Ryan Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Nice little article - http://www.wareable.com/vr/derren-brown-vr-ghost-train-thorpe-park ArtfulRaceHorse, JoshC. and David B 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 I saw some AR stuff used at a show recently, the only hope is that the quality of the fake stuff is actually good... Like, the purposes for the thing I saw weren't entertainment based, but it was very unreliable/unresponsive... For a mass thing, Thorpe need to have brought the a game in maintenance stuff... Anything less won't do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Mae Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 So, on park today... Nice themed hand stamps, shame about the delay... The signs saying main and fast track entrances have been taken down since this morning? Also, managed to have a sneaky peek through the window in the shop on Adam's shoulders and it just seems to be a ride exit passage, disappointing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 This article has some interesting information about the VR segment of the ride - http://www.wareable.com/vr/derren-brown-vr-ghost-train-thorpe-park Also, the article states it is under a non-disclosure agreement meaning they may know more information about the attraction, including the opening date. The reason I bring this up is because it states "When it opens this week" (the article was published today). Is this just miscommunication or did they slip up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 23 minutes ago, Celia Mae said: The signs saying main and fast track entrances have been taken down since this morning? Probably so people don't think it's opening/opening later? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Mae Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 1 hour ago, MattyMoo said: Probably so people don't think it's opening/opening later? Maybe, there are signs everywhere saying it won't be open today though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 That won't stop people from waiting outside expectantly... Seriously, someone just mingle around the entrance tomorrow and watch a queue form behind you.. CharlieN and Ian-S 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Allgood Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 27 minutes ago, Benin said: That won't stop people from waiting outside expectantly... Seriously, someone just mingle around the entrance tomorrow and watch a queue form behind you.. I know what I'm doing tomorrow now... yeah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joester Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Are people dumb enough to wait for a ride even after its been stated that it wont open for a while yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Yes they are! Celia Mae, yeah and Kerfuffle 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 If you have to ask.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 1 hour ago, AstroSquish said: Are people dumb enough to wait for a ride even after its been stated that it wont open for a while yet? Well if people are dumb enough to ask if Safari Skyway will be open today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 38 minutes ago, ChessingtonSam said: Well if people are dumb enough to ask if Safari Skyway will be open today... I'm fairness, if they haven't seen it removed from the ride line up it's not too unreasonable a question to ask. yeah and Tom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 And still seeing the track above! When you work in a theme park, you get guests who haven't visited for years asking where the rides have gone! pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L7123456 Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 From the article at wareable.com "An NDA means we can't reveal the exact length of the ride (for now), but in terms of length I'd suggest you think film short rather than a single scare in the dark." I thought the ride was confirmed to be 13 minutes in length, or has that been suddenly changed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 4 minutes ago, MilesK said: From the article at wareable.com "An NDA means we can't reveal the exact length of the ride (for now), but in terms of length I'd suggest you think film short rather than a single scare in the dark." I thought the ride was confirmed to be 13 minutes in length, or has that been suddenly changed? Everywhere I've seen says 10-15 mins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 3 minutes ago, MilesK said: From the article at wareable.com "An NDA means we can't reveal the exact length of the ride (for now), but in terms of length I'd suggest you think film short rather than a single scare in the dark." I thought the ride was confirmed to be 13 minutes in length, or has that been suddenly changed? I read that quote as referring to the length of time you were wearing the VR, since the build up to that paragraph talks about Galactica's ride time - and hence time wearing the VR. Since we know that VR only plays a part of the attraction, it would make sense that they're not revealing how long you spend wearing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L7123456 Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 1 minute ago, BaronC. said: I read that quote as referring to the length of time you were wearing the VR, since the build up to that paragraph talks about Galactica's ride time - and hence time wearing the VR. Since we know that VR only plays a part of the attraction, it would make sense that they're not revealing how long you spend wearing it. Ahhh, that would make a lot more sense! Hopefully the VR doesn't last too long and we get some very nice physical theming around the ride! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 On a different note, here's an image from swooddow on TTSP... Nice little update to the rotating wall, which will of course read 'Mind Gap' when the wall is turned around. Olistjj and CharlieN 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 "Film short" - typically short films are 15/20 mins long so that would make sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Interestingly, this article on the Financial Times says that Ghost Train cost £13m... https://next.ft.com/content/c1eac800-12e5-11e6-839f-2922947098f0 Since we've had the "largest investment ever made" talk for ages, I'd assume this is a mistake and the number was either misheard (£30m) or a typo (£23m?