March 11, 20232 yr comment_300517 2 hours ago, coasterverse said: I think you're gonna be disappointed, unfortunately. Animatronics are expensive to commission, especially in such a short time period, so I think it's much more likely for them to appear in projection-mapping form rather than physical animatronic form. @coasterverse you say this but Chessington had a Gruffalo animatronic made in 6 months. Bubbleworks closed on the 6th of September and the Gruffalo River Ride Adventure opened the following March. Alton Manor could have been in the making for a couple of years. Duel wasn’t maintained marvellously for a few years. This could’ve been because Alton Towers were working on its refurbishment.
March 11, 20232 yr comment_300525 They'd have been making that animatronic for longer than 6 months. The park would've known about the development for around a year or so. Projects don't start when the previous ride closes. I'd imagine this would've been a refurbishment that snowballed into a full new attraction due to the way in which Merlin tend to operate. A standard maintenance budget? Not unless we can market it as new! Ghost Train redo is down to the loss of the IP. So different situation.
March 11, 20232 yr comment_300528 Maybe Emily Alton is a shape-shifter and has the ability to turn into a cat? They're mention of a 'curse' - so I think maybe Alton Manor is cursed by a witch? similar to Hex......Alton manor was build on cursed land.... like a burial ground like Poltergeist the movie!
March 11, 20232 yr comment_300531 14 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said: Yesterday Alton Towers dropped part of the storyline for Alton Manor into the world. Judging from the plot of the Ride Snowy could be involved. The plot could be that due to Emily Alton’s loneliness her Parents bought her a Cat which she named Snowy. I’d love to see both Emily Alton and Snowy appear as animatronics. I get the feeling Emily’s Parents will be in the narrative. Should this be true could Sir Henry Alton (Emily’s Dad) return to the ride. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjWvPXG2NL9AhWehP0HHXxyDWEQFnoECAkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.altontowers.com%2Fexplore%2Ftheme-park%2Frides-attractions%2Fthe-curse-at-alton-manor%2F&usg=AOvVaw1ix3JpsoUHAQBLbTnGgw8Q I hope the original effect of Emily Alton in the Dolls House is retained. This effect has been consistent in both the original Haunted House and Duel. Without this effect the seemingly sweet Young Girl we love wouldn’t exist. I wonder if Sir Henrys head will appear once again in the fireplace? In the haunted dolls house event in london guests had to walk through a fireplace! - so maybe the ride now goes through a fireplace into a portal - featuring Sir Henry Altons head cursing you!
March 13, 20232 yr comment_300675 https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/birmingham/2023/03/13/new-attraction-set-to-take-people-on-haunting-ride/ If you want to go in clean as it were, best batten down the social media hatches. The 'subtle' Easter eggs will be prevalent though.
March 13, 20232 yr comment_300682 Is it only me who thinks they’ll be an oversized kids bedroom containing some of the theming From Toyland Tours?Much of the theming in Toyland Tours was toys. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Toyland Tours theming has been stored in a staff only area. I can see in my head Emily Alton’s bed with the Elecoptor or one of the massive Teddy Bears from Toyland Tours on it. I think the scenes Alton Towers have realised photos of are the Grand Hall,former skeleton hall and the hideously bad Zombie Lab final. I hope The Grand Hall,Hall Of Spiders and the Goolish Garden remain with slight theming modifications. These scenes would be applicable to a Dolls House. I wouldn’t be surprised if the photographed Attic scene leads into the Hall Of Spiders. I won’t be at Alton Towers on Saturday however I’ll be glued to the internet. I’ll certainly watch any POVS that are uploaded. I expect Theme Park Worldwide will upload a POV if Alton Towers allows.
March 15, 20232 yr comment_300776 28 minutes ago, Benin said: TV ad. Seems to confirm 5 seats and spiders (urgh). @Benin your spot on, I noticed the Spider scene. I’m glad the Hall Of Spiders is still there. Those animatronic Spiders were cute and funny,unless your arachnophobic. I’m also pleased the Dinning Room has also survived the refurbishment. In actual fact I think the Dinning Room has been massively enchanted,with extra theming and more appropriate lighting. Finally I’m elated that the transit system and carriages are the same. Note the carriages have had slight changes,for instance the boos that were on the back have been removed. I wonder if the original Emily Alton scene in the drawing room will remain. I wouldn’t be surprised if the dolls house is relocated incorporated into the Attic scene. As for the Emily Alton and Snowy peppers ghost I think it’ll be incorporated into one of the new scenes. I really hope the iconic Emily Alton and Snowy soundtrack that has played in the ride for 30 years is made the soundtrack of a scene.
