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Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon


Marc

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My thoughts on this - still - are much the same as before - I'm intrigued and very excited, but due to past Merlin-isms I am wary! I want it to be bloody awesome but wait to ride with baited breath. As I said previously - the Derren tie in for me is a big plus because I really don't think he'd put his name to something if it wasn't any good and he didn't believe in it 100%.

 

I hope it is a game changer and knocks it out of the park, I really do. I also hope it's looked after properly and the little touches don't get forgotten about. I worry that if they can't look after projectors in Smiler's queue line (from past visits), then a few years down the line the abandoned theming of the attraction could be a little *too* realistic  ^_^

 

I want this to be a turning point for Merlin and Thorpe in a good way. I was - and still am - impressed with the theming around The Swarm and hope that this exceeds that. Having been to Orlando last year, it'll be interesting to compare DBGT with the dark-ride offerings at Universal and Disney.

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I'm not getting excited for this, taking everything with a pinch of salt....

 

Why?

 

Does everyone remember "it's every roller coaster you've dreamed of" and "Psycho coaster"?

 

I just refuse to get hyped from Merlins tag lines. Also...yet another IP from Merlin.

 

So now we have Saw, Angry Birds, IAC and now this....whilst I don't doubt Derrens talent, how much of this ride is his input and how much is just use of his name?

 

At the rumoured £40 million price, it should be a good experience but am keeping open minded about the whole thing.

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Derren just did an interview on ITV London News. Talked a bit about the attraction, his tour etc. One thing he mentioned, something along the lines of "I've been there from day one and have built this thing up from the ground, it's my project alongside Merlin, not just my face being slapped on it."

 

I don't doubt he has been there at most of the meetings, design consultations and thrown many ideas around and out. This doesn't scream Thorpe are making a ride themed to this thing but this thing isn't involved, it seems a lot more like how JK Rowling was involved with the Wizardring World at Universal. 

 

We have still only be shown one direct thing of what the entire experience will entail, this train element. There's still a transit system that we know nothing about and so on. I for one wouldn't want to know much more in case it does ruin the experience. If Derren wants us to be surprised when we ride it, and he thinks that will give the best effect then let's go with that! 

 

I know Merlin don't have a great track record, have derailed many times etc. But I think they realise this needs to work. A roller coaster is a roller coaster, with or without theming it can be good. Sub Terra wasn't overly expensive. This thing needs to succeed, no two ways about it. If it flops then budgets will be slashed horribly. We all know Merlin Magic Making has some great talent, and Derren and his team are hugely talented, so if money etc hasn't gotten in the way which it doesn't seem to have done then we are surely onto something special? It will be a spectacular showman type ride as that's how Derren is. Theatre. Taking it many beloved British dark rides were designed by someone with huge theatre background does that not give a little faith? Technology is advancing, he has said it has advanced since starting on the project causing changes, updates etc. We're getting an original story. Heck, by the sound of it there could be a few stories going on depending how you view the attraction. I am wary, but at the same time it could be one of the greatest accomplishments in theme parks today. I'll let you know my verdict in the summer.

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Just as a point which I think people might have missed, the main warehouse / depot exterior has actually been modelled from a real life, Victorian-era built, train depot near Willesden Junction.  Whilst I'm not a fan of having another dilipated / abandoned theme, I'm happy to hear they've gone the full hog in getting it right.  And indeed, it shows the level of detail that they want to put into this project, especially when we consider the detail they're putting into this suspending train carriage too.

 

The name is a bit of a mouthful to be honest, but I think it gets the point across well.  It's Derren Brown's interpretation of the classic ghost train.  I do worry about how people will respond to it, as their expectations might be skewed by thinking of the traditional ghost train type ride.  Hopefully marketing can do a good job at setting people up correctly for the ride (sorry attraction, or experience, or concept, or whatever this thing should be called).

 

I do see some people's concerns about the project, but I do feel like since this is a major project, comparing it to filler attractions might be a bit of a skew comparison to be honest.  My greatest fear is what happens in 5 years time with this, when people have probably found out one way or another about what actually happens inside, the different possibilities have been explored by many and it's not the big thing of the moment.  Does this have the same sticking power as other major attractions at the park, or major dark rides at other parks across the world?

 

So all in all, this announcement has got me pretty excited now.  I genuinely think that this has the potential to be an amazing experience if pulled off correctly.  Whether it will is of course a different matter, but I'm still happy with what we've got so far.

 

(Also, the Periscope interview was great!  Hope Thorpe continue to do stuff like that!).

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