The iconic Conneaut Lake Park made an exciting announcement last month – for the first time since being virtually abandoned several years ago. Not only did the park find itself millions of dollars in debt, but two of its oldest buildings were lost in arson. The park’s Web site says “90 percent of the rides” will be open this summer including the carousel, miniature train and pony track (which isn’t really a ride, but still an attraction). The Blue Streak is still in need of years of repair, but nobody cares about that. The ride that NEEDS to be open this summer is The Devil’s Den.

Est. 1968

Also known as Dr. Moriarty’s Wild Ride, The Devil’s Den was built in 1968 by famous dark ride manufacturers Pretzel Company. Throughout the 20th century they were responsible for more than 1400 dark rides, including the famous Le Cachot from Kennywood in Pittsburgh.

Most of the stuff in the ride isn't that scary.

Dark rides reached their peak in popularity in the 1950s. People enjoyed their tunnels of love and old mills greatly. But times change. Most dark rides from the past have been destroyed and replaced with other “indoor-rail” rides, but they aren’t entirely dark. Rides like Kennywood’s Exterminator and the new Ghostwood Estate contain elements of a class dark ride (as in they are in the dark and they are rides). But the Exterminator is more of a dizzying, horrible roller coaster while Ghostwood Estate is an incredibly slow-moving cart moving through a mostly-computer-animted environment.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Everyone should visit Conneaut Lake Park this summer, even if they don’t have The Devil’s Den up and running yet. The classic dark ride’s days are numbered, and if you want to enjoy an old-fashioned thrill ride before it’s gone forever The Devil’s Den is perfect for you.

Don’t forget your chewing gum to throw on the ride’s famous GUM WALL! There’s seriously like a million pieces of gum on this one wall.

A gum wall is a pretty important thing in itself. Tune in next week.