alexander

I agree the ending is what needed significant attention, and if they are in fact building something completely new and swallowing their pride then thats a big step forward. Reinvent the whole ending to the attraction, brilliant.
 
However, I do find it easy to see how people are finding negatives, because of this team's pathetic track record of making decisions on pretty much every attraction theyve made ever.
 
I fear the process was:
Guests comment "wot that wasn't scary/ is that it?"
Market 'research' (exit surveys) concludes 'guests don't find it scary enough'.
MMM 'We need to make it scarier, let's add a shipping container scare maze ending' or something quick and basic.
 
The scariness isn't the ride's problem. If it was entertaining enough and really hit the mark, then people would come out having experienced something really great and wouldn't be feeling disappointed. Many people probably went in thinking it was going to be "the scariest thing ever" not knowing what Derren Brown's brand of entertainment actually is or understanding the ghost train idea. Why would you want to dumb down the concept to appeal to this misunderstanding, when you could potentially surprise them in much more ingenious ways?
 
Scaring people is easy to do. Its as easy as having some flashy lights in darkness, loud noises and an actor jumping out at you. Please please don't do a Sub Terra with that awful cop out ending tacked on. Please don't do actors that will inevitably get cut within 3 years. Please don't always make the most obvious, superficial response to market research.

I can assure you I for one was expecting a darn sight more then an "immersive tunnel"!!!! 
Each to their own, at the end of the day Merlin has no one to blame but themselves for the huge percentage of riders who are disappointed. Their pre-release marketing promised an attraction that it has not even nearly delivered, end of story. As I have said before, I would love nothing more than to love this ride, however IMO they will never be able to deliver an attraction that meets my expectations that were based on their marketing material. 
 
By all means, please quote this next season proving me wrong, I would be over the moon to be wrong. 

Eyyyy, was I right?

Really glad I came along to this (thanks to Roodie for helping with my anxiety and for the lift) - my first meet in almost 3 years and was great to see everyone.  Had such a laugh - and you lot that did FIA are braver than me - the state of some of you when you came out .
 
 

I would just like to say thank you to all of those on this meet who made me feel welcome and part of a community. Now the first one is done I'm looking forward to more. Also thank you to those who took the time to organise it.

not sure if serious

not sure if serious

After two evacuations, and finally riding it for the first time yesterday (almost). I have to say, what an embarrassment. If that's what £40mil gets you then I'd ask for a bloody refund. Tragic.

I've missed you too! Come to a meet soon please!

Anyways O/T What's better, SAW or DBGT? Both are hideous.

Amy omg ahahaha. That is class.
 
anyways:
Big Top is amazing. such a long maze, really well executed. Loved it.
 
Platform No 15 - Blair Witch with a tunnel 
 
Cabin - unchanged but always pretty fun

Anyways, credit where it is due: the carriage is executed pretty well and the first VR section is pretty good. The woman with the dog I was impressed with and the acting was pretty good. My problem with the first part is it's just too short when the 'infected' start coming and you're rushed off in an emergency too swiftly before anything has really happened. The 'underground' area, scenically, is actually really good but after that... Well. It's just a non-event really.
 
Considering this was a major investment, Thorpe's biggest to date, it's many shortcomings is where my issues lie with the 'immersive experience'. Especially when the 'cutting edge technology' was a few headsets, a couple of actors and staff tapping you on the knees every so often. I personally didn't find the VR that impressive but maybe that's because I've had experiences with it before. Shrug.
 
Anyways, thank god they are improving it for next year with a new destination and I'll guess we'll have another crack at it next year. I guess gold stars for trying though, eh?

Side note: those who were saying the pre-show is comparable to Disney is laughable at best.

I've missed you too! Come to a meet soon please!

Anyways O/T What's better, SAW or DBGT? Both are hideous.

Funnily enough, I actually did mention hex yesterday and I would rank that way higher than this. To me it's subterra on steroids and pulled off badly. The concept was great but they've failed to deliver.
 
What happened with the dolls in the advertising? why am I staring at some green smoke on loop for half the ride? Why does the ride system barely move when something is being physically thrown at you? Where are the 12 endings we promised? Why has it bothered to be themed to a Victorian train and not bothered to capitalise on it?
 
I'm a fan of derren and his work and whilst very skeptical reading the comments on here I thought if I go in with no expectations, surely it would be better than expected? I barely feel like he's had any input on the ride at all as this does not reflect the work he usually puts out.

Anyways, credit where it is due: the carriage is executed pretty well and the first VR section is pretty good. The woman with the dog I was impressed with and the acting was pretty good. My problem with the first part is it's just too short when the 'infected' start coming and you're rushed off in an emergency too swiftly before anything has really happened. The 'underground' area, scenically, is actually really good but after that... Well. It's just a non-event really.
 
Considering this was a major investment, Thorpe's biggest to date, it's many shortcomings is where my issues lie with the 'immersive experience'. Especially when the 'cutting edge technology' was a few headsets, a couple of actors and staff tapping you on the knees every so often. I personally didn't find the VR that impressive but maybe that's because I've had experiences with it before. Shrug.
 
Anyways, thank god they are improving it for next year with a new destination and I'll guess we'll have another crack at it next year. I guess gold stars for trying though, eh?

Side note: those who were saying the pre-show is comparable to Disney is laughable at best.

After two evacuations, and finally riding it for the first time yesterday (almost). I have to say, what an embarrassment. If that's what £40mil gets you then I'd ask for a bloody refund. Tragic.

After two evacuations, and finally riding it for the first time yesterday (almost). I have to say, what an embarrassment. If that's what £40mil gets you then I'd ask for a bloody refund. Tragic.

Funnily enough, I actually did mention hex yesterday and I would rank that way higher than this. To me it's subterra on steroids and pulled off badly. The concept was great but they've failed to deliver.
 
What happened with the dolls in the advertising? why am I staring at some green smoke on loop for half the ride? Why does the ride system barely move when something is being physically thrown at you? Where are the 12 endings we promised? Why has it bothered to be themed to a Victorian train and not bothered to capitalise on it?
 
I'm a fan of derren and his work and whilst very skeptical reading the comments on here I thought if I go in with no expectations, surely it would be better than expected? I barely feel like he's had any input on the ride at all as this does not reflect the work he usually puts out.

Saw...
 
Even at its roughest 

not sure if serious

If you can do Face it Alone, do face it alone.
 

After two evacuations, and finally riding it for the first time yesterday (almost). I have to say, what an embarrassment. If that's what £40mil gets you then I'd ask for a bloody refund. Tragic.

When you think how how Universal have essentially changed the dark ride game pretty much 3 times (Spidey and the two Potter rides) since 1999 for many, many times over the budget of this, you have to wonder how Merlin thought this would make a difference?
 
Beyond being the world's first dark ride partially dedicated to VR of course... Was that the game changer? Cos Sub Terra did the hokey (but kinda amusing) acting part, and the live action scene isn't particularly new either... Is it the transit system that's meant to be the game changer? So many questions, yet not many answers...

I'm still coming but only may be there for the afternoon/evening, purely because I'm going out the night before in traditional Alex fashion...

I'm still coming but only may be there for the afternoon/evening, purely because I'm going out the night before in traditional Alex fashion...

It's the humane thing to do.