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Best darkride coasters

Ireeb

Ireeb

Mega Poster
Pink Cadillac said:
To me a 'dark ride coaster' in an attraction that can exists as both ride types - it would be in the overlapping part of a venn diagram. The same with how Poseidon at Europa park is both a water ride and a roller coaster. I wouldn't say a roller coaster in the dark met this requirement. Revenge Of the Mummy is the best one I've experienced.
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If a coaster in the dark without any theming or effects doesn't count as darkride coaster, what is it then?
To me it would still be a darkride, but a really ****ty darkride.
 
ATTACKHAMMER

ATTACKHAMMER

Strata Poster
ROTM, Darkmare, Flying Dutchman.

Space Mountain is my favourite. It is a ride that has mesmerised me ever since I first rode it aged ten. I love the aesthetics of the building and way as soon as you enter you are transported into the narrative. The queue line and music are both spectacular! The coaster itself never fails to put and smile on my face! I love the sound effects and the crazy out of control feeling!
 
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Ireeb

Ireeb

Mega Poster
ATTACKHAMMER said:
Sticking with coasters that meet my personal definition of a dark ride coaster (coasters inside that are themed)

ROTM, Darkmare, Flying Dutchman.

Space Mountain is my favourite. It is a ride that has mesmerised me ever since I first rode it aged ten. I love the aesthetics of the building and way as soon as you enter you are transported into the narrative. The queue line and music are both spectacular! The coaster itself never fails to put and smile on my face! I love the sound effects and the crazy out of control feeling!
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The out of control feeling and soundtrack is also what I treasure on enclosed/darkride roller coasters.
And could we start to mention which of the 4 Space Mountains we are talking about? :D
 
Howie

Howie

Donkey in a hat
Ireeb said:
Since so many like ROTM, what makes it special? What's the reason why it's your top darkride coaster? And maybe in general, what makes a good/perfect darkride coaster for you? (Question to everyone ;))
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FIRE! Lots and lots of fire. Can't have too many fire effects, right?
Big fan of ROTM, the Orlando version is still firmly in my top 10 and I haven't been there since 2007. (The Hollywood version doesn't have any FIRE! effects and is therefore not as good).
But as well as all the FIRE!, Mummy has a story, a journey if you like, a soundtrack, a sprinkling of humour, a whole host of other impressive special effects (animatronics, projections, smoke screens etc..) and one of Universal's classic just-when-you-think-it's-all-over moments.
And did I mention the FIRE!?
And the entire thing is enclosed, so it most definitely counts as a dark ride coaster.
 
gavin

gavin

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
A few off the top of my head:

Revenge of the Mummy (Singapore being the best) - fab theming and a decent coaster to boot.

Space Mountain (Hong Kong/Cali and Florida) - old school, but fab.

Comet Express - really long and really weird.

Deep Space - a very good coaster regardless, but the theming/darkness elevates it.
 
Serena

Serena

Miss CoasterForce 2016
Staff member
Social Media Team
I'd say a dark ride coaster only has to be indoors 50% of the time. The most important aspect is for the coaster to be themed to the hilt and tell a story. So under that premise, rides like The Flying Dutchman and Fluch Von Novgorod count to me, but coasters with merely a pre-show like Saw and Express: Platform 13 do not.

Fluch Von Novgorod is the best Dark Ride Coaster in my opinion. It's so dark and theatrical, and (unlike most dark ride coasters) the coaster itself is really thrilling.

It's a bit of a tricky one to define all in all, because while the Gringotts coaster is completely enclosed, it feels far less like a coaster than Novgorod, for example.

Revenge of the Mummy is an excellent blend of themeing and coaster. It's one of those rides where the showy aspect really elevates the experience to something extraordinary.
 
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Ireeb

Ireeb

Mega Poster
Serena said:
I'd say a dark ride coaster only has to be indoors 50% of the time. The most important aspect is for the coaster to be themed to the hilt and tell a story. So under that premise, rides like The Flying Dutchman and Fluch Von Novgorod count to me, but coasters with merely a pre-show like Saw and Express: Platform 13 do not.

Fluch Von Novgorod is the best Dark Ride Coaster in my opinion. It's so dark and theatrical, and (unlike most dark ride coasters) the coaster itself is really thrilling.

It's a bit of a tricky one to define all in all, because while the Gringotts coaster is completely enclosed, it feels far less like a coaster than Novgorod, for example.

Revenge of the Mummy is an excellent blend of themeing and coaster. It's one of those rides where the showy aspect really elevates the experience to something extraordinary.
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When creating this post, I was thinking of fully enclosed coasters. I think Lofty's definition is the most accurate. So the ones you mentioned are coasters with darkride elements, but no real darkride/enclosed roller coasters.
 
J

Jamesss

Hyper Poster
Surprised by the love for ROTM. Thought it was a bit meh personally.

I feel like the world of theme parks lacks a really world class dark ride coaster. I would say Paris' original Space Mountain was probably the best, but then they ruined it and it got rough.
 
davidm

davidm

Strata Poster
ha ha such debate...

Is a "dark ride coaster"...
a DARK RIDE coaster - i.e. a coaster thats more like a dark ride (slow, lots of scenery that you are meant to look at rather than the "ride")?
or a dark ride COASTER - a coaster that just has a few dark ride elements (proper coaster ride (inside or outdoors), with few a scenes)?
or is it a DARK (ride) coaster - a coaster thats just mostly in the dark (cred-in-a-shed)?

Everyones interpreted it how they felt like it - no one is right or wrong of course. :)

I like Space Fantasy the best I think - thats all indoors, has a bit of a ride going on and plenty of scenery - its not very dark though, even with the space theme.
 
Benenen

Benenen

Hyper Poster
My fave is Flying Dutchman at Efteling. Yeah the coaster itself isn't amazing but the section at the start with the lamp and the fog is so atmospheric. You really feel like you go on a journey despite the ride not taking up much space. The soundtrack is gorgeous too, probably the theme park music I play most frequently at home. One note and I'm right back in the station!
 
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