SAW: Alive

[th13teen]

Yes but that isn't what you said, you said people would only want to be scared at halloween. Judging by Saw Alives hour long queue times, that isn't the case and is just conjecture on your part.

There is a certain sort of person who intentionally goes to an attraction to get SCARED because most people or not as many dont enjoy that sort of thrill and would rather stick to ride but at halloween the whole idea of it is to be scared and those certain people will come from all around because its only there for a few weeks making them a lot more popular at the time of year when getting scared is the whole Idea thats all!

[Ricky]

Yes but that isn't what you said, you said people would only want to be scared at halloween. Judging by Saw Alives hour long queue times, that isn't the case and is just conjecture on your part.

I agree with this totally, I have been to thorpe and seen SAW Alives queue external being over 90 minutes long. Yes it does quieten down towards the end of the day but doesnt everything!

[Marc]

I agree with this totally, I have been to thorpe and seen SAW Alives queue external being over 90 minutes long. Yes it does quieten down towards the end of the day but doesnt everything!

Being the "new" attraction with such a low throughput by nature and fastrack its not much of a surprise really.. Attractions such as the Asylum/Freezer are known to get much higher queue times

[Mark9]

Being the "new" attraction with such a low throughput by nature and fastrack its not much of a surprise really.. Attractions such as the Asylum/Freezer are known to get much higher queue times

Normally because there just happens to be capacity crowds at the park and they are only open for half the day

[Marc]

Normally because there just happens to be capacity crowds at the park and they are only open for half the day

And back to the days of the freezer where they were open longer than ever, no fastrack and capacity crowds considered a normal day now?

[Mark9]

And back to the days of the freezer where they were open longer than ever, no fastrack and capacity crowds considered a normal day now?

Are we talking about the days when the only major rides were Colossus, Vortex, Detonator and Zodiac? Nice comparison there.

[Marc]

Fair point.. Anyway as we all know long queues dont make a good attraction

[Ricky]

Being the "new" attraction with such a low throughput by nature and fastrack its not much of a surprise really.. Attractions such as the Asylum/Freezer are known to get much higher queue times

This statement is invalid, SAW Alive has not got a low throughput, at present Alive is reaching almost 700 per hour over the previously thought throughtput.

[Marc]

700 over... So what do you think its throughput is =\? Into the 1000's?

[JoshC.]

This statement is invalid, SAW Alive has not got a low throughput, at present Alive is reaching almost 700 per hour over the previously thought throughtput.

For this to be true, the throughput would be between 1100-1300, as the estimated throughput is 600pph as a maximum.And that would mean the first cattlepen would be capable of holding 550-650 people.Nu-uh.

[thorpeparkjack]

They try to hard to force the throughput, everytime I go in, our group is either caught up or reaches the back of another group.

[jjh123horry]

I was quite annoyed with the staff in the queue of Saw: Alive yesterday. We all got to the end of the queue to go in, and then we get told, and I quote 'You are not allowed in, as we are trying to get a queue to form.'In what way is this good for the maze, and this was with about 20 people in the queue line, and quite a few people we hacked off and just left. Also I found that they sent to second group off too fast, as they went through and ended up joining our group, giving us a group of about 15 / 16 :lol:Also I'm really annoyed with their 'atmospheric music', in my opinion it sounds and looks like your trying to get through a bloody tent at a rock concert, really annoyingRant Over

[thorpey]

I was quite annoyed with the staff in the queue of Saw: Alive yesterday. We all got to the end of the queue to go in, and then we get told, and I quote 'You are not allowed in, as we are trying to get a queue to form.'In what way is this good for the maze, and this was with about 20 people in the queue line, and quite a few people we hacked off and just left. Also I found that they sent to second group off too fast, as they went through and ended up joining our group, giving us a group of about 15 / 16 :lol:Also I'm really annoyed with their 'atmospheric music', in my opinion it sounds and looks like your trying to get through a bloody tent at a rock concert, really annoyingRant Over

The reason they do this is so that they can give the actors more of a heads up as to when groups are coming through. If there are only a couple of people waiting, there can be periods when the actors are "stood to", with no guests coming through. By allowing a small queue to form, the actors can be stood down for a few minutes, then be "stood to" for a larger number of groups. The idea is so that the actors have a better idea of how many guests they can expect to come through, hopefully allowing them to be fully in character when a group actually comes through.

