SteveJ

Do you work for Imperial Leather or something?

Do you work for Imperial Leather or something?

Do you work for Imperial Leather or something?

Do you work for Imperial Leather or something?

Do you work for Imperial Leather or something?

Who seriously accepts the excuse that "rides are supposed to look rusty" just because they have a dark theme? When somebody builds a ride, they don't say "Oh let's build a ride about an oily rusty rollercoaster in a jungle! That's just what the public want!"
No ride is 'supposed' to look rusty. Even Nemesis, which has painted-on stains and scars, is not supposed to have real blemishes like peeling paint and rust covering the track. There is a line between what suits the theme and what just looks poorly maintained.

Do you work for Imperial Leather or something?

Right, as this conversation refuses to die I've split it off from Loggers Leap topic. I've done the best I can to move posts that leave both threads making sense and relevant.
Hard hats on, this thread could be dangerous apparently......

Do you work for Imperial Leather or something?

Who seriously accepts the excuse that "rides are supposed to look rusty" just because they have a dark theme? When somebody builds a ride, they don't say "Oh let's build a ride about an oily rusty rollercoaster in a jungle! That's just what the public want!"
No ride is 'supposed' to look rusty. Even Nemesis, which has painted-on stains and scars, is not supposed to have real blemishes like peeling paint and rust covering the track. There is a line between what suits the theme and what just looks poorly maintained.

Long before Storm Surge, Octopus Gardens and the adjacent Thorpe Mega Store (I think it was a themed restaurant at some point) had quite a lot of figures dotted around like this. By the time I knew the park, this octopus had long gone, but I found this great video of the sculptor making it.
He also made that odd statue that is now situated in Loggers Leap. You can see it was originally intended for somewhere else that I don't recognise... is it Trapper's Trail where Slammer now is?

There are more videos on his website, including many iconic Chessington sculptures, like the dragon tunnel and the carved Buddha faces from Dragon River.

Who seriously accepts the excuse that "rides are supposed to look rusty" just because they have a dark theme? When somebody builds a ride, they don't say "Oh let's build a ride about an oily rusty rollercoaster in a jungle! That's just what the public want!"
No ride is 'supposed' to look rusty. Even Nemesis, which has painted-on stains and scars, is not supposed to have real blemishes like peeling paint and rust covering the track. There is a line between what suits the theme and what just looks poorly maintained.

Very unnecessary. It most certainly is unusual to have such a perfectly preserved façade remaining under a newer one like that. It almost looks like when they have constructed the newer one they have done it in such a way to deliberately preserve the old, so it could have been bought back if they fancy.
I love it, leave it as it is now!

Except that taking down a sign does not cost £350.
And if that were the case, how come this year they have decided to strip all the old layers off if they could have just added a fourth layer? By that logic, in 30+ years the building would have extended an extra metre into the path!
Whatever. I don't really care what the builders do, I just thought it was amusing/interesting how the Black Forest Chateau was still intact after 23 years.

Who seriously accepts the excuse that "rides are supposed to look rusty" just because they have a dark theme? When somebody builds a ride, they don't say "Oh let's build a ride about an oily rusty rollercoaster in a jungle! That's just what the public want!"
No ride is 'supposed' to look rusty. Even Nemesis, which has painted-on stains and scars, is not supposed to have real blemishes like peeling paint and rust covering the track. There is a line between what suits the theme and what just looks poorly maintained.

Who seriously accepts the excuse that "rides are supposed to look rusty" just because they have a dark theme? When somebody builds a ride, they don't say "Oh let's build a ride about an oily rusty rollercoaster in a jungle! That's just what the public want!"
No ride is 'supposed' to look rusty. Even Nemesis, which has painted-on stains and scars, is not supposed to have real blemishes like peeling paint and rust covering the track. There is a line between what suits the theme and what just looks poorly maintained.

It's always Colossus isn't it. What about rides like Vampire which have been screaming for a repaint for 23 years...

The Cartoony Cracked Concrete Count's Cauldron is no more! Sorry, it was actually quite well themed, but - with its grinning gargoyles and oversized bats - it put a 'wacky' spin on Transylvania that didn't work.

