Create a Park: Classic Monsters Theme Park
Today a new feature begins on Theme Park Insider: "Create a Park." This is where we'll take a concept for a theme park and submit our own ideas for what attractions, restaurants and layout the park should offer.
Today, I'm introducing a new feature on Theme Park Insider: "Create a Park." This is where we'll take a concept for a theme park and submit our own ideas for what attractions, restaurants and layout the park should offer.
We did this last year with our Designing Itchy and Scratchy Land: Let's Build the Simpsons park thread. Now, I'd like to make this a regular feature on the site. (So please e-mail me with any theme park concepts you'd like to see discussed.)
First up: An idea that popped up again on a recent Blog Flume--a Universal Classic Monsters theme park. I pitched a "Monster Drive-In" as a centerpiece for this park....
Basically, you'd sit in classic cars in a large indoor auditorium made to look like an outdoor movie theater (think Sci-Fi Drive-In at Disney-MGM). You'd be watching a clip job of classic Universal monster flicks when some of the monsters would jump of the screen and start attacking the audience. (A little Terminator influence here).That's when you find that your "cars" are actually trackless ride vehicles, guided through a computer-controlled wireless system.
The monsters then "chase" you and the other cars through a show building a various scenes as your cars race to escape the drive-in. The system can be programmed with multiple ride scenarios, a la Indiana Jones, so no rides would be the same.
Other ideas?
From Anonymous
Posted October 8, 2002 at 2:44 PM
Sorry to post anonymously but my computer has lost its settings!
By co-incidence I was recently thinking that a ride similar to SpiderMan could be well themed around the Blade movies. Lots of action and vampire monsters battling with Wesley Snipes right on the bonnet of the Daywalker truck that you are in charge of whilst wearing your daylight 3D glasses.!!!
Steve Moore
There would be Jaws and King Kong rides.
what a great idea!!
Are we assuming that this is just for the Universal Studios monsters, or is it open to ALL classic horror flicks? "A Nightmare Ride on Elm Street" would make a great thriller of a roller coaster (I envision closed compartment cars shaped like schoolbuses on duel tracks that would race to the end... the "winners" get to live and go through a few extra loops, and the "losers" go through a dark-ride depicting terrible nightmares). The "Friday The 13th Return To Crystal Lake" would be a log-ride along the lines of "Splash Mountain" where Jason himself jumps on to the front of our car at the very end as we make our final plunge in to Crystal Lake to get rid of him! The "Army of Darkness Portal of Time" (spins you around real fast), the "Night of the Living Dead Coaster" (slowest moving coaster in the world)... yeah, I could make a park out of this!
Oh, and of course... "The Texas Chainsaw Barbeque" would be the best eatery in the entire park :)
Hmm... Classic Monsters eh? Unlike the Itchy & Scratch park, how about "Blaxploitation Land." As the park-goer would walk in, the music that's being played from all of the black cinema soundtracks (e.g.: "Black Ceaser" by James Brown or "Cleo"-- from "Cleaoprta Jones", sung by Joe Simon), almost all of the rides feature a fuzzy velour-type material in shape of Cadillac or a Lincoln, but the scary monsters itself eould be the typical charatchers you'd see in those films--from the corrupt cops to the heros/heroines themselves. How Ghetto can this get!
Oh yes, the approiate location to set up a park like this? In (politically conservative) Orange County in CA.
Why waste the effort? Disney has already beaten us to the punch with DCA! It has to be one of the all-time horrors in theme park history! Obviously, the monsters have already "eaten" all of the guests. How else can they explain the small number of "survivors" in attendance?
One of the resturants could be the diner from the Blob, with things moving past the windows. There should be a make-up special effects show, a trama film ride with the water colored red.
From Anonymous
Posted October 9, 2002 at 6:54 AM
ok, anonymous for now because I don't want to forget my idea whil waiting for my password... stealing a bit from the Disney playbook of major castles and "mountains" strategically located around the park, we could do the same here with say Dracula's Castle, Frankenstein's Castle/Lab, The Mummy's Pyramid, and the opera house from Phantom of the Opera (this one could be an incredible venue for a live show!!). Each could contain a major attraction and be the central landmark for a themed land. I'm already salivating over the potential for a Halloween event in this park!!!
How about combining Spider-Man-like technology with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to create a terrifying Loch Ness Monster attraction. Nessy could peer into the vehicle and then try to destroy it (a la Jurassic Park).
There could also be a ride themed after that classic monster movie, "The Monster Squad." A dark ride very similar to The Cat in the Hat, each time the car turns there's a different monster there waiting to scare your pants off.
The "Monsters of Rap" tour could even make a stop in this great park.
