HermanTheGerman

The problem with Ramses is that it would be very costly to remove, moreso than the expensive motor replacements it keeps requiring. Building it into the pit in the way that they didn’t perhaps wasn’t the best long term plan... Its footprint isn’t anything you could realistically use for any other attraction either, as the space is so small. So that said, I’d doubt they’ll get rid of Rameses until they absolutely have to- it’s quite a well-known ride locally too!

More interesting news from Alton Towers...

I mean, it’s hardly a surprise, but as Marc said, the way they’ve gone about the matter publicly is a little odd... To close such a historic attraction while pretending its no big deal is very strange... they didn’t even hold a closing event.

In fairness, that track sounds a lot better and works well as an ambience compared to that tiresome, out of place IMAscore piece the played a few years back. And the other Halloween score you’re talking about was nice, but dreadfully overused and only 6 or so minutes long. It got very tiresome after a few hours on a loop! Although it’s just another YouTube download jobby, this piece is at least nice and lengthy. Its much more subtle thank god; less in your face like the other two. Its a shame to hear the atmosphere is not as good this year. I don’t like to visit anymore, so I can only go from the pictures. But from what I’ve seen, it looked as though there was a lot more park-wide decoration this year, which is good, as in years previous it was looking a little skimp! I hear they’ve also got roaming actors again, another improvement on the last few years! I wonder what’s let all this down like you say... It could well be the changing atmosphere of the park, as it moves more towards corporate stiffness and animal-oriented “Wild” themes; perhaps this doesn’t gel as well with a Halloween atmosphere as the park’s previous whimsical characteristics did? Who knows.

Zufari being awful is no surpise. The cave’s always been a missed oppurtunity but it’s certainly worsened since. If I remember rightly the pumps for all the water effects are grossly inadequate for the pressure they’re under (no doubt a little cheap as well!) As for the lack of animals, that was always going to happen with a rise of this nature, the real problem is the ride’s far too short. There’s only two proper paddocks, so if you get a bit of bad luck and the animals are off somewhere else, there’s not really any other sections to make up for it. Not building down into Wanyama was their biggest mistake... the ride’s a fraction of the size it could be! I appreciate what you say about it being a sad place to visit now; I quite agree. I live within half an hour of the park yet haven’t been for years. I used to get really frustrated remembering how it used to be, or seeing how easily things could be so much better, so I just stopped in the end. If you’re not enjoying yourself there I suggest you do the same.

Hahah, probably because the filter broke years ago and they cba to buy a new one. Its been filthy looking for ages. Shame though, that turf is just going to get walked over and ruined.

Come now, I'm sure very few themes in this country actually "make sense" to the majority of visitors; namely because they're not looking to find out or "learn the story" as such. It's a theme park not a museum! If it works and they have fun- who cares? To say Bubbleworks was a half baked idea because it didn't fit in is a very ignorant thing to say. Surely just because "Transylvania" connotes spooks and horror, doesn't mean it has to be all that? Anyway, Bubbleworks was perhaps the best-produced, most fun atrraction in the country; the fact that it doesn't tie-in with your preconceptions about a Transylvania themed area, surely doesn't override your judgement of it actually being a great attraction? Its also funny you call the park soulless... can't have started visiting more than a couple of years back? The reason it was so popular back in the day was for its silly, slightly off-the-wall sense of humour. Whimsical yet dramatic. Full of spirit! As for the park not being "immersive", well, that shows more than anything that you've only met the new Merlin-era Chessington; because I quite agree, it is very bland, generic and cheap looking now, a shame really. But perhaps just bare that in mind when other members talk of their fond memories from the park? It was once very different, very impactful and very fun. You might not understand, given your experiences, and that's fine. But just bare it in mind.

Haha that's exactly the kind of thing we mean though... In fact, much like this Halloween "theming", that print-out looks like it was recycled from the local primary school play. I used to love as a child looking around and pulling at the trees from the Vampire lifts, they really made you feel in the thick of the woods (even though you were meters from the main road), by boxing you in with this cheap homogenous banner, they're just boring you buy not giving anything real to look at. Not being mean or unnecessarily cynical, but stuff like this just cheapens the product... A cartoon-style printout looks bad glued to the side of the lift, surely anyone can see that? To theme a lift Hill and have it not look bad and tokenistic is quite a big thing to try and do. They obviously don't have the budget for something like that; so yes, in this instance, doing nothing really would have been better. Much like StevenVig said, if you're not going to do it properly, don't do it at all.

