Action Theater
The Action Theater (or Action Theatre in Canada), formerly known as the Paramount Action F/X Theater (spelled theatre in Canada), and before that Days of Thunder, is a simulator ride in Cedar Fair Parks with two sides - one is 3-dimensional, while the other shows films. They are found in the five former Paramount Parks properties of Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds, California's Great America, Kings Dominion, and Kings Island.
History
The theater opened in 1994, in the Paramount Parks, operating as a twin-sided motion simulator called Days Of Thunder, based on the movie Days of Thunder. This film ran from 1994 to 1997. In 1998, the building itself was renamed The Paramount Action F/X Theater to represent its changing films, and Days Of Thunder was replaced with James Bond 007: License to Thrill. Dino Island 3D was shown from 1999–2000, Meteor Attack in 2000, and Superstition in 2000 and 2002. In 2001, the theme parks presented The 7th Portal (based on the web comic by Stan Lee) as a three dimensional ride in which the riders help the Data Raiders fight the Nullifiers.
In 2003, SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D made its debut at the theme parks. In 2006, The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera was presented. It had been closed after its last run in 2002 at Universal Studios Florida. In 2007 the Hanna-Barbera ride was taken down and was never shown at the theater again. In 2008, the theater was renamed Action Theater (to remove the ties to Paramount), replacing the action movie signage with a comic book theme.
SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D is still playing at California's Great America, Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds, and Kings Dominion. The show is no longer playing at Kings Island; a new dinosaur-related 3D movie will be shown requiring admission to the Dinosaurs Alive attraction.[1]
At Kings Island, temporary simulator movies have been housed annually in the theater during the park's FearFest (under Paramount) event, including Elvira's Superstition, Dracula's Haunted Castle, and Funhouse Express. In 2008 the empty right side of the theater houses the hospital section of Urgent Scare with the entrance being an infected city rioting and the exit being a military quarantine zone which was overrun.
On June 18, 2011 the Action Theater at Carowinds was used for shelter when a large severe storm crossed over the park. Employees were forced to seek shelter while the storm passed. After, the ride re-opened.
References
- ^ Kings Island. "E-Newsletter - Dinosaurs Alive! 3D an Adventure With Teeth!" VisitKingsIsland.com. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. May 10, 2011, accessed May 10, 2011.
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