Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion
Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion is a Scooby-Doo-themed interactive dark ride series created by Sally Corporation based on Hanna-Barbera's long-running animated television series. The ride transports guests in a vehicle equipped with light guns that are used to shoot at various targets to collect points throughout the ride. At its peak, the ride model was located at seven amusement parks around the world including Canada's Wonderland, the location of the first installation that debuted in 2000. Initially known under a variety of names, the ride's Scooby-Doo theme has been replaced by Boo Blasters on Boo Hill at several locations and removed from others. The last remaining installation is La Aventura de Scooby-Doo at Parque Warner Madrid in Madrid, Spain.
Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion | |
---|---|
Six Flags Fiesta Texas | |
Name | Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Haunted Mansion |
Area | Fiesta Bay Boardwalk |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | 2002[1] |
Closing date | January 7, 2018 |
Replaced by | Pirates of the Deep Sea |
Six Flags St. Louis | |
Name | Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Scary Swamp |
Area | DC Comics Plaza |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | 2002[2] |
Closing date | September 14, 2014[3] |
Replaced | Castaway Kids |
Replaced by | Justice League: Battle for Metropolis |
Parque Warner Madrid | |
Name | La Aventura de Scooby-Doo |
Area | Cartoon Village |
Status | Operating |
Opening date | June 16, 2005[4][5] |
Canada's Wonderland | |
Name | Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion |
Area | Hanna Barbera Land |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | May 7, 2000[6] |
Closing date | 2009 |
Replaced | Bedrock Dock |
Replaced by | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill |
Carowinds | |
Name | Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion |
Area | Carolina RFD |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | 2001[7] |
Closing date | 2009 |
Replaced | Harmony Hall |
Replaced by | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill |
Kings Island | |
Name | Scooby-Doo! and the Haunted Castle |
Area | International Street |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | 2003[8] |
Closing date | 2009 |
Replaced | Phantom Theater |
Replaced by | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill |
Kings Dominion | |
Name | Scooby-Doo! and the Haunted Mansion |
Area | KidZville |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | 2004[9] |
Closing date | 2009 |
Replaced by | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill |
Ride statistics | |
Attraction type | Interactive Dark Ride |
Manufacturer | Sally Corporation |
Designer | Sally Corporation |
Theme | Scooby-Doo |
Length | 377 ft (115 m) |
Capacity | 800 riders per hour |
Scenes | 17 |
Animatronics | 80 |
History
In the late 1990s, Paramount Parks-owned Canada's Wonderland collaborated with Sally Corporation to develop Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion. The ride opened to the public on May 7, 2000.[6] In November that year, the ride was recognized as the Best New Children's Ride.[10] Similar versions of ride were added to three other Paramount Park locations over the next few years.[7][8][9]
In 2002, Six Flags bought into the ride concept installing it at two locations, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags St. Louis, with the latter using an existing water ride system.[1][2] On June 16, 2005, Parque Warner Madrid (while it was operated by Six Flags) also added an installation as well featuring a trackless ride system manufactured by ETF Ride Systems.[4][5][11][12] The ride was opened by José Corbacho and El Terrat.[13]
Following Cedar Fair's acquisition of Paramount Parks, the Scooby-Doo dark rides at its properties were re-themed prior to the 2010 season.[14] The move was part of the company's objective to remove the Hanna-Barbera brand from all of its parks.[15] Sally Corporation assisted with creating a new theme that became known as Boo Blasters on Boo Hill. The makeover left the interactive shooting aspect intact, while the Hanna-Barbera characters were replaced in favor of ghost-like creatures.[14]
During the 2014 season, Six Flags St. Louis put up a sign at the attraction that read, "Scooby-Doo Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Scary Swamp will close permanently, September 14, 2014 for future improvements".[3] It was later announced that it would be replaced by Justice League: Battle for Metropolis.[16][17] In late 2017, Six Flags Fiesta Texas announced that their installation of the ride would close permanently on January 7, 2018.[18] Its replacement Pirates of the Deep Sea opened to the public on January 12, 2019.[19]
Locations
Name | Park | Location | Opened | Closed | Status | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
La Aventura de Scooby-Doo "Scooby Doo's Adventure" | Parque Warner Madrid | San Martín de la Vega, Madrid, Spain | 2005 | Open | Operating | [13] |
Scooby-Doo! and the Haunted Castle | Kings Island | Mason, Ohio, United States | 2003 | 2009 | Rethemed as Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | [20] |
Scooby-Doo! and the Haunted Mansion | Kings Dominion | Doswell, Virginia, United States | 2004 | 2009 | Rethemed as Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | [21] |
Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Haunted Mansion | Six Flags Fiesta Texas | San Antonio, Texas, United States | 2002 | 2018 | Closed; Replaced by Pirates of the Deep Sea | [22] |
Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion | Canada's Wonderland | Vaughan, Ontario, Canada | 2000 | 2009 | Rethemed as Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | [23] |
Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion | Carowinds | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | 2001 | 2009 | Rethemed as Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | [24] |
Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Scary Swamp | Six Flags St. Louis | Eureka, Missouri, United States | 2002 | 2014 | Closed; Replaced by Justice League: Battle for Metropolis | [25] |
Ride experience
The ride is a dark ride experience for families which involves shooting laser guns at ghosts and ghouls infesting Ghastley Manor (known as Ghastly Manor on the ride's entrance). Riders in consecutive Mystery Machine-themed cars compete with each other to see who can shoot the most ghosts. Riders also shoot at Scooby Snacks, triggering appearances from Scooby-Doo. Also infesting Ghastley Manor is the Phantom Shadow, who at the end of the ride is caught by Scooby and Shaggy Rogers (who covers his eyes in fear) and revealed to be a counterfeiter named Dr. D.M. Ghastley, the owner of Ghastley Manor, who was illegally printing money in the dungeon of Ghastley Manor, and dressed up as the Phantom Shadow to scare away any trespassers. The riders then enter the garage, where Ghastley isn't sent to jail as a skeleton is driving the police van with the cop trapped in a box. The Scooby-Doo theme was licensed from Hanna-Barbera by the ride's creators, Sally Corporation. The riders come across a gigantic pipe organ, where in the Canada's Wonderland version, a rendition of the classical the piece "Fantasia in G Minor BWV 542" by J.S. Bach can be heard.
