IAAPA ’14: Voyage to the Iron Reef details surface in new preview from Triotech for Knott’s Berry Farm 4D ride

in Entertainment, Events, Knott's Berry Farm, Technology, Theme Parks

It was just last week that Knott’s Berry Farm announced a new 4D interactive dark ride called Voyage to the Iron Reef. Now this week at the IAAPA Expo 2014, ride maker Triotech offered a bit more insight into what guests can expect when the attraction opens in early spring 2015.

New artwork was shown off featuring the ride’s steampunk style mashed up with the familiar architecture of Knott’s Berry Farm. Triotech creative director Eric Marradi said introducing this new attraction’s style into the park was to intentionally make it different from all others by bringing the steampunk niche style to the forefront.


Video: Voyage to the Iron Reef 4D ride preview for Knott’s Berry Farm from Triotech at IAAPA 2014


Marradi added that Voyage to the Iron Reef combines elements of dark rides, roller coasters, video games, and movies all in one. It will be a balance of 3D images projected onto large screens, produced by Triotech, and real life scenic elements produced by Knott’s Berry Farm. The goal is to seamlessly blend these elements to create a whole experience.

It certainly won’t be the first ride to attempt this feat, Triotech’s biggest challenge. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal Studios Florida has successfully done it since the ’90s and Universal’s Transformers: The Ride 3D has more recently enhanced that concept. Marradi says he would be “very proud” if guests compare Voyage to the Iron Reef to those successful attractions, but emphasizes that the upcoming ride will also integrate interactive elements, which those Universal attractions don’t have.

Guests will intuitively shoot at enemies on the large 3D screens with little instruction needed. Scores will be tallied as riders compete against each other. There will be hidden elements throughout the experience that will encourage guests to ride multiple times to maximize their score. But Marradi notes there are no losers in this experience, as everyone gets to have a fun time firing away with their freeze rays while riding through the unique attraction.

The ride will contain roughly 600 feet of track across eleven scenes featuring hundreds of media-based creatures and special effects.

Right now Triotech is developing and creating each interactive scene in Canada and as each one is completed they will disassemble it and transport it down to Knott’s Berry Farm where it will be integrated with the scenic elements that are being installed there. Ultimately, Voyage to the Iron Reef should open around March 2015.

View Comment (1)