Sally Corporation (also known as Sally Dark Rides) is a dark ride and animatronic manufacturing company based in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. The company serves amusement parks, attractions, museums, and retail clients worldwide. It offers complete design/build services from concept to installation, including scripting, audio and music production, props and sets, lighting and special effects, electronics, and project management.

Sally Corporation
FormerlySally Unlimited (1977-1982)

Sally Industries (1983-1991)

Sally Corporation (1992-2019)
IndustryManufacturing
Founded1977 (1977)
FounderJohn Wood
John Fox
John Rob Holland
Headquarters,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Rolf Paegert (CEO)

John Wood (Chairman, President)

Rich Hill (Creative Director, Ride Designer)
ProductsDark rides, animatronics
Number of employees
35
Websitewww.sallydarkrides.com

History

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Sally Corporation was founded in 1977 by high school friends John Fox and John Rob Holland.[1] The company began by manufacturing animatronics for various commercial applications,[1] including an animated figure of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, which was created for Neiman Marcus and later donated to the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas.[2] After Sally had been in business for 6–9 months the second hire for the new company was John Wood who had previously worked with Fox. The first hire was an office manager, Nancy Hafner. John Fox left the company in 1983.[1] Holland stayed with the company until 1988.[1] In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Sally Corporation went on to develop interactive dark rides. John Wood continues to serve as the Chairman and President, with Rolf Paegert assuming the role of CEO following a corporate restructuring in January 2023.[3]

Dark Rides

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Name Park Location Type Opened Status Notes
Around the World in 80 Days Alton Towers   Alton, Staffordshire, England Redeveloped Dark Ride 1986 Defunct Refurbishment [4]
Boo Blasters on Boo Hill Canada's Wonderland
Carowinds
Kings Dominion
Kings Island
  Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
  Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
  Doswell, Virginia, United States
  Mason, Ohio, United States
Interactive Dark Ride 2010 Operating Cedar Fair retheme of Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion; Variant of the Ghost Blasters II Model. [5]
Challenge of Tutankhamon Walibi Belgium   Wavre, Walloon Brabant, Belgium Interactive Dark Ride Operating [6][7]
Den of Lost Thieves Indiana Beach
Seoul Land
  Indiana, United States
  South Korea
Interactive Dark Ride Operating [1]
E.T. Adventure Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Hollywood
  Orlando, Florida, United States
  Universal City, California, United States
Conventional Dark Ride
  • 1990 (Orlando)
  • 1991 (Hollywood)
Operating at Orlando

Removed at Hollywood

Animatronic Figures & Plants Only. [8]
El Ultimo Minuto Dinopolis   Teruel, Spain Conventional Dark Ride Operating [9]
Ghost Blasters (Ghost Hunt) Castle Park
Great Canadian Midway

Lake Compounce
Nickelodeon Universe
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

  Riverside, California, United States
  Clifton Hill, Ontario, Canada

  Bristol, Connecticut, United States
  Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
  Santa Cruz, California, United States

Interactive Dark Ride
  • 2001 (Castle Park & Santa Cruz)
  • 2002 (Great Canadian Midway)
  • 1999 (Lake Compounce & Nickelodeon Universe)
Operating [7]
Ghost Blasters II Elitch Gardens Theme Park   Denver, Colorado, United States Interactive Dark Ride 2008 Defunct Rethemed to Kaleidoscape by Meow Wolf in 2019. [10]
Gobbler Getaway Holiday World & Splashin' Safari   Santa Claus, Indiana, United States Interactive Dark Ride 2006 Operating [7]
The Great Humbug Adventure Santa's Village   Jefferson, New Hampshire, United States Interactive, Redeveloped Dark Ride
  • 2000 (Original)
  • 2020 (Refurbishment)
Operating Redesigned by Sally for the 2020 Season.
The Great Pistolero Roundup (Quick Draw) Family Kingdom Amusement Park
Frontier City

