Hethetheth

Same vibe

What the f*** is that logo?! It looks like it's the sign off a high street photocopying shop.

Same vibe

Same vibe

I just went on it. I have no idea how anyone has given this a good review. It was so bad.
 
I'll do a proper spoiler review later, but in short it felt like a lot of overacting whilst basically nothing happened.  The new theming was bare at best. Terrible.
 
I would love to know what people who enjoyed it saw in this attraction, but I am legitimately baffled as to how it could be considered by anyone to be anything above 'dire'.

I just went on it. I have no idea how anyone has given this a good review. It was so bad.
 
I'll do a proper spoiler review later, but in short it felt like a lot of overacting whilst basically nothing happened.  The new theming was bare at best. Terrible.
 
I would love to know what people who enjoyed it saw in this attraction, but I am legitimately baffled as to how it could be considered by anyone to be anything above 'dire'.

There were no specific VIPs, I'm not calling out anyone. Basically I heard quite a few people on Thursday and Friday giving rave reviews, and then actually experiencing it was very different!
 
My spoiler review is below:

 
 
In short, I really just don't think a lot happens. The scenery is poor to non-existant and the acting is very repetitive and doesn't build up to anything. It just felt like nothing of any substance actually happened.

Awkward. At least it's true to its predecessor in barely working. 

This is something I posted on a FB chat page, but thought I'd share here for your thoughts as well:
 
I have mixed feelings on DBGT. In its favour it is unique and a do mostly enjoy it. However I feel there is lost potential. Its biggest issue though is narrative and immersion. The ride chops and changes what the theme and story of the ride actually is. Here is how the ride pans out.
 
1. Derren introduction makes it explicit you're preparing for a theme park ride.
2. You see the hanging carriage with a Victorian theme, suggesting a time period to be immersed in...
3. ...which is immediately undermined by making carriage modern inside. I know this was deliberate, but it begs the question what's the point? Illusion for illusion's sake. You go from modern (Thorpe) to Victorian (hanging carriage) to modern again!
4. The first VR section is consistent with the carriage and the story continues as a modern 'ghost train'
5. The middle section is also consistent and keeps with the modern story...
6...but suddenly the final VR section is now showing park guests with headsets, making it explicit that you're on a ride again.
 
It's hard to be immersed in a rise which veers between being:
 
A. Victorian
B. Modern
C. A ride invaded by monsters.
 
The twist that the carriage is modern inside and old outside is not terrible, but surely that's the wrong way around for interesting theming?
 
To use a different theoretical example, imagine that you had another dark ride which had a modern themed queue and the station was themed to pirates. The ride then starts and magically transports you back to modern for the rest of the ride. Guests wouldn't be going "wow, what a twist", they'd wonder what happened. Turn that the other way around, and have a modern station but the ride takes you back in time to see Pirates, that is a bit more interesting, right?

I get the logic in the train changing from modern / Victorian. However, theme parks are at their core about transporting you to 'the other' (so a different theme / time / place. What is seemingly backwards about DBGT is that the queue is 'modern' with mentions of fracking, then the carriage is 'Victorian', but then we're magically transported back to the time period we started off in! It's a bit backwards.

This is why I feel that a simple switch from a modern and abandoned tube carriage with a Victorian interior would be more 'magical' and therefore more interesting. It takes guests to a new place, where the current ride takes you super briefly to a Victorian carriage before taking you back to modern immediately.
 
Here is my proposal:
 
1. You start in Thorpe Park in an abandoned warehouse = modern
2. You see the hanging carriage which is now a modern tube train. The story is now that the train has been experimented on for paranormal purposes.
3. You step on board and now it's Victorian. You've been taken back in time by the mysterious carriage, and the ghosts are after you!
4. Events pan out as they did before but all in a consistent Victorian theme and plenty of ghosts. The second VR section omits the headsets on other virtual people.
5. The shop ending remains the same, because it's the best bit of the current ride.
 
I'm obviously not suggesting the is is viable to change the carriages now...but it's how I'd have done it with the same ride system.
 
What are your thoughts?

They also show the absolutely massive gardens as absolutely tiny, I think it's just creative license.

An animatronic figure at a window with moving curtains sounds nice, but I think "Revolutionary" is probably a bit strong.

An animatronic figure at a window with moving curtains sounds nice, but I think "Revolutionary" is probably a bit strong.

I'm sure I'll apologise if you do the same for your inaccurate predictions for Rocky Express and Forbidden Tomb.
 
A stopped clock is right twice a day. You saw a rumour, believed it, then it turned out to be true. You didn't come up with it magically of the top of your head. You are not Nostradamus.

I'm sure I'll apologise if you do the same for your inaccurate predictions for Rocky Express and Forbidden Tomb.
 
A stopped clock is right twice a day. You saw a rumour, believed it, then it turned out to be true. You didn't come up with it magically of the top of your head. You are not Nostradamus.

Maybe they can save Rocky Express and Apocalypse. 

I mean it could be better than Phantom Manor but basing it on marketing alone is a bit odd. We know what Phantom is about, we've had four years since it reopened. We don't actually know anything concrete about the new attraction.

 

[Citation Needed]
 
Is your confidence in this less than or more than your confidence in Rocky Express returning or Forbidden Tomb returning?
 
It is entirely possible you are correct, but don't claim you're somehow a knowledge on this because you've simply followed other people's speculation.

[Citation Needed]
 
Is your confidence in this less than or more than your confidence in Rocky Express returning or Forbidden Tomb returning?
 
It is entirely possible you are correct, but don't claim you're somehow a knowledge on this because you've simply followed other people's speculation.

[Citation Needed]
 
Is your confidence in this less than or more than your confidence in Rocky Express returning or Forbidden Tomb returning?
 
It is entirely possible you are correct, but don't claim you're somehow a knowledge on this because you've simply followed other people's speculation.

[Citation Needed]
 
Is your confidence in this less than or more than your confidence in Rocky Express returning or Forbidden Tomb returning?
 
It is entirely possible you are correct, but don't claim you're somehow a knowledge on this because you've simply followed other people's speculation.

Surely the obvious answer guys: bring back Rocky Express. It will solve all our problems.
 
 
In all seriousness though, a high quality dark ride and proper decent water ride.

Surely the obvious answer guys: bring back Rocky Express. It will solve all our problems.
 
 
In all seriousness though, a high quality dark ride and proper decent water ride.

'Here we have this huge warehouse space, right in the centre of the park. Prime real estate. Let's only utilise it for 20 days in the year'