Billy Bob yells, "No! No you dang fools, this way!! Stay out of the Marsh!! Stay out of the Marsh!! Oh nooooo!!"
A new mist monster was added to the entrance of the Marsh for The Monster Mansion in 2009. This effect is similar to the recent Davy Jones addition to Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
The mist monster speaks with a Peter Lorre-like voice. He laughs and says, "Oh yes!! Yes!! Right this way!! He he hah ha hah!!!"
The boat climbs up a small lift, and the mist monster "swallows" us into the Marsh. We then drop down into this eerie swamp.
The Marsh improved dramatically with the 2009 Monster Mansion changes. Previously, this section of the ride was in near total darkness. Now there is mist, fog, and dramatic new lighting.
Some riders may get "touched" by something they cannot see upon entering the Marsh (a new effect).
In the earliest years of The Monster Plantation, a large bird monster tried to attack the boats from above. He came really close to guests---maybe too close, because some riders fought back!! I believe this character was removed by 1985.
Appearing from the darkness is a fierce hog-like fellow called the Gengenbacher. Upon seeing us, he yells, "HUMANS!"
We float past some menacing creatures holding axes and guarding a treasure trove. In 2009, this scene became spectacular with the addition of glowing, sparkling jewels.
Our boat encounters all sorts of violent, grotesque beasts with glowing red eyes. The sounds of roars, whispers, moans and growls fills our ears.
A huge, dragon-like monster called the E-Rategator rises from the mist and threatens to rip us apart.
Beasties with spears threaten to skewer us.
Will we make it out of the Marsh alive? Well, I've been there, and I'm writing this, so clearly we do.
Tune in next time for the ride's fun finale!
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More awesome pics! Love the theatrical smoke!!
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful....the ride just gets better and better! I love the effects. How great that the ride starts out funny and then turns kind of scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks Darrin! The theatrical smoke is awesome, and I hope the effect continues to work properly for many years. My 2008 pictures show just how dark the Marsh was for the Plantation--literally a "dark ride" section of the attraction.
ReplyDeleteThanks TokyoMagic! Yes, it is interesting how it seems so friendly and then it gets really unfriendly. As I got older, I loved the Marsh more and more.
That one monster by the treasure trove reminds me of Maleficent's goons from "Sleeping Beauty".
ReplyDeleteDoesn't this scene also have a boat full of skeletons? The implication being that the marsh monsters murdered previous riders? Kind of a gruesome gag...
Yes, there's a Sleeping Beauty Goon vibe with that monster with the treasure. And yeah, there was a boat of skeletons at one time (not sure if they are still there).
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