The park should be divided by area. In Asia you would have your Godzilla & Mothra type rides and attractions. Africa would have the Mummy and King Kong. Europe would have Dracula, Frankenstein, Werewolf rides. US would have Friday 13th, Texas chainsaw, Night of the living dead, Elm Street, Blob rides. The living Seas would have Jaws, Creature/Black Lagoon.
Menu Items:
Mummy Wraps,Frankenfurters, Dracula Burgers(blood rare only),Blob Shakes, and Black Lagoon fish sticks. Mmmmm Mmmmm Good.
I like the continent idea. Having different lands is critical for a good theme park. A really neat idea would be a "Creature from the Black Lagoon" walk-through type attraction. You could board a boat that travels smoothly into the lagoon where the creature would board you boat, and chase you through the boat with cool scare effects along the way.
The options would be limitless, especially since humor could be a key element--Perhaps a continuous "Mystery Science Theater" with old monster movies running. The park should also have the old red/green TV 3-D glasses as souveniers.
All of the above : )
This would almost *have* to be a Busch Gardens venture. Each land would be separated by moats and bridges.
Welcome to "Scary~Land™!"
OOOOOoooooooooohhhhh!
EUROPE: "Dracula's Castle" ride thru/dark ride. "Frankenstein's Laboratory" roller coaster around the castle, lab and a chase thru the villiage and mores. "Werewolf Forest" picnic grove. "Phantom Theatre" yup, just what it implies. "Jack the Ripper" most any giant Huss spinner. "Vincent Price's Wax Museum" okay, a walk thru/souvenir shop.
AFRICA: "Cleopatra's Asp" roller coaster around a pyramid and surrounding gardens. "Mummy's Tomb" walk thru/dark ride at base of pyramid. "Ride the Wild Nile" extreme water ride. "Dr. Phibe's Wild Ride" dark ride/drive thru (Although Dr. Phibes first picture takes place in the UK, the sequel was based in Egypt). "King Kong Escapes" why throw Universal's into a scrap heap? "Anaconda" rollercoaster--remove the one from PKD; retrack it (replace PKD's with a new attraction).
"Congo Cruise" water ride. "Zulu Diner" food stuffs, mainly cannibalistic.
ASIA: "Godzilla's Pilla'" Wicked Twister clone with Godzilla shaking one of the towers or, shape the ride *as* Godzilla with one of the towers being his tale. "Monster Zero" Huss spinner. "Mothra" Dumbo clone. "Smog Monster" drive thru/dark ride. "Matango!" diner (original title for Attack of the Mushroom People!). "Fireworks!" nightly.
USA: "Night-maree-go-round" duh. Yep, "Chainsaw Massacre" barbecue. "Night of the Living Dead" walk thru/dark ride--enter a graveyard maze, then find your way thru the farm house. "Freddy's Fright!" or, "Nightmare on Elm Street--the Ride!" themed hyper-coaster. "Creature From the Splashdown Lagoon!" water ride. "Camp Jason" for the kiddies. "War of the Worlds" Spidy clone. "X-Files" drop tower shaped like a huge filing cabinet. "The Blob Diner" food stuffs. "The Amityville House" dark ride. "THEM!" Huss spinner. "Gremlins" theater. "Salem's Lot" picnic grove. "Casper--the Friendly Coaster." "Big Foot" roams around USA area, and is park's mascot (rarely seen).
HELL: "The Devil's Advocate" rollercoaster. "Fire Grill" food stuffs.
And, for when Hell freezes over: "The Thing!" Huss spinner. "The Abominable Snow Man" toboggan coaster.
OUTER SPACE: "Space Odyssey" simulator synchronized to music from the film. "Alien!" dark ride. "It Came From ..." diner. "The Black Hole" LIMS launched coaster into a dark void. "Anti-matter!" Huss spinner. "Body Snatchers!" dark ride. "The Big Bang!" ride which changes seasonally.
Thank you : )
To Derrald Mote: I don't understand your post. Is this supposed to be a big fat joke? I don't see the humor.
Actually, I know some film buffs who are big fans of the blaxploitation genre. It'd be tough to adapt one to a theme park ride without crossing a "P.C." line into offensiveness, but with the right designer, it could be done. Blacula probably would fit in a monsters park, for example.
And Orange County ain't so conservative anymore. Many of O.C.'s Republicans lit out for places like Highlands Ranch, Colo. and Park City, Utah. The southern half of O.C. is still pretty conservative, but the northern half is becoming indistinguishable from bordering Democratic-voting Latino communities in L.A. County.
From Anonymous
Posted October 9, 2002 at 6:21 PM
Nightmare on Elm Street- a Vekoma SLC
Night of the Living Dead- a bulding housing Drachen Fire & PKD Shockwave
Just a few ideas... ;)
From Anonymous
Posted October 9, 2002 at 8:32 PM
One Idea would be to have a house themed to the Myers house from Halloween. It would be a walk-through attraction with various sights, sounds and oh yeah MICHAEL MYERS!