[Ricky]

The reason they do this is so that they can give the actors more of a heads up as to when groups are coming through. If there are only a couple of people waiting, there can be periods when the actors are "stood to", with no guests coming through. By allowing a small queue to form, the actors can be stood down for a few minutes, then be "stood to" for a larger number of groups. The idea is so that the actors have a better idea of how many guests they can expect to come through, hopefully allowing them to be fully in character when a group actually comes through.

A) They are told to 'stand down' B ) They get told 'return to position'. The rest is correct about characterisitics.

[Coaster XTREME]

Went on SAW Alive for the first time yesterday, whilst it was a good horror maze, as a SAW themed attraction it just didn't deliver. First of all, there were no pig masks! Secondly the music wasn't very good and added a poor atmosphere. Thirdly some of the traps were left empty, for instance the carousel trap which was left empty but an actor just ran round it banging the cage. There was too much smoke in there so we couldn't make out the victim on the pendulum trap! Some actors even broke out of character. It was disappointing to say the least. Thorpe really need to take a look at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights SAW maze, they just knew how to perfect it. On the plus side, it did provide quite a few scares and it was fun. I will be returning for Fright Nights, hopefully there should be an improvement.

[StevenVig]

Some of the traps were left empty, for instance the carousel trap which was left empty but an actor just ran round it banging the cage.

That's what they're supposed to be doing? They couldn't actually re-create what happened in the film due to H&S or the fact that the scaled version of the trap is far to small for anyone to sit on.

[Coaster XTREME]

That's what they're supposed to be doing? They couldn't actually re-create what happened in the film due to H&S or the fact that the scaled version of the trap is far to small for anyone to sit on.

Oh right, but I was told that the actors were sitting in the Carousel trap? Obviously that person was wrong then.

[Mr.man]

My SAW:Alive review.Queue:The queue is well themed but as I get claustraphobic I do not like having a tight single file queue, especcialy when The fences are taller than me. The loading area before you enter the building was very good. The women opperating was very clear to what she wanted to happen, and she treated us with respect not like some other members of staff. The Rules:This was more of an alley, which was very dark, and I couldnt really hear her. I could just make out the "actors will touch you, but they will not hurt you. But overall, it was okay.The Photo:Once again the women was clear like the women outside. She told us where the camera was and counted down. She moved us on to the next room very quickly and easily.The Swat Room:I dont know what this was actually called. The actor had a broken arm and many cuts and bruises on his face. He told us if a memebr of the groupgets lost they will be reunited in the end and things. He was very creepy, but funny at the same time. We didnt watch any video with Billy The Puppet, which I wanted to see but I didnt mind.Overall Rating Of this room : 7/10Bathroom Scene:I had my eyes closed for this part because I wasnt sure if the maze was reallllllly scary, so I dont really remember much. I remember getting touched and seeing a foot on the floor.Overall Rating: 5/10Electric Hall Scene:A lot of strobes. It was very noisy which was good. There were a few mirrors with blood on and Billy the Puppet was there. His laugh could be heard a couple of times. I felt something metal hit me, I think it was the gate. Someone grabbed my ankle, but I only saw a shadow, which was very scary.Overall Rating: 9/10The Freezer scene:Very smoky, very cold, very quiet. I stopped at the start because a women was lying on the floor infront of me. There was alot of dead pigs, and the women tied up jumped out which made me scream very loud, and made me really scared. She stroked my face, and was a very good actor. My favourite scene.Overall rating: 9/10The Mausoleam Scene:VERY smoky, very scary, a women was throwing a chain around and she had her mouth sown shut. She was jabbing people and stroking people. Overall Rating : 7/10The Pendulum Scene:I could hear the swishing of the blade, but no blade. I know for safety reasons. A person was lyring on the bed with there guts hanging out, they jumped up and scared us all out the room. (By the way in a little hall between the Mausealum Trap & The Pendulum Trap someone tried to split me up from the group. I wouldnt move though?)Overall Rating: 8/10Carousel Trap:Very weird. It started with a women touching us, then we walked around the guns. The stopped on me and shot air at me. Then I looked over the other side, and there was one man just standing there looking at the door. We then exited.Overall Rating:6/10 Overall rating of Saw alive: 8/10

