General info
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Park
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Category
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TypeMadhouse
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StatusOperating
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Opened
Description
The Haunting is a Madhouse themed to a haunted chapel. It opened the same year as Villa Volta, the first Madhouse manufactured by Vekoma, in 1996.
Guests approach a spooky vicarage and are briefed by Doctor X, the head of the fictional IMR (Institute of Metaphysical Research), over a mission to rescue agents who previously entered the vicarage to investigate paranormal activity. Upon entering the vicarage, guests are greeted by evil spirits, before experiencing the madhouse finale.
History
When the ride opened in 1996, it had a different premise and show with a sinister tone. The antagonist was originally the sinister yet jovial reverend Nicholas Fields, who plans to open a portal to the "black universe" so that his master can crossover. Several seasons after opening, the madhouse was altered with a new centrepiece of a tomb. In 2005, the character was replaced with a vampire with similar intentions.
In 2015 the ride underwent a revamp which saw it become more family friendly. The Dr X character and preshow video was replaced by Dr Ghostman with a comical tone. The vampire later in the attraction was replaced with a vengeful spirit who wants to be at peace and the effect of the suspended bodies of previous paranormal investigators disused. Following negative feedback, a more demonic "lady of the house" character was introduced in 2019, along with a new soundtrack using music from Midnight Syndicate and reinstating the suspended bodies, though Dr Ghostman remained.
From Halloween 2023 onwards, the preshow video and several of the audio tracks were reverted to the original 1996 versions, removing Dr Ghostman.
The Haunting was produced by Space Leisure, as with Verlies des Grauens (Belantis). These rides share similarities in the scenery of the main show, such as the grinning faces in the columns.
Statistics
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Seats (per vehicle/theatre)40 seats
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Ride duration15 minutes