Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[KDcoasterMAN]

The drop section looks mighty thrilling on its own. It would give me a fright. The actual roller coaster part of the ride has great pacing, may have some good airtime, and tight turns as well. It will definitely draw a big crowd.

 

I do have a feeling that some of the GP that do not know alot about this ride may confuse it with SAW: the ride. Dark Ride section, "vertical drop" Just my opinion.

[jackskellington101]

I think Robb's quote of

So it's Expedition Everest without all the theming.

looks to be pretty on the money. I think once the landscaping gets in there and grows up a bit, it'll be even more interesting. Is it the biggest most thrilling ride in the world? No, but it's interesting and looks like a blast. It might suffer from being a little over-hyped, but as long as it's fun, that's what matters.

[Juggler]

YAWN!

 

When are the muppets at Godawful Towers going to learn that yet another so called, over-hyped losely worded World's First is not what that park needs. They've been banging in exclusive after exclusive for year after year after year and with the exception of Nemesis the rest have been pretty tame. Instead of forking out for expensive gimmicks that someone else is going to do better a year or two later how about investing some of the cash that gets wasted on getting an exclusive deal in the park itself. Start sorting out the on ride theming (Air's exit tunnel for starters), get the park tidy and clean and here's a thought how about actually working on the general areas that are supposedly themed but look more like a very amateur movie set.

 

Oh and drop the damn entrance price because the park is not worth what you're charging.

 

The tag line for this place used to be "Where the magic never ends" unfortunately the magic upped and left years ago!

[Dobba]

YAWN!

 

When are the muppets at Godawful Towers going to learn that yet another so called, over-hyped losely worded World's First is not what that park needs. They've been banging in exclusive after exclusive for year after year after year and with the exception of Nemesis the rest have been pretty tame. Instead of forking out for expensive gimmicks that someone else is going to do better a year or two later how about investing some of the cash that gets wasted on getting an exclusive deal in the park itself. Start sorting out the on ride theming (Air's exit tunnel for starters), get the park tidy and clean and here's a thought how about actually working on the general areas that are supposedly themed but look more like a very amateur movie set.

 

Oh and drop the damn entrance price because the park is not worth what you're charging.

 

The tag line for this place used to be "Where the magic never ends" unfortunately the magic upped and left years ago!

 

You could always not go?

[Tycoon Sawyer]

I think all the negative comments are stupid. At the end of the day and I'm gonna have to sound like a dick here. You have not been on it. I HAVE and I AM TELLING YOU don't judge it by the videos, it really is great. If you are going to judge it without going on it then your a complete fool.

[robbalvey]

^^ & ^ I think you guys just need to calm down.

 

There is always, ALWAYS going to be people who will formulate their opinions based on what they see.

 

I agree with you. Don't judge it until you've ridden it. I've seen videos of many rides that looked lame but it turns out that that ride was great (Toy Story Mania being a good example.)

 

Personally, I think the ride that is showcased in that video doesn't *WOW* me like all the hype said it would. The ride looks like a lot of fun, sure, but I didn't watch that video and go "OMFG! I can't believe how awesome that ride looks!!!"

 

If you say it is and that video doesn't do the ride justice, GREAT! I'm looking forward to riding it myself this summer and formulating my own opinions.

 

If the reaction from the video is creating a negative response, you can only blame Alton Towers for not releasing something that generates a more positive response. You can't blame everyone else for reacting to it.

 

Remember, people are reacting to the VIDEO that was released, not the ride itself. Let me say that again so it sinks in.

 

PEOPLE ARE REACTING TO THE VIDEO NOT THE RIDE ITSELF.

 

So please remember that before you go pointlessly name calling and yelling at a bunch of people on an internet forum.

 

--Robb

Edited March 17, 2010 by robbalvey

[netdvn]

When are the muppets at Godawful Towers going to learn that yet another so called, over-hyped losely worded World's First is not what that park needs. They've been banging in exclusive after exclusive for year after year after year and with the exception of Nemesis the rest have been pretty tame. Instead of forking out for expensive gimmicks that someone else is going to do better a year or two later how about investing some of the cash that gets wasted on getting an exclusive deal in the park itself.

 

Isn't that the whole point of a prototype? You're not gonna have an extreme coaster that does incredible elements and intense transitions the first time around unless that's your goal. Thirteen doesn't look like it's going for something like that. It looks more like Alton's trying to focus more on the dark-ride portion and providing a more psychological thrill than a physical thrill like Nemesis.

 

On top of that, I'm pretty sure Alton can't build massive I305-sized projects due to height restrictions so they use prototype coasters like Oblivion, Air, and Thirteen to draw crowds in.

 

about actually working on the general areas that are supposedly themed but look more like a very amateur movie set.

You've obviously never been to a Cedar Fair park before.

 

Now as for the coaster itself, it actually looks like a lot of fun IMO. The complaints are predictable with every new coaster (see how much people bashed I305 when it was first announced). I'm pretty sure the reviews will be different once people actually get to experience the ride for themselves and not judge based on a video.