The installation at Six Flags St. Louis differed from the rest as it relied upon a water ride system. It was therefore themed to a journey through a swamp. It featured different monsters from the Scooby-Doo series as well as the Mystery Inc. gang popping out of trees and shrubs.[26]
The outsides of the show buildings are decorated with a fiberglass blue and purple castle with stylized turrets. Two circular windows resemble eyes while the entrance to the castle resembles a mouth. Guests entered the attraction by passing under a Gothic-style arch bearing the rides name, and that was adorned on either side by the letters "GM," standing for Ghastley Manor.
Voices
- Scott Innes as Scooby-Doo and Shaggy Rogers[27]
- David García Vázquez as Scooby-Doo (Spanish)
- Juan Logar Jr. as Shaggy Rogers (Spanish)
Gallery
- Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion at Carowinds (now Boo Blasters on Boo Hill)
- Scooby-Doo Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Haunted Mansion at Six Flags Fiesta Texas (now Pirates of the Deep Sea)
- Scooby-Doo Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Scary Swamp at Six Flags St. Louis (now Justice League: Battle for Metropolis)
See also
References
- "Six Flags Fiesta Texas Announces New Dark Ride". Ultimate Rollercoaster. 10 December 2001. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "Sally Corp. Dark Ride Coming To Six Flags St. Louis". Ultimate Rollercoaster. 14 February 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- Coaster Park Klub (July 22, 2014). "Sad news from Six Flags St Louis. Their Scooby-Doo dark ride will be closing permanently in September". Facebook. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- "Sally Corporation: l'intervista". Parks Mania (in French). 26 February 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "June 16, 2005. Warner Bros. Park, Madrid (Spain). Inauguration of the new funfair of Warner Bros. Park Madrid 'The Adventure of Scooby - Doo'". Getty Images. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- "New Spine-Tingling Attractions at Canada's Wonderland". Ultimate Rollercoaster. 15 April 2000. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- Dean, Suellen E. (9 May 2002). "Carowinds ricochets into new season". The Dispatch. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "Scooby-Doo Interactive Family Ride Coming to Kings Island". Ultimate Rollercoaster. 24 July 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "Interactive Dark Ride Coming To Kings Dominion In 2004". Ultimate Rollercoaster. 27 October 2003. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion". Sally Corporation. Archived from the original on 2013-06-03. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "Mystic Mover" (PDF). ETF RIde Systems. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- "Scooby-Doo Adventure Best New Family Ride" (Press release). ETF Ride Systems. 4 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2013-02-08. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
- "La Aventura de Scooby-Doo". Parque Warner Madrid. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "Life Without Scooby". Sally Corporation. 6 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-02-24. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- "SpongeBob out, Snoopy in at Cedar Fair theme parks". Malaysia Star. 4 September 2009. Archived from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- MacDonald, Brady (August 28, 2014). "Six Flags unveils new attractions for every park in 2015". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
- "Construction". Six Flags St. Louis. Archived from the original on 2015-05-22. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
- Martinez, Sarah (December 28, 2017). "Say Goodbye to the Scooby-Doo Ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas". San Antonio Current. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- "Pirates of the Deep Sea | Six Flags Fiesta Texas".
- "Interactive Dark Ride | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | Kings Island".
- "Interactive Dark Ride | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | Kings Dominion".
- "Six Flags Fiesta Texas Construction Updates". Archived from the original on 2018-10-29.
- "Interactive Dark Ride | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | Canada's Wonderland".
- "Interactive Dark Ride | Boo Blasters on Boo Hill | Carowinds".
- "Justice League: Battle for Metropolis - Six Flags St Louis".
- "Six Flags St. Louis Daredevil Daze 2014 - Page Thirteen". Negative-G. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- SallyCorp (23 Apr 2009). "Sally Corporation Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion Dark Ride". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- "Sally Corporation: l'intervista". Parksmania. 26 February 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2018.