March 15, 20232 yr comment_300777 Based upon the level of references seen so far its very unlikely that the music won't contain half of the old scores of HH and Duel. Probably contain music from other parts of the park at the rate they're going. (Yes I don't think the number of references to past and present Towers is a great thing. The sheer amount is kind of taking it too far for me and could potentially for many detract from the ride. Then again probably part of the marketing in the PR shots, but does concern me that the ride will have way too many nudges and winks to goons.)
March 15, 20232 yr comment_300778 @Benin do you think the Hall Of Spiders will remain the same as when Alton Manor was Duel? @Benin what scenes other than The Dinning Room and Hall Of Spiders do you expect to still feature? I hope the Goolish Garden remains.
March 15, 20232 yr comment_300779 It depends what happens regarding the Trommel scene. Likelihood is that the giant spider set piece will remain but different lighting/effects/etc. Probably a new recording of the "ARE YOU SCARED OF SPIDERS?" phrase added on. Based on the advert looks like the ghost corridor is getting a retheme, maybe old Bill to be replaced and additional effects added (or maybe they'll revisit the original concept for it). Beyond that in terms of big scenes just leaves the garden. Depends if it makes sense within the storyline and where things are placed sequentially. Personally I would've gutted the whole thing and started afresh.
March 15, 20232 yr comment_300780 6 minutes ago, Benin said: It depends what happens regarding the Trommel scene. Likelihood is that the giant spider set piece will remain but different lighting/effects/etc. Probably a new recording of the "ARE YOU SCARED OF SPIDERS?" phrase added on. Based on the advert looks like the ghost corridor is getting a retheme, maybe old Bill to be replaced and additional effects added (or maybe they'll revisit the original concept for it). Beyond that in terms of big scenes just leaves the garden. Depends if it makes sense within the storyline and where things are placed sequentially. Personally I would've gutted the whole thing and started afresh. @Benin what scenes do you think the ones we’ve seen photos of have replaced? Regarding the Dinning Room I’m expecting the column monster to have been dished. It won’t fit into the theme of a Haunted Dolls House. I hope the undertaker from the Goolish Garden remains. Even if the Goolish Garden has been ripped out the undertaker could be repurposed as a butler. For instance the undertaker could be in the first scenes welcoming riders into Alton Manor. Another possibility is the undertaker could be relocated to the Dinning Room. Butlers were often employed in the Victorian era to deliver food.
March 15, 20232 yr comment_300788 7 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said: @Benin what scenes do you think the ones we’ve seen photos of have replaced? Regarding the Dinning Room I’m expecting the column monster to have been dished. It won’t fit into the theme of a Haunted Dolls House. I hope the undertaker from the Goolish Garden remains. Even if the Goolish Garden has been ripped out the undertaker could be repurposed as a butler. For instance the undertaker could be in the first scenes welcoming riders into Alton Manor. Another possibility is the undertaker could be relocated to the Dinning Room. Butlers were often employed in the Victorian era to deliver food. My thoughts regarding the dining room differ. This New's article mentions flying demons being in the attraction, which what those ghouls were called! https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/birmingham/2023/03/13/new-attraction-set-to-take-people-on-haunting-ride/
March 15, 20232 yr comment_300792 I wonder if the screaming room has remained - that would account for 'flying demons'. If the spider room remains - I imagine they've re-animated the spiders. in the original plans for the HH the giant spider you go under was meant to have puppet-like legs which moved individually- but it got downgraded to just the whole body lowering down a bit! - and to match any projections etc - they'll have to make any remaining animatronics quite 'dynamic' so there no juxtaposition between a lively video projection and a static prop moving up and down in a wire! The industry has moved on in 30 years and you can get very animated horror props and now - such as the one below!