[Tycoon Sawyer]

yeah, well said Robb.

 

Lison guys seriously. Just get down to Alton Towers and ride it! Its great!

[Chris Benvenuto]

Another thing to bring up is how people bashed the deuce out of Maverick when it revealed in Winter of 2006. The reaction was the same, and it wasn't for all ages and was more of a family ride.

 

I saw a good, family ride out of the video. Sure, I may not ride it in the next couple year or I may not ride it in an entire lifetime. That's not the point, it looks like fun and it should be that way. Never judge a book by it's cover, or in this case, don't judge the coaster by a media POV.

[TheCoasterCritic]

Tycoon Sawyer, can you describe the effects in the dark section a bit? Is that where it gets so scary that it warrants that silly age restriction?

[tiger01]

I think its a great new addition to the park and another great family ride to go along with the newly rethemed sonic spinball and that kiddy dragon thing because all the other rides are massive (which isn't a criticism cause they look awesome) but i think that th13teen is a great new rollercoaster for 2010!!!

[usirocksit1]

5x^ "I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!"!!!!!

 

Kidding.. peace be with you ..

[robbalvey]

Isn't that the whole point of a prototype? You're not gonna have an extreme coaster that does incredible elements and intense transitions the first time around unless that's your goal.

Rides like Colossos, X2 and Xcelerator all prove that you CAN have a prototype that is also extreme. And really, Alton Towers' own Oblivion kind of proves that to. But you're right, if that's not your goal, that's not your goal. But there are plenty of examples out there where the prototype absolutely DID deliver on high thrills and "wow factor."

 

On top of that, I'm pretty sure Alton can't build massive I305-sized projects due to height restrictions so they use prototype coasters like Oblivion, Air, and Thirteen to draw crowds in.

And arguably, Oblivion and Air are the lowest ranked in their class by roller coaster enthusiasts. However, having said that, they do draw HUGE crowds and are favorites at the park.

 

Not trying to say you're right or wrong with your statements, just wanting to make sure you're looking at this from both sides of the coin.

 

--Robb

[snorkymn]

I guess in 13 weeks I'll be riding 13 and finding out for myself. From the video, It doesn't "WOW" me, as some others have also mentioned above, but looks like it could still be fun anyway. Especially for a family type coaster. So I'll wait to form a real opinion until after I've been on it a time or two.

 

How many riders can they really get through the ride in an hour with an element like that?

[CreditCrazy]

So it's Expedition Everest without all the theming. I'm sure it will do AWESOME for families, and people will absolutely love it (it does look like a lot of fun!), but for a hard core roller coaster enthusiast looking for big thrills? I have a feeling they will be disappointed.

 

That's the thing that frustrates me about this ride. It looks like a ton of fun, a great ride for families, yet it has this horror theme, and then it's going to have a medical expert at the end of the ride...? It just has the wrong theme for what the ride is.

[Koolkid]

^^ 1200

 

Same as Corkscrew's

[robbalvey]

That's the thing that frustrates me about this ride. It looks like a ton of fun, a great ride for families, yet it has this horror theme, and then it's going to have a medical expert at the end of the ride...? It just has the wrong theme for what the ride is.

Agreed.

[netdvn]

Rides like Colossos, X2 and Xcelerator all prove that you CAN have a prototype that is also extreme. And really, Alton Towers' own Oblivion kind of proves that to. But you're right, if that's not your goal, that's not your goal. But there are plenty of examples out there where the prototype absolutely DID deliver on high thrills and "wow factor."

I totally understand, but that was where the "it's not their goal" part comes in, which you covered. Rides like Blue Fire and X were built to deliver extreme thrills through steep drops, plenty of inversions, etc. But my main point is that Thirteen isn't going for that. It seems to be going for a more psychological thrill.

 

That's the thing that frustrates me about this ride. It looks like a ton of fun, a great ride for families, yet it has this horror theme, and then it's going to have a medical expert at the end of the ride...? It just has the wrong theme for what the ride is.

To be honest, I see the "medical expert" thing as part of a publicity stunt to make the ride seem much more intimidating than it really is. The horror theme is meant to draw in thrillseekers/adrenaline junkies that would normally brush off a ride like this as "boring". It seems to be built for families with older children than a traditional family coaster, which the "new" Sonic-rethemed coaster is trying to draw.

[Juggler]

I haven't bothered with the place for at least three years now and I can't see anything in the video, hype or assorted material that changes my opinion of the place.

 

As for Cedar Fair I've been to plenty of their parks but the difference is that they don't set themselves up as anything other than a park full of rides and if there's space we'll cram another one in. If you know that before hand then there's no disappointment.

 

Awful Towers has the most amazing backdrop of any park in the World what with the fabulous Gardens and the House but they always come up short when it comes to really looking at the customer experience. Just take a look at the effort that goes into new rides and areas at places such as Phantasialand, De Efteling and Europa Park for instance. Awful Towers seem to think they can just role out a ride, hype it beyond belief and then throw a few bits of plastic at it to make it look nice. They have some good rides there and one fantastic one (Nemesis) but there's no real direction and no feel to the park. Nemesis is a perfect example of how to create, pace and theme a ride. It looks great, it has a feel to it as you walk amongst it through the queue and the river of blood rolls down the hill. All of this adds to the experience but since then I can't recall another ride that has truly grasped that concept. Hex is probably the only other ride built since that makes an effort.

