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Liam T

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  1. Liam T
    WARNING - This review has very STRONG spoilers
     
     
    Choo Choo... No this isn't Runaway Mine Train, this is MY Ghost Train (Well actually it's Derren's, but I got to experience it last weekend).
    Delayed for two months, a hype built higher than Kingda Ka and being the largest investment in Merlin HISTORY! I, of course, had low expectations.

    EXTERIOR

    I'll begin my review on the outside, we were greeted by a 90 minute queue in the baking heat, so I had lots of time to sink in the exterior, unfortunately, most of the poster theming had been destroyed by the guests'.
    Apart from the huge red shed that Thorpe has proudly placed at the front of the area, the actual building itself is well themed and the music was loud, maybe a little too loud (is that possible?). 

    Apart from the AWFUL photo spots, the queue itself wasn’t that bad, the baggage room was well themed and the batching area kept the hype going… now it was time to go through to the pre-show.

    INTERIOR 

    The pre-show started, with the worlds lamest ‘jump scare’, Derren waffled on about fear (I did pay attention, honest!) and another lame jump scare, although I did appreciate the special effects, this pre show felt like it was actually him talking to me, not just a video.
    We move onto the main room and I was taken aback, the train looked incredible and really looked like it was hanging! I have no idea how it’s done, the way the trains are hidden is actually the most mind bending thing about this attraction.

    The VR headsets come on and the story begins, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6... The scares begin and I was already screaming before the video started, the whole first VR section felt so realistic and I was immersed in what they was saying, I had the young man, old lady and old man so I got to experience a difference in the stories, my 3rd ride on DBGT 1st VR experience was the best VR I have ever experience, so crisp and clear.

    So after my knees were attacked by Thorpe’s ride host, we moved into the second part of the attraction, after a lot of shouting and confusion, this huge train comes swinging towards us, the effect would work well if they had more smoke and less lights but I still jumped back in time. 
    Onto the second train and off we went, this time the story got confusing for me… why the explosions? Where’s Derren gone? Is Derren a member of the Green Party? But the demons did scare me, but the extremely long gas section made me loose interest and I could feel myself wanting to remove my headset, next thing I know, we’re falling to my second home, 5,4,3,2… an abrupt ending and back to reality. 

    We exit into the highly themed shop and I had experienced the ghost train.
     
    Pros –
    -    The physically train and underground theming.
    -    The first VR experience nearly made me fall off my seat
    -    The ride system works SO WELL.

    Cons –
    -    The whole ‘sub core’ story comes out of nowhere, it feels like they’re two different plot lines happening throughout the whole attraction, Derren Brown & Sub Core.
    -    Second VR section comes across very out there, making me confused to what was actually happening.
    -    Making me change my pants because it scared me THAT much. 
     
    Overall Review:
    The newest major UK theme park attraction, was certainly an experienced I’ve never had before, the plot line and lack of physically theming let it down for me, but it did what it was created for, to scare you.
    I’m unsure how this will keep up in a few years’ time, the technology is far too underdeveloped for how much it gets used and was already straining when I visited, I have a strong opinion that VR is NOT the future of theme parks, but that’s a debate for another day.

