Favourite 'special effect' on a ride?

[nadroJ]

As expressed in the dark ride topic, we have a keen interest here on CF for all things theatrical when it comes to rides. So what is your favourite special effect?

At the moment mine is the mirror/door effect in Enchanted Tales with Belle. I literally cannot explain how it works and its amazing to behold in real life.

I always wanted Pirates to incorporate a mermaid effect, and didn't realise they had until this was brought to my attention:

I think this effect is amazing, can't wait to try and spot it in real life next time I ride!

 

[Ian]

I love the ghost effect in Bla Taget at Grona Lund. Or is it an effect..? Now I'm scared. There's sonething about the way it materialises and then whooshes towards the rider before disappearing. The timing is fantastic.

Effect is at 2:12
http://youtu.be/Zo1-FHK0uiA

 

[jj23w]

Not really Special Effects but there's a few things that I liked when I was younger.

Blackbeards the First Scene was what got my little noggin working with questions such as: How did she turn from beautiful to ugly? How does it know when people are in the building?

Another Scene that I enjoyed was the sleeping Pirates with their bellies moving up and down as if they were sleeping which I was curious at how it happened?

In the same part there were 2 pirates having an Arm Wrestle the mechanism that did the movement made it look like a projection keeping the guest intrigued.

Last but not least the final Scene, A Pirate drunk that he sees a mirage of a mermaid and when you looked at the other side the effect is what is now used in Modern Day dark rides.

 

[Jarrett]

I'd have to give this one to the ghosts in the ballroom on Haunted Mansion. That effect is just stunningly well done. It's one of many things I saw on my trip to WDW in 2003 that first made me want to be an engineer in the industry.

Also like to mention the explosions on FireChaser Express's show scene. Not only does it look like fire has pretty much engulfed the building but you can actually feel the heat; it puts the sissy gas jets on Mystery Mine to shame. Even better when you ride it on a cold winter night and get to feel that heat taken to the extreme before an awesome backwars launch.

 

[PeskyTrimBrake]

I like the smoke projection in Pirates of the Caribbean. Some effects in the Spiderman ride in Universal are great such as the falling from the building projection.

 

[BBH]

Not sure if this qualifies but X-Flight's keyhole is pretty darn special when you go through it. (As long as you're not being rattled to hell and back.)

 

[GuyWithAStick]

^ It was better with the mist in the supports afterward. As was the splash effect in the pond.

Sent from my VS840 4G using Tapatalk

 

[Rollercoaster David]

the haunted house at bakken's hand in the face scare is probably my favourite

I always find interesting effects more of a puzzle for me to figure out how they did it

The fire effects in Valhalla at BPB are also particularly impressive

 

[marc]

The effects on Pirates in Orlando and California the Davey Jones one.

The Domentors on the Harry Harry Potter ride when they are pulling your face off look great.

 

[Dar]

The viking face at the top of Valhalla's first lift was quite good when it worked!

I like the fire effects too, especially the fire door at the bottom of the second drop!

 

[DelPiero]

I love the ghost effect in Bla Taget at Grona Lund.

This for me, it's quite simply amazing.

 

[ATTACKHAMMER]

The Domentors on the Harry Harry Potter ride when they are pulling your face off look great.

This!

I also really like the pumpkin on fire, being thrown, on Spider-Man.
The Yeti on Everest is another favourite.

 

[ThomVD]

I love special effects! I wish it was used more and better on rides (coasters in particular).

The storm and projection on the water in Vliegende Hollander is awesome if it works properly (which isn't very often I admit). The corridor lighting effect in the queue is also amazing <3

Fata Morgana's false passage to the left that disappears while the door to the right opens towards the end of the ride is a cool touch.

The ghost effect on Blå Tåget that has already been mentioned is also cool. The entire ride is fab <3

The fire effects on Talocan are perfectly synchronized with the ride and I love the explosion sounds they make. Adds so much to the ride experience.

Not sure if it counts as a special effect, but Black Mamba's dispatch where the lights turn off and the music starts is amazing.

 

[Jordanovichy]

Anything with fire makes me groan with excitement, especially when the whole ceiling catches fire in Revenge of the Mummy.

I'm not too keen on when things make me jump, I just don't enjoy that sort of feeling which is why I'm not a big fan of horror mazes but I can appreciate when one is good (like the Kreuger Hotel at Tibidabo because that thing is amazing).

As has been mentioned I love the ghosts in Haunted Mansion, I also really like the vanishing wall to get to platform 9 and 3/4 in Universal Florida. This photo isn't great but sort of shows an arm disappearing.

It's not really a special effect but I also like it if a ride has an education aspect to it like Spaceship Earth at EPCOT, it makes it all the more interesting as well as fun and you're learning a bit at the same time!

 

[Ian]

I love the Temple del Fuego finale at PortAventura.

From 6:20, the fire, water and prop effects are fab. I got so excited when I watched it a few years ago, I did a little sex wee.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuFz9ExKnlY[/youtube]

For me, special effects have to serve a purpose. there's no point shoving in a fire effect for the sake of it. It has to be slightly cheesy yet it must be in context to the story. Valhalla is another great example of this.

 

[Ben]

Yeah, when everything hits the fan on Templo it's fab.

I love the big ball on Indiana Jones, I love the fireball on Spider-Man and the Dementors on Harry Potter.

I also really love the elevators on Transformers. I don't even know if I count it as an effect because you're not supposed to notice it but it's so seamless it's great.

And when all the magic goes back into the box at the end of Mystic Manor it's amazing.

And the corridor effect on Tower of Terror is fab <3

I don't remember anything specific of the Ghost Train at Grona other than it was all awesome.

 

[Hyde]

The one special effect that I remember most vividly of all is on IoA's Spider Man ride, when the Green Goblin throws a pumpkin grenade at riders. The effect begins as a 3D effect, with the grenade hurtling towards riders as the ride vehicle travels backwards towards a brick wall. The grenade misses the riders, and impacts with the wall, causing a real-world explosion of fire.

The melding of 3D and real effects is seamless; a very cool effect!

 

[Yeti]

The mirror effect on the Snow White ride at DLP took me by surprise, even though it's quite simple. The queen is stood in front of a mirror with her back turned to the riders, revealing a witch in the mirror.

I also agree with the ballroom effect on the Haunted Mansion just because of its sheer size and detail, plus pretty much anything on ToT!

 

[Serena]

There's an effect on Verlies Des Grauens - the Madhouse at Belantis, where the jewel center piece vanishes into thin air. It happens as you are "upside down" and it's really impressive!

The fountain room in Bubbleworks still makes me grin, even though it lacks snazzy lighting now

Not a ride, but I always found the slow strobe lighting at the end of Alton's Terror of The Towers maze so effective. I love the way it imprints the faces of the scare actors into your vision, even after they've gone away.

 

[ThomVD]

One thing I've been wondering is the rainbow effect on Thunderhead's lifthill.

It can be seen here: http://youtu.be/rUm4_F2cXJk?t=40s

I've never seen it anywhere except for the CoasterForce POVs. Did they remove it or something? I think it's fab.