On October 9, 2002 at 6:54 AM (MST) Anonymous posted <<...I'm already salivating over the potential for a Halloween event in this park!!!>>
Welcome, kiddies, to ScaryLand's™ NIGHT OF THE HISTORICALLY, REALISTIC HAUNTS!!!
*****WARNING!!! This is meant to be a SPOOF and will contain graphic depictions of historically significant, real life, ~classic~ "monsters" throughout ScaryLand's™ theme park settings.–If you are easily offended, skip this posting.*****
Note: Not all attractions will be in operation. Africa will become the Middle East. Hell and Outer Space lands will be closed. Disney Characters will greet guests upon arrival to the park. Many Mickeys will abound (like dime store Santas). All food stands will serve Dippin Dots™ Ice Cream products. [LINKIN PARK] will be played at top volume throughout the evening for your enjoyment. The following attractions will be refitted for our special ONE NIGHT ONLY event!! October 31st 2002!
EUROPE: "Hitler's European Invasion!" Europe has been invaded by Hitler!! The land will be split in two by a wall that will separate the East from the West. Join the fun in East Germany's "Nazi War Camp" dark ride–lockers and showers available. Don't miss "King Henry VIII & Bloody Mary (Queen of Scotts)" as they team up for a rollicking good stage show–you will laugh your head off! BGW's Drachen Fire will be reassembled to duplicate "The Lock Ness Monster" only this time it will move upside down and backwards!! "Titanic" dark ride will be similar to Disney's ‘It's a Small World' as Celine Dion's ‘My Heart Will Go On' will play on and on until guests' ears bleed, however, there will not be enough boats to accommodate all. Don't miss "LUCRICIA!" a spellbinding stage show–FREE refreshments! "The Marquis de Sadee Party" promises to leave guests in stitches!
MID EAST/ASIA: Huss spinners "Chernobyl" and "China Syndrome" are a blast!! Also check out the "Osama-Bini-Rama!" You'll not soon forget "Attila the Fun, Fun, Fun!! Riverdance of Death" stage production. Also, be sure to tour "Saddam's Stock Piles."
USA: "The Simpsons" characters will be on site–we're not talking about the cute, TV cartoon family either. "Sniper!" A real live sniper will pick off random guests every ½ hour. Visit "Jim Jones' Lemonade Stand" 5¢ per cup--fresh squeezed and ready for sippin'. "Mommie Dearest Fear Fest"–a whole truck load of wire hangers!! "World War!!" dark ride takes travelers on a trip from the ‘Great American Revolution', to Pearl Harbor, to Hiroshima/Nagasaki, to a possible WWIII confrontation with Iraq. "Serial Killer Diner"–you may be what you are eating! "Manson Mansion" bloody Hollywood fun. "Rodney King Fling" is a Huss spinner with a few screws loose–it's a riot! Of course we'll feature the infamous "9/11 Drop Tower!" And finally "Dem Slavery Days!" Guests will be loaded onto crafts which will carry them to lands *not* of their choosing and forced to work as CMs as needed–a whites only attraction.
New at ScaryLand™ Park next season:
TheFLY roller coaster.
Children of the Corn Maize.
Cat People Creep Show.
The Invisible Ride.
The Incredible Shrinking Ride.
I Was a Teenage Park Guest, Photo Op.
And, for Halloween's Realistic Haunts night: The Anita Bryant Witch Hunt.
From Ben Mills
Posted October 14, 2002 at 2:14 PM
I know Monsters Inc. isn't really a 'classic' film, but if anyone is sad enough to have seen it, you'll know that the scene near the end where they are hanging onto all the doors flying around on tracks through a huge building. Trust me, it's just dying for Disney to pick it up and make it into a coaster.
Sorry Mr. "tonydrocks"
I got your eMail with a request for reply ... to "User Unknown."
I did not 'steal' the idea for Dracula's Castle ... I only combined it, along with several other rides, to create a much larger amusement park.
-peace
From Anonymous
Posted November 26, 2002 at 9:42 PM
I think that a really good idea would be to have a neighborhood of homes for sale. These houses would be the ones from movies like "Poltergeist", and the "Addams Family". Mabey even the house from "The Exorcist". These are only a few of the many houses that could be in it. Some of these could just be guided tours by a realator, but strange things would happen on the tour. Some of them could be ride through, like the Addams family could even be a boat ride. It could take you through the house where you would be attaked by the various members of the family and then you could drop down into the vault (this could be accopmlished with a roller coaster type drop, much the one in the Atlantis ride in Sea World.) The climax of the ride would be when the whole family would be above you getting ready to drop a potion on you ( a littel bit of water could drop on you )but in the nick of time you drop out of the house, like the drop out of splash mounatain.
