Much to the delight of thrill-seekers, Deakin University lecturer, Joel Zika, is presenting his newest virtual reality video of the historic Spook-A-Rama ride at Coney Island’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park. This time, he’s taking us on a 360-degree journey through a spooky, decorated tunnel to shed light on one of the last remaining rides created by the Pretzel Company.
It’s one of many iconic rides, and our Tour of the Secrets of Coney Island: Past, Present, Future & Unknown will shed light on the history of this popular beach and entertainment destination.
Today, only 18 dark rides are left in the world – a drastic drop from the 1,700+ that used to exist in the mid to late 20th century. Zika, who has spent the last 15 years researching these “moving haunts,” is determined to preserve the experience through his Dark Ride Project, the world’s first VR initiative to capture the thrill of haunted house rides around the world. In the process, he hopes to create a historical archive of popular culture.
Using specially-prepared VR equipment, Zika has already filmed historic rides in Australia, Florida, West Virginia, Alabama, Maryland, and Delaware. A crowdfunding campaign, which successfully raised over $13,000, will allow him to continue the project into 2017.
Image via Joel Zika/Dark Ride Project
