THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 TAG: 9510180359
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARTHA SLOUD, ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Twenty-one years ago, a Virginia amusement park opened its first ride, a monorail that led visitors through a zoo filled with exotic animals.
But now, the Wild Animal Safari has been torn down, and Paramount's Kings Dominion park in Doswell will build a high-tech roller coaster where the lions, tigers and elephants once roamed.
Kings Dominion is no different from other amusement parks, which are increasingly billing themselves as purveyors of computer-age thrills. Park visitors can fly through outer space, dodge an erupting volcano or be tormented by bats, snakes and other simulated pests in a spooky temple.
The new attractions' success has helped foster good times for amusement parks, said John Graff, executive director of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions in Alexandria. He estimates there are 255 million visits to the approximately 600 American amusement parks each year and attendance has increased by 4 percent or 5 percent annually in recent years.
As computers become a part of everyday life, people are more attracted to thrill rides with such features as lasers and motion simulation, said David Ferguson, who works for Paramount Parks' Design and Entertainment in Charlotte.
``People who are comfortable working in that environment also like to be entertained in that environment as well,'' he said.
The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear, named for the 1960s sci-fi television series, is scheduled to open next spring at Paramount's Virginia park and at Paramount's Kings Island park outside Cincinnati. The ride, which will catapult riders to a speed of 53 miles per hour in complete darkness, will use special effects and other high-tech elements, park officials said.
Parks have always built new rides to keep people coming back, but technology makes more thrills possible, Graff said.
``It's important for the parks to be constantly refreshing themselves and adding new attractions and so on because they virtually all rely on repeat business,'' said Graff, whose group represents 4,600 parks in 65 countries. ``That's their lifeblood.''
High-tech rides are popular with amusement park visitors who are always looking for something newer, faster and scarier, said Harrison Price, a California attractions consultant.
Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., estimated to cost $100 million, is among the most popular and technologically advanced rides, Price said. Visitors experience explosions, bugs, boiling lava and other treats in the ride inspired by the successful movie trilogy.
``People come to see it. They stand in line for an hour and a half,'' Price said of the ride, which opened earlier this year.
Another elaborate ride is The Right Stuff, named for a movie based on Tom Wolfe's book about America's quest for its first manned orbital flight, at Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. Computer-controlled seats give visitors the feeling of rocketing through space.
Sometimes the high-tech elements can be a little too realistic. This past spring, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg launched Escape From Pompeii, a water ride based on the eruption of Vesuvius in ancient Rome. Television advertisements were pulled for several weeks because the ride's fiery special effects too closely resembled images of the April 19 bombing in Oklahoma City, park spokeswoman Cindy Sarko said.
Now, the ride has become one of the park's signature attractions, she said.
``It's our most ambitious attraction that we've put on in our 20-year history,'' Sarko said. ``It's very popular.'' ILLUSTRATION: File color photo
Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg.
KEYWORDS: AMUSEMENT PARKS RIDES by CNB