Blenheim Mount Hotel

Dark rides are not only found at Disney

by sourbugger

Many people presume that it was in the land of the mouse that 'dark rides' were invented. Not true, the 'River Caves' opened in 1905 ! Some uncharitable souls would add that that havn't been updated since.

The six seater boats take a leisurely journey around a number of pleasant if unremarkable scenes ranging from the time of the dinosaurs to the Egyptian Pharohs, from the Aztecs to another civilisation I can't remember because it so long ago I went on the ride.

I do remember that the scenes seemed rather random and unconnected. At least it's not appaulingly smaltzy like Disney's efforts with those bloody irritating dolls singing that cloying and witless song about 'it's a small world after all'.

I guess that when this ride was built most people who visited it had probably travelled no further than Manchester in their lives - and the River caves became almost an 'educational' experience. These days it makes for a nostalgic break between the rides on the white-knuckle mayhem going on outside the confines of this little fiberglass world.