At the IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam, a consortium of leading attraction design and manufacturing companies, in collaboration with Six Flags Qiddiya City, unveiled more details for “The Enchanted Greenhouse.” This dark ride is destined for the upcoming global entertainment destination in Saudi Arabia. The presentation showcased new visuals of the ride, details on interactivity and an intricate model of the ride’s custom vehicle.
Six Flags Qiddiya City: A new frontier in entertainment
Neil Dwyer – VP Operations of Six Flags Qiddiya City opened the presentation by emphasizing the park’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of entertainment. Six Flags Qiddiya City is poised to become a global entertainment destination and the first Six Flags park designed and built from the ground up outside North America since 1971. The park will feature record-breaking thrill rides alongside family-friendly attractions for a total of 28 rides across six themed lands. The Enchanted Greenhouse will be a cornerstone attraction of the park’s Twilight Gardens land, offering an immersive experience for guests of all ages.
Qiddiya City is a new global destination built from scratch on the foundations of play. Located 40 minutes away from Riyadh, the vibrant city brings entertainment, sports and culture together.
“Six Flags Qiddiya City is set to redefine the theme park experience in the region,” Dwyer said. “The Enchanted Greenhouse exemplifies our dedication to bringing world-class attractions that combine cutting-edge technology with immersive storytelling.”
A magical journey awaits
Jora Vision is well known as an expert on dark ride creation. Da Wang, senior design director of Jora Vision, elaborated on the ride concept: “The Enchanted Greenhouse invites guests into a mesmerizing greenhouse where nature and magic come together.” Although most of the seven scenes and the ride’s story are still classified, new visuals of the ride showed a glimpse of what guests can expect: an elaborately themed queue, reminiscent of a Victorian greenhouse with Moorish influences. Additionally, Wang confirmed the ride has an extensive pre-show.
Among the visuals shared, “The Garden of the Night” depicts a nighttime scene within what appears to be a bioluminescent garden. Towering, otherworldly plants with broad purple leaves create a sense of being dwarfed by the enchanted flora. Wang shared that the whole ride incorporates over 6,200 replicated plants. Additionally, Jora Vision created 22 40-foot containers full of theming, hinting to a richly themed world where the guest is truly immersed.
“Our vision was to create an interactive experience that enhances the story and environment,” explains Wang. “Instead of only aiming for a high score, guests will be encouraged to explore and discover the wonders of this enchanted world.”
Cutting-edge interactivity
Stéphane Battaille of Alterface highlighted the ride’s approach to guest interaction: “We’ve developed a system that’s intuitive yet deeply engaging. Guests will use specially designed magical dew sprayers to reveal hidden creatures, transform plants, and unlock surprising effects throughout their journey. This offers a unique “hide-and-seek” style of interactivity that encourages exploration and collaboration. The nature of the interactivity promotes a sense of wonder and discovery, perfectly aligned with the ride’s themes of enchantment and transformation.”
Alterface presented the interactive dew sprayer that guests will use during the ride. This ornate tool features a golden body with a detailed “orb” on the base and indeed looks more like a sprayer than a traditional gun often found in interactive dark rides.
Battaille adds, “With this magical dew sprayer the ride truly comes to life. We smartly blend physical interactives, media content and projection mapping so the guests can interact with all their surroundings. People are encouraged to work together and have a collective experience in transforming their environment.
Bespoke vehicles for a magical journey
Ruud Koppens of ETF Ride Systems talked about the ride’s custom-designed vehicles, which blend Victorian aesthetics with modern technology. “These trackless vehicles are not just modes of transport, but an integral part of the storytelling and interactivity,” Koppens noted.
With a visual of the loading station on the background, Koppens explained the Multi Mover utilizes ETF’s advanced autonomous navigation system, allowing for smooth, surprising movements that enhance the ride experience as guests journey through The Enchanted Greenhouse. With a track of 160 meters (525 feet) and twelve 6-seater vehicles the ride is no small one. The two-way communication system in the vehicle allows for all the interactives to be activated with a press on the trigger as it communicates directly with the show control.
More than just a ride
The highlight of the presentation was the unveiling of a model of The Enchanted Greenhouse’s bespoke ride vehicle. Dwyer unveiled the crafted model, created by Jora Vision. The vehicle’s design features a teal and copper color scheme. Seating six passengers in two rows, the vehicle boasts an elegant butterfly motif emblazoned on its façade. Another notable feature is the illuminated tank at the rear.
“The Enchanted Greenhouse is more than just a ride,” concluded Jan Maarten de Raad of Jora Vision. “It’s a fully realized world that invites guests to become part of its magic. We believe it will set a new standard for family attractions in the region and beyond.”
