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2018: Wicker Man - General Discussion - SPOILERS! - Part One

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Croftybaby said:
They need to put an advert on Indeed.com for a Fog re-filler-upper person. I'll do it as long as it's not Zero Hours. I'll even pull out the odd weed as I walk between rides!

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And on the weed / Gardening topic - if SeaLife can manage to do Volunteer Gardeners then Merlin as a whole aren’t against it, just Towers management need a good head banging ;)

https://www.visitsealife.com/gweek/find/gardening-volunteers/
 
Sammy said:
Well isn’t this a charmingly positive place to be these days!

I know Merlin don’t exactly have a fantastic track record with these things. However I think it is clear to see from Wicker Man that the creative team really are trying! The ride is possibly the most polished thing we’ve seen at towers since Hex. So I still have faith for the moment!


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Couldn't agree more. I think we can all agree that Merlin/AT/Merlin Magic Making have met and possibly exceeded most of our expectations for this ride, so let's at least give them the benefit of the doubt and give them a chance to prove themselves. If, come the autumn, effects on Wicker Man have failed & not fixed or effects turned off etc then slate them then but until that [might] happen, let's all be positive!
 
The problem with Wicker Man, more so than other rides, is that the effects aren't there to complement the ride, they are a vital part of the experience. The minute the flames stop, the screens break and the fog machines aren't topped up... the theme is gone.

I trust entertainments to take care of the effects. However I don't trust the powers-that-be that may prevent ents from doing their job in future seasons.
 
PeteB said:
Noticed in some of the YouTube videos, it looks like a lot of landscaping still needs to be done with some of the surrounding area still looking quite tatty. Would be nice to see a fully finished project (inc landscape) by opening day for once, unlike The Smiler which was still having turf laid late in the season!
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Which areas are you referring to @PeteB? As I can't see any tatty areas in any of the queue videos, it all looks fantastically finished off. You must be much more observant than me!

Also, it might interest you all to know that I found an insightful nugget of information on Wikipedia regarding how the budget was split for Wicker Man. Yes, I know about Wikipedia's track record, but it's still info. Wikipedia states that the actual coaster cost £4,500,000 and the theming and effects cost £11,500,000. Sounds pretty believable to me.
 
Matt N said:
Which areas are you referring to @PeteB? As I can't see any tatty areas in any of the queue videos, it all looks fantastically finished off. You must be much more observant than me!

Also, it might interest you all to know that I found an insightful nugget of information on Wikipedia regarding how the budget was split for Wicker Man. Yes, I know about Wikipedia's track record, but it's still info. Wikipedia states that the actual coaster cost £4,500,000 and the theming and effects cost £11,500,000. Sounds pretty believable to me.
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It's not accurate.

Money also goes on marketing.

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Matt N said:
Which areas are you referring to @PeteB? As I can't see any tatty areas in any of the queue videos, it all looks fantastically finished off. You must be much more observant than me!

Also, it might interest you all to know that I found an insightful nugget of information on Wikipedia regarding how the budget was split for Wicker Man. Yes, I know about Wikipedia's track record, but it's still info. Wikipedia states that the actual coaster cost £4,500,000 and the theming and effects cost £11,500,000. Sounds pretty believable to me.
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That Wikipedia edit was done by someone using Verizon in USA so definitely sketchy source.

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Excalibur at Drayton Manor was fantastic when it first opened. I remember rather vividly going on the opening day back in 2003 and being amazed by the fire breathing dragon and all the clumsy knights;it was a cool ride. But it had a huge reliance on expensive effects, mostly animatronics, and also infrared sensors. When they stopped working, the whole ride became pointless, because they were the ride.
I can see the same problem, maybe to a lesser extent with Wickerman. If the ride is relatively tame and relies on the theming experience for the full enjoyment, then the effects failing will massively reduce the quality of the ride, in a similar kind of way.
 
Without our beloved Wardley, the coaster element wouldn't really matter at all, the man himself said the profile of the track was atrocious BUT If it does gives some nice airtime (which it could), then I will be wrong about the comparison and I will concede that your point here is right. But if it doesn't provide much in the way of forces, then the make or break deal is the travelling towards the Wickerman and travelling through it as it 'sets on fire' and I think without these effects working the ride could end up being rather poor.
My whole point however, was purely hypothetical. If by some miracle, the effects are maintained, and the coaster does have a nice bit of floater air at the start, then it most certainly will be world class :)
Edit: Also @DistortAMG you seem pretty clued up about Drayton Manor (and Farmer Studios/AD too by the sounds of it), if you've got any contacts from these groups, feel free to PM me as I'm fascinated by their work :)
 
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