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ViruSoN – :
HOW I regret not buying this in the exhibition shop after I smelt it at the Somerset House Scent exhibit last year… at the time I was impressed by how evocative the scent was but not sure what I thought of it as a fragrance that one would actually wear, but in the weeks afterward I couldn’t stop thinking about it and was desperate for another sniff. It’s so special it almost doesn’t feel gimmicky, just truly original and a real niche perfumer’s imagination.
Alas, I visited towards the end of the exhibit’s run and Xyrena is really pricey with international shipping and the risk of duty charges factored in. They have a few scents I’m interested to try, though, so I might pay for the membership to try samples – as much as Dark Ride won me over I can’t envisage getting through a bottle that quickly… unless I’m completely seduced and wind up wearing it as a signature, which I could honestly imagine happening.
WalmartNaf – :
I’ve been dying to try this one, as I adore dark rides and Pirates is one of my favorites, but this is very disappointing. The Chlorine notes are there, but very mild, almost perfumed, and overall is a powerful tanned leather scent. In fact, this dominates. I have a fragrance oil for soap and candle making called Russian Leather that smells exactly like this; dry leather, slight mildew, strong tanning chemical elements, but mostly old leather, like you find in a military surplus store. That being said, it’s actually a fairly pleasant scent for all the strange notes, and the mildew is so faint as to be almost floral, so it’s not offensive. The main impression I come away with is that of powdered copy machine toner, the kind that smells like chemicals and ozone. Sadly, there’s just not enough stale water in this to smell like a dark ride to me. I still find it wearable, if Avant Garde, but my dreams of instant Disney Vacation are blown. Disappointed.
uggs outletz7 – :
Yes, it smells like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney Land. It really took me back to the anticipation I felt as a child while I waited to get on that ride. The chlorinated water… the mildew… the pyrotechnics and theatrical fog. It’s all there.
I can’t see myself ever wearing this in public… unless I dressed as a pirate for Halloween. Honestly it’s a novelty item and you should expect no less and no more. I was curious about the scent, but ultimately bought it for the packaging. It comes in one of those old, plastic VHS packages I remember so well from my childhood. Great presentation.
Pro Tip: If you get this, be careful. It tends to linger for a while. And while it’s not wholly unpleasant, it’s certainly not a “fresh” or “clean” scent you want hanging around your house for too long. 🙂
Farmer19 – :
Bizarre. Just plain difficult scent to describe… Its kind of lovely and kind of awful. Like, 50/50. lol I just don’t really know how to verbalize anything I detect as notes in it without sending you all running in the opposite direction as quickly as you can. But honestly, it isn’t “bad.” Just completely different than anything else out there and I’m not sure why anyone would want to smell like this. Definitely TRY before you buy. Get a sample and give it a go. I did and my first thought was like, “UCK! This is freaking horrible!” But then again, I kept smelling my wrists almost compulsively! It’s odd because my brain said “No way” but yet somehow my nose wanted more. Very strange indeed. Definitely a interesting scent that leaves you thinking.
Vwntocluberdons – :
his is a scent that transported me to the Arcade with the Cotton Candy, Buttered Popcorn and the Whispers of Urinals. When I mentioned Urinals to the perfumer, he raised his eyebrows and seemed to be unsure, however I am the customer and he was polite enough to refrain from the “Whatever” and continued to explain his vision.
It indeed had a cleansing spray of Sea Salt Air that had me impressed with it’s thought and execution. Like deadidol I found the scent compelling and it carries a “Campy” artistry. Yes it is surprisingly wearable. A brief sniff of the lineup showed an unexpected competence.
Xyrena’s Dark Ride, I wouldn’t buy blind, however encourage anyone looking for an innovative new way to scent, grab a sample. Great fun and artistically sound.
VVVengerov – :
his is a scent that transported me to the Arcade with the Cotton Candy, Buttered Popcorn and the Whispers of Urinals. When I mentioned Urinals to the perfumer, he raised his eyebrows and seemed to be unsure, however I am the customer and he was polite enough to refrain from the “Whatever” and continued to explain his vision.
It indeed had a cleansing spray of Sea Salt Air that had me impressed with it’s thought and execution. Like deadidol I found the scent compelling and it carries a “Campy” artistry. Yes it is surprisingly wearable. A brief sniff of the lineup showed an unexpected competence.
Another of the highlights for me was that of Jessica Hannah. A winner of the show last year with “Skive”. She presented a lineup of four. “Sunset Blvd” “Upton” “Orchard” and a beautiful smokey “Sloloo” particularily interesting. A competency that had me buying the set on the spot.
Xyrena’s Dark Ride, I wouldn’t buy blind, however encourage anyone looking for an innovative new way to scent, grab a sample. Great fun and artistically sound.
