TraX

Well, it’s better than nothing.

I just wonder when people will really notice Merlin/Alton Towers penny pinching on guests time and money. Short opening hours, no baggage hold/single rider, shops closed, hotel and water park with closed days, rides opening late, not to mention all the closed indoor rides.. it’s pretty poor for what should be the UK’s best theme park and what should be a positive year for them.

And so they should. They’re almost out of dark rides and they’ve had months to do this work during closed season, and there’s no reason it couldn’t have been finished ready for the season (particularly as it seems to be unprofessionals re-lighting it anyway). I’m all for it getting some love, but they could have had it finished and lit more traditionally and had it completed ages ago.

Surely this has a lot to do with removing actors from the attraction to save money, which is EXACTLY what most enthusiasts said from the get go. I still haven’t been on it as it has zero interest (same as TWD), but I’m visiting in a few weeks so I’ll get my first experience of it. Shame it’s cheapened now in its 3rd year, but I’m hardly surprised.

No. They didn't.

Well, it's something I guess. Alton are in a dire state at the moment with closed rides and post Smiler etc.. Hopefully with the extra attention, they'll be able to open all of their rides and operate like a proper theme park. That'll at least make me visit again. Been away from all Merlin parks for a few years now. Surely that tells them something (I can't be the only one)? As a non annual pass holder, paying the day rate for closed rides, parks shutting at 4 in the afternoon, one train/sloppy operations is not an option. Fingers crossed with this, they'll be back on their game. Unfortunetly, I just don't think it'll happen. Merlin are lazy, cheap and sloppy.

The team who designed and built it all had background in theatre and worked on the project the entire season, whilst additionally working on The Vampire/Hollows attraction. After the fire hit creaky cafe, the original team left and the entertainments department didn't have anyone creative, or with the technical experience to pull it off. It's 2nd year was out sourced to the studios to rebuild, using a theming guide left from the original team and the new technical guy didn't have the experience to recreate the different zones of audio/triggered lighting effects, or scenes that were cued by an actor. It was pretty upsetting to see the standard slip so steeply during it's second year and the attraction really suffered. It was pretty shocking that only one of the IMAscore tracks were used and the whole attraction felt static as lights weren't programmed and were just 'on'. It was a poor state and I guess the difficulty was too much for them, hence why Scruffy Dog came in to create something new, as the entertainments team weren't up to it themselves.

The thing with Merlin, they only care about immediate spikes in attendence year by year. They literally have no reason to do anything with Loggers, until tits knocked down and replaced as a (hopefully) new water ride.

Dragon Falls was more to do with themeing being run down following from the Tomb queue line accident, a knee jerk reaction from Merlin. From what I understand, Loggers is much like N:ST and The Black Hole, it needs a H&S upgrade. Additionally, the studio that built the stone faces for falls have said they would be more than happy to recreate them. Obviously Merlin won't pay and if anything, Falls will become part of a bigger land upgrade/redesign in the 'future'.

Poor Loggers. What a state! It kinda feels like Sub-Terra where it's easier to leave something, rather than pay for any H&S upgrade. It's like the Black Hole all over again!

Isn't this the same thing that happens every. single. year? I used to always be on park opening weekend, until I got tired of poor operations becoming 'acceptable' because it's opening day. It isn't acceptable and that is no excuse. I didn't visit at all last year, because since I dropped paying for an annual pass, my visits depend on ride availability.. as their new ride was closed more than it was open, I didn't bother to visit at all. Opening day is always a no go, for all the Merlin attractions. I'm not going on an off peak day to find the queues are packed out because of closed rides and/or one train operations.

So no one knows if they actually are cleaned? So why the queue line signs saying they are?

What is the process of cleaning the VR headsets? I would like to know at what point between guests they are all cleaned? Putting signs up in the queue line stating they are cleaned, doesn't mean they actually are. Any ideas?

If Thorpe was as good as the Universal parks, I'd do the same.

I thought that was still on the plans? Would make perfect sense for park guests and off season entertainment (Chessington not having a jungle/safari themed water park is another huge missed opportunity). I guess neither have a quick enough return to warrant their existence.

Glad the money saved from all the closed attractions has been spent well. ;-))

I'm so excited for this beauty. Roll on August!!!! Looks world class.

I haven't been to any Merlin parks this year and I only went to Thorpe and Alton once last year, both on an annual pass I got for free. I haven't bought an annual pass for years. This is unlike me.. The general under-keep of the parks, Alton closing loads of rides for 'TLC' (when really they're saving money), the dreadful 'world first' BS (the whole AIR thing wound me up, as it did VR coaster who's reputation was at risk through Alton's misleading claim), H&S knee jerks (The latest Alton fence heights Vs parks everywhere else-even Taron, the knee jerk theming destruction at Chessington in 2013), Chessington in every single other way, the way they treat and under pay their staff (the amount of staff complaints from the Eye to Nick Varney has been staggering. One complaint opened the flood gates and he had to take notice and surprise visit- although that's another story). Basically Merlin are too arrogant and anyone that has worked for them will have plenty of tales to tell. It's also interesting that many long term enthusiasts from the Southparks 2003 onwards era, share the same opinion.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has started 'secret' performances last week and is ENORMOUSLY technical with tons of illusions and it's one of many shows that managed to open/opening on time. It's really starting to grind my gears how some enthusiasts are saying 'we should be lucky', 'they're doing their best'... WHY do so many of you settle and make excuses? Merlin are poor at what they do and history demonstates this all the time. Benin hit the nail on the head. I'm not slating The Ghost Train, I understand things can happen, but if they were adding additional bits in June, God knows what state the attraction was a month before opening. Mismanaged.

Well, last min theming additions, wayy past it's opening.. sounds mismanaged to me. At least they've added extra bits (assuming that wasn't originaly planned) and avoided opening it in the state which Zufari STILL embarrasingly operates in.

To be fair, there's literally nothing else to talk about until this thing opens now. The SW8 topic is where it's at. ;-)

Nice to see this might go ahead, a shame it's not RMC, thought all the gimmicks were just waiting for Merlin to make a call. Too bad, the one time I wanted the gimmick! In regards to loosing the flume, for me it was a childhood fave and I'll miss it being there, but it did hog up tons of space and was no Loggers (SAVE LOGGERS)! Whatever happened to the plans of an outside flume extension/lift/drop/splashdown at Charlie? That would make a welcome return addition one day. I can only assume expense and being so near to 'coaster corner' haulted those plans. Regardless, this will be awsome to see going up next year and looking forward to see what they plan with the Flume station (CONCEPT ART PLEASE), fingers crossed these two years are also enough to recover, so they can open ALL of their rides again..

I agree it's slowed down and even I have lost interest also. It's been a slow enough construction topic and now with everyone pouring over SW8, Alton Towers have nabbed the limelight a little. Sure this will be popular and I'll ride it, but it's getting close to that time of year, where I won't bother visiting. Too bad they can't reveal something to reignite peoples interest, as right now their secrecey is killing it.

Why are so many people hoping that it opens in 'the best possible standard'? it's really sad a lot of UK enthusiasts now worry this wouldn't be the case anyway (thanks Zufari for underwhelming everyone so much with your big dreams, poor budget restraints and project planning).

It will be leaked. As soon as this opens, it will be on all the fan sites, like the early name and theme slip up. Although, they must be excited by the fact this is the only attraction they've ever had such control over. I still fear MMM inability to create theatrics. For me, it's how the Simworx and VR tech come together.