Vampire

[StevenVig]

Hmmm I'm not sure about this, it would have to be pretty loud. The Train does make a fair amount of noise in that tunnel.No Doubt, I will check this out tomorrow!

[James6]

Well I personally thought it added a lot to the ride at Hocus Pocus so I see no reason why it wouldn't throughout the rest of the season

[Benin]

Do wish they'd theme both sets of tunnels on the ride though...Even just a cheap looking rock wall on the inside of the one by Buccy would improve it, especially if the smoke machine was used... The brake run though... God I wish there was something decent in there to look at...

[Ricky]

Does anyone else come off with a bad back on this? I always seem to

[electricBlll]

Not me, but I used to have various bumps and bruises after riding, but that stopped quite a while ago. Since it is pretty elderly now, the train does get jolty quite often, but once you have riden a few times you get used to it. It was awful when I was shorter, though, because the rests are pretty hard!

[A-Kid]

When I was younger I came off the ride with concussion. Had a massive lump on the back of my head and was brused. That was a BT event to remember... 7 rides without leaving. I don't find it too bad nowadays though. Just don't sit in the middle where it does the typical Arrow shuffle shunt.It could do with some extra padding on the plastic. Digs in to the back a bit.

[James6]

I never really experience it really. It does do that shunting though before the turn into the 2nd lift, the bit that runs parallel to the queue. Everywhere else it's fine :PI would like to see the trains upgraded though to Vekoma's new restraint's pictured below;Would improve the ride a bit I think

[themeparkmad]

I would hate to see those new trains added to the Vampire as they look really childish and 'unrollercoastery' in my opinion.I would rather have the current ones which emphasise the look of a rollercoaster.

[Benin]

Seemed to be a lot smoother this year at least in the back row...But I also agree it NEEDS more padding... Bloody Vekoma...

[rygr]

I know I'm going to get opinions on this. But looking at pictures of the Vampire station in 1990 and a picture from it nowadays, I think the station actually looks better than it did in 1990 nowadays. Whenever you ask someone about Vampire they would usually say, the station was a lot more well themed in 1990 - 2000 it was scarier, and much better. But whats changed since 1990? The trains and the addition of air gates. Why do people say the station was better in 1990? There must be SOMETHING in there that makes them think this. Having rode the Vampire myself in around '98, yes it was very daunting, but don't you think kids nowadays will find the station scary? Maybe it's simply because the people who saw the station for what it was in 1990 - 2000 have grown up and don't appreciate the spooky aspect that it still holds... any thoughts on this?

[Mark9]

I first rode Vampire in 1999 and this has always got to me. People always say Chessington is well themed, Chessington is reliable, Chessington is amazing. And yet here is a ride that makes an even greater sin then Inferno, it's front end is pure corregated steel, Vampire wasn't reliable at all, hence its big retheme. I mean even as an 11 year old kid I thought "why is this themed to a castle when its just a steel shed outside"

[MikeyT]

Well I think the Vampire and in fact the whole of Transylvania was a fantastic addition and truly saw the concept of the theme park coming to Britain. It brought together the fantastic atmosphere of the theatre and put guests in the middle of it.There is an image knocking about somewhere (which may actually be posted whilst I'm writing up this post- got a feeling it's going to be a long one!) but I can't for the life of me find it. It showed the station at its prime, in my opinion. The biggest changes to the station were of course the gauze that covered the ceiling and draped over lights. Then there are the air gates which replaced the big, imposing, coffin- like loading bays from before.I think Health and Safety may have had something to do with the removal of the gauze in the station, and also with the extra lighting at the entrance to the narrow corridor that leads to the station. Lighting is a big issue for me, it has improved greatly this year, with lots of eerie green. It did, at one point, look much like a disco, with lots of multi- coloured lights, not really fitting in with the "Vampire's Lair" themed station. It's still something I think can be greatly improved on- having a spooky blue on the exit platform rather than the red they have currently. Blue and green create a real spooky atmosphere when put together.Regarding your question about children finding things scary; here's my thoughts. I would argue that on the whole, it takes more to scare children now than it did, say 20 years ago, mainly to do with the way our culture and society has changed in the past two decades.I do remember being terrified of the station at a young age, and I imagine a lot still are now. But with anything like this, I turn to things like Doctor Who- children love being scared. Actually, not just children: secretly, we all love it, although people cope with it in different ways. This is why Scare Attractions are so popular, we love it. Vampire is not intended to be a sinister attraction, it's very tongue in cheek in terms of its execution, but thinking back, being terrified is what made me love Vampire from so early on, and is one memory I'll never forget.This also applies to the theme of Thirteen to me, but that's for another thread, in which I feel inspired to write in....

