Dreamflight
Encyclopedia
Dreamflight is a dark ride in Efteling
amusement park
in the Netherlands. It was designed by Ton van de Ven
and opened in 1993.
, the Wondrous Forest, the Fairy Garden, Heavenly Strongholds and the Squelch Forest.
The speed and height of the individual cabins vary throughout the ride, with a climax in the troll marshes at the end, where the cabins come to a seeming free-fall in a spiral downwards from 13 meters of height.
Efteling wanted to present Dreamflight in 1992, for the 40-year anniversary of the park, which coincided with the opening of Disneyland Paris.
However, due to problems with the seating cabins it was not ready until 1993. Due to this problem, the ride cost €
4.5 million more than was estimated, bringing the total costs up to €12.5 million, the most expensive attraction at Efteling to that day.
Due to the ride’s popularity, the original entry was moved from the thematic hall to a standard queue line. The original entry hall is still in use for special events.
The ride starts with some animatronics
. Integration between the scenes consists of scarcely lit tunnels with ambient music
.
The dream begins upon entering the Castle Realm. Four lighted castles float against the evening glow. The hazy realm also has a waterfall and a smell of moist vegetation.
The forest is filled with fairies and creatures that look like faun
s, but because of the lack of goat-like legs they appear to be satyr
s. Another one is a troll-like creature, the Squelch, here playing a harp. Behind a magic fairy a satyr can be seen bathing in the nude, and above him is a unicorn
.
In this garden fairies can be seen paddling and swinging, while others watch the visitor from branches on all sides. A deer is quenching her thirst. The troll king Oberon
is waving the guests out, into a long tunnel with stars.
In this scene there are several moons and strongholds circling each other against a starlit sky. The moons are urbanized with magical cities. Several giant lighted strongholds are floating in the latter part of the scene.
The last scene spirals 13 meters down into a rain forest, populated by trolls and squelches who are enjoying themselves in the rain. A troll comes at the car when at ground level. Some elves, trolls and squelches conclude the ride.
, Bird Rok
and Villa Volta
.
Company information
Efteling
Efteling is the largest theme park in the Netherlands, and as it opened in 1952, it is one of the oldest theme parks in the world. Efteling is located in the town of Kaatsheuvel, in the municipality of Loon op Zand, and has received over 100 million visitors....
amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
in the Netherlands. It was designed by Ton van de Ven
Ton van de Ven
Ton van de Ven is a Dutch industrial designer. He is best known as the creative director at the Efteling theme park.Van de Ven was born in Eindhoven, Netherlands, where he also studied at the Design Academy.- Work at Efteling :...
and opened in 1993.
History
In Dreamflight, the visitors fly through a dream world of forests, castles, fairies, trolls and other fairy-tale-like creatures and scenes. The visitors are seated in small open cabins hanging from the ceiling. The ride takes them past five different scenes in about six minutes: the Castle RealmRealm
A realm is a dominion of a monarch or other sovereign ruler.The Old French word reaume, modern French royaume, was the word first adopted in English; the fixed modern spelling does not appear until the beginning of the 17th century...
, the Wondrous Forest, the Fairy Garden, Heavenly Strongholds and the Squelch Forest.
The speed and height of the individual cabins vary throughout the ride, with a climax in the troll marshes at the end, where the cabins come to a seeming free-fall in a spiral downwards from 13 meters of height.
Efteling wanted to present Dreamflight in 1992, for the 40-year anniversary of the park, which coincided with the opening of Disneyland Paris.
However, due to problems with the seating cabins it was not ready until 1993. Due to this problem, the ride cost €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
4.5 million more than was estimated, bringing the total costs up to €12.5 million, the most expensive attraction at Efteling to that day.
Technical details
- Ride length: 425 metres in 6 minutes
- Height: 17 metres
- Capacity: 1800 persons/hour
- Maximum speed: 20 km/h
- 48 fairies, 10 trollTrollA troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
s, 38 animals, 1 million flowers, 1.5 million plants and 3.8 million leaves
The ride
The ride starts with some animatronics
Animatronics
Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than robotic. Animatronic creations include animals , plants and even mythical creatures...
. Integration between the scenes consists of scarcely lit tunnels with ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
.
- The Castle Realm
The dream begins upon entering the Castle Realm. Four lighted castles float against the evening glow. The hazy realm also has a waterfall and a smell of moist vegetation.
- The Wondrous Forest
The forest is filled with fairies and creatures that look like faun
Faun
The faun is a rustic forest god or place-spirit of Roman mythology often associated with Greek satyrs and the Greek god Pan.-Origins:...
s, but because of the lack of goat-like legs they appear to be satyr
Satyr
In Greek mythology, satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus — "satyresses" were a late invention of poets — that roamed the woods and mountains. In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing....
s. Another one is a troll-like creature, the Squelch, here playing a harp. Behind a magic fairy a satyr can be seen bathing in the nude, and above him is a unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
.
- The Fairy Garden
In this garden fairies can be seen paddling and swinging, while others watch the visitor from branches on all sides. A deer is quenching her thirst. The troll king Oberon
Oberon
Oberon is a legendary king of the fairies.Oberon may also refer to:-People:* Merle Oberon , British actress* Oberon Zell-Ravenheart , Neopagan activist-Media and entertainment:* Oberon...
is waving the guests out, into a long tunnel with stars.
- Heavenly Strongholds
In this scene there are several moons and strongholds circling each other against a starlit sky. The moons are urbanized with magical cities. Several giant lighted strongholds are floating in the latter part of the scene.
- Squelch Forest
The last scene spirals 13 meters down into a rain forest, populated by trolls and squelches who are enjoying themselves in the rain. A troll comes at the car when at ground level. Some elves, trolls and squelches conclude the ride.
Music
The music for Dreamflight – for each scene a different theme - was composed by Ruud Bos, who also wrote the musical themes for (among other attractions) Fata MorganaFata Morgana (Efteling)
Fata Morgana, the forbidden city, also known as 1001 Arabian Nights is a dark ride in amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. It was designed by Ton van de Ven and Jan Verhoeven and opened in 1986....
, Bird Rok
Bird Rok
Bird Rok is an Enclosed Roller Coaster in amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands.-History and details:The name of the ride, Bird Rok, refers to the adventure of Sinbad and the Bird Roc from the 1001 Arabian Nights; the extensive theming covers, beside the ride, the building and the queue line...
and Villa Volta
Villa Volta
Villa Volta is an attraction in the amusement park Efteling in the Netherlands. It is a rare type of ride known as a Madhouse, which is a sort of haunted house, where the visitors get the illusion that either the building, the visitors themselves or both are turned upside down. It has been...
.
External links
FansiteCompany information