[HavenHamilton]

Very interesting article in the LA Times. Here are the most intriguing bits:

Cedar Fair president and CEO Matt Ouimet plans to eventually expand the Amusement Dark concept to all 11 park locations in the chain.

"I think ultimately you'll see them at every Cedar Fair park," said Ouimet, a former Disney executive who served a stint as Disneyland president.

"We're not going to do a bunch of rides at once and put them at every park," said Ouimet, who envisions one day having a library of stories that might move around from park to park.

With no Amusement Dark projects currently in the pipeline, it’s unlikely we'll see any new dark rides added at any Cedar Fair parks in 2016 — but that hasn’t stopped Ouimet from planning for 2017 and beyond.

"We have blank spaces and empty boxes at every park," Ouimet said.

Action Theater, anyone?

Read the rest:
"Cedar Fair plans dark rides for all its amusement parks"

[Merthecat]

Ah, yes, I saw that...I was wondering when someone would post it here...

[Edwardo]

Action Theater would be my bet. Whenever they want to revamp the Country Fair section, that would be a great way to do it. They could have it Carolina or even Fair themed. With the Arcade and Theater areas being gutted, they'd have enough room to put in an Amusement Dark product. I just hope that they decide to do some work to Boo Blasters before too long as well. Effects and guns aren't working.

I can see GA, KD and KI getting this in the Action theaters. The big rumor is that CP's will go in the arcade under the ballroom. I hope they come sooner rather than later.

[RollerBee]

Saying it is official is jumping the gun, I am still waiting on the water ride Matt said would be getting.

[HavenHamilton]

He says they're coming to all the CF parks. And he's pretty dang specific about where they will be going (empty boxes) and what they will be about (mythical stories from beneath the parks).

It's really only a matter of when Carowinds lands on the timetable.

[uscbandfan]

Dark ride rumors have been running around for years.

25 years ago I had a friend that worked at Carowinds and he said they were exploring the idea of totally enclosing the Goldrusher.in almost total darkness. I, for one, would LOVE that.

Of course, that was before they changed the restraints and made it IMPOSSIBLE to get a train boarded before the previous train gets back. Really, seat belts and lap-bars worthy of Thunder Road on Goldrusher? I rode this between my parents when I was a tike and there were no seatbelts and the restraints had room and didn't feel like they were stapling you in.

I remember when they could board a train fast enough to run 3 mine trains around and the line would really fly. But, I digress on this off-topic soap-box moment.

[coasterbruh]

He says they're coming to all the CF parks. And he's pretty dang specific about where they will be going (empty boxes) and what they will be about (mythical stories from beneath the parks).

It's really only a matter of when Carowinds lands on the timetable.

You took the "blank spaces and empty boxes" too literal...

[HavenHamilton]

I'm sure it could go any number of places at Carowinds. We have plenty of room. Action Theater, Dinosaurs Alive, Paladium, maybe even Whitewater Falls. I just sort of interpolated his quotes with the (seemingly) most obvious option.

[RollerBee]

Paramount planned flying coasters at all five parks, they only brought one.

Goldrusher had different lapbars?

[uscbandfan]

Paramount planned flying coasters at all five parks, they only brought one.

Goldrusher had different lapbars?

They didn't even touch your lap really. Just closed enough so that you couldn't get out between then and the door. Getting in and out too NO TIME at all.

[CarowindsFan]

Paramount planned flying coasters at all five parks, they only brought one.

Goldrusher had different lapbars?

Yep, I too remember in the late 70's riding in the same seat between my parents. Now 2 adults are a very tight fit. Back then there was almost no restraint if I remember correctly. Just an upper metal bar that did not come down and touch you much like what Thunder Road used to have. They would run 3 trains (each a different color).

[uscbandfan]

Paramount planned flying coasters at all five parks, they only brought one.

Goldrusher had different lapbars?

Yep, I too remember in the late 70's riding in the same seat between my parents. Now 2 adults are a very tight fit. Back then there was almost no restraint if I remember correctly. Just an upper metal bar that did not come down and touch you much like what Thunder Road used to have. They would run 3 trains (each a different color).

And had a 4th in reserve, Red, Blue, Yellow and Green. I think I rode on all of them. LOL I REALLY think they should reconsider the amount of restraint on there. There is such a thing as overkill.

[Littlegiles]

I agree that there can be too much restraint. I would think that it would be safer for your body and head to move together as needed. I recently rode Hurler and I doubt I'll ride it again. It was horribly confining and when I got off the ride my neck was really hurting. Is it really that much rougher a ride than other coasters? I think instead of your body moving as one, your head snaps around on top of you like a bobble head.

I remember the old "lap bars" on Rebel Yell at KD. The fun of the coaster was moving around in your seat. Now on there and Thunder Road you can't move. Two adults is uncomfortable.

Oh sorry...back on track now that I have removed those darn kids from my yard...

I spent some time looking at the dark rides at Efteling and WOW! The Dutchman is really impressive and looks like the new Baron is really going to be fun. I know we won't get anything like that, but a guy can dream. I love all that detail work.

[Ty-Rant_13]

Paramount planned flying coasters at all five parks, they only brought one.

Two: Stealth at CGA (now Nighthawk at Carowinds) and Tomb Raider (now Time Warp) at Canada's Wonderland.

Looking forward to seeing the stories of each of these dark rides! Really, any park could be next. KD in/around Volcano (great theming potential), KI in The Crypt building, Cedar Point on part of the newly cleared land or in the arcade/ballroom building, CGA and Carowinds in the Action Theatres.

Hopefully each park will get tech upgrades over time. Hearing about the brighter, 1080p projectors at Knott's is what makes it hard to be the testing ground for Cedar Fair.

[Capler]

Paramount planned flying coasters at all five parks, they only brought one.

Two: Stealth at CGA (now Nighthawk at Carowinds) and Tomb Raider (now Time Warp) at Canada's Wonderland.

Looking forward to seeing the stories of each of these dark rides! Really, any park could be next. KD in/around Volcano (great theming potential), KI in The Crypt building, Cedar Point on part of the newly cleared land or in the arcade/ballroom building, CGA and Carowinds in the Action Theatres.

Hopefully each park will get tech upgrades over time. Hearing about the brighter, 1080p projectors at Knott's is what makes it hard to be the testing ground for Cedar Fair.

Why did the Crypt close? Was the Giant Top Spin too expensive to maintain, or was it just not popular any more. I love Top Spins and wish Carowinds had one. Can we get the old one from KI and refurbish it?