    Trolley Dolly

    7/10
  2. Liam T
    Good Afternoon TPM!
    I'm starting a new series called 'Trolley Dollies Guide to...' which will be my take on reviewing/trip reports.
    To start, lets begin with the UK's most premium Halloween event;
    ALTON TOWERS SCAREFEST 2015
    The Park
    This year saw new theming added to Towers Street, including the new 'Scarefest' sign which saw as the back drop too many families photos this year, it felt very refreshing and exciting to walk down with the new audio & new decorations.
    The lighting through-out the park felt improved since my last visit in 2013, but the giant LED lights in the Th13teen queue was a little let down in what should be a very atmospheric queue at night time, but with the added Scare-zones, Dark Forest & Forbidden Valley felt alive... I'll get to those later though.
    One thing about the park which upset me was the lack of people, walking out of Haunted Hollow and into what I could only describe as a 'ghost town' with closed food stalls & rides, wasn't a pleasant experience. Zero queues & closed rides cause me and my group to ask each other 'what next?' as we struggled to fill time while waiting for our scare maze time slots.
    But apart from that, the park felt solid in terms of ride reliability & theming/lighting.
    Scare Zones
    Dark Apocalypse (Forbidden Valley) & Nox: Infernus (Dark Forest)
    The new Scare Zone are paths in the above areas, one being an open pathway from Sub Terra to Nemesis or in Dark Forest case, Rita's tunnel. At 5pm a warning plays across Forbidden Valley, informing guest that the infected are in the area with smoke covering the area, it made the area feel very alive and caused families unaware of the safe zone to run with their children through them.
    In Dark Forest, it was great to see the return of the Wraiths in Dark Forest, one of them was hiding behind Rita's wheel, another in this poor ladies face at the Th13teen shop exit, very scary with the actors in both areas playing with their surroundings.
    Alton may have shot themselves in the foot by having 'mini mazes' and marketing them as zones causing people to be disappointed with this years addition when in reality, this is what a scare zone should be so hopefully next year, they add some more theming & lights to them just to add that little bit more.
    Scare Mazes
    Right so this is the bit you've all been waiting for, I'll put any details inside the maze in the spoilers so please don't click them if you don't want to find out.
    Terror Of The Towers
    The true classic from Scarefest history, this maze is re-routed this year so lets see how it compares to my last visit in 2013 (and what I can remember from it)
    A solid maze, didn't really enjoy being in a conga line but alot of jump scares & hilarious moments!
    Scare Rating - 8/10
    Theming Rating - 7/10
    Overall Experience - 8/10
    The Haunting Of Molly Crowe
    This new maze involves behind blind folded, to lets see how it goes...
    Interesting maze which uses your senses to scare you rather than jump scares & an incredible ending scene.
    Scare Rating - 7/10
    Theming Rating - 7/10
    Overall Experience - 7/10
    Sub Species - The End Games
    'What do you mean no holding onto the person infront of you?!'
    An experience which will haunt my dreams till next Scarefest, fantastic audio/theming/actors... just wow.
    Scare Rating - 100/10
    Theming Rating - 9/10
    Overall Experience - Never Again.
    Over-all, the experience was much improved from 2013, though the lack of people made the park feel sad... The solid mazes, theming and audio makes it a must visit, so go, go now, GO, JUST GO TO SCAREFEST.
    The End
    (till Next Time...)
  3. Liam T
    Welcome to part two of a bored, slightly humorous random blog post on a Sunday Evening!
    *PRE-WARNING, THIS IS ALL A-BIT OF FUN, PLEASE READ THIS LIGHT HEARTED*
    Last week, I introduced you to The Merlin Rollercoastermatic Universe, (which is like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, just less Iron Man and more disappointment).
    There's been two main phases since Merlin's take over in (2007/08), the first one is named, hype, and you can read about it here!
    The second phase is called, unoriginal;
    The Unoriginal Phase (2012-2015)
    The Swarm^ (B&M, Built in 2012) -
    The Swarm started off well, the plans showed us that the UK is getting it's first B&M in 9 years and the theming looked incredible, but unfortunately, Merlin had to step in and create an USP for The Swarm, something all new rollercoaster's had to have now, apparently. Thus the tagline 'The Europe's tallest/UK’s first winged rollercoaster' was created.
    The Swarm was received well, but didn't bring the guest in, was it because the GP didn't know what a 'winged rollercoaster' is, or maybe The Olympic's being in the same year? No one really knows the answer, but a year later, to try and give this already unoriginal layout and theme another lease of life, they turned two rows of seats backwards and re-marketed it as the new attraction for 2013...
