| Action Theater | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Action Theater at Kings Island | |
| California's Great America | |
| Area | All American Corners |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1994 |
| Canada's Wonderland | |
| Area | Frontier Canada |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | 1994 |
| Closing date | 2019 |
| Carowinds | |
| Area | Crossroads |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | 1993 |
| Closing date | 2022 |
| Kings Dominion | |
| Area | International Street |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | 1993 |
| Closing date | 2018 |
| Kings Island | |
| Area | Coney Mall |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | 1994 |
| Closing date | 2013 |
| Ride statistics | |
| Attraction type | Motion simulator |
| Previously known as | Paramount Action F/X Theater (1998–2008) Days Of Thunder (1994–1997) |
TheAction Theater is amotion simulator ride that debuted in 1993. It is currently only operating atCalifornia's Great America. Located formerly atCanada's Wonderland,Carowinds,Kings Dominion andKings Island. The attraction was previously known as "Paramount Action F/X Theater" before being renamed following the purchase of theParamount Parks chain by Cedar Fair in 2006.
Action Theater first opened in 1993 atCarowinds andKings Dominion, operating as amotion simulator themed to the Paramount filmDays of Thunder.[1][2] The following year, the attraction was installed atCalifornia's Great America,Canada's Wonderland, andKings Island.[3]
In 1998, Action Theater was renamed "Paramount Action F/X Theater", and a newJames Bond-feature debuted at each location called "James Bond 007: License to Thrill" – a play on the title of an older Bond film calledLicence to Kill. Dino Island 3D was shown from 1999 to 2000, Meteor Attack in 2000, and Superstition in 2000 and 2002. In 2001, the theme parks presentedThe 7th Portal (based on the web comic byStan Lee) as a three-dimensional ride in which the riders help the Data Raiders fight the Nullifiers.
In 2003,SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D made its debut at all locations. In 2006,The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera was presented. It had been closed after its last run in 2002 atUniversal Studios Florida.
In 2008, the theater was renamed Action Theater to remove ties to the Paramount branding, and the action movie signage was replaced with a comic book theme.
In 2013,Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia was being shown at Carowinds and Kings Island, while "Happy Feet: Mumble's Wild Ride" was being shown at California's Great America.[4] Canada's Wonderland's Action Theater featured Monsters of the Deep 3D, andKings Dominion's featured "The Lost World 3D".[5] The theaters playing Dinosaur-themed films have had the motion seats removed.[6]
In 2015, California's Great America announced that a 4D holographic attraction themed to BioWare'sMass Effect video game (titledMass Effect: New Earth) would debut in a newly renovated Action Theater for the 2016 season.[7][8] Also in 2015, Carowinds announced a similar renovation of their Action Theatre for 2016. The 3D gaming attraction, namedPlants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare: 3Z Arena, was based on thePlants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare video game until its closure in 2022.[9]