March 16, 20232 yr comment_300886 I have just looked back at the Alton Towers 2022 Park map. I was looking at Gloomy Wood. I spotted an inaccuracy in the location of Dave’s Crypt. Dave’s Crypt was in between the former Food Kiosk and Duel. On the map Dave’s Crypt is shown to be at the end of Haunted Hollow.
March 16, 20232 yr comment_300897 2 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said: I have just looked back at the Alton Towers 2022 Park map. I was looking at Gloomy Wood. I spotted an inaccuracy in the location of Dave’s Crypt. Dave’s Crypt was in between the former Food Kiosk and Duel. On the map Dave’s Crypt is shown to be at the end of Haunted Hollow. They also show the absolutely massive gardens as absolutely tiny, I think it's just creative license.
March 16, 20232 yr comment_300905 Does anyone know if Spooks’Rus the shop that was adjacent to Duel has been renamed. I know Spooks’Rus has received a paint job due to the Alton Manor retheme. I hope the shop only has cosmetic changes and retains its name. The name Spooks’Rus was awesome it suited the area. The name was also a reminder of Toys’RUs a now bankrupt chain of Toy Shops that I and probably most of you grew up with.
March 16, 20232 yr comment_300907 Personally I think the rumours about the Duck from The Flume being used in Alton Manor are quackers. Realistically I don’t think the Duck was remotely scary nor can I think of a scene it would be suitable for. I must congratulate whoever started this rumour as it’s got massive. I hope I’m proved wrong and The Flume Duck does feature in Alton Manor. The Duck was hilarious and would soften a ride that is primarily scary. I loved The Duck. Personally I think he’s been wasted by continuing to reside in the SBNO indoor section of The Flume. I’m surprised Alton Towers don’t sell soft toys of this legendary animatronic. The Duck is as probably as symbolic to Alton Towers as Henry Hound was in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
March 17, 20232 yr comment_300936 Find out tomorrow. Presumably the duck rumour like with half of this ride will be a "wink wink" reference to a previous ride. Sure there'll be a full POV by half the vloggers by closing time.
March 17, 20232 yr comment_300943 12 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said: Does anyone know if Spooks’Rus the shop that was adjacent to Duel has been renamed. I know Spooks’Rus has received a paint job due to the Alton Manor retheme. I hope the shop only has cosmetic changes and retains its name. The name Spooks’Rus was awesome it suited the area. The name was also a reminder of Toys’RUs a now bankrupt chain of Toy Shops that I and probably most of you grew up with. Park map says its changed.
March 17, 20232 yr comment_300961 6 hours ago, Benin said: Park map says its changed. @Benin what do you think of the shops new name? Personally I think it’s ridiculous. It’s not an antique shop so why name it Attic Of Antiques.People will enter the shop expecting to purchase an antique and discover Alton Towers merchandise for sale. So far the new name for Sppoks’RUs is the only thing I dislike about the Alton Manor retheme. I must say overall The Curse Of Alton Manor and surrounding refurbishment is a huge upgrade on Duel.
March 17, 20232 yr comment_300966 55 minutes ago, Theme Park Fanatic said: @Benin what do you think of the shops new name? Personally I think it’s ridiculous. It’s not an antique shop so why name it Attic Of Antiques.People will enter the shop expecting to purchase an antique and discover Alton Towers merchandise for sale. So far the new name for Sppoks’RUs is the only thing I dislike about the Alton Manor retheme. I must say overall The Curse Of Alton Manor and surrounding refurbishment is a huge upgrade on Duel. I don't really have an opinion on it. It's at least thematic to the ride but no one really pays attention to the names of shops. Towers have done their traditional spoilerific news story with ITV. Available via https://www.itv.com/news/central/2023-03-17/inside-alton-towers-newest-ride-the-curse-at-alton-manor
March 17, 20232 yr comment_300969 Shop names don’t bother me really and seem to fit with what they are seemingly doing. I’m pretty sure the band Spooks R US, was inspired by a now defunct American toy chain.
March 17, 20232 yr comment_300987 3 hours ago, Exodus Matt said: Shop names don’t bother me really and seem to fit with what they are seemingly doing. I’m pretty sure the band Spooks R US, was inspired by a now defunct American toy chain. @Exodus Matt it was named after Toys R Us a global chain of toy shops.
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