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Merlin’s Cadbury World announces plans for multi-million pound trackless dark ride

A new trackless dark ride is coming to Cadbury World following Merlin’s acquisition of the popular British attraction, with Cadbury Chocolate Quest taking visitors on a journey to make a real bar of chocolate




Cadbury’s Chocolate Quest will be a multi-million pound trackless dark ride experience   Credit: Cadbury’s Chocolate Quest

Cadbury World has announced plans to build a new multi-million pound dark ride attraction, with the new addition set to wow visitors when it opens to the public later this spring.

First opened in 1990, Cadbury World is dedicated to exploring the history of the famous chocolate brand at its factory site in Birmingham, UK. After 32 years of operation, 2022 saw Merlin Entertainments reach a deal with Mondelez International to acquire the attraction, with the operator promising an £8m (US$10.1m, €9.3m) investment into the site, including the now announced dark ride experience.

Combining sounds, smells and lighting effects with 3D sets and virtual screens, the dark ride experience utilises a trackless vehicle, which is programmed to work its own way around the dark ride course without the aid of rails.

Called Cadbury Chocolate Quest, the ride sees Cadbury character Freddo send guests on a “choc-tastic” mission, as they search for all the ingredients required to make a bar of Dairy Milk chocolate, using lasers attached to the ride vehicle to ‘catch’ each ingredient. Following the ride experience, guests will be given a Cadbury’s chocolate bar, which will have been made with all the ingredients they ‘collected’ using the lasers.

“The new ride will be an opportunity for parents to take their children through a whole new chocolatey experience, with even more fun along the way,” said Tim Waters, regional director of Merlin’s Birmingham cluster of attractions.

“The motivation and inspiration behind the new ride comes with larger ambitions for the future of Cadbury World, and we're excited for our guests to enjoy what’s in store at our attraction this year.”

In addition to the dark ride addition, the multi-million pound investment from Merlin will also see enhancements made to the attraction’s Have a Go Zone, while the Bournville Experience is being completely revamped. Advertising Avenue, which consists of a life-size chocolate street exploring Cadbury’s past advertising campaigns, is also getting an upgrade. Other elements include a number of interactive zones, a team of in-house chocolatiers, the world’s biggest Cadbury shop, an on-site Cadbury Café, and a 4D Chocolate Adventure experience.

Cadbury Chocolate Quest replaces the former Cadabra dark ride, an attraction which first started operations in 1997 and has hosted more than 14 million riders. The original ride system was supplied by WGH Transportation Engineering.



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Merlin’s Cadbury World announces plans for multi-million pound trackless dark ride | Planet Rides
news

Merlin’s Cadbury World announces plans for multi-million pound trackless dark ride

A new trackless dark ride is coming to Cadbury World following Merlin’s acquisition of the popular British attraction, with Cadbury Chocolate Quest taking visitors on a journey to make a real bar of chocolate




Cadbury’s Chocolate Quest will be a multi-million pound trackless dark ride experience   Credit: Cadbury’s Chocolate Quest

Cadbury World has announced plans to build a new multi-million pound dark ride attraction, with the new addition set to wow visitors when it opens to the public later this spring.

First opened in 1990, Cadbury World is dedicated to exploring the history of the famous chocolate brand at its factory site in Birmingham, UK. After 32 years of operation, 2022 saw Merlin Entertainments reach a deal with Mondelez International to acquire the attraction, with the operator promising an £8m (US$10.1m, €9.3m) investment into the site, including the now announced dark ride experience.

Combining sounds, smells and lighting effects with 3D sets and virtual screens, the dark ride experience utilises a trackless vehicle, which is programmed to work its own way around the dark ride course without the aid of rails.

Called Cadbury Chocolate Quest, the ride sees Cadbury character Freddo send guests on a “choc-tastic” mission, as they search for all the ingredients required to make a bar of Dairy Milk chocolate, using lasers attached to the ride vehicle to ‘catch’ each ingredient. Following the ride experience, guests will be given a Cadbury’s chocolate bar, which will have been made with all the ingredients they ‘collected’ using the lasers.

“The new ride will be an opportunity for parents to take their children through a whole new chocolatey experience, with even more fun along the way,” said Tim Waters, regional director of Merlin’s Birmingham cluster of attractions.

“The motivation and inspiration behind the new ride comes with larger ambitions for the future of Cadbury World, and we're excited for our guests to enjoy what’s in store at our attraction this year.”

In addition to the dark ride addition, the multi-million pound investment from Merlin will also see enhancements made to the attraction’s Have a Go Zone, while the Bournville Experience is being completely revamped. Advertising Avenue, which consists of a life-size chocolate street exploring Cadbury’s past advertising campaigns, is also getting an upgrade. Other elements include a number of interactive zones, a team of in-house chocolatiers, the world’s biggest Cadbury shop, an on-site Cadbury Café, and a 4D Chocolate Adventure experience.

Cadbury Chocolate Quest replaces the former Cadabra dark ride, an attraction which first started operations in 1997 and has hosted more than 14 million riders. The original ride system was supplied by WGH Transportation Engineering.



 



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