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A BGT Dark Ride?

It would be expensive, but it would be relevant and beneficial if they had a full coaster with dark ride elements, you know, what Cobra should of been.
I'd say water ride but it may be too similar to Journey to Atlantis, which might be a good thing?
 
Original Atlantis, DarKastle, and Corkscrew Hill were some of the best story-based park experiences I’ve ever had - partially BECAUSE they were complete surprises and non-IP. I’m so upset that they slowly degraded. Even coasters like Big Bad Wolf had some really nice theming, and it’s too bad that there are less and less of these touches in the park now. I really wish I had a chance to go on Rhino Rally.

I fondly remember the castle show/walkthrough in the Ireland area of BGW, and the leprechaun that was operated similar to Donkey at Universal. Ireland was truly one of my favorite theme park lands before they slowly ripped those things out.

I think the worst part is that I know they have a team that has created high-quality and immersive story attractions - and yet they feel the need to kill them over the years for some reason? I don’t get that.
 
Original Atlantis, DarKastle, and Corkscrew Hill were some of the best story-based park experiences I’ve ever had - partially BECAUSE they were complete surprises and non-IP. I’m so upset that they slowly degraded. Even coasters like Big Bad Wolf had some really nice theming, and it’s too bad that there are less and less of these touches in the park now. I really wish I had a chance to go on Rhino Rally.

I fondly remember the castle show/walkthrough in the Ireland area of BGW, and the leprechaun that was operated similar to Donkey at Universal. Ireland was truly one of my favorite theme park lands before they slowly ripped those things out.

I think the worst part is that I know they have a team that has created high-quality and immersive story attractions - and yet they feel the need to kill them over the years for some reason? I don’t get that.

Budget. All those rides may still be alive today if Anheuser Busch still owned them.
 
Original Atlantis, DarKastle, and Corkscrew Hill were some of the best story-based park experiences I’ve ever had - partially BECAUSE they were complete surprises and non-IP. I’m so upset that they slowly degraded. Even coasters like Big Bad Wolf had some really nice theming, and it’s too bad that there are less and less of these touches in the park now. I really wish I had a chance to go on Rhino Rally.

I fondly remember the castle show/walkthrough in the Ireland area of BGW, and the leprechaun that was operated similar to Donkey at Universal. Ireland was truly one of my favorite theme park lands before they slowly ripped those things out.

I think the worst part is that I know they have a team that has created high-quality and immersive story attractions - and yet they feel the need to kill them over the years for some reason? I don’t get that.
Atlantis when it first opened was one of the best dark rides in Orlando

I said what I said
 
Original Atlantis, DarKastle, and Corkscrew Hill were some of the best story-based park experiences I’ve ever had - partially BECAUSE they were complete surprises and non-IP. I’m so upset that they slowly degraded. Even coasters like Big Bad Wolf had some really nice theming, and it’s too bad that there are less and less of these touches in the park now. I really wish I had a chance to go on Rhino Rally.

I fondly remember the castle show/walkthrough in the Ireland area of BGW, and the leprechaun that was operated similar to Donkey at Universal. Ireland was truly one of my favorite theme park lands before they slowly ripped those things out.

I think the worst part is that I know they have a team that has created high-quality and immersive story attractions - and yet they feel the need to kill them over the years for some reason? I don’t get that.
Two of those three were CGI-based and did not age well. Nostalgia and memory has a way of glossing over the details as the years pile up, but if you watch a video of them on YouTube you can see what I mean.

Agreed on Atlantis though - I can see why they wanted to dial back the fright factor a little bit, but going all the way to sunshine and lollipops was a bad idea.

Atlantis when it first opened was one of the best dark rides in Orlando

I said what I said
That’s not a hot take - the bar was obviously lower in 1998 than it is now but it was very well done for what they had to work with.
 
Atlantis when it first opened was one of the best dark rides in Orlando

Absolutely! I remember coming down in November of 1999, we did Islands (which blew me away), and then went to SeaWorld and I LOVED Atlantis almost as much as anything in Islands (with the exception of the back lift with the view of I-Drive). I remember thinking one of my favorite gags on Dudley ("Scenic Overlook"--"Overlooked Scenery") was very apropos for Atlantis. I wasn't even that upset when my boyfriend of the time lost my favorite hat on the ride. I think I may still have the onride photo of it lifting off his head as we went down the big drop.

