Good darkrides are hard to come across nowadays. The retheming of the Old Mill to Garfield"s Nightmare was unfortunate, not only because it was somewhat garish and obnoxious, but also because it took something that was creative and inspired and turned it into an advertisement that would only attract attention from the youngest of children.
Why do I bring this up in my review of Ghostwood estate? Well, that is simple enough. When I heard not only that one of my favorite rides in the park, the Gold Rusher, was being removed, but also that it was to be replaced by a dark ride from the same company who was responsible for Garfield's Nightmare, I was in tears. Images of a new dark ride in which the riders shot at cardboard cut-outs and giant television screens that reacted with pre-programmed computer animation filled my mind.
I asked myself whether or not dark ride designers would ever be wise enough to return to simplicity. However, when I first rode Kennywood"s latest spook house, I was pleasantly surprised; they did just that.
In my eyes, this takes many ambitious steps forward as far as ride technology, while remaining true to the original formula that made dark rides so damned fun as a kid and beyond. Everything's there: falling bookcases, dropping spiders, skeletal monsters that extend toward you, and other such stunts. Even small things, such as rotating pictures and books that slide across tables added to the overall charm of this back-to-basics masterpiece. The music that plays is charming and humorous in style, but is more ambience, as opposed to GN"s hideously overdone music that constantly loops throughout all parts of the ride.
Now for the big question: Is it better than Gold Rusher? In some respects, well, yes! It"s in better shape, you can see everything (though it still remains pleasantly dark in theme), the sound effects are better, and the exterior is more interesting. However, in many ways, it falls short of the Gold Rusher. First of all, you can often see the car in front of you during your ride. This is not too much of a problem, but I feel it subtracts from the "spooky mansion" mood. My other main concern is that to see the stunts, you have to shoot the targets. This one"s a "give me", I know, but most of the charm comes from entering a room and seeing everything moving, jumping around, etc. This is what happens if you have a car full of experienced shooters, but if not, be prepared for a dull ride. Furthermore, many of the targets do not even animate when shot. You never know if shooting something will actually result in an object moving, a noise, or the object simply lighting up. This means you have to ride it multiple times so that you know which targets to shoot so that your ride is most enjoyable. Because of this, I think the ride would have been better off without the interactivity; i.e. the stunts are triggered exclusively by the passing car.
But overall, this is a intruiging dark ride, and I highly reccomend it. It modernizes the dark ride experience while holding on to traditional values that both young and old riders alike while smile at. Though the term "interactive" may turn off some dark ride fans who just like a straight-forward ride, ginzo is very acurate in relating it to an old-fashioned shooting gallery, which should be a silver lining for such critics. Though I will miss the Gold Rusher with all my heart, I shall continue to ride Ghostwood Estate with a passion, noting it as not just any dark ride, but Kennywood"s nod to the golden age of fun houses and dark rides.</sc
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