[th13teen]

This is my full Review of Saw alive in my opinion!The area:The area consists of both Saw the ride and Saw alive both of which have been havily themed and overgrown outside, apart from the rather tacky looking shop in which my opinion does not fill the gap correctly! The new pathway between zodiac and saw alives current entrance is not themed at all apart from that the outside is very impressive!The queue: The queue for Saw alive features a cattle pen queue with high wooden fences and the enclosed barbed wire fence all of which to a claustrophobic may be an uncomfortable wait although Saw alive is ment to be claustrophobic and worse so Fair do! Its a shame to hear the same audio as Saw the ride being played outside. The queue is tight so you feel as though you are always moving and That is pleasing! Theming is sparse in the queue itself unlike Saw the ride but this is all to come later. As you get closer to the front of the queue there is a fence pannel which has been built in really tight and sometimes is a problem if you have a larger item! Saw alive is a fastrack ride unfortunatly! But as I have seen not many buy them and there are very few fastrack and very few Disabled due to it being a walkthrough! Batching: Batching is quick and in large numbers of about 10-12 depending on how busy it is and what group sizes there are. The batching seems to work in 3 stages 1st wait at the end of the plank way leading onto the Belle. 2nd you are told to enter where a staff member does the safety announcement then 3rd you are taken inside in your group where you are met by another staff member in the dark where you photo is taken with Billy the Puppet then you enter the maze. Its a shame to not see the staff especially doing the photos not dressed up as well becuase straight after the photo you are flooded with costumes and actors!The Maze Experience:Swat room: Is rather bizzare and needs to be rethought due to the line I heard by the actor 'I dont know why they keep brining you through here' and that is a pathetic line for a story what a way to blow it! No scares seem to really happen in this room unfortunatly and the back of the queue never gets any scare if there is one in this room!Bathroom: Is a fantastic well themed stinky room but very very small. Usually there is one actor in here and not usually cutting his foot off, so is does not follow the story line exactly. Also due to a pillar in this room most people miss Jigsaws body on the floor on the right which I feel is a key element to the room but besides that you can usually get a good scare!Electric room: This is a mini Asylum when you have actors in it, but usually it is a rather queit room with only the vibrations to 'scare you' This has the potential I feel to be the best room in the maze providing they have Actors in there throughout that section Plus I do beleive this room is the Largest room in the maze, So when there are no actors it does feel empty.Freezer: Girl in chains standing still then she moves if you have not gone on the attraction before it is scary otherwise you know it is coming. Plus the room never feels that much colder so I do feel it looses some of its plot once again! Mausoleum Trap: Fantastic scares in this room due to heavy fog and the sudden bang of chains and the wonder of how far they can get to you with the chain. Once again a pillar is in this room and reduces the size so not the best for space but the best currently for a scare. I have noticed this is the room where if you are going to get caught up in another group this is where you will do. Mainly due to groups in front scared stiff of the chain dragging by the actor. Still very good scares. What you dont realise throughout the maze you have all havy metal rock music which is played in the movies and my word it makes the whole maze alot more intense!Pendulum Trap: Is the most annoying room becuase you cant really scare someone in this room, becuase the blades dont move, They are there but for reasons probably due to the size of the room and actuall danger of both actor and guest (they were never intended to move anyway) all you get is to hear them moving in the darkenss. Then the actor is in you face rather than on the table where she was when you entered!Carosel Trap: Air, Actors and sound effects usually 2-3 actors are in this room hiding in the shodows and climbing on the fencing all this whilst you are getting shot at by the air cannons on the or what looks like in the guns. Nothing exciting in this room and you fizzle out of this room to the exit!Exit: Is where you can buy you photos from then head on out into daylight where normal audio returns and no more heavy metal! You notice how many smells there were once left becuase you can smell the fresh air to the smoke and urine!Overall: Its is a fantastic atttraction for its size and having to do this all year, some rooms need improving but it will all come in time, the actors have got into there roles fantasticly, I feel the main problem is Saw is not a 'scary' film its more guts than scare and making a horror maze out of it is very hard to congrats to all the actors in there. Unfortunaltly I stick by my point where you have Saw the ride at 90 minutes saw has less than 30 minutes and I could maybe see Saw alive only opening for main holidays and events! But overall I give it 8/10 for theming as I say some rooms way to small and 7/10 for scares due to saw not being a horro so overall it gets 8/10Does anyone have any points to make about this?

