Europe is home to many incredible darkrides, from the thrills of indoor rollercoasters, to the beauty of many of the scenes in some trackless and water-based darkrides. Not all rides are created equal however, and some parks go all out with creating the most immersively impressive darkride experiences for their guests, combining technology, story and theming. Which ones are a must ride, and which ones can you skip? Keep reading to find out!
Note: all the rides on this list are great for different reasons, and instead of ranking the rides, this list will discuss which darkrides are the best if you are limited to only going to a certain number of parks in Europe, or you only want to queue for rides that are actually worth it. I am not sponsored by any of the parks on this list, these are just my preferences based on personal experience, and what I think makes a ride great!
Symbolica, Efteling: Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands
Nestled in the heart of the Netherlands, lies Efteling Theme Park, which is home to many immersive and thrilling rides, including the legendary Symbolica! Built by ETF Ride Systems and opened as part of the park’s 65th anniversary celebration, Symbolica takes riders on a magical private tour of the castle led by Pardoes, a member of the castle staff, who we first meet as an amazing animatronic in the ride’s preshow room. Prior to boarding their ride vehicles, known as Fantasievaders, riders can chooe between three tours: Heldentoer (Heroes Tour), Schattentoer (Treasure Tour) and Muziktoer (Music Tour), which offer similar but unique ride experiences. Once on the ride, you will pass through many mystical scenes, telling the story of the castle, including the Observatory, the Panorama Salon Botanicum (featuring an impressive but slightly intimidating whale animatronic!) and the Fantasy Depot, which features three different scenes, one for each tour.
The ride experience itself isn’t the only incredible thing about Symbolica though, park guests are immersed in the story even before deciding to ride, when they are greeted by an alluring, fully themed show building.
Many darkrides have amazing show buildings, but Efteling has taken this to the next level with Symbolica. The show building really sets the scene for this beautiful family attraction!
Valhalla, Blackpool Pleasure Beach- Blackpool, England
Valhalla is arguably the best darkride in the UK, and possibly one of the best in Europe! Norse mythology is brought to life on this ride through an Intamin water-transit ride system, a turntable similar to the one used on Frozen Ever After in Epcot, and a range of incredible special effects! Valhalla takes riders through many stories in a short space of time, with temperature extremes ranging from -20°C (-4°F) to 40°C (104°F) in just a few minutes.
Valhalla has many moments that take it’s riders by surprise, but the 60ft splash and drop is definitely the wettest! Many people on TripAdvisor have commented on this ride’s drop, calling “really impressive” and warning that “even with waterproofs you get a soaking”. Signs throughout Valhalla’s queueline warn riders they will get “soaking wet” and at multiple points it is recommended that you buy a poncho or wear waterproofs, however many riders ignore the warnings and really do get a soaking!
This ride has undergone many refurbishments since it’s opening in 2000, in order to keep the experience looking fresh and up to date. The most recent refurbishment ended at the beginning of the 2011 season, when the impressive rockwork façade was updated, and the gift shop was removed, among some minor changes. Sadly you will be unable to ride this incredible water-based darkride this season, as it is undergoing it’s next refurbishment, but Valhalla will reopen in 2021 for Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s 125th anniversary, with a more ‘sustainable ride system!
Phantom Manor, Disneyland Paris- Paris, France
Home to 999 happy haunts and based on an elaborate story of love and untimely loss, Phantom Manor utilizes an Omnimover Ride System and 92 audio-animatronics to bring this spooky manor to life. Loosely based on Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion, Phantom Manor features many well-known scenes including the iconic Haunted Ballroom and the Stretching Room scene, however many scenes on this version have been altered or changed completely to coincide with the slightly darker theme of Melanie Ravenswood’s tragic love affair, and the unfortunate deaths of her four lovers at the hands of her father, Henry Ravenswood. The ride’s lore says that Melanie still wanders the hallways of Phantom Manor 200 years later, waiting for her wedding day to come, and will likely wander the halls of the manor for the next 200 years and more!
But is the haunted house of Disneyland’s Frontierland really haunted, or is it just special effects and animatronics? Decide for yourself when you meet the 999 happy haunts of Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris!
I Corsari: La Vendetta del Fantsma, Gardaland-Italy
Gardaland gets it’s name from the nearby Garda Lake, but there’s another lake hidden under the park: La Vendetta del Fantasma! When walking past the ride, guests are greeted with an impressive pirate ship standing tall and proud in a body of water. Most guests would just think the pirate ship is a charming piece of theming, but it actually houses the stairs down to one of the greatest rides in the park! Gardaland’s original owner had a dislike for show buildings as he believed they spoiled the magic of the attraction and limited the amount of theming possible, so the park’s 3 darkrides: the Magic House Vekoma Madhouse, Rameses and I Corsari, are all built underground! This not only adds a unique element to the park, but also allows for more theming than at the average theme park!
I Corsari: La Vendetta del Fantasma translates into English as The Pirates: Revenge of the Ghost, and, true to it’s name, takes riders on a magical journey through a mysterious world of pirates, mutinies and assassins, as they navigate scenes featuring islands, pirates and ghosts, with some beautiful special effects that really make the ride what it is!
Ratatouille: L’Adventure Totalement Toquee de Remy- Walt Disney Studios Parc, Paris, France
We’re heading back to Disneyland Paris again but now going across the road to Walt Disney Studios Parc, and the park’s Ratatouille trackless darkride! Also known as Ratatouille: The Adventure, this attraction allows guests to shrink down to the size of Remy and his rat chef friends, and experience a high-speed chase to escape a larger than life kitchen! The story of Ratatouille is brought to life through the use of an innovative trackless ride system, 3D projections and massive screens, making guests feel as if they have really stepped in to the family-favourite Pixar movie!
Due to the impressiveness and fun experiences Ratatouille: The Adventure has to offer, this ride often experiences long wait times, sometimes up to 3 hours or even longer, so this is definitely an attraction to pick up a FastPass for if possible!
Do you agree with my picks for Europe’s must-ride darkrides, or do you have any other personal favourites you think should be on this list? Let me know in the comments below!
Your articles are amazing. Thank you for your hard work.
It’s definitely worth a visit! 🙂
Interesting! Never heard of that park before
Love this Lily
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Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoy them. Sorry about the late reply -Lily 🙂