The problem with hyping something up so much is that when it doesn't live up to the hype, it tyen becomes a letdown.

using phrases like we are workihg to create the best thing ever is risky indeed.

Thorpe won't let us down on this I trust them to do a good job, the price of the attraction isn't officially confirmed yet but we must know it's a major investment from the hype so far, they're won't be signs of an IP till the rides released (hopefully there won't be one ffs), but from my speculation and reading the mind gap it's gonna be "thrilling" and obviously not a kids ride as it seems very dark and creepy

Thorpe won't let us down on this I trust them to do a good job, the price of the attraction isn't officially confirmed yet but we must know it's a major investment from the hype so far, they're won't be signs of an IP till the rides released (hopefully there won't be one ffs), but from my speculation and reading the mind gap it's gonna be "thrilling" and obviously not a kids ride as it seems very dark and creepy

 

I refer the right honorable gentleman to the age and 'ride per day' restricted, most intense experience in the world physcoaster with post watershed advertising - the jumped up mine train that is Thirteen. 

Slightly off topic, but I love Thirteen for what it is, but it's a perfect example of getting the target audience completely wrong. If they'd had been straight up 'unique family coaster', it would have been much less of a let down.

 

With this, remember every new attraction is the 'most expensive' yada.. yada.. yada..

 

I'm sure this will work out fantastic, but it comes down to the other topic, my main concern is how Merlin think their low capacity 'not enough demand' is acceptable, and I fear that every new Merlin addition ends up watered down from everything even they intend. Keep your hopes realistic guys!

I refer the right honorable gentleman to the age and 'ride per day' restricted, most intense experience in the world physcoaster with post watershed advertising - the jumped up mine train that is Thirteen. 

 

OBJECTION!

 

I do not wish to introduce bad character against mine trains!

Going to Thorpe today, so I'll try and take some photos of the construction.

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OBJECTION!

 

I do not wish to introduce bad character against mine trains!

not knocking mine trains, but can see why he knocked 13. It wasn't advertised as a mine train with a small track drop.

It was advertised as a psycoaster, its the most scary thing ever, we have heart rste monitors on the station and you have to sign a waiver to ride it.

Merlin do set themselves up for failure when they say and do things like this.

To be fair, Merlin's marketing has improved a lot since then and the silly campaigns are few and far between these days.

It looks like they are going down that path again.

saying they are working to create the best thing ever, is a very bold statement indeed.

I do find it strange how you can find no reference to a manufacturer producing something for thorpe anywhere.

the being able to keep it secret is impressive, so I say, don't ruin it..

I do find it strange how you can find no reference to a manufacturer producing something for thorpe anywhere.

the being able to keep it secret is impressive, so I say, don't ruin it..

Probably in the contract somewhere that they can't mention it until a certain time. Although, I don't think manufacturers announce projects they've worked / are working on until after the park have announced the manufacturer anyway?

NDA (Non Disclosure Agreements) are normal with Merlin. In fact I am often supprised when people like "scruffy dog" posts on twitter the pictures of things they are doing for fright nights.

saying they are working to create the best thing ever, is a very bold statement indeed.

 

Pretty sure they said something like "most unique", not the "best thing ever". We (including you) don't know what it is, so for all we know, it could be the most unique ride ever.  

Pretty sure they said something like "most unique", not the "best thing ever". We (including you) don't know what it is, so for all we know, it could be the most unique ride ever.  

Most unique? obviously IKEA the ride is now confirmed.

Pretty sure they said something like "most unique", not the "best thing ever". We (including you) don't know what it is, so for all we know, it could be the most unique ride ever.  

It says "most unique and extraordinary", so yeah it is a big statement.

That's one way of looking at it, and it is exciting, although people are paid to promote this new attraction as the best thing ever, probably without knowing themselves the full details of what it is, so they would say that anyway and try to build up as much hype as possible because that's their job. In fact Merlin prioritise big statements about "biggest budget ever" and uniqueness claims,  that's their starting point before they even know what to design.

 

So pretty much every major development is guaranteed to be different and new on the surface, even if its really forced. Marketing and PR is what Merlin are good at, how the attraction actually turns out is up to someone else. 

NEVER BELIEVE MARKETING - Whenever I see any marketing I think back to Thirteens campaign.

 

"Ride into the Unknown" and "Surrender in March 2010" were both used on banners around the area. Sounds scary. It was also 'leaked' that the ride was so intense that people would have to sign waivers before riding.

 

even on WIKI it states

 

An early press release on the ride stated that the park was considering limiting passengers to one ride per day and requiring them to sign a waiver of liability. They also said there would be an age restriction of 16–55 years old allowed on.

 

Compare that with what we actually got, which was a really fun family coaster that gets most of the train lauging and regularly gets applause from members of the public. OK 13 was an extreme deviation and the park (or more particularly Morwena) got quite a strong backlash from fans for the disparity between reality and expectation, but it does serve to proove that what marketing say and what is real is often not even in the same themepark.

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Reckon were get an IMA score ???

I hope we get music from IMAscore, Phantasialand is made a million times more amazing because of it! 

We had a talk today from the assistant manager, he talked a lot about the swarm and then compared it to how IPs have worked for the park eg. Saw. They blamed the lower gate figures for swarm on not using an IP. So the guy said they were very keep to use an IP on upcoming new rides, and all recent installations have been IP based (angry birds, I'm a celeb) so I'm pretty sure this will be IP based and not in house, and hopefully with an IMAscore soundtrack[emoji108]

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He's an idiot then if they still think the low gate figures in 2012 was because The Swarm didn't have a household name IP.

He's an idiot then if they still think the low gate figures in 2012 was because The Swarm didn't have a household name IP.

 

Thorpe/Merlin are the idiots really...

 

How come Smiler was such a success for Towers then, since that didn't have an IP?

Did the idea of the poster a few weeks ago that claimed that he was invited to be part of the focus group for the mind and said that the theme was "borderline offensive" get rubbished in the end? Or... could we still be looking down that barrel?

Unfortunately ever since The Swarm failed, Merlin seem to have decided IPs are the only way forward. If only they were to realise that all you really need it a decent ride that actually looks compelling. 

Did the idea of the poster a few weeks ago that claimed that he was invited to be part of the focus group for the mind and said that the theme was "borderline offensive" get rubbished in the end? Or... could we still be looking down that barrel?

 

I certainly think that was rubbish.  It suggested that a focus group had taken place to gather views on the ride and the ride's theme, after they had been decided.  Basically, it was apparently a session where people were told all about the ride and asked what they thought of it.  

 

In reality, focus groups are there to pick up ideas and see what might or might not work.  Not to see what people think of pre-determined rides before they open.