monsters in the county having a big party. One monster mother is telling her little worried monster baby to not be afraid of you, as "they're just humans". All this activity takes place, for the most part, in one giant scene. But the noise of
the party starts to sound distant, and your boat passes an old graveyard with two slow-moving fellows sharing a jug of corn whisky, whispering unintelligibly to each other, and you reach a fork in the river.
Continue reading "Summer Travel :: The Monster Plantation" »
May 16, 2006
Dante's Inferno is no More?
Wildwood, NJ - Guests visiting Morey’s Piers this season can count on more thrills, chills and fun as the Jersey Shore’s premier amusement destination announces some exciting changes and enhancements for the 2006 season. These changes and enhancements, all focused on a commitment to guest satisfaction, include a major transformation of a classic dark attraction and upgrades and refinements to lighting, brake, and control systems on existing rides.
“We are confident that guests will recognize our commitment to an improved and enhanced facility this season. Whether you’re returning for another season, or visiting for the first time, our mission is our pledge, ‘To provide a spectacular family recreation experience in an exceptionally safe, clean, friendly and unique environment.’” says Will Morey, President and CEO of Morey’s Piers.
Morey’s Piers increases the fear-factor on one of its original dark attractions, Dante’s Inferno, which opened in 1980 inviting guests to follow the Italian poet’s trek through the depths of hell. This classic ride will now be inhabited by ghoulish gargoyles and be called, “Night of the Living Gargoyles.” The original ride system has been maintained but a totally new ride experience has been created within the structure. New interior & exterior theme elements, created by Dark Rider and Halloween Productions, Inc., include a gothic haunted castle with grisly scenes of ghastly gargoyles in various states of animation, horrifying props, and gruesome sound effects. Gargoyles promises to satisfy those with an appetite for fright.
"When Dante’s Inferno was originally opened, it was a very unique ride with scenes illustrating the various stages of hell as revealed in Dante Alighieri’s work, the Divine Comedy. Even after a major re-painting of the facade just last year, we received many guest complaints,” offers Jack Morey, Executive Vice President of Morey’s Piers. He explains, “Because our season is shorter and revenues much smaller than parks like Six Flags, we must therefore be more creative in adding new attractions. So we decided to change the theme to something more universally accepted. People seem to hate hell, but for some reason do not mind being scared to death.”
Night of the Living Gargoyles? Seriously? And aren't guest complaints (about being scared) a good thing??? Here's what it used to look like....
May 10, 2006
A Unique Vacation....On the dark side,,,,,
:: Editor's Note : This article is part of a series we are doing on unique Dark Rides across the US. Just in time for travel season. Why not scare yourself a little on your next vacation?::
The year was 1977 and I was just about 6. During a trip to Six Flags Over Georgia, I overheard someone talking about how at the top of the log ride hill there was a man that tried to cut your head off with an axe. I thought how awful that would be to be on whatever ride they were talking about. A little while later I found myself in a hollow log floating down a blue flume. It was not too bad, nice scenery fun going around the turns.
As we turned a corner, I saw up at the top a huge hill a big top hatted man with an axe. Then I knew. At that point I thought my parents and grandparents were the stupidest people in the world for getting on a ride like that and taking me with them. As the hollow log boat neared the top of the hill, I saw an attendant standing on a little platform watching out boat. Not taking any chances with whatever he had in mind I crawled up in the bow of the boat and crouched down by my parents' knees. I felt our log going over the crest of the hill. The terrible clanking sound was louder down there and I waited expecting their heads to roll down any second. The boat slammed down through a log tunnel into the flume and I peeked out and saw them smiling and tugging on me to get back up. I couldn't believe they lived, and I thought how wrong it was to have rides that have killers on them.
- Kingpower Cinema
May 2, 2006
Freaking out Children
I try to keep in mind what freaks out kids in a ride. They can see a an exit sign at the end of a dark hallway and their malleable brains can turn it into a Dracula face. They can hear the grainy sounds of an old Halloween sounds record and imagine with great detail the horrid deeds of those making the etheral noises. Even the faceless mannequins at a department store can deliver an ample supply of the willies. So on rides, especially where a boat or buggy ceaselessly propels young riders ever closer to terrors and trageties, often the scene design has a atronomically greater horror impact than what was originally intended.
- KingPowerCinema
April 16, 2006
New Author on the Haunted Report
One of the most overlooked things in the Haunted House/Halloween Industry is Dark Rides. Wanna see proof? Check out the entry for Haunted Attractions on Wikipedia. Dark Rides are not even listed. If there was one man we know who could help change that it's King Power Cinema. As the newest author on The Haunted Report, King Power Cinema, actually owns and operated his own Dark Ride last Halloween. He's joining the staff to fill us in on what new and cool and what's cool and old in Dark Rides. Check out his Photostream on Flickr in the meantime for more about him....
