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Hyde Park Winter Wonderland


Topsyturvy15

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On 11/12/2018 at 12:55 AM, LK_ said:

 

the break dance is coming back tho? 

 

According to the Winter Wonderland Unofficial FB page, it’s not coming ? And it’s not on the map either. 

Also there’s something called Petersburger Schlittenfahrt on the map, that’s no longer coming either. 

 

Was really hoping to do the charity preview event this year, but they sold out within a day ? 

 

But I’m SO happy that the top scan (Flying Circus) is returning ???

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On 11/12/2018 at 12:55 AM, LK_ said:

 

the break dance is coming back tho? 

 

According to the Winter Wonderland Unofficial FB page, it’s not coming ? And it’s not on the map either. 

Also there’s something called Petersburger Schlittenfahrt on the map, that’s no longer coming either. 

 

Was really hoping to do the charity preview event this year, but they sold out within a day ? 

 

But I’m SO happy that the top scan (Flying Circus) is returning ???

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  • 2 weeks later...

So, I went to Winter Wonderland this year with Tomb (and a few other non enthusiast friends). Here’s my thoughts so far:

 

  • Event seems just as (if not more) crowded than it has done in the previous years- it took 40 minutes to get into the event
  • There seemed to be fewer Roller Coasters this year compared to previous ones
  • The entrance layout just seemed very manic this year as entering the event is more tedious than Thorpe’s security checks
  • The new flat rides looked impressive and fun, but still a shame of no Breakdance
  • The contactless payment system is so handy (especially in such a crowded environment)
  • Some of the lights/effects didn’t seem to working- not sure if a temporary or permanent issue. Still a shame 
  • Alpen Hotel was as fun and great as previous years, it’s probably the second best fun house type attraction I’ve done after the one at Phantasialand. £6 probably makes it one of the more reasonable priced attractions 
  • Dr Archibald was very unique and better than expected (except the difficulties with the sound I experienced). The pre and post show elements alone enhanced it, £9 is a bit much though 

Still a fun event and worth visiting in the time of Christmas cheer and closed season, just very busy and expensive. I do think the layout needs looking at agsin for better Crowe control now. Maybe even one way path ways if practical now.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Today I decided to do my obligatory annual winter wonderland visit before it finishes and it was a fun but expensive afternoon.

 

I started with Olympia Looping which was running very smoothly, forceful as usual. Can’t really go wrong with it.

 

Afterwards I could see the gondolas on Blizzard rotating horizontally so I decided to head over to it as every time I’d ridden blizzard before there was no horizontal rotation. Annoyingly the horizontal rotation only lasted one full ride rotation, it was still a lot of fun but I did want to be flipping in both directions rather than only backwards.

 

Then I went onto hangover which I’d never got round to riding in previous years. And I have to say this is the most terrifying drop tower I’ve ever ridden. This ride is such a troll, it holds you up there for so long to a point where I was actually terrified (Falcon’s Fury and Zumanjaro doesn’t come close). The drop itself felt so f***ing powerful as well, is it a forced free fall like Detonator?

 

To increase my coaster count I went for a ride on Euro Coaster which was pretty awful. That was then followed by a ride on Ice Mountain which was alright (can someone confirm with me whether this one has not been at dreamland in the past before I add it to my count).

 

I then finished the night on the top scan which was noticeably more intense than Samurai. Though the second half did feel weaker than the first half.

 

This is most rides I’ve done at ww before and the most expensive visit I’ve had there. But it was highly enjoyable and has pushed my coaster count to 99 (on the basis ice mountain wasn’t at dreamland in the past). I’ll save 100 for icon ?

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Did the Top Scan for the first time yesterday. Really enjoyed it actually, was very different to what I expected when you watch it. Said goodbye with a back seat ride on Olypia Looping. :( It was so forceful I had to push up to stop the restraints crippling me. Hangover was fun to watch. Also went on Wilde Maus XXL, the only other coaster worth doing IMO.

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The top scan is great! Wilde Maus XXL I enjoy more and more as i ride it! Like that most of the brakes don't slow you down! Probably the closest you'll come to experiencing anything like BPB Wild Mouse now days. Hangover is surprisingly more forceful than i'd have expect but still not like our friend Detty!

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Dr Archibald was another VR ride that felt like more of a demo. Not worth £9 a go. The best parts of it were actually the real world theming in the queue and the exit tunnel. To me its conclusive that no matter how good VR may be, it does not beat the immersion of real world, old fashioned theming, animatonics, smoke, lighting, sound effects & UV.

Screenshot_20190127_162502.jpg

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I really enjoyed Dr Archibald, it all synced up really well and was pretty effective in creating fun scares.

 

Ridiculously, while clearly nothing like as technologically advanced it was actually more of an enjoyable experience than the £millions worth of DBGT. Makes you realise DBGT just isn't fun however clever it is, and when you are literally creating a world from scratch in a VR headset why would fun not be your starting point?

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I didn't try Dr Archibald, because screw paying £9 for a ride. I felt very aggrieved doing it for Olympia, so it's going to take something special for me to part with that sort of money for one attraction again.

 

Regarding VR though, it's still very much in its infancy as a piece of technology, and even moreso in a theme park setting. Just think, how long was 3D around before it was used in a ride (not a cinema)? How long was interactive shooting technology around before it was used in a ride? These are questions I don't know the answer to, but I've no doubt they were around a lot longer than VR was before theme parks implemented them. That obviously makes a huge difference to the quality, reliability and overall success of that technology.

 

I truly believe VR (and by extension, the lesser known AR) has a place in theme parks, and in maybe 10-15 years times they'll be a part of some of the most well known, well loved attractions in the industry. But right now, it's just too soon.

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1 hour ago, JoshC. said:

Regarding VR though, it's still very much in its infancy as a piece of technology, and even moreso in a theme park setting. Just think, how long was 3D around before it was used in a ride (not a cinema)? How long was interactive shooting technology around before it was used in a ride? These are questions I don't know the answer to, but I've no doubt they were around a lot longer than VR was before theme parks implemented them. That obviously makes a huge difference to the quality, reliability and overall success of that technology.

My first VR experience at a theme park was in Pleasurewood Hills in about 1991, was a headset, moving chair, and glove to interact in the VR world. So it's been about quite a while!

 

I get what you are saying, and I'm sure improvements will come, but all the time you have to clean headsets between one sweaty punter and the next (and realistically, that will always be the case) VR will forever remain too labour intensive, too low throughput to be a real mainstream part of theme park line ups. 

 

What Europa have done with CanCan seems spot on; dedicated station, ride vehicle slips in between the standard ride vehicles, pay per ride, VR experience beyond the actual coaster (getting on the ride vehicle in the VR world ? ), and fun once it's running. They've got it right where DBGT and Galactica got it very wrong in the era of the same technology, as has Dr Archibald. It's going to work much better in a pay per ride situation like this.

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