Curse of DarKastle Busch Gardens (POV)

Take a tour of Mad Ludwig's Castle. Curse of DarKastle is a dark-ride located in the Octoberfest section of Busch Gardens and is a 3D simulation flat ride.


The Ride:
Immediately upon the ride's beginning, the sleigh rounds the corner, entering into the forest outside the castle. There, gnarled trees with glowing, vague faces seem to groan "Why are you here?" "Get Out" in a deep voice. Approaching the castle's front doors, the ghostly apparition of Ludwig's mother flies out of the door, hovering just in front of the vehicle, warning riders that they must get outside the castle walls, because her son has no power there. Just as she disappears, Ludwig's voice booms through the courtyard, menacingly inviting riders to tour his castle as two stone wolves adorning the stairway come to life and leap onto the sleigh, snarling and biting at riders.

Once inside, suits of armor adorning a long hallway come to life, stepping off their pedestals and jabbing spears towards riders. One of the helmets falls off, ricocheting off the floor and levitating just in front of the sleigh, its face-guard lifting to reveal a skeletal face screeching within. Retreating down another hallway, guests enter the music room where the ghost of Ludwig manifests in a flaming whirlwind, blowing gusts of air onto riders and lifting the various musical instruments into the air, slamming them around the room. Outraged at the survival of the riders, he shouts "You have such hunger for my secrets?! Come, it shall be fed!", launching a flaming blue orb at riders, flashing brightly in the room.

Blasted backwards into the kitchen, the sleigh looks down a long dining table set for a feast. Ludwig's ghostly voice emanates from the walls as knives fly at the riders, whizzing past on all sides. Appearing at the opposite head of the table, Ludwig grabs a knife, flies towards the sleigh, and mocks cutting off his own head, as it appears on a platter being served by a skeletal waiter.

Entering into a dimly lit hallways, Ludwig's mother's voice again urges riders that they "must get out before it's too late." Ludwig mockingly tells his mother that the guests ought to stay, as it's about to be "a blast." Just then, the torches all blow out as a wall of wind gusts down the hall. Passing a brightly lit portrait of the young Ludwig and disfigured paintings of his parents, the sleigh pulls into the two-story library. There, above the fireplace, a portrait of Ludwig comes to life, issuing guests towards the smoking, flaming fireplace. As the sleigh is physically felt pulling away from the fire, Ludwig pulls it in. The vehicle spins out-of-control in the pitch-black darkness, rising out of the chimney.

Immediately out of the chimney, Ludwig's mother grabs hold of the sleigh and pulls it through the sky, weaving between the castle's turrets as they crash down, leading riders to the castle's walls and escape from Ludwig's powers. But Ludwig grabs the sleigh, pushing it back towards the castle. His mouth opens as his tongue turns into a snake, hissing and lashing out at riders.

The sleigh spins around and its nose dips down towards the courtyard below, but Ludwig's mother grabs halt of it before the sleigh can fall. A comet shoots down past the guests into the ground below, and Ludwig's fiery apparition launches toward the sleigh, morphing into a werewolf as he roars "Mother, you're driving me insane!" From behind the vehicle his mother shouts "Ludwig, my son, you were never sane to begin with!"

Just then, Ludwig falls from the sky and dabs, dragging the sleigh with him in a simulated free-fall from the castle's turret and crashing into the glass conservatory, complete with frozen plants and golden wolf statues. Ludwig leaps over the sleigh, his weight cracking the ground as the sleigh drops again, this time down into a cavern underneath the castle. The cave walls depict ghostly faces with glowing eyes and mouths. Rounding the corner, Ludwig's werewolf figure bursts down a door, leaping towards the car with his claws outstretched. His mother laughs, shouting "They are beyond your reach!" Leaving the castle walls and thus forfeiting his eternal soul, Ludwig turns to ice and shatters, spraying riders with water. His voice echoes through the hall, "You will never escape!" as the sleigh returns to the great hall and guests disembark.


Ride Statistics:
Opening Date: May 1, 2005
Manufacture: Oceaneering
Length: 1,000 ft
Height Restriction: 42 in

*Disclaimer*
This ride POV video was recorded with permission from the park. Never attempt to record without prior permission from the park, as it could result in dismissal from the park without refund.

This video represents my personal opinions and in no way represents the views or opinions of Seaworld Parks and Entertainment or it's affiliates.