[electricBlll]

I finally saw the swinging blade today, and it really is rather pathetic. In a scare maze it is the effects and actors that matter, and you need both. A swinging blade could have been really good, but instead you get a sound effect and dodgy lighting that easily goes unseen.Instead of having two static props and lighting them at different points (not even lit very well, you can see that they do not move and both lights seem to overlap each other), you should have at least several props lit by strobes or some sort of projection. An actual swinging blade would be brilliant but with actors in that area I understand why that could not happen. The projection could work if the brightness was dim enough to look realistic, and if it was projected on to a prop. Well, anything really that makes it look realistic and noticable, at the moment it is a tad cringe worthy!Outside Saw Alive I noticed something new (although it has probably been there for ages), the leaking container of corrosive substances. I think that is a great touch. More effects and more theming in that area would be much loved, but, hey, that isn't going to happen. Let's be greatful for what we do have, eh? By the way, has anybody else noticed the lack of wig on Billy in scene 2?

[th13teen]

I finally saw the swinging blade today, and it really is rather pathetic. In a scare maze it is the effects and actors that matter, and you need both. A swinging blade could have been really good, but instead you get a sound effect and dodgy lighting that easily goes unseen.Instead of having two static props and lighting them at different points (not even lit very well, you can see that they do not move and both lights seem to overlap each other), you should have at least several props lit by strobes or some sort of projection. An actual swinging blade would be brilliant but with actors in that area I understand why that could not happen. The projection could work if the brightness was dim enough to look realistic, and if it was projected on to a prop. Well, anything really that makes it look realistic and noticable, at the moment it is a tad cringe worthy!Outside Saw Alive I noticed something new (although it has probably been there for ages), the leaking container of corrosive substances. I think that is a great touch. More effects and more theming in that area would be much loved, but, hey, that isn't going to happen. Let's be greatful for what we do have, eh? By the way, has anybody else noticed the lack of wig on Billy in scene 2?

Yes but that would have cost thorpe park an extra £10 and they cant afford that

[Ricky]

Yes but that would have cost thorpe park an extra £10 and they cant afford that

The axes dont move for health and safety reasons....Billy doesnt have hair because of vandalism...

[JoshC.]

I've never seen any blades; just gears....

Outside Saw Alive I noticed something new (although it has probably been there for ages), the leaking container of corrosive substances. I think that is a great touch. More effects and more theming in that area would be much loved, but, hey, that isn't going to happen. Let's be greatful for what we do have, eh?

Yeah, been there all the time. Was working at the beginning of the season, and then one day I saw it just 'stop'. Thought it was meant to, then realised on my next visit it broke... Good to see that's back up though; I like that touch.

[electricBlll]

Yes but that would have cost thorpe park an extra £10 and they cant afford that

Well, it's called effort. If you want a nice visual effect but it can't be mechanically animated for H&S reasons then you have got to think of clever solutions. Otherwise you are a lazy art department. When I was trying to take a photo of the leaking container, towards the end of the day, it slowly run lower and then until it stopped. I assumed it was because it was after ride closing time. Maybe that is why you saw it stop?

I've never seen any blades; just gears....

By the way, the blades are very difficult to see because they are props shoved high up in the corner on the ceiling. So when you hear the 'swoosh' sound effect they should light up.

[JoshC.]

Well, it's called effort. If you want a nice visual effect but it can't be mechanically animated for H&S reasons then you have got to think of clever solutions. Otherwise you are a lazy art department. When I was trying to take a photo of the leaking container, towards the end of the day, it slowly run lower and then until it stopped. I assumed it was because it was after ride closing time. Maybe that is why you saw it stop?By the way, the blades are very difficult to see because they are props shoved high up in the corner on the ceiling. So when you hear the 'swoosh' sound effect they should light up.

This was at about 11 o'clock,in the morning. Was back in Late April. As said, didn't see them work since. And thanks for that, will look out for them.