What's new

Best ride theming?

JoshJ753

Roller Poster
What is the best theming on a ride you've ever seen? In my opinion, Black Mambas theming is absolutely stunning.
 

ThomVD

Giga Poster
-Vliegende Hollander (Efteling)
-Wodan (Europa Park)
-Black Mamba (Phantasialand)
-Talocan (Phantasialand)
-Mystery Castle (Phantasialand)
-Chiapas (Phantasialand)

Any Phantasialand ride pretty much.
 

elephant58

Hyper Poster
Nemesis, Oblivion, Thirteen and the Smiler are good from what I've seen.

I've also heard quite a few times that Saw's is very good.
 

owentaylor121

Giga Poster
^Nothing in the UK even comes close to the level of theming Disney, universal or Europa ect.
The best themed ride I've seen has to be the cars land ride in California adventure.
 

rtotheizzo17

Hyper Poster
Tower of Terror
Radiator Springs Racers
Jurrasic Park River Adventure
Manta (Orlando)

Are a few of my favroite ride and queue theming.
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
owenrita121 said:
^Nothing in the UK even comes close to the level of theming Disney, universal or Europa ect.
Although not in the same category as Disney attractions, I think that Valhalla at Pleasure Beach Blackpool is right up there with the best. Nemesis at Alton Towers isn't bad either.
 

owentaylor121

Giga Poster
^Nemesis really doesn't have much theming, It has amazing landscaping, but the only piece of theming for Nemesis is the station and the truck, I don't class landscaping as theming but maybe that's a personal thing.
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
^I completely disagree because the landscaping is a major part of Nemesis' theme. The same goes for a lot of other attractions. For example, can you imagine an African themed boat ride without jungle landscaping?
 

Edward M

Strata Poster
Most Universal and Disney rides have amazing theming, but Tower of Terror has always had my favorite theming. From the queue to the exit, everything on it is amazing. However, I think Journey to the Center of the Earth looks to be the best from just videos and pictures.
 

marc

CF Legend
Indoor ride is Tower of Terror, any of them. Also Mystic Manor at HK Disney.

Out side ride I'm going with any of the Disney Mine Train coasters. This does not mean they are great rides but the theming turns them from average to good.
 

cjbrandy

Hyper Poster
The best theming in the world appears to be on that Cars version of test track at Disney California. The animatronics are second to none. The detailed rock work which cleverly uses forced perspective makes it even more immersive.
 

Kebab

Giga Poster
Crystal Wings.

happyvalley_34_149.jpg
 

SaiyanHajime

CF Legend
I think Cars, by the looks of it. Not that I've been. Or Everest? Everest is my vote of what I've ridden.

Almost all examples have areas in which they lack in some way - like, whilst Black Mamba is extraordinary for a coaster of its kind, it lacks narrative or anything that ties ride vehicle to the theme. I don't personally mind that - I think coasters and rides in general are strong enough popular culture objects to exist abstractly, but when discussing the best standard of theming overall, it matters. Something like Everest is intensely themed from entering the queue to leaving the gift shop and beyond, and the hardware is part of the story being told. The theme doesn't exist to decorate and enhance the coaster, the theme is the attraction.

Nemesis, IMO, is an example of desperately trying to attach a thematic narrative to hardware when there is simply no need and it becomes somewhat of a joke. Luckily its not explicitly explained to guests and just exists for enthusiasts to be impressed by...

I hate that "Nemesis isn't themed its well landscaped" thing.
 

Serena

Miss CoasterForce 2016
Staff member
Social Media Team
Nemesis was the first properly themed coaster I ever saw, and I still remember that feeling to this day. Seeing the mess of track, the alien, the rivers of "blood" for the first time and just being completely mesmerized by it.

While I don't think Nemesis can hold a candle anymore against the themeing efforts of Universal, Disney, Efteling and Phantasialand rides; I still think it has a magic all it's own and was a brilliantly executed concept.

What lets Nemesis' theme down now, is that the Forbidden Valley area doesn't look half as consistent as it did in the 90's. It's hard to conjure a dark, mysterious atmosphere when you have boring blue Air trundling around in the background.

I would say Revenge of The Mummy is the best themed coaster though - amazing set pieces, great animatronics, loads of fire. The fake station bit <3

I was so captivated by the themeing on Vliegende Hollander at Efteling, that I nearly put it in my top 10 coasters - despite the actual coaster bit being rubbish.

I also agree with ECG, Valhalla at Blackpool is good - especially for a UK ride.
 

nadroJ

CF Legend
Tower of Terror in Orlando for me. I love it, it's such a journey. The theme begins even when you're outside the park, it just stands there looming over you, daring you to ride. The way it towers ominously at the end of Sunset Boulevard. I know it's not, but I feel even the streets and the shops all add to the pure authenticity of the attraction.

Now add into that the fact that once you enter the gates to the grounds of the Hollywood Tower Hotel you are completely swallowed into the Twilight Zone World. The trees physically cut you off from the 'real world' (however real a world inside a theme park can be anyway), the eerie old ballroom music cuts you off from the real world phonetically and the old tired appearance of the grounds, complete with signs to the swimming pool and tennis courts that you feel you could truly find if you were to venture past the confines of the queue line chains. Even with no queue you walk through this section briefly and it totally sets the scene.

Then we enter the beast itself and everything is so precise, so deliberate, and yet it feels as if it were all left accidentally. The strange happenings within the tower occurred within an instant leaving the lobby a frozen picture in time that we again wander through and soak in and we mentally prepare ourselves for the terror that lies within.

And then the library, so many storytelling artefacts stuffed into one dusty room and then with a flash of lightning we are transported, live into an episode of the Twilight Zone. The live, voice-led storytelling continues until the very last moment of the ride's finale, recommencing once the trauma is over. From here the journey continues all the way through to the gift shop where clues and hints of the characters of the story we have just lived are scattered all around the place.

All of this alongside an amazing ride and some super creepy bellboys makes this the best themed attraction anywhere for me. With Everest I think you get the gist of what is happening but in ToT it is undeniable, and that is extremely impressive.
 

marc

CF Legend
Cannot really add more than what Jordan has tbh.

It's just the best thing out there for a total theme and ride experience.

It's the most complete ride/theme ever created.
 
Top