It has now become Black Forest Chateau mk3, in its appearance at least. It looks like they have uncovered the original facade from 1990 that seemed to disappear within a year. If you compare the above image with this photo from 1990, you can see the crossed beam pattern is very similar. The second image is a still from Themes Dreams and Scream Machines (which I deduct was filmed in 1991/2) showing a modified facade.
1990

1991-1997

1998-2012

The Cartoony Cracked Concrete Count's Cauldron is no more! Sorry, it was actually quite well themed, but - with its grinning gargoyles and oversized bats - it put a 'wacky' spin on Transylvania that didn't work.

It has now become Black Forest Chateau mk3, in its appearance at least. It looks like they have uncovered the original facade from 1990 that seemed to disappear within a year. If you compare the above image with this photo from 1990, you can see the crossed beam pattern is very similar. The second image is a still from Themes Dreams and Scream Machines (which I deduct was filmed in 1991/2) showing a modified facade.
1990

1991-1997

1998-2012

What is this? An advert for a new ride at Chessington? It can't be...
It's great! The Call to Adventure theme even plays in the background!
I find it quite amusing how they are all driving along adventurously only for the tree to randomly fall in the way, and the driver looks around completely deadpan, expressionlessly reversing the truck, and finds no other option than to drive into an evil cave...?

The Zufari page has been updated with the TV advert and a little map of what you'll see.
http://www.chessington.com/zufari/
Have to say I can't wait to find out what this theme park attraction style ending will entail with both the TV ad and the little map at the bottom building the suspense really well.

Bah! You are probably right, but it is so annoying that they would tame the ride because of that. Dancing in the strobes with the water towering overhead and that amazing music was the most magical experience at any theme park ever in the whole world. [understatement]
Really, if one has epilepsy, why would you go on rides in the first place? They even warn you at the entrance to the ride, and it is used in plenty of other attractions. Bubbleworks was about breaking conventions anyway... so sad it has succumbed to this.
However, I thought that the new monochromatic pulsing sequence they introduced in 2011 was an improvement. Before that, ever since they tinkered around with it in 2006, the gels had just kind of randomly glowed with some occasional strobing at the same time. Of course it was much better originally, when the lighting used to illuminate the fountains in bright colours (the intention being that it would appear to be fizzy pop), then the whole room would plunge into darkness for a split second, then... STROBES!

EXPoSEd THEMInG! eXPoszEDdee THEMIngg!!11

Silly cartoon bats removed! Silly achitecturally-nonsensical windows removed!!

The Refresh actually looks inviting!!11
This is the best closed season for three years!

Personally think it would look better if it was burnt down.

It isn't about anything. At least not anymore. The ride experience itself is not good enough to work with any sort of new theme; unless they spend loads of money totally regenerating the whole infrastructure and surrounding area, which would be a waste.
They don't allow you to queue inside the building anymore for health and safety reasons. I agree that the exterior queueline is awful. It's hardly a "garden"! It's full of broken posts and rotten wood chips, and all you can see is the bare metal pyramid next to you and Storm Surge. Rubbish. The interior corridors are boring to walk through as well, but that's another story.
To lower the height limit, they would have to replace the seats. It is the loose restraints that caused the limit to go up to 1.4m in the first place. New individual lap bars, such as those on Flying Fish or Thirteen, is a very good idea because it would allow younger guests to ride (who would perhaps enjoy it more?) and give some extra longevity to the ride. If this was to happen, then I don't see the point of turning the trains around. Personally I like the sensation of going backwards, and it is only the awkward lap bars and head rests that makes it uncomfortable. X No Way Out would just be so bland and 'normal' otherwise. But I wouldn't protest if they did face the trains forward.
I think the furthest they will go with X No Way Out in 2013 is a general infrastructure refurbishment - cleaning/repainting the corridors, refurbished outdoor queue, new speaker systems in the queue and on the ride (loud subwoofers in the main ride area), and some lighting/sensory effects on the breakruns. Get rid of the 'horror'/'evil computer' themes that were attempted at various points since it opened. Just make it really stupid and fun, that's all it has left going for it!