Korean Folk Village

  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

  South Korea

Interactive Dark Ride
  • 1995 (Family Kingdom)
  • 2007 (Frontier City)
Operating [4][11]
Haunted Castle Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Galaxyland
  Santa Cruz, California, United States
  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Custom Dark Ride Operating [4]
Haunted Hotel Myrtle Beach Pavilion   Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States Redeveloped Dark Ride Defunct [4]
Jocco's Mardi Gras Madness Six Flags New Orleans   New Orleans, Louisiana, United States Interactive Dark Ride Defunct [note 1][7]
Justice League: Alien Invasion 3D Warner Bros. Movie World   Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia Interactive Dark Ride Operating [12]
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Mexico

Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Over Georgia

  Arlington, Texas, United States
  Eureka, Missouri, United States
  Gurnee, Illinois, United States
  Mexico City, Mexico
  Valencia, California, United States
  Jackson, New Jersey, United States
  Austell, Georgia, United States
Interactive Dark Ride Operating
La Aventura de Scooby-Doo Parque Warner Madrid   Spain Interactive Dark Ride 2005 Operating Spanish Variant of Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion. [9]
Labyrinth of the Minotaur Terra Mítica   Benidorm, Alicante province, Spain Interactive Dark Ride Operating [9]
Laser Raiders Legoland Windsor   Windsor, Berkshire, England Interactive Dark Ride Operating [13]
Lost Kingdom Adventure Legoland California
Legoland Florida
Legoland Malaysia
  Carlsbad, California, United States
  Winter Haven, Florida, United States
  Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia
Interactive Dark Ride Operating [13]
Mine of Lost Souls Canobie Lake Park   Salem, New Hampshire, United States Redeveloped Dark Ride Operating [4]
Mystic Mansion

Spökjakten

Park at OWA

Furuviksparken

  Foley, Alabama, United States

  Furuvik, Sweden

Interactive Dark Ride
  • 2019 (OWA)
  • 2018 (Furuvik)
Operating Variant of the Ghost Blasters II Model. [14]
Nights in White Satin: The Trip Freestyle Music Park   Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States Conventional Dark Ride 2008 Defunct [15]
North Pole Adventure Happy Valley
Happy Valley
Happy Valley
  Chengdu, China
  Shenzhen, China
  Shanghai, China
Interactive Dark Ride
  • 1997
  • 2007
Operating [6]
Reese's Cupfusion Hersheypark   Derry Township, Pennsylvania, United States Interactive Dark Ride 2019 Operating
Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge Hersheypark   Derry Township, Pennsylvania, United States Interactive Dark Ride 2006 Defunct [16]
Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion Canada's Wonderland
Carowinds
Kings Dominion
Kings Island
  Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
  Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
  Doswell, Virginia, United States
  Mason, Ohio, United States
Interactive Dark Ride
  • 2000 (Canada's Wonderland)
  • 2001 (Carowinds)
  • 2004 (Kings Dominion)
  • 2003 (Kings Island)
Defunct [17]
Scream In The Dark! Ripley’s Entertainment Zone   Pattaya, Thailand Interactive Dark Ride Operating [4]
Sesame Street: Street Mission PortAventura Park   Catalonia, Spain Interactive Dark Ride 2019 Operating
SpongeBob's Crazy Carnival Ride Circus Circus Las Vegas   Winchester, Nevada, United States Interactive Dark Ride 2023 Operating
The Temple Legoland Billund   Billund, Denmark Interactive Dark Ride Operating
Treasure Hunt: The Ride Cannery Row   Monterey, California, United States Interactive Dark Ride 2023 Operating [18]
Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol Lost Island Theme Park   Waterloo, Iowa Interactive Dark Ride 2022 Operating
Vi På Saltkråkan Astrid Lindgren's World   Vimmerby, Sweden Conventional Dark Ride 2007 Operating [19][20]
*Ye Old Mill Playland   Rye, New York, United States Redeveloped Dark Ride 2001 Operating Refurbishment [21]
Yosemite Sam and the Gold River Adventure Six Flags Over Texas   Arlington, Texas, United States Redeveloped Dark Ride 1992 Defunct [22]
Zombie Paradise Tokyo Dome   Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan Conventional Dark Ride 1992 Defunct [23][24]

