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Busch Gardens Williamsburg Interview: Cecil
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Busch Gardens Williamsburg Interview: Cecil / By: Clint Novak, Monday, January 24, 2005 -
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 When people visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg they fall in the beauty of the landscaping, they fun filled atmosphere, and of course the taste for thrills. Busch Gardens Williamsburg has been voted the number one theme park several times, and is rightfully so because when you see Busch Gardens Williamsburg for the first time you fall in love with the landscaping and atmosphere. This park is truly a place where people of all ages can have a day of fun.
Recently I had a chance to chat with Cecil the Creative Director of Curse of DarKastle at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. He told us all about how the ride idea came to be, and how long a project like this is in the works... If you would like to here the interview, click here.
Clint Novak: Alright this is Clint Novak, with In The Loop. We’ve got Cecil, The Creative Mastermind, is that your official title? The Creative Mastermind behind Curse of Dark Castle?
Cecil: I don’t know about that, it’s Creative Director.
Clint: How do you come up with an idea like Curse of Dark Castle?
Cecil: It’s a pretty fleshed-out process; a lot of the guidelines were actually generated by Busch Entertainment. They understand the demographic targets that they are looking for, again they know where in the park the attraction is gonna land. And so with those influences, and specifically Williamsburg, there’s obviously, each land is a different country. We had that as a database to start from. And so at that point, we come up with scripts, different treatments of different concepts and ideas that revolve around a story. And obviously that’s the foundation of this experience, is a story. As profound as a feature film, we generated an experience that has a back story and continues all the way through and really has a continuous loop, if you will, as far as the story line. So…hopefully that answers your question.
Clint: How long is a ride like this in the planning, in the works?
Cecil: Usually an attraction of this caliber takes over 2 years to develop. And we were probably at 22 months, I would say, by the time it opened…..a little under two years.
Clint: And if I wanted to put something like this in my backyard, are you free to design that?
Cecil: Definitely….sign me up.
Clint: Alright, how is Curse of Dark Castle gonna be different than all the other dark rides?
Cecil: Technology has progressed quite a bit; so we have embraced that technology. We’ve also been very innovative with that technology. So we are generating a multi-centric experience that’s unlike anything else in the world. We’re combining the state of the art ride technology, you know has progressed as well, with the latest in image protection and forty century systems and that basically creates this pulse-pounding adventure.
Clint: And last question, what’s your favorite part of Curse of Dark Castle, what’s the part that you just can’t wait to experience?
Cecil: That’s so funny, I was thinking about that. You know we have been so involved with it, and I’ve tried to remove myself and become a guest and role play and be that 12-year old kid that’s on this ride for the first time, and I cannot point out one experience that stands out above the others. I think you’ll need to experience the ride in order to answer what the most exciting or most thrilling moment is. There are numerous white-knuckle moments being built into this attraction. And I would say the best part of the ride will be different for each guest.
Clint: Alright, the ride opens April 30th to park guests at Busch Gardens: Williamsburg. Thank you very much Cecil for being with us.
Cecil: Thank you Clint.
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