A dark ride or ghost train is an indoor amusement ride on which passengers aboard guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music and special effects. Appearing as early as the 19th century, such exhibits include tunnels of love, scary themes and interactive stories. Dark rides are intended to tell stories with thematic elements that immerse riders, which unfold throughout course of the attraction.

An animatronic is a mechatronic puppet. They are a modern variant of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films, video games and in theme park attractions.