Some other houses that could be put in this neighborhood are "the Myers house", "The Psycho House" and The house from " Night of the Living Dead". Mabey these could all be put into one ride, much like the "Backlot Tour" at Disney. world
Awesome idea,
Anonymous!!!
"ELM STREET" could be one themed area to the Classic Monsters Park. And all the houses you featured would be different rides. Add to the list these twisted homes:
Leatherface's House from Chainsaw Massacre
House on Haunted Hill
Hell House
Carrie's House and High School
Camp Crystal Lake could be located at the end of Elm Street, with a roller coaster sluicing through cabins; each depicting different views of horror while Jason chases you; ending with an "escape" into the lake.
From Ben Mills
Posted November 27, 2002 at 1:14 PM
How about a ride through a certain Disney CEO's house? We are on the subject of monsters, after all.
From Kevin C.
Posted November 27, 2002 at 7:25 PM
I like that idea.
What about a ride based on teh movie "Alien".
You could be on the Alien Ship, and the ride would end with the "Ship self-Destruct" sequence from the movie.
How about an actual challenge here, guys? I have had a Classic Monsters land written up here for a while. BUT it is ALL about the Universal Classic Monsters, since that is where the land will be pitched. An entire park filled with monsters is easy, but one themed land with so many geographically-strewn monsters wasn't so simple!
On Location Hotels:
The Bates Motel -- from Psycho, shower anyone?
The Overlook -- from The Shining, complete with topiary.
Camp Crystal Lake -- Friday 13th
And, I'm not sure if anyone covered 'The Predator' as a monster on this thread.
From Anonymous
Posted December 11, 2002 at 8:15 PM
This is the same person who had the idea for the neiborhood, my computer is measing up and want let me log in. I think a good idea would be to have a ghost busters ride, much like the spider man ride at universal, but woy would have the special ray guns that would let you catch the ghost, this could be alot like MIB, with different endings deppinding how you do.
Considering America's fascination with blood, guts and gore...why are there so few true haunted houses in theme parks? So many great ideas have been presented here and I think a park with Freddy, Michael and Jason as the hosts would be smashing success!
The lack of Haunted Houses came with the advent of America's passion for lawsuits:
First ... Walk through fun houses were virtually all demolished due to the fact a guest may fall and could get hurt roaming around in total blackness. Oftentimes, nails would protrude from weakened structures due to bad maintenance as well as slippery, rain soaked floors caused by bad leveling of said structures.
Second ... Nearly *all* of the fun has been taken out of drive-thru fun houses with the advent of "EXIT" signs posted every twenty feet or so (a ruling MOST states have for 'darkened' structures).
Third ... Other than Disney and Universal, no-one designs great dark-ride entertainment these days. I *like* some of Sally's ideas, but they seem more for children and are not very scary or exciting.
I'm still waiting for the day when park executives give the go-ahead for designers (like myself) who incorporate coasters with dark ride scenarios.
From Anonymous
Posted January 3, 2003 at 2:04 PM
Why not create a specific area dedicated to Michael Myers? The " Myers House" could be a walk-through style haunted house filled with booby-traps, blood and gore and also Michael Myers himself! There could also be a walk-through maze type of attraction where the object would be to escape Michael Myers
From Anonymous
Posted January 13, 2003 at 1:52 PM
these are all great ideas i think each and everyone is exellent i think if it would be real there should be a ride with MUMMYS!!!!!!!!!! called the mummys tomb where u ride in coffin shaped carts with shoulder restraints and where u have this fairly big drop going to a pyramid with vertical loops banked curves and the accsessories like corkscrews in line twists , that would e a top coaster what in would probably be a top park
.
From Anonymous
Posted January 16, 2003 at 6:20 PM
All this sounds fine and good except one thing... WHERE IS THE PREDATOR!!!
I have an idea. Using magnets to create the illusion of floatation. You ride through an abandoned spacestation and get attacked several times by a Drone Alien. Finally, the Predator appears and kills the Alien. The predator then turns on you and shoots a spear at you. He hits a control panel that blows the station and the Predator to smithereens. You however break through the atmosphere and safely land in a military base. ALIENS VS. PREDATOR: The Ride would be the name.
From Anonymous
Posted February 21, 2003 at 7:56 PM
A thought just occured to me. The other day I was watching CREEPSHOW and thought, this would make a great 3-D show! Your host for the show is of course the Creepshow Creep, and during the show, guests travel into a CREEPSHOW comic book, meet the "Father's Day" zombie, watch as the theater and an innocent farmer turn into plants, survive an explosion set by the farmer, almost get buried alive, escape the Crated Creature, get overwhelmed by an army of cockroaches, and meet a giant CREEPSHOW creep who tries to hold you in his comic book world forever. This would make an awesome show.
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