Jora Vision, a leading design and production company, with Six Flags Qiddiya City, ETF Ride Systems and Alterface, has revealed further details of the groundbreaking dark ride, ‘The Enchanted Greenhouse’, at IAAPA Expo Europe.
The consortium of top attraction design and manufacturing businesses, in conjunction with Six Flags Qiddiya City, released new information about the cutting-edge dark coaster at Saudi Arabia’s upcoming global entertainment destination. The presentation included new images of the ride, information about its unique interactivity, and a detailed model of its bespoke vehicle.
Built on play
Neil Dwyer, VP of operations of Six Flags Qiddiya City, began the presentation by underlining the park’s dedication to pushing the frontiers of entertainment.
Six Flags Qiddiya City is set to become a global entertainment destination and is the first Six Flags park to be conceived and built from the ground up outside of North America since 1971. The park will have record-breaking thrill rides in addition to family-friendly attractions, totalling 28 rides across six themed areas. The Enchanted Greenhouse will be a key attraction in the park’s Twilight Gardens area, providing an immersive experience for visitors of all ages.
The interactive nature of this ride complements Qiddiya City’s unique concept. This new global destination is constructed from the ground up with play as its cornerstone. The dynamic city, which is 40 minutes from Riyadh, combines sports, entertainment, and culture in a way that has never been seen before.
Dwyer says: “Six Flags Qiddiya City is set to redefine the theme park experience in the region. The Enchanted Greenhouse exemplifies our dedication to bringing world-class attractions that combine cutting-edge technology with immersive storytelling.”
Da Wang, senior design director at Jora Vision, expands: “The Enchanted Greenhouse invites guests into a mesmerizing greenhouse where nature and magic come together.”
Although the majority of the seven scenes and the ride’s narrative are still undisclosed, new images of the attraction revealed a hint of what to expect with an elaborately designed queue evoking a Victorian greenhouse with Moorish elements. Wang also revealed that the ride has a lengthy pre-show.
A standout image among those shared was ‘The Garden of the Night’, which portrays a magnificent night-time scene in what appears to be a bioluminescence garden with huge, alien plants with large purple leaves. Wang added that the entire ride includes over 6200 replica plants. Jora Vision has developed 22 40-foot containers full of theming, suggesting a fully themed universe in which the guest is completely immersed.
Wang says: “Our vision was to create an interactive experience that enhances the story and environment. Instead of only aiming for a high score, guests will be encouraged to explore and discover the wonders of this enchanted world.”
Innovative, intuitive interaction
The ride presents a groundbreaking approach to guest interaction. Stéphane Battaille, CEO of Alterface, explains: “We’ve developed a system that’s intuitive yet deeply engaging. Guests will use specially designed magical dew sprayers to reveal hidden creatures, transform plants, and unlock surprising effects throughout their journey.
“This offers a unique “hide and seek” style of interactivity that encourages exploration and collaboration. The nature of the interactivity promotes a sense of wonder and discovery, perfectly aligned with the ride’s themes of enchantment and transformation.”
Alterface showed the interactive dew sprayer, which passengers will use during the ride. This decorative instrument has a gilded body and a detailed ‘orb’ on the base, and it resembles a sprayer rather than a typical gun commonly featured in interactive dark rides.
Battaille adds: “With this magical dew sprayer the ride truly comes to life. We smartly blend physical interactives, media content and projection mapping so the guests can interact with all their surroundings. People are encouraged to work together and have a collective experience in transforming their environment.”
The Enchanted Greenhouse will feature bespoke vehicles that combine Victorian aesthetics with modern technology.
ETF Ride Systems founder Ruud Koppens comments: “These trackless vehicles are not just modes of transport, but an integral part of the storytelling and interactivity.”
With an image of the loading station in the background, Koppens highlighted how the Multi Mover uses ETF’s sophisticated autonomous navigation system. This allows for smooth, unexpected movements that improve the ride experience as passengers travel through The Enchanted Greenhouse.
The ride is extensive, with a 160-meter track and twelve 6-seater vehicles. The vehicle’s two-way communication technology means all interactives can be initiated with a single trigger press, as it interacts directly with the show control.
Multi-layered experience
The presentation’s centrepiece was a model of The Enchanted Greenhouse’s bespoke ride vehicle.
Dwyer displayed the meticulously made model by Jora Vision. The vehicle features a teal and copper colour scheme, and seats six passengers in two rows. An attractive butterfly design is embossed on its façade, while an illuminated tank can be found at the back. Painting With Light is the lighting design partner on the project.
The Enchanted Greenhouse marks a significant advancement in dark ride design. By integrating Jora Vision’s immersive storytelling and theming, Alterface’s advanced interactivity, and ETF’s cutting-edge ride technology, the attraction provides a multi-layered experience for a diverse variety of guests.
Jan Maarten de Raad, owner and CEO of Jora Vision, concludes: “The Enchanted Greenhouse is more than just a ride. It’s a fully realized world that invites guests to become part of its magic. We believe it will set a new standard for family attractions in the region and beyond.”
Jora Vision recently launched its new social entertainment product suite in response to the growing demand for active and social entertainment options.
