The Walking Dead: The Ride - Speculation and 'Construction'

[JoshC.]

On 04/12/2017 at 9:43 PM, 1729 said:

living nightmare is already built into the building.  it uses the old indoor queue lines for X/: no way out

my suggestion is they adjust the queues so after the new bag drop you go to the entrance of the maze and when you exit the maze you enter a small cattle pen then the entrance of the coaster part of X

not sure how they would theme the coaster though

 

still have to see. Thats just a educated guess of how it could work from a operations persepctive

 

if someone had a floor plan of X that would work wonders for working out if a route was possible

It wouldn't really be possible to walk through the X queue and join the start of Living Nightmare.   If memory serves me correctly, the queue for X shared a wall with the prison scene in the maze, but that's about it.  To get to the start of the maze, you'd either have to go outside or essentially cross the station, neither of which are practical.

 

Personally, I don't think Living Nightmare will be used in any capacity for the retheme, simply because it effectively puts the park a maze down come Fright Nights.

 

 

3 hours ago, Whatever said:

It could be interesting how they incorporate the coaster itself into the attraction - could the maze be the first section, and the ride a form of 'escape' from zombies?

I haven't watched the show; do any fans know of something that would fit?

The plans of the Watchtower and barbed wire fencing reminded me of the Prison, which was a major part of Seasons 3 and 4...

 

 

The idea could go you're in the prison (having the corridors as prison walkways, etc), and the ride being just a rush through the prison as you're chased by zombies.  Doesn't need to make sense beyond that really, and would be easy to theme.

[Stuntman707]

I wonder if the ride itself will have any actual theming for a change? Also a good point is that the ride has brake runs throughout which could be re-activated to enable slower themed experiences during the ride. It would be a unique and cool idea but I won't hold my breath for Merlin to go that far until I see it happen.

[Saw-Swarm-Smile]

I don't think you could do anything with the brake runs that would be safe... Aren't they still within the heart of track? I'm not sure but I remember the X track twisted and turned into itself multiple times...

[Stuntman707]

Didn't the trains used to stop completely on each brake run and restart when it was X:\NWO? I'm sure they could still do that with the front facing trains and it wouldn't be as vomit inducing.

[Marc]

3 minutes ago, Stuntman707 said:

Didn't the trains used to stop completely on each brake run and restart when it was X:\NWO? I'm sure they could still do that with the front facing trains and it wouldn't be as vomit inducing.

Yeah they did and it’s posisble they could bring these back pretty easily - blocks are all still there.

[Graw]

yeah, if I remember the trains used to stop on each break run, then go back and forward a bit before carrying on. as they stopped weird noises played and there was like static dummy models with lights on them just kinda...sitting there staring at you. couldn't imagine there being much room to add theming or animatronics there though lol. I'd rather they just make a good year round maze (as stupid an idea as it is) than try to turn X into a walking dead coaster. I just really don't see how it'd work lmao

[Matt A]

I really don't understand how they're gonna incorporate the ride into this, a relatively small rollercoaster in a big empty room doesn't really match much in WD.

This is what's partly lead me to think they might not be changing the ride, it could just be giving X a reason to have the theme that it does now. Prater in Vienna has a similar ride which has you take on the role of a secret agent before going into the ride which plays music and has lights etc. I'm not suggesting this is what it will be but it could be a similar concept to give context before the ride.

 

Also WD in the plans could just mean Working Drawing/Design

[alexander]

I think Josh is right about the prison concept. Throw in a few walkways to look like the upper levels of the prison, a couple of cages, some UV painted zombie faces and there's your dark ride. Regardless, this concept is naff and I would be intrigued to know how much some of these employees are making for coming up with drivel like this. It's actually laughable.

[BenC]

http://x.news.altontowers.com/ats/msg.aspx?sg1=1e46301a5b5269831eae72fb4f47a522

 

Scroll down to Thorpe Park... we have the "safe zone" tagline with Walking Dead Fright Nights image behind it.

 

Walking Dead-themed 22-year old family roller coaster looking increasingly likely...

[CWOAFan]

Will fit right in...

[JoshC.]

A couple of new documents have been included on the planning application giving a bit more detail on the exterior queue.

 

The outside queue spans to the small concrete walls opposite the toilets, which is where the entrance will be.  The exit for the ride is in the same place, but because of the queue, it looks like the only way to leave the area is under Storm Surge towards Donut Factory.  Frustrating that it effectively blocks the pathway and turns it into a 1 way system, though thinking about it it does at least mean that the entrance is more obvious (many people always missed the entrance completely).

[Mark9]

On 05/12/2017 at 6:28 PM, qzzb_uk said:

I don't get the big deal with this TBH. People are up in arms about the loss of a family friendly ride and then debate about how this would work. I think Thorpe should focus on the older thrill market - yeah there is something to be said for another apocalyptic scare attraction, but just up the road is Chessington which is the young to pre teen market. Thorpe is quite small in relation to Chessington and Alton, so focusing this on thrill I think is the best option, after all they used to be the Nations Thrill Capital. 

 

It wouldn't surprise me if they got rid of the beach in the next few years. 

 

People will always be upset with a ride loss or retheme - but changes always happen, and have to to keep the park interesting to the occasional visitor. Its just a wait and see as to what will happen. I personally think a Walking Dead rollercoaster will be pretty naff. The only thing I can think with X (if my memory serves correctly) is that back in the day when it went backwards it stopped at certain points. There could be a element there that would fit with the safe zone or the walker thing from TWD. I have only been on once since it was X (as it seemed to always be closed when I went) but if the slow/stop sections are there still, that might be where the zombie thing will come in. That and the dark environment with some projections throughout. 