The problem was AB would spend a ton of money on really elaborately themed stuff like that, then not maintain it as well as they should and not see the immediate payback for doing it. The changes in ownership unfortunately doomed that type of investment for the time being. Maybe new ownership in the future will reverse that trend...
 
For as many issues as I have with the over-reliance of animals at the Busch parks (they’re zoos with rides, and I have serious issues with zoos), I have a bigger issue with the fact that Busch Gardens and SeaWorld both could create dark rides and narrative attractions that are fun, exciting, and educational.

For SeaWorld:

Sesame Street: Goes to the Beach - A slow moving dark ride where the Sesame Street gang goes to the beach and learns about protecting beaches, tide pools, and coral reefs

The Trench - Dark ride/coaster hybrid where you’re part of an expedition into the Mariana Trench

Operation: Ocean Rescue - Scoop-style RV dark ride where you respond to animals caught in nets, a gyre, an oil spill, and coral bleaching.

For Busch -

Operation: Serengeti Protection - Scoop-style RV dark-ride where you assist crews in stopping a gang of poachers across the African erengeti.

Sesame Street: Takes a Hike - Slow moving dark ride with the Sesame Street gang to learn about forest protection and conservation.

Stanley’s Myths and Monsters - A slow- moving dark ride that explores various mythological creatures and the real animals that inspired them.

Like, I get that narrative attractions like this are way more expensive and take longer to develop. But for all the broader corporation’s focus on conservation efforts, it’s always bugged me that their presentation is always so sanitized. They could do fascinating, challenging attractions if they wanted.
 
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For as many issues as I have with the over-reliance of animals at the Busch parks (they’re zoos with rides, and I serious issues with zoos)

:rolleyes:

Completely agreed otherwise. Lots of Sesame Street opportunities, which is what they're better off embracing anyways (ESPECIALLY SW).
 
For as many issues as I have with the over-reliance of animals at the Busch parks (they’re zoos with rides, and I serious issues with zoos), I have a bigger issue with the fact that Busch Gardens and SeaWorld both could create dark rides and narrative attractions that are fun, exciting, and educational.

For SeaWorld:

Sesame Street: Goes to the Beach - A slow moving dark ride where the Sesame Street gang goes to the beach and learns about protecting beaches, tide pools, and coral reefs

The Trench - Dark ride/coaster hybrid where you’re part of an expedition into the Mariana Trench

Operation: Ocean Rescue - Scoop-style RV dark ride where you respond to animals caught in nets, a gyre, an oil spill, and coral bleaching.

For Busch -

Operation: Serengeti Protection - Scoop-style RV dark-ride where you assist crews in stopping a gang of poachers across the African Serengeti.

Sesame Street: Takes a Hike - Slow moving dark ride with the Sesame Street gang to learn about forest protection and conservation.

Stanley’s Myths and Monsters - A slow- moving dark ride that explores various mythological creatures and the real animals that inspired them.

Like, I get that narrative attractions like this are way more expensive and take longer to develop. But for all the broader corporation’s focus on conservation efforts, it’s always bugged me that their presentation is always so sanitized. They could do fascinating, challenging attractions if they wanted.
Back in the day SeaWorld and Busch used to have a fun educational edge to them.

Then it all stopped
 
Yeah I know. I'm just sick of people bashing well-accredited zoos.

Roadside zoos though, can get bent.
Wasn’t bashing. Nor was I differentiating. I said I have an issue with zoos. I mean, I have an issue with (all) zoos.

EDIT - Honestly, the more the Busch parks lean into their status a regional “theme” parks, and recognize that—unlike Six Flags—they actually have unifying themes, IPs, and experience they can leverage, they less they need animals.
 
Wasn’t bashing. Nor was I differentiating. I said I have an issue with zoos. I mean, I have an issue with (all) zoos.

EDIT - Honestly, the more the Busch parks lean into their status a regional “theme” parks, and recognize that—unlike Six Flags—they actually have unifying themes, IPs, and experience they can leverage, they less they need animals.

Well, I'm not going to devolve this thread into a politics debate, but I completely agree that it is smarter for them to embrace that status.
 
Wasn’t bashing. Nor was I differentiating. I said I have an issue with zoos. I mean, I have an issue with (all) zoos.

EDIT - Honestly, the more the Busch parks lean into their status a regional “theme” parks, and recognize that—unlike Six Flags—they actually have unifying themes, IPs, and experience they can leverage, they less they need animals.
Per the rumor mill Busch and SeaWorld are interested in positioning themselves to offload the animals
 
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