    The Smiler* (Gerstlauer, Built in 2013) -
    Let's be very honest here... The Smiler's whole planning, construction, and opening was more messy than me after 5 rounds of Tequila. The opening was delayed, not once, not twice but THREE TIMES. The groundwork being so poor, it feels like you've visited the Alton Towers Waterpark, not The Smiler, and that theme song that just haunts you for the next two weeks.
    The Smiler USP was very clever, 14 inversions, with most of them being hidden during planning, just a shame 8 of them try to paralyse you. Whats unoriginal about it you say? If I wanted a poorly built ride to disable me, I'd ride Saw The Ride.
    Flug der Dämonen^ (B&M, Built in 2014) -
    Flug der Dämonen didn't have a USP, that is because it really was The Swarm 2, the ride cars are identical, the theme is identical, most of the ride elements are identical... apart from that cool looking inversion!
    It wasn't a world's first, or Europe's first... it was just, a really good rollercoaster, that happens to have ugly white coloured track.
    Oblivion: The Black Hole (B&M, Built in 2015) -
    Talking of ugly white track, finishing our wonderful unoriginal phase, is the most unoriginal rollercoaster of them all!
    Heide Park got a dive coaster, then a winged rollercoaster... Gardaland got a winged rollercoaster... now it's getting a dive rollercoaster, did they get them buy one get one free or something?!
    The layout looks fun though! Just a shame the marketing and name of this rollercoaster, is literally two rides from X-Sector, and Oblivion 2.0.
    So that brings us to the present day, Oblivion: The Black Hole hasn't opened yet so we're unsure how the story will unfold, so expect an update in April time, but that is our two phases!
    What is the next phase? I hear you say...
    Well unlike Marvel who have released phase 3, we're really unsure what Merlin is going to do.
    2016 is going to be Thorpe Park's & Merlin's next big investment, which we all thought was going to be a rollercoaster, but turns out, to be a dark ride... Alton Towers has rumours flying here, there and everywhere about Wooden Valley Coaster, and our lovely European parks might get a flying coaster called, Air - The Blade.
    Who knows?
    Thank you all for reading.
    Trolley Dolly (Liam T)
    Key:
    * - World's First
    ^ - Taller than 100ft
    USP - Unique Selling Point
  4. Liam T
    Welcome to a bored, slightly humorous random blog post on a Sunday Evening!
    *PRE-WARNING, THIS IS ALL A-BIT OF FUN, PLEASE READ THIS LIGHT HEARTED*
    While watching some POV's, I was thinking about since Merlin took over, and how their four (I'm leaving Chessington out of this as they've not seen a new rollercoaster since 2004) theme parks have had rollercoaster investments in 'phases', much like the Marvel movies! Introducing, The Merlin Rollercoastermatic Universe;
    There's been two main phases since Merlin's take over in (2007/08), the first one is named, hype;
    The Hype Phase (2009-2011)
    Saw - The Ride^ (Gerstlauer, Built in 2009) -
    Labelled as 'the world's most terrifying coaster', the only terrifying thing was how many break downs it had when it opened and it's ability to stall very easily.
    The hype very quickly died, when many riders found out, that this ride is really a death trap by knocking the sense out of them at the bottom of the drop.
    Th13teen* (Intamin, Built in 2010) -
    This rollercoaster was also labelled 'the world's most terrifying coaster', unfortunately the terror comes in the form of bad marketing, large trim breaks and the fact the only exciting element about it, was revealed on GMTV...
    Raptor^* (B&M, Built in 2011) -
    The only rollercoaster in this phase to live up to it's hype, Raptor was a prototype from B&M, the wing coaster, covered top to bottom in theming... it's long, it's themed, and it's a world first? What's not to love!
    Krake^ (B&M, Built in 2011) -
    Finally ending our hype phase, was this lovely Dive Machine that comes in the form of Krake, it was tall, looked fun, and was longer then our lovely Oblivion! The only problem?
    Heide Park advertised the ride falling into the mouth of an Octopus! But when it opened, it seemed like the Octopus theming has disappeared, a public out-cry called out for this theming to be construction, and next season it was... the public gets what the public wants!
    Next week, we'll discover the second phase, Unoriginal.
    Key:
    * - World's First
    ^ - Taller than 100ft
  5. Liam T
    This Halloween! Spixworth Fields Theme Park has been celebrating "Spixworth Horror Fields" running from 13th-31st October, hosting an event of horror attractions, fun family games and fantastic theming!
    Here is Spixworth Fields Mania review of 2012 SHF:
    The Park
    The park themed top to bottom with Halloween objects, right at the end of Farm Lane is the mighty haunted windmill, below it is objects of the previous visitors of SHF...




