(Semi)dark- and show rides are part of an ever changing palette of experiences being offered all around the world. While seated experiences have been part of the the Dark Ride Database collection for almost four years now, stand-up experiences have been left out. That ends today. Starting today, stand-up (Semi)dark- and show rides will also be included in the Dark Ride Database.
Ever since starting the Dark Ride Database a point of conversation has been: how do you define a dark- or show ride in such as way that you leave out experiences which don’t fit with the general view of what that type of ride should be. One of the first two choices the team made was to include a clause that every experience should be a seated one and have several degrees of freedom when it came to simulators. While this made the job of selecting which ride to include easier, it also presented the team with some rides which didn’t fitted the definitions even though the team felt they would fit in.
The discussion was once again brought up during an exclusive preview of the Immersium Jurassic experience by Attraktion! during the last IAAPA Expo Europe in Vienna. The experience itself consists of a number of rooms, making use of projection mapping, touch and depth sensors to interact with the guests and is an overall amazing experience. Highlight of the experience is the three minute long stand-up simulator in which guests take a tour through a Jurassic styles environment. An experience which fits right in with the DRdb’s mission “to promote and publish knowledge and know-how about rides in the field of themed entertainment, related stakeholders and related locations”.
Starting today the DRdb uses a new definition for selecting the rides and experiences in the database:
“A dark ride or show ride only counts when riders have an indicated spot. This can be either a seat, or an indicated or implied spot on the floor to stand. Rides in which guests are allowed to roam around freely while the ride is in motion do not qualify for the Dark Ride Database.“
By revising our definition, our goal is to encompass a broader range of rides and experiences within the database. This expansion aims to assist our readers in obtaining additional information about the remarkable products offered by numerous manufacturers. As part of this expansion the first rides have been added to the database. Noticable rides are Immersium’s Sanctuary ride, Universal Studios Orlando’s Villain-Con Minion Blast and Chimelong Spaceship’s Bermuda Storm. Every stand-up ride in the database is now accessible and searchable through both the map and advanced search pages.
