Yeah engineers are not the most trusted people in the world. One of the reasons why I mentioned it came from an engineer. £20million for a dark ride seems rather odd thing for merlin to do, is there high investment year so I guess it could be possible.

I too have heard the dark ride rumour for 2016, with a £20-30 million potential budget. Much like Benin, I'll believe it when I see it! (Not that I'd complain of it every happened of course!)

A dark ride would be fab but I'd rather it wasn't Doctor Who themed to be honest. I've never been a huge fan of the show, especially now Russell T Davis isn't a part of it.

Also, let's be realistic: Doctor Who is clearly more suitable for Towers. It just wouldn't work at Thorpe at all. They know nothing of paying credit to any form of history, not least their own. It's a park constantly adapting and installing rides and investments that reflect the newest in theme park and entertainment fads (Horror films, Wing Coasters, Wave machines, Angry Birds etceteraaa). Not to say that Alton Towers is a park stuck in the past, but it's location and role as an intrinsic British icon would make it much more fitting for a Doctor Who-themed ride that spans the entire canon. A dark ride at Thorpe would almost unquestionably be directed at New Who, whereas the older Doctors seem more congruent with the history of Towers.

 

This is the first I've heard of these 2016 dark ride rumours. I was under the illusion Thorpe were still targeting a Mack/Woodie/Flyer and to be perfectly honest any of those three (and in the order) would be much more welcome in my opinion than another Merlin dark ride. 

I do believe the original plan was a mack/woodie but since the new aim they wanted a more family orientated ride because of this and the limited space they are no longer looking at the islands for a coaster as it would be a waste.  Also I think that because the main complaint of Swarm was that it was too short they are waiting for the 900m track limit to be raised. Thorpe do have enough coasters for now so I would welcome a dark ride if done correctly and from what I have heard it will be intresting. The ride itself is meant to be quite new and unique to the UK and its not going to be another coaster in a box.

I've only heard the dark ride rumour from a couple of sources:  some guy on TTF posted about it and it was also mentioned on Screamscape as a 'WILD rumour'.  So I never really thought about it.  It's not until you here these rumours from a good 3-4 independent places that you start thinking it's a bit more serious.  As I've said in the past, there's nothing stopping Thorpe having their next 'big thing' as a non-coaster, but it'd require a lot of investment and having it as a huge risk.  Considering how 'safe' Thorpe and Merlin have played recently, they'd have to be extremely confident about it.  

 

A Doctor Who IP could work well at Thorpe in my opinion.  Thorpe have demonstrated with Swarm and Fright Nights that given the money, they can create well-themed attractions (I know some may disagree with me, but personally I think Swarm is one of the best themed coasters in the UK, and the likes of Cabin in the Woods and My Bloody Valentine were excellently themed).  So if it's a major investment, Thorpe will do it justice

 

It would very much depend on what type of attraction they go for though that would determine the success of the IP.  Then again, that's the case for all IP-based attractions...

no, please no... dark rides just seem a waste of a massive investment - rollercoasters all the way!

I'm sure a BBC IP after the success of Alton would be seen as a safe move. I would also agree that if they spend time on it then they could easily pull it off.  

A dark ride like Valhalla please Thorpe! 

now valhalla doesn't seem like a waste of a dark ride investment

 

but this is merlin, I think valhalla would be terrible with 99% of the effects broken :/

now valhalla doesn't seem like a waste of a dark ride investment

 

but this is merlin, I think valhalla would be terrible with 99% of the effects broken :/

Agreed, also I don't think Merlin would be prepared to run a ride with a running cost as ridiculous as Valhalla

I'm sure a BBC IP after the success of Alton would be seen as a safe move. I would also agree that if they spend time on it then they could easily pull it off.  

 

I agree with you about BBC IPs not necessarily being risky (if CBeebies shows its worth), but I think investing a coaster-like sum of money on a non-coaster may prove risky, especially since Thorpe's non-coaster developments haven't exactly set the world on fire the past few years.