Animatronic Shows

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Name Premiered Theme Known Installations Current Venues Status Characters Notes
Daniel and the Dixie Diggers 1982 Dixieland Jazz Operating
  • Betty B. Birthday
  • Clem
  • Col. Beauregard
  • Daniel T. Bones
  • Huck L. Berry
  • Jethro P. Hogg
  • Mark Twain
  • Scratchmo
  • Sir Percival
  • Wally Wish
Available in Quintet, Trio, and Showboat Variants.
Hank & Beau 1982 Country, Bluegrass, Dixieland Jazz Operating
  • Col. Beauregard
  • Hank Winter
Can be separable for solo acts.
Sally at the Piano 1983 Piano Lounge Operating Namesake of the company.
Gwen and the Magical Music Makers 1983 Medieval, Musical N/A Defunct Daniel and the Dixie Diggers Showboat Retrofit.
John Phillip Tuba 1983 Marching Band
  • John Phillip Tuba's Ice Cream in the Park
N/A Defunct
  • John Philip Tuba
  • Pablo Pistachio
One set exists in private ownership.
The Berenstain Bears 1985 Unknown N/A Defunct
  • Brother Bear
  • Papa Bear
Papa Bear figure repurposed for Rusutsu's Sally at the Piano.
The Magic Lantern Theater 1985 Steampunk, Vaudeville N/A Defunct
  • Mr. Electro
  • Proto
Co-production with Landmark Entertainment Group.
The WizBangs 1985 Magic N/A Defunct
  • Craven
  • Morgana
  • Prince
  • Wizard
  • Wizzy
Chuck E. Cheese Cyberamics Retrofit; Equipment & Programming Only.
Ratón Chito y Sus Amigos 1985-86 Unknown N/A Defunct
  • Comecome
  • Elote
  • Ratón Chito
  • Tete
  • Venancio
Chuck E. Cheese Cyberamics Retrofit; Show Controllers Only.
Bubba and the Badland Band 1987 Country, Bluegrass, Unknown (Everland) Operating
  • Bubba Bear
  • Bucky Barnum
  • Chief Fullabull
  • Miss Foxy
  • Homer Honeydew
  • Mark Twain
  • Skeeter
Available with or without Mark Twain.
Billy Jo and the Bluegrass Boys 1987 Country, Bluegrass N/A Defunct
  • Billy Jo
  • Bubba Bear
  • Homer Honeydew
Redesigned in 1995.
Care Bears: Care-A-Lot Castle 1987 Care Bears N/A Defunct
  • Beastly
  • Bedtime Bear
  • Cheer Bear
  • Friend Bear
  • Funshine Bear
  • Grumpy Bear
  • No-Heart
  • Tenderheart Bear
Jethro P. Hogg 1988 Country, Bluegrass Operating
  • Jethro P. Hogg
Can be paired with the Trio Daniel and the Dixie Diggers.
Ursula and the Oom-Pa-Pas 1989 Alpenländische Volksmusik Operating
  • Berthold of Baden
  • Ludwig Von Bearhoven
  • Sigmund St. Gotthard
  • Ursula
  • Wilhem von Wickenstat
Exclusive to Rusutsu Resort.
Rocky and the Railroad Ramblers (The Man & Dog) 1992 Country, Bluegrass In Storage
  • Antonio
  • Bubba Bonga
  • Henrietta Hatpin
  • Henry Howls
  • Rocky Panda
Chuck E. Cheese Cyberamics Retrofit; Equipment & Soundtrack Only.
Chu-Lin and the Zoo Notes 1993 Zoo N/A Defunct
  • Chu-Lin Panda
  • Gigi Giraffe
  • Hector Hippo
  • Mombo Monkey
  • Tumbo Elephant
Exclusive to Madrid Zoo Aquarium.
The Rockin' Rascals 1993 Rock and Roll N/A Defunct
  • Calvin Cat
  • Hurricane Hound
  • Major Moose
  • Purrscilla Purr
Daniel and the Dixie Diggers Trio Retrofit.
Banda Chic Chic 1994 Unknown N/A Defunct
  • Bucky Barnum
  • Col. Beauregard
  • Miss Foxy
Exclusive to Chico Cheese's.
The Jammin' Jesters 1994 Medieval, Rock and Roll, Broadway Undergoing Refurbishment
  • Cute
  • Godfrey
  • Guinevere
  • Rodney (Unnamed)
  • Toby
  • Wally Wizard
Reconfigured Gwen and the Magical Music Makers.
YeYe and the Little Airplane Band 1994 Chinese folklore N/A Defunct
  • The Monkey King
  • Pun Pun Hippo
  • Show Gow Giraffe
  • Shou Shou Panda
  • Ting-Ting Panda
  • YeYe Panda
Exclusive to Splendid China Florida; Monkey King exists in private ownership.
The Flintstones Bedrock Trio 1996 Stone Age, Rock and Roll N/A Defunct Destroyed upon Bedrock City's closure.
Rocky and the Ramblin' Rascals* 1998 Country, Bluegrass Operating
  • Antonio
  • Bad Bonga
  • Henrietta Hatpin
  • Jumpin' Jacko
  • Rocky Rabbit
Chuck E. Cheese Cyberamics Retrofit; Equipment & Soundtrack Only.
Cross Eyed Critters 2020 Country, Rock Operating
  • Miss Bessie
  • Ernie Bear
  • Jethro P. Hogg
Miss Foxy and Bubba Bear retrofits from Bubba and The Badland Band are used. Cooper Manning provides the voice for Ernie.