 

I want to be excited not just by the ride but by the whole experience. I want designers to not just think about creating the next gimmick but to really look at the whole experience. Don't leave dead space in a queue line, don't think that just because you've got the World's first B&M Flying coaster you can have a bare concrete tunnel with water on the floor as you exit the platform. Start thinking about what goes on near and around the rides, they've got the space so use it and make it work for them.

 

Awful Towers have spent too long looking for their next gimmick instead of looking at what they already have and investing in making the park what it should be. They could spend a fraction of what it costs for the next big thing on more family orientated rides, some out of the box coasters and then theme the hell out of them so that although they're standard they look the part. Get the customers more spread out and get more rides in to ease the pressure on the main attractions.

 

All of this is only my opinion and it's not just the new ride that's caused such comments. I've said this very same thing for years (Since 2000 when I went across to Europe and saw the difference) and Awful Towers aren't the only culprits. For some reason we still seem to have the seaside resort mentality in the industry over here and we really do need to wake up and smell the coffee so to speak.

[robbalvey]

Awful Towers have spent too long looking for their next gimmick

I would generally agree with this.

 

I really do love Alton Towers, but it frustrates me that a park that offers so many different types of attractions with so much great potential only has one ride that I really think is "outstanding" and that ride was built in 1994.

 

The majority of the rides at Alton Towers I find to be "very good" but not "outstanding."

 

Air, Oblivion, Rita, Spinball, Hex, Duel, Ripsaw, Charlie, etc, are rides I really like, but they are all "ride once per visit" attractions for me. Nemesis is the only ride there that I really want more of.

 

On our 2006 trip we actually left the park for a couple of hours to visit Splash Landings...and had an EXCELLENT time there!

 

--Robb

[jackskellington101]

It's been a long time since I've been there, but when I went I put Oblivion on the multi-ride list too. Yeah, it's short, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and mini-marathoned it and Nemesis. The gimmick search style of marketing isn't exclusive to just Alton, but Merlin Entertainments seem to really try for it more than most, between Alton and Thorpe, looking at Thirteen this year and Saw last year. It's a very risky venture and one that seems to burn really fast.

[Dobba]

Another few minutes of coverage on the local news programme a few minutes ago, I'm sure there will be screencaptures in due course but the station themeing looks pretty good. The drop was done with the full lights on though as the bootcamp riders have said they experienced.

[ColinM]

(before & if you read this... bootcamp was the most amazing time, so Alton are very much in my good books right now!!)

 

You gotta remember... this is the UK! Parks over here rarely invest in BIG rides, add that to Alton's height restrictions, other design limitations etc. They're dwarved in the worldwide market, but they're the UKs leading park.

 

They gotta make the most of their resources, and Alton's hype machine are experts in this field! I met Morwenna Angove today, very nice woman who knows exactly what she's doing & is very good at it, and I've spent time with their marketing & PR guys over the past couple of weeks. Bootcamp has been an experience since before it began, more on that later!

 

Enthusiasts call it BS! - they call it 'talkability'... marketing which makes people talk...

 

Anyway - I REALLY enjoyed the 'bootcampers' ride... (which came after GMTV's!)... 9 rides, 3 with 'lights on'

 

NO rides with FX!!

 

We met John Wardley in the bar the night before, he came over after our rides & asked if I wanted to know what the effects were...

"noooo, please don't tell me" I replied!

So I shall be there for ERT on opening day, to find out!

 

So we all knew what the ride was gonna do... except for the wobbly reverse helix! 1 or 2 rides was fine, but I felt a bit sea-sick after 9!

And the drop is fine - think like London Dungeon's 'Extremis'. The short drop 'shocks' riders just as much as a large drop, even if it doesn't last as long... (thats their theory!), stick it in the middle of a fun coaster = good combination!

Edited March 17, 2010 by ColinM

[ianf71]

I immediately thought of Expedition:Everest when I saw this.

And am I allowed to say that I wasn't that impressed with E:E when I rode it (so much so, we haven't been back to AK since, as the rides there just didn't impress)

 

As a relative newcomer I'm not quite au fait on all things coaster, but have been riding them for years (remember riding the Corkscrew back in 1986) and have had a place in Orlando for 5 years so have done there to death. But I was never impressed with Air when I rode it, And the Spinball is always out of action when I'm there.

I feel that the whole place will suffer by comparison now though - I loved Oblivion but it's no Sheikra!

[mousch]

I've just watched an article on the local news(central news),it was a much better piece of video,probably cause it was better edited and it made the ride and "surprise" look so much better than the GMTV piece this morning.

Can't wait till saturday to experience the ride properly.

Edited March 22, 2010 by mousch