Dark rides ...

[SpaceMountainManiac]

What do you consider a 'dark ride' is? To me it needs have that cosy feeling to it - not thrills. Obvious ones are Haunted Mansion and POTC. The old Rio Del Tiempo was a good example - I do not get the same feeling now with the 3 Cabelleros update. I think dark rides encapsulates everything that I love about WDW - it transports me to a dreamworld. I know a lot of people dont 'get it' and only seek thrill rides. What do you think?

[Disney-4-Me]

I love dark rides. They are a great way to relax on a ride and make a good counterpoint to the thrill rides. I like this balance. Spaceship Earth is another fine example.:thumbsup:

[CanadaLovesDisney]

After the bright Florida sun for hours we find haunted mansion to be a great break in the dark! It's cooler and relaxing. We also enjoy how dark dinosaur is in animal kingdom because that park can be extremely hot during the day. I can't imagine dinosaur if it wasn't dark! It makes the entire feel of the ride more realistic to me!

[Melanie]

What do you consider a 'dark ride' is?

We just discussed this very thing on our most recent podcast.

To me, it's not Tower of Terror, or even Test Track or Soarin'. A dark ride to me are the omnimover type or slow boat rides. My favorites are Pirates and Peter Pan.

[JasonH]

And let's not forget Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, If You Had Wings, Dreamflight, Snow White's Scary Adventure (which will be like the previous 3 and be gone soon), Maelstrom even with the drop and speeding backwards, (and the next three may not be classified as a dark ride but still fits the bill of being a slow relaxing ride and moments of being "dark" as in really low light) Horizons, World Of Motion and the original JII. All dark rides that have come out of DL/WDW have really set the bar in my opinion and I hope they continue bringing them out in the future. :D

[ransam]

i always thought of a dark ride, as an indoor ride that takes you inside a story as an observer.

[SandmanGStefani24]

i think the dark rides are my favorite part! You're kind of already in another world at WDW so it's like going to another world, within another world. :D

Thrill rides are ok, but the dark rides make my trip complete. I couldn't imagine not riding Pirates, Spaceship Earth, or the World Showcase rides.

[PETE FROM NYC]

I too love the dark rides.
I hate the thrill rides. I think that the powers that be just put them in to entice folks away from the roller coaster parks.
Just another example of greed.

[darthmacho]

I agree. WDW should be building more amazing dark rides! I also agree that ToT, Test Track, and RoR are a different breed.

Pooh is a great dark ride too. Too bad we're losing Snow White.

I think Splash Mountain does qualify and is probably the best dark ride ever!

[MrPeetrie]

While I enjoy both dark and thrill rides, I go to WDW for the dark rides. It is the theming, story, and attention to detail of Disney dark rides that brings us back. When I want just thrills, I usually go to Cedar Point. There, I wait in undetailed line queues for 60 minutes to enjoy 3:00 of fun.

[Buttercup]

I think a "dark ride" is one that you move along slowly like in an omnimover or other constantly running vehicle (think Clam-mobile, or DoomBuggie, or HoneyPot, or blue Spaceship Earth cars) and you watch a story unfold in front of you.

To me, there are no drops or thrills in a dark ride, which means POTC is more of an adventure boat ride than a dark ride.

I think these are what sets WDW apart from other parks!:thumbsup:

[jaredkari]

I love dark rides! My friends think Six Flags has it all and WDW is for kids.. they totally do not get it and do not understand the joy of riding a dark ride.

I suppose I might define a dark ride as any attraction in which elements of the attraction are being kept out of sight of the viewer by use of darkness. I know it kind of sounds like a webster dictionary explanation but at WDW there are so many things going on that we as guest are not aware of simply because of the dark.

2 1/2 weeks and counting to my next visit!!!:mickey:

[Victor Kelly]

Although the definition of a dark ride by Disney is anything inside a building, it seems many of us have a different definition.

My definition of dark rides include the following, Calm rides, and thrill rides. And to be very honest I prefer anything indoors in Florida now. Dark rides are usually best as immersive meaning they take you into a story.

The rides:
Calm
1. POTC
2. Haunted Mansion
3. Splash Mountain (thrill and calm)
4. IASW
5. Peter Pan
6. Snow White (until it is retired)
7. Pooh
8. Buzz Light Year
9. WEDWAY or TTA or whatever it is this year. While not inside, and certainly not dark unless it is night, it is a serene and relaxing ride.

10. Spaceship Earth
11. Ellens Energy Adventure
12. Maelstrom
13. Journey into Imagination
14. Living with the Land
15. Nemo
16. Toy Story Midway Mania
17. Great Movie Ride

Now the Thrill Rides:
1. Space Mountain
2. Splash Mountain (yeah it still fits here too)
3. Mission Space
3. Tower Of Terror
4. Rockin Roller Coaster
5. Dinosaur

[McLiberal8]

I hate the thrill rides. I think that the powers that be just put them in to entice folks away from the roller coaster parks.
Just another example of greed.


Oh, I don't know about that. If that's the case, how do you feel about Walt's Matterhorn in DL?

I think both ride types have their place. I love the thrill rides, as well as the dark rides. The great thing about the thrill rides at Disney is that they are incompariable to thrill rides anywhere else. At most places, theming on a roller coaster extends to the name of the ride, and possibly the color it is painted, not much more.
At Disney, they can make a thrill ride into an experience, just like a dark ride. I see them as dark rides, with a bit more of a 'fast paced' story!

[jhuard89]

To me, the dark rides set Disney apart from everyone else. How many dark rides do Six Flags have? It's that slow way of telling a story and setting the mood, in which Disney transports their guests to another place and time. Without them, I don't think it would be Disney.

[DNS]

I would say dark rides are any of the slow moving rides primarily in darker settings. For example, I would not consider Small World a dark ride, but I would consider Peter Pan and Snow White dark rides. Also the energy ride at EP, but not Living with the Land. I like the thrill rides, but dark rides are my favorites. As someone else said, they have a more Disney feel to them then the thrill rides. Maybe because you can go to any of the many amusement parks around the country and find coasters and rides that drop, etc. Those rides are mostly about the thrill. The dark rides are all about the theming and what all you are seeing and hearing.

[Ian]

Oh, I don't know about that. If that's the case, how do you feel about Walt's Matterhorn in DL?Yep, even Walt recognized that his guests might want something a bit more thrilling than just the typical dark ride.

Although, I will say that for me Disney theme parks will always be about the dark rides. Let's face it, for the most part their thrill rides aren't all that thrilling really. I can get far better coasters at almost any amusement park anywhere in the country (including a few in my own backyard!).

We go to Disney World to ride the classic dark rides. If it wasn't for those, I think we might actually stop visiting.

[teamblackwell]

There are few requirements in order to be a "dark ride"
1. must be DARK (except for the ride elements the ride designer wanted illuinated.
2. Must be a slow ride.
3. There should be a section of the ride that uses black lights.
4. There should be at least one ride element that jumps up or jumps at you, to give you a scare.(dark rides are suppossed to be scary not thrilly)
I think thats about it.

[Imagineer1981]

We just discussed this very thing on our most recent podcast.

To me, it's not Tower of Terror, or even Test Track or Soarin'. A dark ride to me are the omnimover type or slow boat rides. My favorites are Pirates and Peter Pan.


100% agree with you! if it involves a thrill ride, its not a classic dark ride