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Project WC16 - New for 2016


JoshC.

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The JTR theme can work seeing as there are plenty of theme parks in Europe that have horror rides / attractions that are all-year round and have the kinds of rides and coasters that Thorpe have.

 

I saw the latest plans and JoshC posted about, and the ride building seems quite small... :(

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The JTR theme can work seeing as there are plenty of theme parks in Europe that have horror rides / attractions that are all-year round and have the kinds of rides and coasters that Thorpe have.

I saw the latest plans and JoshC posted about, and the ride building seems quite small... :(

Why would we need another ride about a serial killer? We already have Jigsaw!
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Why would we need another ride about a serial killer? We already have Jigsaw!

 

Why does every rollercoaster at every theme park seem to be about a monster / alien / animal / escape from (insert place)? 

 

 

Why would we need another ride about a serial killer? We already have Jigsaw!

 

 

I'd love a rollercoaster or a dark ride about Britain's most infamous serial killer and it's a ride that focuses and promotes our history

Edited by Will
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I saw the latest plans and JoshC posted about, and the ride building seems quite small... :(

 

However small it seems on the plans, it's worth remembering that this building is bigger than the likes of Duel and Tomb Blaster, which (I think) are the two biggest dark rides in the UK at the moment (ignoring water-based indoor rides and indoor coasters).  And some of the plans indicate that at least part of the building is two floors, so there is a LOT of space in this building.  For a more obvious comparison, the building almost covers the same floor space as X - and remember that building includes Cabin in the Woods too!

 

The plans reveal very little about the ride/project itself:

-The ride has a 'station', which would suggest it's some form of tracked ride, as opposed to a drop tower, for example.  That could still be anything from an SFX coaster, to an ordinary coaster, to a traditional ghost train to a laser shooter ride.  

-The project name is WC16 / Whitechapel.  Seems to suggest something to do with Victorian London possibly, but that still leaves open many possible ride themes / IPs.

-£3million is being invested in the plaza for the ride.  That's more than the investment for Angry Birds Land.  This is a project that's going to have a LOT of money put into it.

 

There's obviously been a lot of care put into the plans - they give the council everything they need to know, but little else.  In the past, a set of plans would make it very easy for enthusiasts to go through, and figure out the ride's manufacturer, theme, budget and much more - you could tell what the experience was going to be like before it was even built.  This is the complete opposite, and they're clearly keeping this tight lipped about as much as possible.  

 

This all makes speculation about the project difficult, but it does at least leave a very exciting prospect for the next 12 months, with subtle marketing and build up, as well as the attraction itself!

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In answer to the question on the previous page no I haven't been on the rides mentioned, I guess for me it's like a 4D cinema, just don't see the point, you're there to watch a movie not be poked in the back and sprayed with water at random intervals, I'd rather have a real coaster thanks, there's so much potential at Thorpe for a special one, if it wasn't for the NIMBY's (if that is a problem).

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Why does every rollercoaster at every theme park seem to be about a monster / alien / animal / escape from (insert place)? 

 

Stealth, Colossus, Blue Fire, Wodan, Matterhorn Blitz, Shambhala, Silver Star, Oblivion, Air, Oz'Iris, The Incredible Hulk, Big Thunder Mountain (at least 3 of them), Space Mountain, X, Rock N Rollercoaster, Poseidon, Dragon Khan, Superman de Acero, Katun, iSpeed, Shock, Shockwave, G-Force, Troublesome Trucks, Seven Drawf Mine Train.

 

Sorry Will, couldn't resist.  :blush:

 

In answer to the question on the previous page no I haven't been on the rides mentioned, I guess for me it's like a 4D cinema, just don't see the point, you're there to watch a movie not be poked in the back and sprayed with water at random intervals, I'd rather have a real coaster thanks, there's so much potential at Thorpe for a special one, if it wasn't for the NIMBY's (if that is a problem).

 

Luckily you have Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, Stealth, Saw the Ride and The Swarm for your 'pure' rollercoaster thrills then.  :)

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The more I look at some of the plans, the more I am certain this will be based around The Walking Dead. Some of the buildings in the plans look remarkably similar to the prison that featured in season 3, and the unveiling yesterday of what appears to be a watchtower as the central theming element in the plaza confirms this theory even more.

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Walking into this topic like:

 

fire_community.gif

 

 

Josh posting the picture of the Swarm mood board where it distinctly says "we've teased the geeks" is exactly what's happened with this topic...

 

£3 million on the entry plaza sounds, strange to me... That's a tenth of the apparent cost going into that... Assuming that the ride system is one of this new dynamic dark rides but creds things, which will probably cost around half of the total budget... Maybe Merlin Studios have put their prices up again?

