xxbennxx

There is no room, even when the building is constructed fully, for a decent sized immersive dark ride. When you say game changer, like Varney has, when it comes to dark rides, you think Spider-Man, Forbidden Journey, Escape From Gringotts, in a way ratatouille. ALL of these rides are situated within show buildings significantly bigger than what we are seeing here, because a truly thrilling, immersive dark ride needs space. In comparison to decent immersive, thrilling dark rides of note, this is really quite small. The show building is ugly as sin, and the plans don't show it changing, and before hoping for a well themed second half, just remember what happened to the smiler and it's station.

Who says for sure that this is a high investment? The figure is not known.

If they leave it looking like that, then I would say this is a good indicator of the quality they are going for. Warehouses on closed industrial estates are more aesthetically pleasing than this monstrosity. I hope it gets a better look.

Oooooo not good.

Aaaanyway back on topic. any updates?

See at least stealth and oblivion provide sensation. On the swarm I literally feel nothing, no hangtime, it feels very slow and it is over in a blink. It LOOKS amazing, but looks can be deceiving, if they had bought a mini dive machine or even dared to build a woodie, the park would actually be better than it is in its current form.

Which for a truly significant, exciting dark ride, is no space at all.

I really can't see any other ride system fitting in that building. The portion of the building yet to be built may well be larger, however, has to house a preshow, loading platform, baggage store and a shop. I honestly believe the bulk of attraction space is in that tunnel. Yes I believe swarm was a letdown, not because the idea was a bad one, in fact swarm island is beautiful, it is simply because in my humble opinion, a wingrider that is over in 30 seconds and that I feel no sensation from either forward or backwards, was a good ride to build. The marketing was a lot of fun with the crazy guy with his A board running around and the like. Giving the summer crowds a reason to return next season is surely a no brainer, so yes I am surprised that heavy marketing is not in full swing.

2 trams running side by side maybe.

Still of the opinion that this is an immersive tunnel or similar. Why do people keep speaking as if there is more than one tunnel? The marketing needs to step up big time whilst they are at the height of summer. God I hope this ride is actually good and not a boring let down like the swarm was.

The only thing I can think of concerning black mirror would be to make you sit on exercise bikes and try and power the park lol. Sure it would be an "experience", but one any of us would like to have? Motiongate Dubai are indeed building a hunger games area but I do not believe it is exclusive. Thorpe park do not have exclusivity on saw, both Universal studios Florida and Hollywood have had saw mazes at HHN whilst saw the ride at Thorpe was open to the public. I do not think Lionsgate do exclusivity clauses, so Hunger games is plausible but with the run down factory style exterior, not likely. Still anybodies guess.

It is very reminiscent of the smiler marketing indeed. If this does have an IP then we need to figure out what is current and has a theme to do with mind control or manipulation, though this whole minds wanted thing could be one massive red herring. The font and colour scheme are interesting though.

And DLP have been suitably bailed out, but are owned a lot more by Disney now, meaning only good things. No an IP is not a bad thing at all, I actually said let us hope an IP is attached as it will force Merlins hand to give us a better quality of ride.

The Dungeons has been in existence long before Merlin came along, and all variants are just copies of a pre existing product but tweeked slightly for each city they pop up in. Shrek's Adventure was designed, animated, and signed ofd by Dreamworks, who would not allow a cheap representation of their work, Merlin simply constructed it and operated it. Furthermore, they are now going to copy the dungeons model and clone the attraction several times. Saw alive is essentially the same deal as Shrek, Lionsgate would have to have had say on the final product, as a poor representation of their brand is not acceptable. I would argue that having an IP attached will hold the park to some of agreement that they represent the brand to an exceptional standard, which may prove to be a better finished product than an original ride. Just a thought.

If this is not Dr Who, it will likely be a Lionsgate IP. They won't let that deal lapse I would imagine.

All I want is a solid story and fun ride system, whilst not compromising on set design or effects due to budget constraints. If they provide this, icwill be a happy man. There has not been a decent dark ride since valhalla, I don't class 4, 5 metre ABC drop towers in a shed as a true dark ride, though sub-terra is an ok attempt. Fingers crossed.

Let me explain myself more clearly. Merlin suck balls at THEMING any of their uk rides. This is not due to Merlin Studios who come up with beautiful concepts and visions for what they want their project to be. Head Office will not approve the necessary budget to bring that concept from page to reality, so they end up going with some diluted partial theming with only the slightest hint at what the original theme should have been. Didn't mean to incite a debate. Merlin studios are stuck between a rock and a hard place, as Head office need to put stock in their ability to deliver a world class ride.

Maybe he is lying. Still this does not change the fact that this is Merlin and they suck balls at creating dark rides. LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO BUBBLEWORKS!!!!!!!

I have been told by others on twit twit that they have been part of focus groups and given fastracks for their trouble.

See, Benn is wise. Merlin can not make a truly magnificent dark ride. Granted it will never appeal to all but I reiterate, this is going to be an anti climactic let down.

Any updates lately?

Last time I rode CATCF one of the lift walls AND the ceiling were not working. Inthe great words of C3PO, We're doomed.

There was a headchopper section planned that never materialise. Also the Marmaliser lost a leg somewhere between planning and construction, and changed dramatically in appearance, and not for the better.

The only way I see this being themed well is if it is all on screens, I don't see thorpe bothering with physical set pieces, audio animatronics and the like. The maintenance bill would be far too high, I mean Valhalla is insanely good for a uk dark ride, but it's operating cost is huge, so huge that they only have the "full" effects package running in holiday season, but when it needed a multimillion pound extensive rehab, including replacing supports for the ride itself and removing and completely replacing the artificial rock covering the whole front of the building, That independently owned, North West UK theme park damn well did it, and did it beautifully. Merlin won't repaint a coaster, will let building theming rot away, and won't fix a fireball on Tidal Wave for MANY years. If a projector goes down on this new ride, expect a blank screen for years to come. I still want to be proved wrong, but sadly I don't think I will be.

Totally aware I am the General Public, well technically as a business owner I do not identify with the general public as they are my customers. Indeed I meant from an enthusiasts point of view, I have been an enthusiast since 1997, before we could talk about it on forums like this. I have travelled the world, I have experienced parks and standards well beyond what Merlin deliver. The UK deserves better. Tussauds cared about the experience, the magic, the belief of escaping reality, if only for a few minutes. Merlin are driven solely by profit, and believe the way to get it is to chuck up something big that people go wow at, which is right, but this can only work so many times. I am passionate about dark rides, because if done right, they can be the most mindblowing 4 or 5 minutes of your life. That is what I wish this ride to be, imaginative, immersive, EXCITING. Rant over.