So you're saying this cheap and zero effort decoration should be encouraged because its better than nothing at all? That's silly. This thing looks so bad its crude... The 59p roll of Halloween caution tape from the Tesco seasonal aisle is frankly laughable much like this whole campaign. Disney, or any other company Merlin claim to be in league with, must be shaking in their boots.

Jesus... that looks tragic.

Amazing. I also just saw some of the things they've been posting for the new scaremaze... Its so so cringey. Is their marketing team a bunch of 8 year olds?

"Altonville Mine Tours: Uncover the Legend of the Skinsnatchers" might just be the most long-winded, inappropriate and unnecessary name for a theme park attraction ever. Why not just call it "Skinsnatchers"? It's scary, snappy and easy to remember. "Altonville Mine Tours" just sounds like some freebee tourist attraction.

God, what a spineless company.

I don't think anyone did say that... In fact, all I said was that provided it was sold to a company that operates effectively and has a bit more care for quality, things could be a lot better. A simple 'before and after' of attractions under Merlin would show you that...

Weeeeeeeeeell the "Resort Theme Parks" in general aren't doing very well. They certainly make a lot less for the company than the Midways and Lego parks. Profit margins at Thorpe Park and Alton Towers are particularly low at the moment, its certainly feasible that they sell them. Though I'd not bank on it.

The biggest frustration with Vampire is the ride still has the foundations of a really good attraction. You wouldn't get any new Merlin-built coaster doing anything as exciting as the fly over the village, or dropping into the tunnel at such high speed. And you'd DEFINITLEY not get the drama and atmosphere in the station. If they would just hurry up and sell the parks to a firm that cares (or at least one that functions properly), then I'm sure something could be done before it's too late. I doubt you'd even need to have tire dive lifts (maybe to please the locals) but all it would really take to have less stressful 3 train operation would be a reworking of the braking structure around the end of the ride. That way it wouldn't need to stop on lift two. Still, Vampire still has far more obvious flaws than crappy block structure.

What's with going round everywhere replacing older tracks with more modern, homogenous pieces? Its not that broken idea of "we're bigger now, we can do better" again is it? Some of the nicest bits about Thorpe Park was the sound design and atmosphere around Colossus and Inferno. Why ruin something that was perfectly fine in the first place? Is it just so you can brag to the enthusiasts about having IMAscore everywhere? I'm all for improving audio where necessary. Why not? But replacing well-suited tracks with cut and paste IMAscore formula is not a good move... Clearly music at theme parks is still gravely misunderstood.

Nothing "stops" them from operating three trains now, only their own tortured logic. Its still perfectly safe to do so. Earlier in the decade, higher management decided guests would rather wait an extra 40 minutes and not have the "experience interrupted". That's nonsense of course, but its sadly the truth. Even without three trains though, they ride is still capable of far more than it currently achieves. 600pph is probably the best you'll realistically get out of just the two, which may sound small, but its a damn sight better than the 400pph it likely averages at now... Of course, throughputs are the least of Vampire's problems at the minute. The overall shoddy guest experience and DIY attitude towards the show's upkeep are far more pressing matters...

All this talk about Haunting in the Hollows just reminds me how great it was. Why can't we have things like that anymore?

This is amazing.

Christ on a bike... We were there yesterday and it was bad, but not THAT bad. Operations were dire on a number of rides. Nemesis broke down every forty minutes or so which didn't help matters...

Umm, no? Its a totally valid point. If a company has the arrogance to claim they're that big, they should be held to that standard. So its justifiable because it may cost the park, say, an extra £60 a day? That's one walk up ticket price. One. Guests pay that much to get in and still the park can't be arsed to have enough staff? Its pitiful.

HAHAHAHAHA, they're saving like £14 pounds an hour on this. Is guest experience really worth THAT LITTLE to them?

Plot summary- for the love of god, remove Dragon's Fury.