March 8, 20169 yr comment_229106 I actually like it! I wish they'd change the theme of Rita though because it's incredibly lazy. a theme that would actually fit the dark forest, but this is a good start
March 8, 20169 yr comment_229108 The rides not bad it's never going to get moved and a new theme would be good and to fit in with the dark forest maybe they should talk to Stephen King and theme as Christine the ride
March 8, 20169 yr comment_229109 Or make the area look like a dark forest, rather than a branch of Travis Perkins or a garden centre.
March 8, 20169 yr comment_229113 Rita's space could house a decent wooden coaster, and it would fit in with the dark forest theme! Regarding the new fence, it could be much better but I'm just surprised to see them actually doing something to improve the appearance of the park for once!
March 8, 20169 yr comment_229124 Please can that be a symbol of how utterly dysfunctional the UK theme park industry now is? The whole problem is the fact you have a big low level launch track dumped on top of the area in the first place, and every problem Ug Land/Dark Forest has had since then is a repercussion of that terrible planning decision - desperate to squeeze in a pointless launch coaster anywhere. And now, many hack jobs later, it's come to people around the internet celebrating a horrific path-blocking wooden fence with some holes in it, simply because it looks more slightly more expensive than what was there before (it's shocking the scaffolding lasted more than a week in the first place). Sorry to be cynical, but I bet everyone at the park is just as embarrassed about this. That area will finally be able to live when they get rid of Rita and architecturally design the space properly.
March 9, 20169 yr comment_229141 That area will finally be able to live when they get rid of Rita and architecturally design the space properly. That time will be such a long time coming and I can't be fussed with moaning about an area that I try to avoid whenever I visit. You've got an under-rated gem hidden being one that never really fitted in. I could be angry about it but when the park actively doesn't care, why should I.
March 10, 20169 yr comment_229236 Some signs have been added to the fencing: Not really 'TLC', but I always like seeing little things like these about...
March 10, 20169 yr comment_229240 For something done on the cheap I actually quite like them, apart from the "best ride ever" one.
March 10, 20169 yr comment_229242 I really like it! Finally Rita is actually beginning to fit in! Really do love the idea of it being an abandoned raceway.
March 10, 20169 yr comment_229243 Well it's an improvement, not really the greatest of improvements but I'm glad they're adding themed elements to the fence. Although one problem... Rita? Best Ride Ever in 2005?
March 10, 20169 yr comment_229245 It's a reference to the adverts that ran in the run up to Rita opening, which proclaimed it "your best Alton Towers ride ever", before it had even opened.
March 11, 20169 yr comment_229295 Park has its worst year on record, losing millions of pounds for the company with threats of further cuts and payouts to come and you're expecting what exactly? The expectations of theme park enthusiasts in particular are so high it amazes me. The awful look from last year has gone, an attempt has been made to make it look nicer on what's probably a budget that is minuscule and it gets nothing but derision. No wonder our parks were left to run down to decay, the work they're doing will be un-noticed by the public and just derided by enthusiasts. I like the signs and fences more then the meshy look from last year so I guess I'd better hand in my enthusiast card because unless we get a teacup ride hidden by a castle or flipping Hogsmede then nothing will ever be good enough. /soapbox
March 11, 20169 yr comment_229299 From the mess there previously, the wood tunnel looks better. The quirky signs give it more character and hopefully the themed vines will improve area relations.
March 11, 20169 yr comment_229301 I actually quite like what they've done... it looks a heck of a lot better than the dilapidated scaffolding monstrosity that was there in the first place. It may not ideal, but it's a step in the right direction - they could've just left it as it was for another year... I like the abandoned raceway theme with the signs, at least it vaguely makes sense and then fits in. I still dislike Rita as a ride but that's not relevant
March 12, 20169 yr comment_229384 I'm on the fence (hur hur) with this at the moment. Those signs are humorously small compared to the fences, but maybe the vines will fix that issue.
March 13, 20169 yr comment_229497 "The expectations of theme park enthusiasts in particular are so high it amazes me. The awful look from last year has gone, an attempt has been made to make it look nicer on what's probably a budget that is minuscule and it gets nothing but derision." The budget allocated to this always was going to be low and if anything the park have scraped more to spend on this tunnel than they would have been provided with before the events of 2015 (hence there scaffold was kept there instead of a permanent structure in the first place). No one is asking the world, it's just appalling that a company that constantly prides itself on being "second to Disney" and whose priority as a business is now 'to overtake Disney within the next few years', choose not to give Alton Towers the cap ex needed to properly sort problems like this and they've really gone for the cheapest passable option possible with this wooden thing, like all their design choices riddled throughout their parks. Its another example of scraping the best out of a poor budget, but the budget should be more substantial than this for such a large company. They just don't care enough to think better than short term solutions. Meanwhile the team co ordinating this scheme considering the conditions they've been given are being very smart in where & how they spend it.
March 13, 20169 yr comment_229561 I seem to have made my mind up on Ritas work too quickly. Now I have found out they didn't even remove the scaffolding, they have just tried and cover it up, my opinion of the work has gone even lower. All they would have needed was a little bit more money and they could have had a nice looking solution. Instead we have a wooden fence with some vines and some tacky signs on it. However what makes me even more annoyed is that people seem to be happy and content with it.
March 13, 20169 yr comment_229569 I seem to have made my mind up on Ritas work too quickly. Now I have found out they didn't even remove the scaffolding, they have just tried and cover it up, my opinion of the work has gone even lower. All they would have needed was a little bit more money and they could have had a nice looking solution. Instead we have a wooden fence with some vines and some tacky signs on it. However what makes me even more annoyed is that people seem to be happy and content with it. The scaffolding is there for H&S reasons. What would you prefer? The scaffolding or no Rita. I shall let you decide. In my opinion, the fences look good and a nice way for towers to hide the queue length.
March 13, 20169 yr comment_229570 The scaffolding is there for H&S reasons. What would you prefer? The scaffolding or no Rita. I shall let you decide. In my opinion, the fences look good and a nice way for towers to hide the queue length. I'd prefer no Rita if it meant we got a decent coaster instead!
March 13, 20169 yr comment_229572 I'd prefer no Rita if it meant we got a decent coaster instead! Agreed. Rita needs to go. The sooner the better really!
March 13, 20169 yr comment_229573 Honestly I would prefer no Rita but that is not my point. Health and safety have not said you need scaffolding under the walk way on the basis that H&S do not care how you fix the issue just as long as its fixed in a safe way. Scaffolding will have been the cheapest solution, not the best.
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