Marhelorpe

Probably in the minority view here by saying I actually prefer listening to the tracks as they have been edited together on the discs as opposed to hearing the full versions and here's why:

• Tracks such as the Entrance, Port & Basecamp, Fright Nights, The Jungle and DBGT are each somewhere I'm certain in the 30-minute range and all of them have sections which I like to call "filler areas". These areas sound as though they are used as transitions between some key melodies and sections and don't sound anywhere near as interesting compared to the extracted parts we have on the discs. For example, take a look at the Port & Basecamp tracks on the disc. There are 6 altogether totalling in at around 17 minutes, which means approximately 13 minutes of audio has not been included on the disc for this area. It is likely these are "filler sections" to help transition each of those 6 tracks together into one big version without any noticeable pauses or silent sections present.

• If I were to have a single 30-minute file to listen to, what if I want to scrub to a point I like the sound of when listening to it? How do I know whereabouts in the track I need to be in order to find it other than guessing or remembering a certain point? Having a long track split into several smaller ones makes it much quicker and more convenient to find the moment I am after when I'm either listening or editing a video for example.

• Something I really like a lot with some of the tracks is they have been remixed together in a way which sounds better compared to hearing them at the park itself, the perfect example being Big Top's theme. The version on the disc has clearly been remixed to include all the variations played inside the maze into one file and honestly, I love it! Works much better to have just one file with all the variations put together into one, as opposed to having at least 3 separate versions of the same 2.5 minute melody.

Also, I don't know why people are surprised the full versions are not on this disc, because if you look at every single album IMAscore has made (minus Kärnan), not a single one of them features the full versions used for their respective attractions. Not one. The Klugheim and Chiapas albums don't have all their audio on them, nor does Heide Park, nor does Liseberg, nor does Magic Valley etc.

As things stand as an enthusiast, of course I would love to hear every one of these tracks fully, but I'm just glad we've managed to get something out of this audio changeover more than anything as I thought it would never happen. Heck, people are still waiting for more of The Smiler's 75-minute audio and it's been nearly 5 years of waiting so far! So I'm thrilled with what we have and hope Alton Towers are next to follow.

It is fair when they get excited about an attraction with "world's first" plastered all over it.

Probably in the minority view here by saying I actually prefer listening to the tracks as they have been edited together on the discs as opposed to hearing the full versions and here's why:

• Tracks such as the Entrance, Port & Basecamp, Fright Nights, The Jungle and DBGT are each somewhere I'm certain in the 30-minute range and all of them have sections which I like to call "filler areas". These areas sound as though they are used as transitions between some key melodies and sections and don't sound anywhere near as interesting compared to the extracted parts we have on the discs. For example, take a look at the Port & Basecamp tracks on the disc. There are 6 altogether totalling in at around 17 minutes, which means approximately 13 minutes of audio has not been included on the disc for this area. It is likely these are "filler sections" to help transition each of those 6 tracks together into one big version without any noticeable pauses or silent sections present.

• If I were to have a single 30-minute file to listen to, what if I want to scrub to a point I like the sound of when listening to it? How do I know whereabouts in the track I need to be in order to find it other than guessing or remembering a certain point? Having a long track split into several smaller ones makes it much quicker and more convenient to find the moment I am after when I'm either listening or editing a video for example.

• Something I really like a lot with some of the tracks is they have been remixed together in a way which sounds better compared to hearing them at the park itself, the perfect example being Big Top's theme. The version on the disc has clearly been remixed to include all the variations played inside the maze into one file and honestly, I love it! Works much better to have just one file with all the variations put together into one, as opposed to having at least 3 separate versions of the same 2.5 minute melody.

Also, I don't know why people are surprised the full versions are not on this disc, because if you look at every single album IMAscore has made (minus Kärnan), not a single one of them features the full versions used for their respective attractions. Not one. The Klugheim and Chiapas albums don't have all their audio on them, nor does Heide Park, nor does Liseberg, nor does Magic Valley etc.

As things stand as an enthusiast, of course I would love to hear every one of these tracks fully, but I'm just glad we've managed to get something out of this audio changeover more than anything as I thought it would never happen. Heck, people are still waiting for more of The Smiler's 75-minute audio and it's been nearly 5 years of waiting so far! So I'm thrilled with what we have and hope Alton Towers are next to follow.

Probably in the minority view here by saying I actually prefer listening to the tracks as they have been edited together on the discs as opposed to hearing the full versions and here's why:

• Tracks such as the Entrance, Port & Basecamp, Fright Nights, The Jungle and DBGT are each somewhere I'm certain in the 30-minute range and all of them have sections which I like to call "filler areas". These areas sound as though they are used as transitions between some key melodies and sections and don't sound anywhere near as interesting compared to the extracted parts we have on the discs. For example, take a look at the Port & Basecamp tracks on the disc. There are 6 altogether totalling in at around 17 minutes, which means approximately 13 minutes of audio has not been included on the disc for this area. It is likely these are "filler sections" to help transition each of those 6 tracks together into one big version without any noticeable pauses or silent sections present.

• If I were to have a single 30-minute file to listen to, what if I want to scrub to a point I like the sound of when listening to it? How do I know whereabouts in the track I need to be in order to find it other than guessing or remembering a certain point? Having a long track split into several smaller ones makes it much quicker and more convenient to find the moment I am after when I'm either listening or editing a video for example.

• Something I really like a lot with some of the tracks is they have been remixed together in a way which sounds better compared to hearing them at the park itself, the perfect example being Big Top's theme. The version on the disc has clearly been remixed to include all the variations played inside the maze into one file and honestly, I love it! Works much better to have just one file with all the variations put together into one, as opposed to having at least 3 separate versions of the same 2.5 minute melody.