Notes

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  1. ^ Destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Pipkin, Wanda R. (July 20, 1998). "Sally Industries exhibits technology's lighter side". Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  2. ^ "Exhibits at the Library". LBJ Presidential Library. 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  3. ^ "Sally Dark Rides Corporate Restructure". Sally Dark Rides. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Sally Corporation. "Basic Info". Facebook. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  5. ^ "Scooby Who? Cedar Fair Rethemes Dark Rides". Park World Magazine. Datateam Publishing LTD: 12. May 2010. ISSN 1462-4796. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Szakonyi, Mark (October 29, 2007). "Sally Corp. scares up profits on dark rides". Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d "Sally Corp. promotes two". Daily Record. March 28, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  8. ^ Fuller, Laurie (July 3, 2005). "The factory factor". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  9. ^ a b c Joossens, Patrick (February 26, 2007). "Sally Corporation: l'intervista". Parks Mania (in Italian). Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  10. ^ "Ghost Blasters II". Sally Corporation. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  11. ^ "Frontier City shoots 'em up". Park World Online. June 27, 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  12. ^ "Building thrills comes at a huge cost". Gold Coast Bulletin. June 5, 2012.
  13. ^ a b Canovi, Roberto (April 29, 2010). "Le novità 2010 in Italia e in Europa". Parks Mania (in Italian). Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  14. ^ "Mystic Mansion Amusement Ride – the Park at OWA, Foley, AL".
  15. ^ "Nights in White Satin". Park World Online. June 30, 2008. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  16. ^ "Sally Corp. working on ride for Hersheypark". Jacksonville Business Journal. December 7, 2005. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  17. ^ "Life Without Scooby". Sally Corporation. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  18. ^ "Treasure Hunt: The Ride Dark Ride". Sally Dark Rides. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  19. ^ "New projects from ETF Systems". Park World Magazine. January 1, 2007. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  20. ^ "Unusual dark ride for Swedish park". Park World Magazine. January 1, 2007. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  21. ^ "The Old Mill". Sally Corporation. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  22. ^ Sally Corporation. "Dark Ride Brochure" (PDF). ERMES Technologies. Retrieved September 14, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  23. ^ Marbut, Max (March 29, 2012). "Workspace: Sally Corp". Jacksonville Daily Record. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  24. ^ https://darkridedatabase.com/rides/zombie-paradise/ [bare URL]
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