 

now valhalla doesn't seem like a waste of a dark ride investment

 

but this is merlin, I think valhalla would be terrible with 99% of the effects broken :/

 

For the most part, the maintenance of effects has improved though hasn't it?  Swarm's effects seem fine now, Saw has has it's effects fixed, as has Storm Surge.  Inferno's tunnel is running excellently.  There's rumours of Tidal Wave's fireball returning.  And it's not just Thorpe.  Chessington have their fair share of effects - Scorpion Express is still giving fire and water, Zufari's effects are alright.  Alton have effects running well for the most part too.

 

I think it's unfair to say that a ride with effects won't last.  In the past, yes, the maintenance of them hasn't been great, but they've improved a lot recently.

no, please no... dark rides just seem a waste of a massive investment - rollercoasters all the way!

 

So much wrong in this post I don't know where to begin...

 

SOMEONE GET THIS MAN ON TOWER OF TERROR!

So much wrong in this post I don't know where to begin...

 

SOMEONE GET THIS MAN ON TOWER OF TERROR!

In his defence merlin are not going be using tower of terror budgets.

True. But even with Merlin's large budgets you can produce highly immersive dark rides that surpass the experience of an 850 metre roller coaster. As long as the budget isn't blown on an IP, you can get ride systems similar to that of Transformers and Spiderman much cheaper, stick in some screens and a compelling story line and the need for physical theming is almost none, just some for the queue, to disguise the shed it will be in and for moving between scenes. Simple.

I'm in favour of a dark ride. The current restrictions on the next coaster will end up making it rather bad. 20-30 million can still come a way with some decent theming. The ride itself wont cost that much so the rest is just themeing and marketing as they wont have to create and island.

In his defence merlin are not going be using tower of terror budgets.

 

Someone quoted £20 million though (that someone being you, YOU!)...

 

If Merlin can't build an immersive dark ride for that much then they might as well truly give in... Thor's Hammer at Tusenfryd cost $8.5 million as a recent example of a modern dark ride, and that looks brilliant... Huntik at Rainbow Magicland probably cost a similar amount but I can't find the exact amount...

 

Unfortunately it would seem that Merlin's methods of budgeting on new rides seems to leave something to be desired in a lot of cases...

I was more thinking the £150 million of Disney as a large budget. Compared to universal and Disney £20 million is nothing.

I was more thinking the £150 million of Disney as a large budget. Compared to universal and Disney £20 million is nothing.

 

And I was more thinking that if someone thinks that dark rides are a waste of investment they should be forced to go on the best one in existance...

 

Hence the ToT mention...

Very true. Tower of Terror is one amazing dark ride. I doubt merlin will ever get to that level becuase they cut corners everywhere and claim there the best.

^ Claiming they're the best has nothing to do with a dark ride! 

 

Would they really use that island for a dark ride though, wouldn't it look odd? 

As soon as I hear dark rides I instantly think of a slow paced ride with scenes and effects... now a dark ride which actually contains a proper 'ride' I'd be happy with but I just can't see it happening somehow.

 

So much wrong in this post I don't know where to begin...

 

SOMEONE GET THIS MAN ON TOWER OF TERROR!

 

I did go on it back in 2005 at disney world... and loved it - but nothing like this will ever end up in the UK, with merlin giving the largest investments and even then never seem to give the best finish on their investments.

Would they really use that island for a dark ride though, wouldn't it look odd? 

 

I think the idea is that it won't be going on any of the islands, and instead be in the 'core' of the park.  Only possible places I could think would be replacing the arena, or on the old Miss Hippo spot, but there are still flood risks to think of I guess.

SOMEONE GET THIS MAN ON TOWER OF TERROR!

Let's rephrase that for MY perspective!...

 

...SOMEONE GET THIS MAN ON HELIX!

 

 

Come on, Thorpe! Chip off the old block!

Maus au Chocolat is the only good dark ride I've been on. Phantasialand clearly threw a pretty penny Euro at it though, and all Merlin's one's have practically identical themes with the exception of Hex and possibly Charlie.