Leisure Expert Group, a leading experience design company, is celebrating the opening of Paultons Park’s first-ever interactive dark ride: Ghostly Manor.
Following over a year of development, the newest dark ride at Paultons Park officially opened on 17 May. This attraction was created with creative design agency Leisure Expert Group, ride manufacturer Mack Rides, interactive specialists Lagotronics Projects, and theming experts Themics Philippines.
Ghostly Manor offers an unforgettable interactive ghost-hunting experience for guests of all ages. It introduces guests to Dr. Benjamin Kinley, a ghost hunter and explorer dedicated to gathering ghosts, supernatural specimens, and paranormal artefacts from various parts of the globe. During his expedition to the North Pole, where he sought the elusive Ice Ghost, the spirits that were confined to his manor have escaped.
Riders enter an eight-seater carriage that rotates between scenes as they travel the spooky hallways of Dr. Kinley’s manor. Armed with a Phantom Phaser, their goal is to snare the mischievous ghosts and monstrous creatures. The more ghosts and creatures they capture, the greater their score will be.
Design development
One of the biggest creative challenges of Ghostly Manor was incorporating eight immersive scenes into the limited space of the old 4D cinema building. Leisure Expert Group led the concept and design process from early sketches to final execution, balancing ambitious creative concepts with architectural limitations.
The team started by crafting the narrative featuring Dr. Kinley and illustrating each scene with comprehensive storyboards. Following the presentation of the concept to Paultons Park, the designs were refined to guarantee that every element was both imaginative and technically feasible.
Johnny Ruisch, creative director at Leisure Expert Group, says: “The puzzle was how to fit eight immersive scenes into the compact footprint of the former 4D cinema. It required close collaboration between the design, architectural, and technical teams from day one.
“By overseeing the design and production, we ensured that the final experience remained true to the original style guide and concept.”
Paultons Park also recently announced that it is creating a new £12 million Viking-themed land called Valgard – Realm of the Vikings, set to open in 2026. This is Paultons Park’s largest investment to date and will house the theme park’s first roller coaster with inversions.