Also, I don't know why people are surprised the full versions are not on this disc, because if you look at every single album IMAscore has made (minus Kärnan), not a single one of them features the full versions used for their respective attractions. Not one. The Klugheim and Chiapas albums don't have all their audio on them, nor does Heide Park, nor does Liseberg, nor does Magic Valley etc.

As things stand as an enthusiast, of course I would love to hear every one of these tracks fully, but I'm just glad we've managed to get something out of this audio changeover more than anything as I thought it would never happen. Heck, people are still waiting for more of The Smiler's 75-minute audio and it's been nearly 5 years of waiting so far! So I'm thrilled with what we have and hope Alton Towers are next to follow.

I visited the park twice last year and from memory, only two attractions opened a little later after all the others. These were AeroSpin and Spökhotellet Gasten at around 12pm onwards since most days the park opens at 11am, but almost everything is open right until the park closes, including lovely Helix.
 
The only area which shuts at dusk is Kaninlandet.

Yeah true, it does take away value from Fright Nights. You could argue that Fright Nights is still popular as the park often reaches capacity. Therefore they want to maximise the extra sales with the late opening hours and Walking Dead IP. However it may well have an impact on Fright Nights if people who would have usually gone visited earlier. That and there being much better events during October like Shocktober Fest they may decide to go to instead since they have already done Thorpe. Leaving out TWD, you're essentially left with only 3 mazes (2 if you count Saw Alive opening outside FN), while shocktober has a massive 9 this year!

I'd rather they focused on infrastructure and guest experience than short term investments such as this.

Couldn't give a toss. And I mean that in the politest possible way. 

When will the learn.
There just seems to be zero direction with this place.
 

This has made a lot of progress...
 

 
https://twitter.com/veilstrup/status/958986143818833921

It would have 100% made sense to spend all those hours giving it some TLC, only for it to open 2 hours after park opening, wouldn't it? 

Now they dropped the fire marketing crap they could do 'The world's first experience to fuse GCI and boring'

Strange decision to budget for a horror maze in the summer when the park infrastructure (and ride availability in some cases) is still in dire need of attention.
 
Also, DBGT is only in its third season but already put back to 12 noon opening?  This is the same ride which was marketed as "the future of theme parks", right?

To be fair though m8 Merlin have painted Towers St. Bar & Grill bright orange so that does make up for the staggered openings.

The reasoning for further cuts is because the midways are struggling now as well. But of course, Merlin won't cut them back or stop investing in stupid numbers of those even though it is clear people are fed up of them. Instead, they tighten the budget further on Towers because why not, they've already ruined the park. The second half of 2017 was actually really good for the park numbers wise and many were expecting a better 2018, if not at least the same plus WickerMan. But no, Towers gets a nice new coaster and a fresh amount of cuts.
 
Merlin sure know how to make money. Hopefully with falling out of the FTSE100 too the shareholders will boot Varney off and whip the company into shape. They have the money to do great.

I asked Thorpe on social media if they plan to open Nemesis Inferno at midday for synergy across the brand

This really is the problem. The more they cut, the less people feel the need to go, the more they feel the need to cut, thus making the cycle more vicious. Four hours for Nemesis and Galatica is the absolute pits though. After the initial Smiler incident I defended their cuts because it was inevitable that there would be a backlash to what happened. Three years later though, these cuts are indefensible and Towers (more specifically Merlin) need to decide their priorities because opening your theme park with four big rollercoasters closed for the first hour is simply unacceptable. 

In light of the lunacy regarding Alton Towers this season, I can now exclusively reveal that Storm Surge The Walking Dead is coming 2019 at Thorpe.

I too noticed last year on nearly every visit more and more areas were being worked on and gradually fixed which was great to see, especially with Rush's queue speakers finally and the loads scattered around Colossus. But there are still some in a few areas which could do with maintenance this winter, namely the ones used on the bridge from admissions to the dome as a couple sounded as though they were damaged by water and didn't sound quite right.
 
As for the Dome's audio, the inside sounded fine near the screen, but across where Fin's is, it was almost inaudible in this area. If this could be resolved and the speakers outside around the perimeter of the Dome facing Vortex could be amped up a bit in volume, that would be great.

Never forget:
 
2ND BIGGEST COMPANY TO DISNEY.
 
What a joke. M£rlin have reached a new low. 

FV opening at midday is utter lunacy and nothing short of a massive Vs up to Alton Towers paying guests. 
 
I literally cannot fathom it. Most ridiculous decision since opening IAC at Thorpe
 
With a reduced line up, it means that when rides are down the effects are even more noticeable. Get those complimentary Fast Tracks ready, lads in Guest Services.

I... I have no words.
 
What a truly atrocious theme park operator Merlin are.
 
Like, they're opening a new coaster next year for Christ sake.
 
TWO HOURS LATE FOR THE BEST AND MOST RELIABLE RIDE AT THE PARK?!!  WHO MAKES THESE DECISIONS!?
 
The layout of the park makes staggered openings even more of a burden.  Wicker Man will have insane queues early on as it's one of the only rides open!  Since when were rapids seasonal, yet other parks operate water rides in February?!  It's the only water ride at Alton Towers!
 
(Okay, I lied.  I have some words)

Never forget:
 
2ND BIGGEST COMPANY TO DISNEY.
 
What a joke. M£rlin have reached a new low. 

Already this is reminding me of the build up to how IAC was announced back in early 2015 (for those that remember) - silent, vertical videos filmed across the other side of the park by staff members for an attraction nobody really asked for, or is remotely interested in.