Two years after its debut in Foley, Alabama, The Park at OWA is to open its first dark ride. Supplied by the Sally Corporation, the interactive attraction will feature a version of the firm’s Ghost Blasters concept.
To garner intrigue in the ride, which will open this coming season, the park teased fans with blurred photos and initiated an online naming contest. The final name will be selected at a later date.
“We knew we wanted an indoor attraction, something engaging and fun for families,” says Kristin Hellmich, OWA’s director of marketing and PR. “When we decided on an interactive dark ride, there was no better choice than the specialists at Sally. Of course we want quality, something that will stand the test of time. But what we’re really after is having park guests leave with a memory that they will want to relive, time and time again.”
Spooky yet whimsical
Ghost Blasters has been a successful product for Sally, with over 10 theme/amusement parks already home to versions of the attraction. Yet no ride is exactly the same. The one at OWA will encompass the best scenes and gags from past versions, plus a few new surprises.
Four-seater cars by Bertazzon will take passengers through 13 whimsical and spooky rooms of a haunted mansion. Riders will use ‘boo-blasters’ to rid the mansion of Boocifer and his ghostly legion. During the three-minute experience, passengers will come into contact with up to 90 targets. The scenes inside the ride will be rendered in glowing, colourful ultraviolet paint, and brought to life using black light.
Ride repeatability
“It’s a vibrantly distinct cartoonish look that screams fun!” says Sally’s vice-president of creative design, Drew Hunter. “A huge amount of the repeatability is due to the competitive element. No two guest experiences will be quite the same, depending upon the guest’s boo-blasting skills. It’s always fun for guests to see if they can out-score the others in their vehicle!”
The Park at OWA opened in July 2017 and was developed by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Part of a wider leisure, retail and sports complex, it debuted with a selection of rides and attractions supplied exclusively by Zamperla. Its star attraction is Rollin’ Thunder, a Thunderbolt coaster from the Italian manufacturer.