[TraX]

Some of my best memories came from being a kid with the Vampire..I remember standing infront of a huge billboard advertising the new land and peering through the fence down past what would be Professor Burp's Bubbleworks, the transylvania street still under scaffold, but almost complete. I remember the park having one of the Vampire ride cars (before they were butchered), sitting on the lawn at the park's main gate and later standing near Circus World, watching for the first time as the ride was testedThe very first queueline was a small cattlepen over gravel, which often backed up down the path toward the cave. The head of the queueline took you through the main gate (which has now been unused for years and been covered with the 'new' Vampire logo. The original one etched into the stone is still under there too.).When past the gate, guests would walk down the stairs and under the corridoor, which is now used as the Express Pass. Originally, there was a sign here which would warn you to 'abandon hope' and from a silver pipe along the ceiling a watery mist filled the path ahead and looked nice and creepy.From there, things are much the same a walkway through a small crypt and a dark passage ahead of you. Another sign here informing guests that this was 'the point of no return; the vampire was about to strike' and then, into what was a darker twisty corridoor into the ride station that as MikeyT described, was a lot darker with huge drapes, a lot of different lighting, including a strobe light lightning effect from the ceiling and the window beside the front seat batching coffins. There was no ride operator loudly speaking over the music and every so many seconds those black bat ride cars would rush into the station, the atmosphere was fantastic.Between that and Professor Burp's Bubbleworks upstairs, a young ride geek Fever was born!Many, many, many trips later, I gave the park a break and returned some years later to find the 'new' Vampire and it's purple 're-theme'. So much atmosphere lost, but so many memories indeed. I'm just glad that staff have looked after this one and the welcome return to the green station was a great move and some nice additions in the queueline this year too, demomstrate that Chessington are very well aware how big this ride was and it really is the icon, signature ride.

[rygr]

I'm also presuming that the organist moved a lot more than he did nowadays!On the picture front, there is a picture from the 1990 guide book which shows the station, although if you are thinking of another picture it would be good to see that!Vampire was always a very scary ride for me too, I'm not doubting that fact. The prospect of riding it was very daunting, but I think as I grew up, the novelty wore off, and although its still my favourite rollercoaster, I can't see the scary aspect there anymore.Very interesting views on the ride Neilfever, it does sound awesome back in the day! - I agree that with health and safety the fences had to be put up, which is a shame, since a lot of riders to forget they should stand at the top of the exit stairs and do come down onto the platform!I know the music changed for the ride too, I mean the laughs were added in 2002, and I'm sure thats when the opp's started to talk over the music quite a bit. Although its weird how they now HAVE to talk over the PA, where as back in 1990 - 2000 Neilfever said that the PA talking was very limited, let it was still the same ride, it just has air gates now!

[themeparkmad]

This is the only ride to date that whenever I hear the music as I walk into the station - I still get an odd shiver down my spine thinking 'oh my god!'Still scares me a bit even now tbh!

I know the music changed for the ride too, I mean the laughs were added in 2002, and I'm sure thats when the opp's started to talk over the music quite a bit. Although its weird how they now HAVE to talk over the PA, where as back in 1990 - 2000 Neilfever said that the PA talking was very limited, let it was still the same ride, it just has air gates now!

Woop Woop for the amazing 2 laughs!

[Benin]

Running very well today...Loud music and operators not over-using the microphone...Though the staff were slow, but that is a park-wide thing atm rather than just Vamp...

[James6]

Definitely agree about staff seeming slow at the moment. E.g. last week with a 70 min queue continuous stacking on 2 trains.

[Fred]

Think I and a few others should make an appearance

[Whiteknuckle]

I was at the park on the 13th april, and was waiting to take a picture of a train coming out the tunnel, and noticed thunder sound effects coming from inside the tunnel, and I think there was a howling wolf too.How long has that been there? I have never noticed it before.

[themeparkmad]

I was at the park on the 13th april, and was waiting to take a picture of a train coming out the tunnel, and noticed thunder sound effects coming from inside the tunnel, and I think there was a howling wolf too.How long has that been there? I have never noticed it before.

It was there for last years Halloween Hocus Pocus.However, it has been back now for a few weeks for the 2010 season.

[Kevin]

In response to the person who asked about where the old Vampire queue line went...Am I right in saying it went in through double doors, down steps, right and up stairs up to current EXP merge point, turning right (as if you were today walking up from EXP queue and turning right instead of left, go down into where the queue is now, and then back up running parallel, into the gate on the right of EXP merge point (looking towards the station) and then down into the station?Just thought this might have been the layout as there is a big concrete cut out section in the floor between the gates and the lollipop at EXP merge point.

[Fred]

The concrete section on the floor used to be the old height stick thing (the big chunky metal bars).. but what you mentioned is what I think is how the queue went.. dunno how they used the bit next to the trims though :S

[TraX]

In response to the person who asked about where the old Vampire queue line went...

That response in also in detail only Seven posts above yours..

[Benin]

^Do you mean like random laughing, screaming and wolf howling?If so, it's been around before...

[Kevin]

Nope, it's the Vampire Station music mixed with a bit of howling. Sounds a lot better than the old track being played down there, but now the tunnel has stopped playing the heart beating music.