 

It is all about money, as Thorpe Park and Merlin are a business. They need to try and get more people through the gates. Hence all the world first - we all mock it but if attendance is up when they do a world first why wouldn't they??  If The Walking Dead got a good reception at Fright Nights it might be a obvious choice from a business perspective to capitalise on that and try and improve attendance. 

 

Its a Theme Park, but also a business and often thats what drives development - making money! 

 

Right, but that isn't working. Park numbers are still down, trying to make an interesting dark ride for older teenagers hasn't worked, trying to regain the family market isn't working either. Thorpe's biggest problem is that it just doesn't know what it wants to be. X is Thorpe Park in ride form. Jumping from theme to theme, idea to idea for the last twenty years and never letting it stick or settle. All that effort with X to get it to be a 1 metre height restriction and a Walking Dead theme completely flies in the face of that. Look at any park that has numbers on the up around the globe, all of them know their branding, know who they are wanting to attract. Chessington, despite so many flaws, knows who it is advertising at. 

 

I'm not an expert but I can't be the only one fed up of these miserable themes at Thorpe Park. If I see one more barbed fence, run down wreck added to the line up...

[ste193]

Personally I'm torn because X was a staple of my Thorpe Park visits however if the ride break runs are reinstated and they add some strobe effects and zombie mannequins etc similar to the mall scene in the mazes in USA with sound effects I can see this being a really interesting thrill ride. But with how they are lately with themeing and effects I don't hold out much hope.

[Saw-Swarm-Smile]

I think X is trying to revert to the way it was when it was X:/NWO. There's this interesting element that I think it getting overlooked and that is that they referred to it as X:/NWO within the blueprints, not just X. I think this symbolizes

(outside of the walking dead theme) how they're attempting to revert the ride back to the thrill audience, and back to its former form. Maybe this is a clue that they might do the reverse carts again and revert back to the old carts...? Or maybe this is just supposed to mean that it is for older audiences again. 

[JoshC.]

I wouldn't read anything into the plans referring to it as X:\NWO.  As far as the council are concerned, it is the X:\NWO building, so that's what the park will have to refer to it as on the plans.  It's just like how the Angry Birds theatre is listed as Pirates 4D! 

[Stuntman707]

I'm so torn between this refurb. Sad to see the X name go and the fact it's another run down "theme" with fake razorwire queuelines. But it would be good to see the ride have a strong, new identity and a proper refresh. Exciting to see what they do inside but at the same time, concerned there will still be minimal / no theming given Merlin's track record. If they just paint fake grime over the real grime and call it a horror ride, I'll be quite annoyed.

[James Allgood]

You can't see much from across the lake but the entrance is definitely gone! I admit its sad that Thorpe might be changing the theme of the ride but with the new music they put on it last year I found it a bit rubbish. It was better with the clubbing music and lasers. I think if the park does change X then it will be a massive improvement on what we had this year and for a while now. Any investment is better than nothing! Just look at the tat some of the American parks get... 

http://themeparkguide.biz/news-page/news-display/1374

[Baseball Bat]

They could introduce virtual reality to keep this suitable for everyone

 

Have virtual reality as an option for 12+, with zombies attacking and blood and gore and stuff. Then just have a in-the-dark coaster for everyone else, keep some flashing red lights or something

 

The virtual reality could be really good if they real filmed it and got the people who do the make up from the show to do the zombies. Would be scsry for those who want it, and plain fun for those who don't want scare or virtual reality

 

Thoughts?

[JoshuaA]

I honestly think adding VR would just make the addition even more of a depressing sight to be honest..

X's current throughput is already kinda terrible with some of the new annoying seating rules so VR on top of that would just make the throughput dreadful wouldn't it?

 

It also had to be said that the VR can be unreliable and it might cause a bunch of downtime which again would be more annoying than beneficial.

 

Don't get me wrong I've slowly warmed to Galactica and VR when used right, but I don't think X could handle the smaller throughput if VR was implemented 

[Marc]

It’s certainly something I’ve wondered what they could do - VR for over certain age, non vr standard coaster for those not old enough. Not sure how it would work in respect to throughputs etc - they could add the 4th train / re-introduce the blocks to keep it half decent? 

 

[JoshC.]

It's an..interesting idea actually. 

 

VR would be a good way to make X more appealing for the thrill audience.  Certainly more appealing than just sticking barbed wire everywhere and sticking a creepy soundtrack on it.  And it then means that younger audiences could still ride it, maybe without even seeing one zombie if they kept them all in the 'virtual world'.  

 

It wouldn't be the best way to create a Walking Dead coaster, but then again, X isn't the best ride for a Walking Dead overlay.  

 

So yeah, there's potential there...

[Benin]

VR is the new screens for dark rides...

[Matt 236]

The only way I can see this work for the sake of hardware and infrastructure is if they bring in VR (thus making it appropriate for more ages) and bringing back block brakes as far as throughput is concerned. 

 

I reserve further judgment until opening.

[Coaster]

I hope they don't bring the blocks back, it worked well when the ride travelled backwards but made for a dull coaster experience when they were briefly used after the ride was turned forwards in 2013.

 

I still think this is a daft decision and that the money would have been better spent elsewhere.

[JoshC.]

Thorpe submitted plans to extend the Pizza Pasta building again.  The outdoor area will be enclosed, and a new smaller outdoor area will be set up near the entrance.

 

I'm too lazy to faff about getting the pictures from Facebook in here whilst on my phone, so check out the TPM FB page for pictures if you're that way inclined / don't believe me...