MoseTwerrycow – :
Dark Ride was a finalist at this years’ IAO Awards and, for me, it was the standout of the night. I grabbed a bottle soon after and, while waiting for it to arrive, I wondered if I’d made a hideous mistake. The perfume claims to smell like a theme park water ride centered upon (among other industrial horrors) chlorine, but to me it splits the difference between a disinfected motel room and a urinal puck. While I’m sure this sounds horrifying, there’s something totally compelling about it.
I’ve been wearing it for the past couple of weeks and I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying it. Although I can’t quite figure out how it ticks, it doesn’t seem overly complicated; there’s not a ton of development. However, there’s enough nuance to elevate it beyond schlock experimentation. It conjures up highly synthetic imagery: astroturf, air vents, and a dental spittoon with an electrical charge running through it. My guess is that there’s moss, a slice of maltol, and most likely a fistful of dimethyl hydroquinone — a crystalline material that, when diluted, smells like a mix of grass and the afore-mentioned (clean) urinal.
The scent wears like a robotic version of Lush’s Dirty; there’s an antiseptic, metallic quality to it but it’s the touch of sweetness that balances it and makes it so amiable. Although the initial blast is unnerving, it dies down to what I’d describe as carbonated disinfectant. It’s brisk and chilly and absolutely weird, but it’s also cheery, fun, and surprisingly well done. Nobody should approach this scent expecting a technical masterpiece, and both the scent and over-the-top packaging underscore the irreverent nature of the brand, but Dark Ride’s a great aura-style perfume that’s priced fairly and makes palatable a disgusting concept. Weird but weirdly wearable, and totally enjoyable. It’s one of the most unique scents I’ve smelled in some time.
zakc – :
I had high hopes for this fragrance since the smell of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is my absolute favorite smell (along with any musty water smell rich with negative ions, though Pirates is in a league of its own), but didn’t want to take a chance on a full bottle since I’m generally not a big fan of aquatic scents in perfumes. So I ordered a sample through Surrender To Chance.
Upon opening the sample vial, I did in fact catch a brief, elusive whiff of the Pirates ride; however, once on my skin this scent settled down to a sweeter, more “perfumey” scent (which is by no means ‘bad,’ just not quite like the ride). The chlorine note remained, as did a metallic note that was much more apparent on my clothing than my skin (I had worn a lot of it on my arms the first time so as to really get a sense of it, and some was transferred to my shirt, leaving a strong metal and chlorine scent that was not appealing; on my skin, though, this scent was much more subdued and pleasant).
I’m wearing less on my skin today, and I really like how the scent dries down, though it doesn’t evoke the ride smell as much as it does fresh from the vial. The after-effects are elusive, dark, and surprisingly ‘clean,’ considering the mustiness that remains (probably due to the ozone notes). I’m still on the fence as to whether I want to order the full size, so I’ll wait until the sample runs out before deciding. It is a nice scent, just not sure if it’s ‘my’ scent.
Also: I haven’t really been able to smell the Pirates ride since that first pass — now every time I open the vial I can smell the individual notes rather than that brief, first impression which closely approximated the ride smell.
BenyZZZ – :
This fragrance is much more wearable than I expected. Totally nostalgic and also a bit sexy. Definitely worth a try for anyone looking for a dark and niche interpretation of an aquatic fragrance.
flashlord – :
As strange and esoteric as it sounds, I have been searching for this exact scent for as long as I’ve been into perfumery. Many of my positive childhood memories took place at Disney World and other orlando tourist hell pits, and the most memorable aspects from these early trips are the smells (for some strange reason, the power of olfactive memory i guess). Specifically the sort of strange, old, musty, watery, stagnant aroma that certainly does not make sense out of the context of a ride like Pirates of the Caribbean. It makes me think of rubber, chlorine, strange musty chemicals and darkness. Totally not what one typically searches for in a personal fragrance.
When I heard about this I almost couldn’t believe it. Sort of the definition of Niche, there must be a remarkably small demographic for this. But if they are interested, and just so happen to stumble into this release, I can’t imagine them being let down. This smells exactly like how I remember the interior of a dark ride smells. Chloriney, watery, stagnant, definitely mildewy, a little rubbery like a pool toy, and musty as all hell.
If that sounds unappealing to you, stay far, far, far away from this. I don’t think the intent here was to win over those doubtful of the lure of chlorine based perfumery…but If you are one of the few who have the olfactory associations, dive right in. It pretty much nails the smell… well, maybe its a little cleaner and more pleasant without the souring aroma of wet tourist, but you will not be let down. I purchased the spray but I will be purchasing the Extrait soon and I will wear it when I feel like wallowing in my nostalgia and giving every one around me a “f*ck-you-I-Like-It” migraine.
Now if only they could bottle the aroma of the ET ride at Universal Studios…
pompylmn432Negeltzex – :
Ummm . . . I’ll take illusion over wearing chlorine, thank you very much.