The Future Of Vampire

[Benin]

Nice to see... But forgive for being rather tentative about the source... Dunno how someone with 5 posts who joined today can be seen as reliable... It must be going over my head...

[Kevin]

The information is coming from an inside source. I am new to this site and thought I would share some stuff I know. The proposal for the old entrance was put in last week. I will keep you updated when I know more

No it isn't.There is no work going on in the Vampire queue this closed season.

[Mark9]

No it isn't.There is no work going on in the Vampire queue this closed season.

No offence Outfit but you're hardly the most reliable considering last closed season you told us Runaway Trains rocks had been refurbished and that the Black Buccaneer boat had been completely replaced with a new boat.

[Will]

Outfit could have been right but at the last minute, they might've said no instead or might've delayed it. This change to Vampire might be a last-minute decision. If Chessie was lazy they could have not bothered at all and at least they are investing some funds into making the attraction more pleasing.

[rickydoodle]

When I think of Chessington I automatically think of Vampire. It's true to say that it's one of a dying breed, but you would think the relatively new rolling stock would work in its favour.

[hitman90]

The entrance change has not been confirmed yet but is in talks and it has been measured up. Does anyone remember the old rodeo horse and rider that used to sit in the centre of the ride? It has been re-themed and will now go somewhere in Transylvania. Painted black with a knight

[Benin]

Does anyone remember the old rodeo horse and rider that used to sit in the centre of the ride? It has been re-themed and will now go somewhere in Transylvania. Painted black with a knight

Ahhhhh, there's the cheap section of the idea, this naturally makes it a much more likely thing to happen now that we know there's some form of recycling.....

[electricBlll]

Pfff, that sounds naff. Abdab's return is worse enough. By having static props stuck in full view just sitting there looking fake ruins the atmosphere, really. Can't they get some proper themework done, if they are willing to make additions?

[Kevin]

No offence Outfit but you're hardly the most reliable considering last closed season you told us Runaway Trains rocks had been refurbished and that the Black Buccaneer boat had been completely replaced with a new boat.

Well you say that, but the Bucc boat is being partly refurbished this year!I'm very skeptical as to this person saying 'oh yeah this that the other is happening' when they joined for no reason and starting posting stuff everywhere. Especially when they say 'oh yeah my friend who works in the park blah blah blah'.

[hitman90]

I will try and get a photo and post it on here. It looks good!

[Fred]

Last time the queueline got an improvement (excluding the abdabs), we ended up with a shop and horrible scaffolding fencing. Mmmmm.

[Mr.man]

How dare anyone say that about the Abdabs, they are history to the park!

[electricBlll]

Put him in a museum then, not a queueline!He's gonna get all faded and vandalised being in the queue now anyway. They even ripped off the moustache on one of them.

[Rich]

^ everyone is entitled to their opinion

[Mr.man]

Mybe put him back in Tomb Blaster, I do like him at Vampire though, because he is very scary.

[electricBlll]

^ everyone is entitled to their opinion

Gosh, can you say anything on the internet anymore without somebody jumping at you saying "everybody has an opinion". Yes, I know everybody can have an opinion, including me. And I never said his opinion was "wrong" at all. My post was very light-hearted and positive, please re-read.Well, I don't think they would put him back in Tomb Blaster. He is probably completely knackered on the inside now, and would need replacement mechanisms inside. Also, there would have to be totally new computer programming to tell the animatronic what to move and when to move, and a new audio soundtrack would have to be arranged. I doubt Chessington can be bothered to do all that, which is a shame.Also, where would you put him in Tomb Blaster? He doesn't really fit now, unfortunately. I would like to see him back holding the lamp on that turn just after the train leaves the station (you know the place?). When he used to call out "Oi! No more tourists in this tomb! This tomb is shut! The jewel is mine!" blah blah blah. A little "warning" from him about the tomb would really set up the ride nicely.

[Mr.man]

He doesnt need to move, just sit him in the station or something.

[electricBlll]

But then he would look as bad as he does now. Animatronics (in fact, all effects) work best when they are placed in an environment in which they look most realistic/believable. This is usually in the darkness, so that you cannot see the mechanisms that work them. This environment also should include lighting, audio and sensory effects to help the atmosphere. I mean, you would not have Tomb Blaster outdoors would you? Because everything would look wrong and you would not be in an enclosed environment. So, by having Abdab outside in Vampire he looks a bit wrong. Also, if you had him sat in the station just static, staring into space, he would again look fake and wrong.The only other situation I can think of in which there are animatronics outside is in the Rattlesnake queueline. In my opinion, they are really fake and weird, but there are so many of them that I guess it isn't too bad. But, you can easily see the difference between animatronics in a dark ride that look great, and animatronics outside that might be a tad rickety/unconvincing. There just isn't much you can do other than what it was originally designed for. It is a shame Terror/Forbidden Tomb was ever rethemed in the first place.

[Benin]

The idea behind the placing of Abdab's in the Vampire queue is good... It provides something extra to look at and they are dressed in a way to fit the theme... Though it would be good if they moved, considering the lack of budget Chessie have, a decent addition for a small cost is always a plus...However, I have seen too many times where kids are jumping through the fencing to play on the the trailer one... Dunno about the other two but I guess it's the same...The Vamp queue does need more work done onto it, preferably including some gothic fencing and some other things...But I don't think Chessie did anything wrong with adding them into the queue, and the revamping of Tomb Blaster is perhaps the most successful thing by redoing and old unpopular ride and making it excessively rerideable and popular attraction...

[Mr.man]

What so Tomb Blaster looks real with guns shooting targets in a tomb filled with killer mummies, but then a statue of a creepy guy doesnt, no?

[electricBlll]

Yep. Well, how "realistic" it looks is down to opinion, but the thing about having effects in a particular theatrical environment is always true on every dark ride. That is the main point of every dark ride - to be an enclosed building in which theatrical effects take place with lighting and all the rest. Not necessarily "dark", but usually dark, hence the term "dark ride".And, Tomb Blaster is far more believable than Abdab outside. Just look at him, his paint is coming off and his face is made of hard plastic that has no life in it. Whereas in Tomb Blaster it takes a more careful eye than usual (or flash photography ) to find the edges of sets or mechanisms for the effects. Hope that makes sense.And, good point Benin. Personally I think that Tomb Blaster was one of the better quality rethemes of that time, and the giant snake, for example, is actually nicely impressive. So, it isn't all that bad...

[Rich]

Electric bill, my post was directed at Mr.man but you posted too soon after him.

[electricBlll]

Ah, that's fine, sorry 'bout that.

[rygr]

My opinion? Of course it has a future at Chessington. You just need to glance at the queues it got last year, especially for Halloween & Summer. It was almost right up to the Bubbleworks entrance, the park can see how popular it is. However, I think from an objective point of view, it does need some work done. Granted whenever the park does actually do work on it, it never seems to be enough, and just spending a few weeks/months giving it some TLC. Repaints/Cobwebs/Maybe using the old entrance as the Express Pass entrance, so at least it can still be integrated onto the ride. I like the idea of painting the track black, and adding strobe/smoke to the tunnel. All very expensive yes, but I think this would only enhance the riders experience, and maybe at least SOME of this can be included in the future as the ride becomes older, needing more attention. I can see it easily lasting another 5-10 years if the park inject a little money into it every now and again.

[Mr.man]

But if it takes a sharp eye or a camera to reveal edges of sets, then Abdab wont look as fake. simples *squeak*