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 £10 million on the marketing, £10m on the VR and the rest to Derren? The ride is actually made by kids at the local school... Community help and all that... Matt 236, Ian-S and pluk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Hutson Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 1 hour ago, BaronC. said: Interestingly, this article on the Financial Times says that Ghost Train cost £13m... https://next.ft.com/content/c1eac800-12e5-11e6-839f-2922947098f0 Since we've had the "largest investment ever made" talk for ages, I'd assume this is a mistake and the number was either misheard (£30m) or a typo (£23m?) Can you copy and paste the article, please? It's subscription based... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 5 minutes ago, Nick Hutson said: Can you copy and paste the article, please? It's subscription based... Odd. I don't have a subscription to FT; I just Googled 'Derren Brown Ghost Train' and clicked News. That article was the fifth one down and worked for me fine, so I assumed linking it would have worked. The full article though... Merlin Entertainments is turning to illusionist Derren Brown to help it conjure up fresh growth. The world’s second largest attractions operator by visitor numbers, which owns Legoland and Madame Tussauds, is striving to make ground on market leader, Disney, through deals with media and entertainment groups — and even celebrities. Its plan is to draw more visitors through its turnstiles by working with popular brands that will lend their names to Merlin’s attractions. The strategy is under close scrutiny by investors. Visitor numbers at Merlin’s UK theme parks plummeted in 2015 after a rollercoaster crash at its Alton Towers resort. The crash left two young women requiring leg amputations. Merlin faces a fine of millions of pounds, after pleading guilty to a health and safety offence last month. Derren Brown’s Ghost Train, which cost £13m to build and opens this summer at Thorpe Park, one of the UK’s largest theme parks, eschews the fast thrills of the FTSE 100 company’s other attractions. It uses moving carriages, virtual reality headsets and actors to take riders through a live-action horror story over 15 minutes. Merlin, which has about 100 attraction venues worldwide, says its partnership with Mr Brown, who has attracted millions of television viewers with his elaborate tricks, was part of a strategy of “increasing focus on intellectual property.” Striking expensive deals with third party entertainment franchises is one way Merlin is trying to keep pace with Disney, which has the advantage of a constant stream of movies it can turn into attractions. But analysts warn Merlin risks spending big on brands that have a limited shelf life. Merlin does not break out how much it pays in licensing agreements but the company spent £125m on its existing estate in 2015, up from £107m a year earlier. In 2016, it is forecast to spend £250-£270m on new and existing attractions. In 2015, the company had revenues of £1.28bn and pre-tax profits of £250m. “You expect the association to drive additional footfall but that will come at a cost to margin,” said Simon French, leisure analyst at Cenkos Securities. “Ultimately, if you align yourself to a third party, you will be affected by how their brand is perceived at that time.” To reduce these risks, Mark Fisher, Merlin’s chief development officer, said it used market research to pick concepts that would stand the test of time. “You can’t pick a fad, particularly in the digital age some things come and go within 12 months,” he said. “We wouldn’t invest a huge amount of capital that we didn’t think had longevity.” Mr Brown said he worked with Merlin executives for three years to develop the Thorpe Park ride. “It’s very much a hands on thing for me. My name is on this,” he said. Merlin, based in Dorset, emerged out of a 1998 management buyout led by Nick Varney, its chief executive, to become Europe’s largest location-based attractions operator, with about 63m visitors in 2015. People familiar with the company’s thinking said it expected visitor numbers to its UK theme parks to be affected by the Alton Towers crash for up to two years. On Monday, the group had a further setback as dozens of people were left stranded upside down for about 20 minutes when its new Galactica ride in Alton Towers stopped after heavy rain. Executives are banking on the stability of its Lego parks to weather the financial hit. Legoland is Merlin’s strongest driver of growth. In 2015, revenues from its Legoland parks increased 8.2 per cent, compared with 2.3 per cent growth at its “Midway” attractions, such as Madame Tussauds, and a 12.4 per cent decline at theme parks, attributed largely to the Alton Towers incident. The company will add to its six Legoland parks worldwide, with work under way on three in Dubai, Japan and South Korea, by 2018. The company is in talks to open Legoland resorts in China and the US. Merlin has said that its strategy would be pinned on the “rapid growth of the middle classes, notably [in] China, who have an appetite to consume high- quality, branded entertainment options and to travel.” Competitors have similar plans. Next month, Disney will open a resort in Shanghai, which cost about $5.5bn to build in partnership with the Shanghai Shendi Group. The Chinese park will feature attractions based on Pirates of the Caribbean and characters from the Disney-owned Marvel studio behind superhero pictures such as Iron Man and Avengers Assemble. Comcast, which acquired NBCUniversal in 2010, has poured billions into capital expenditure at its Universal theme parks in Florida and California. The US media conglomerate has focused on building Harry Potter themed locations within the Universal resorts, including a Hogwarts Castle at its Los Angeles location. Merlin said it had about 50 IP partnerships. It has worked with DreamWorks Animation on attractions such as its Shrek’s Adventure! experience in London. Attractions based on the US studio’s popular movies will soon reach Merlin theme parks, such as a Kung Fu Panda area in Gardaland and a How to Train Your Dragon themed location within Heide Park in Germany. CharlieN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 >Can't pick a fad >Chooses VR concept Good game Merlin... pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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