 

Sometimes the way in which Merlin parks seem to spend their budgets is just as confusing as their operational standards...

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I think the £3million also includes things like levelling, and then resurfacing, the current ground, and possibly the deep hole that needs to be dug.  It's odd that they've given a figure for it mind.

 

Walking into this topic like:

 

fire_community.gif

 

I hope this gif is saved in your favourites, as I feel like it's going to be needed many more times in this thread :P

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Let's remember the old Project names for major rides in the past at good old Thorpe Park. They don't really have anything to do with the ride theme (in some cases) and I suspect that, with social hype everywhere now, they place words in to throw us off.

 

1) Project X - Became X:\ No Way Out, but didn't really give anything to the 'theme' in the name.

2) Project Odyssey - Became Colossus, I guess this hinted at the theme slightly but nothing to do with the final name.

3) Project Calypso - Became Nemesis Inferno, this was in the Calypso Quay area of the park, nothing to link to a volcano theme really.

4) Project Stealth - Became Stealth, but was this it's original name? Debatable. Many think the Project name stuck more than the proposed names for the attraction.

5) Project Dylan - Became SAW: The Ride, maybe the IP wasn't finalised until the last minute but this had no links to the franchise whatsoever. Named after a Project Manager's cat?

6) LC12 - Became The Swarm, not a hit at all at the theme. Suggested an apocalyptic theme but that's about it. No aliens, nothing.

 

So, is WC16 there to throw us off? I'd rather we didn't have an IP and maybe be themed around the 'Island' itself, actually unearthing a secret which lies beneath (but dear God not during excavation works). 

 

I think we're in for a good ride here, this country needs a solid dark ride. Thorpe needs a large ride that isn't a roller coaster, they also need more indoor rides. Thorpe also needs a solid family attraction to return their investment and grow the brand in the marketing direction they are going.

 

I just hope they don't go through that many budgets cuts. Come on Merlin, show the world what you can do!

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Thorpe's project names have always been interesting, and using WC16 (assuming it is used on park like LC12 was) is just going to get the instant toilet joke. "LOL Thorpe are opening 16 new toilets as a major thing" etc. 

 

I think it's safe to say the WC stands for Whitechapel. Whether this relates to the TV show or not we've no idea yet. Yes Thorpe now have an ITV link, but Whitechapel (as great as a few series were) was axed by ITV after its 4th series back in 2013. So not only is it a dying IP, you could quite easily say this one is DEAD. So let's assume that's not happening, because as stupid as Merlin are I don't think they're that bad when it comes to getting IP's (would ITV even let them, surely they'd rather Thorpe to use something current like Broadchurch or a nice little car ride around Downtown Abbey!)

 

So let's work with the Whitechapel idea. Everyone jumps to Jack the Ripper but Merlin already do that hugely at the London Dungeon (not saying that'd stop them but still). Now the 3rd and 4th series of the TV show created a previous serial killer which was then copied (for those who don't know the show, it was all about copycat killers in the Whitechapel of today). Maybe Thorpe could create some past (dark secrets maybe?) about this old abandoned warehouse that had previously been hidden away (landscape is changing) which was once the Thorpe Depot and a killer or something was on the loose back in 1950 or something. Then the ride could be about either that in itself or a modern day copycat killer. All very family friendly obviously.

 

 

Regards to an SFX coaster thing from Dynamic. They are more than a coaster. You could probably get one with minimal coaster elements, they're about the trick track, screen interaction etc of which you could fit a decent number of trick track sections. From what I've heard of Gringotts that has one small coaster element to it and the rest is trick track interaction and that's an SFX essentially. Varney has said it'll be a game changer. For a ride to be a game changer it has to be noticed by the top dogs. Disney and Universal (arguably the leaders of dark rides) have to look at it and go "ooooo we want one" or gotta keep an eye out for those and so on. 

 

Oh and the building shrinking a bit, from the looks of the original plans I think the edge of the building they've shrunk might have just held a bit of indoor queue, maybe a room like Smiler's or something of the sorts so I don't think it'll have changed the ride.

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Regards to an SFX coaster thing from Dynamic. They are more than a coaster. You could probably get one with minimal coaster elements, they're about the trick track, screen interaction etc of which you could fit a decent number of trick track sections. From what I've heard of Gringotts that has one small coaster element to it and the rest is trick track interaction and that's an SFX essentially. Varney has said it'll be a game changer. For a ride to be a game changer it has to be noticed by the top dogs. Disney and Universal (arguably the leaders of dark rides) have to look at it and go "ooooo we want one" or gotta keep an eye out for those and so on.

 

I think Varney only stated it would be a game change in regards to the UK, especially since Universal already have a SFX coaster...

 

Being a game changing dark ride in the UK isn't particularly difficult though, given that most are around 20 years old...

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