The Historic Dark Ride: Reimagined for Virtual Experience

The outcome of this research project is the creation of a contemporary ‘dark ride’. Dark rides are a type of amusement park entertainment that originated in the early 20th century and are still built today; including the ever popular Ghost Train and Haunted Mansion rides. Although the dark ride is a well-known aspect of popular culture, study of its history and impact on other media has been limited. This research examines what the characteristics of the early dark ride are and what influence it can provide for the creation of new entertainment experiences.