    When reaching the end of Field lane, you reach the first Horror Maze Attraction
    The Pavilion

    The Pavilion is set in 1943, in a unused pavilion previously used for all the guest seeing the beautiful gardens & house but after a freak unknown accident its been left to rot until recently the theme park open and they re-discovered the pavilion, now its your choice to become detectives and find out what really happened!
    The Pavilion maze is stupidly placed but as this was the only major available land, I guess they had no choice... The Pavilion is right at the start of the park, the entrance is directly across from Farm Lane so the queues get very big

    The queue line is set in the plaza to the pavilion the maze is set on you start your journey in a cobwebbed room before travelling deeper and deeper into the Pavilions past, beware as you get deeper as you may uncover something horrible!
    The Pavilion 6/10
    Forbidden Factory
    Forbidden Factory is the second horror maze attraction this year, and by far the best...
    Set in abandoned factory, the disaster that closed this factory happened in the boiler room yet the rest tools inside the factory have gone, the boiler room remains the same!

    There is no blank bits in this horror maze, each room has a story to tell and scares alike, the maze also runs alot faster than The Pavilion and lets shorter queues as it is furthest away in the park! This is one of the highlights of the events

    Forbidden Factory 8/10
    Finally the 2013 construction site!


    Here is an video of the event and a picture of the overview of the park took by the Spixworth Mania Helicopter!


    And more photos at:
    http://s1270.beta.photobucket.com/user/Liam_New_Tolson/library/RCT3/Spixworth%20Horror%20Fields

    Thank you for viewing this blog! See you in 2013!
  6. Liam T

    SFM Update - 30/09/12

    By Liam T,

    Last update of September!
    Hey! As we move into Halloween month, Spixworth has been racing ahead with its 2013 project & SHF construction!
    In today’s update we will be looking at:
    Major rumours about the 2013 project
    Spixworth Horror Fields construction
    2013 construction update

    1.
    Lately, the 2013 site has been very busy construction wise! With the animal enclosures being put up at a rapid pace, but recently major SFM members have noticed the site expanding and construction taking place on parts of Adventure Mountain that wasn't on the plans!
    A inside source says that Spixworth have found a big problem with the original plans, so plans have been quickly drawn up and working with the council to change it, the "problem" so far is unknown, but hopefully it has nothing to do with the new star attraction, the disk-o!
    2.
    Most of the horror mazes for Spixworth Horror Fields have now nearly finished, the outside walls are almost put up and effects being placed:


    3.
    As you saw with point one, the construction site now takes up half of Adventure Mountain! With a lot more steel beams being placed:



    Thank you for taking your time to read this! Feel free to comment below and I'll see you next sunday for more Spixworth Horror Fields Mania!
  7. Liam T

    SFM Update - 24/09/12

    By Liam T,

    Hi there! And welcome to another (late) Spixworth Fields Mania update!
    My o my don't we have some great news for you today!
    In todays update we will be looking at
    2013 vertical construction
    Spixworth Horror Fields construction
    Adventure Mountain's bridge closure

    1.
    Vertical construction has began on the 2013 site
    Metal structures for the north side animals enclosure are being put into place, here is a overview of the site from last week:



    2.
    Now only 19 days till Spixworth Horror Fields things are in full set to get it all ready
    Although no construction pictures of the horror mazes are allowed, here is some of the plaza:


    3.
    Now you may of noticed in the images of the construction site, Adventure Mountain bridge as not only been closed, but removed.
    On the 2013 plans it still shows the bridge will be their for 2013 but rumours have it that Spixworth is deciding to remove the bridge fully not only for construction but for ease of access in 2013...


    Rumours also say there will be another bridge constructed for 2013 but so far, it looks like you will have to take the long way round to get into Adventure Mountain, which can be abit of a pain, but Spixworth have fully signed post the new route so with the heavy guest flow this halloween, it won't affect your trip greatly
    Thank you for taking your time to read this! Feel free to comment below and I'll see you next sunday for more Spixworth Fields Mania!
  8. Liam T

    SFM Update - 16/09/12

    By Liam T,

    Hello! And welcome to Spixworth Fields Mania, I will be updating this weekly with updates from my RCT3 park "Spixworth Fields", I hope you enjoy and feel free to comment!
    What is "Spixworth Fields Theme Park"
    Spixworth Fields is a theme park down the road from Spixworth Village, taken from their Facebook page:
    Opened in 1953 to visit the beautiful hall and gardens many visitors alike untill it had to close in 1982 due to visitor decline and Spixworth Hall's roof falling through
    20 years later, combined with the Uk's biggest attraction owners & alot of will, Spixworth re-opened its grounds but this time full of rides and attractions
    Now boasting an B&M flyer, Intamin mine train & more, its quickly become one of the Uk's best theme parks
    In todays update we will be looking at
    Spixworth 2013 ride plans
    Spixworth Horror Fields announcement
    Spixworth 2013 construction update

    1.
    Spixworth have applied planning permission for their new ride for 2013
    Spixworth plan to add a new flat ride in Adventure Mountain for next year while it also looks like they will be adding animals with viewing areas & an shop for 2013 as well
    Here is some of the images from the plans:



    So it looks like for 2013, an fantastic disk-o flat ride will join the lineup!
    2.
    Last week Spixworth Fields revealed "Spixworth Horror Fields" the new halloween event that is set to be the best in the Uk!
    Quote from there facebook
    And construction has already started on theming and the mazes

    3.
    And finally the contruction update for this week over at Adventure Mountain
    On mountain mine trains queue:

    On Adventure Mountains bridge:

    So its all coming along nicely! Join us next sunday for more Spixworth news, reviews and pictures!
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