Best themed attraction in a non Disney/Universal park?

[ChrisFL]

Figured I'd get some interesting responses for this one.

What attraction do you think has the best theming overall and doesn't belong to the big dogs?

 

[Mad Dog]

Dark Kastle at BGW is pretty decent. The front facade looks real similar to Hogwart's, though a bit smaller. And the entire queue & ride are themed to Universal/Disney standards.

 

[MrRoamer]

Have to go with Dollywood

 

[Cole]

As much as you all are gonna give me crap for this, Antarctica is Disney level THEME not content wise

 

[Teebin]

As much as you all are gonna give me crap for this, Antarctica is Disney level THEME not content wise

Your statement here is too short and unclear. Can you elaborate a bit on what it is you are trying to say?

 

[Cole]

Your statement here is too short and unclear. Can you elaborate a bit on what it is you are trying to say?

Well the thread is based on an attractions theme (theming and immersiveness), Antarctica has Disney and universal level theming, too bad everything else about it sucks lol

 

[MrRoamer]

No (only lengthened because posts require more than 3 letters)

 

[UNIrd]

Eh, we'd probably have to look outside of the U.S. for this answer. The new Arthur ride in Europa Park looks nice. Meanhwhile stateside, I'm hoping Knotts' Voyage to the Iron Reef ends up being a nice dark ride.

 

[kingcooger]

I have not been on it myself, but pictures, a behind the scenes walkthrough I saw on the Travel Channel years ago, and current video lead me to nominate Challenge of Tutankhamon:

[video=youtube;DQrSJ7DyGvk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQrSJ7DyGvk[/video]

[video=youtube;-cNTmCNhIAk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cNTmCNhIAk[/video]

 

[GAcoaster]

I love the Calico Mine Ride at Knott's.

 

[shiekra38]

How about Chima at LegoLand?????

 

[Tobias]

Meanhwhile stateside, I'm hoping Knotts' Voyage to the Iron Reef ends up being a nice dark ride.

I hope so too, but considering Triotech is involved I'm not holding my breath. I honestly feel Six Flag's Justice League Dark ride is going to curb stomp Iron Reef with no mercy whatsoever. Especially considering who's all working on that ride.

With that said, ironically stateside some of my favorite themed attractions are the Calico Mine Ride and the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's. They're classics and Garner Holt did a fantastic job in refurbishing them. Garner Holt could've knocked any new dark ride out of the park, but nope...they went with a company that boasts their attractions are better then anything from Disney or Universal, even though they've yet to build anything that backs that up.

Sadly one attraction that comes to mind has been defunct for quite a while, and that is the Star Trek Experience. All I knew beforehand was the Klingon Encounter was a simulator, so I was thrown for a loop the moment they played that safety video. (To this very day, that Transporter effect is one of my favorite special effects period. An' I'm dissapointed that no one else has done anything like it.)

As for around the world, Europa Park (Germany) , De Efteling (Netherlands) and Phantasialand (Germany) have some really nice theming and themed attractions.
I have to mention Efteling's "De Vliegende Hollander" (The Flying Dutchman) since that was the first non Disney/Universal attraction which caught my eye due to it's themeing.

[video=youtube;1APa6p5tOAI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1APa6p5tOAI[/video]

 

[kingcooger]

I hope so too, but considering Triotech is involved I'm not holding my breath. I honestly feel Six Flag's Justice League Dark ride is going to curb stomp Iron Reef with no mercy whatsoever. Especially considering who's all working on that ride.

With that said, ironically stateside some of my favorite themed attractions are the Calico Mine Ride and the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's. They're classics and Garner Holt did a fantastic job in refurbishing them. Garner Holt could've knocked any new dark ride out of the park, but nope...they went with a company that boasts their attractions are better then anything from Disney or Universal, even though they've yet to build anything that backs that up.

Sadly one attraction that comes to mind has been defunct for quite a while, and that is the Star Trek Experience. All I knew beforehand was the Klingon Encounter was a simulator, so I was thrown for a loop the moment they played that safety video. (To this very day, that Transporter effect is one of my favorite special effects period. An' I'm dissapointed that no one else has done anything like it.)

As for around the world, Europa Park (Germany) , De Efteling (Netherlands) and Phantasialand (Germany) have some really nice theming and themed attractions.
I have to mention Efteling's "De Vliegende Hollander" (The Flying Dutchman) since that was the first non Disney/Universal attraction which caught my eye due to it's themeing.

[video=youtube;1APa6p5tOAI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1APa6p5tOAI[/video]

Efteling somehow slipped my mind. They also have the amazing looking Fata Morgana

[video=youtube;Ks7l3nFhXeY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks7l3nFhXeY[/video]

And the dreamy looking Droomvlucht

[video=youtube;hzQz9zsUxJM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzQz9zsUxJM[/video]

 

[ChrisFL]

Maybe not the best, this one is worth watching if you haven't seen it...the now defunct Musical Circus show/ride in Japan

[video=youtube;HxO208kbsWQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxO208kbsWQ[/video]

 

[maxairmike]

I think the best that I've actually experienced is Mystery Mine at Dollywood. I thought it was really well done and a complete experience.