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Wicker Man - General Discussion - Part Two

The new smoke machines in the two tunnels on the ride are excellent. I have to say I was very impressed with all the effects on the ride when I visited on Tuesday. The station haze is also excellent.

Throughput seems to have crept upwards too - very good.
 
AstroDan said:
The new smoke machines in the two tunnels on the ride are excellent. I have to say I was very impressed with all the effects on the ride when I visited on Tuesday. The station haze is also excellent.

Throughput seems to have crept upwards too - very good.
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I agree the smoke in the tunnels is great, but I think the trigger point needs to be a bit further down the lift hill for the first tunnel and the smoke machines need to be closer to the entrance so that as you're climbing, all you can see is smoke obscuring the tunnel entrance. This would be superb, the lift hill audio creating suspense culminating in entering a smoke-filled tunnel.

At the moment (from memory) they go off as you enter the tunnel and they are situated a metre or 2 inside meaning you can see all the wiring and and backstage stuff before the smoke effect.

Can't really comment on the second tunnel about timing because you go through it so fast after the first drop that you don't really see what's going on inside it.

And the station haze is great, it was only on my visit last week that I noticed the smoke is actually generated at the source of the lights of the burning wicker wall, this little touch really adds to the burning effect.

I think the one thing they missed from the station, is an exit door/curtain that opens as the train leaves. If it wasn't the huge opening that it currently is allowing daylight in, they could really continue the superb dark, burning theme right up until you leave the station in the train. You've only got to look at the March press night videos of the station to see how good it looks with no daylight.
 
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AstroDan said:
I felt the same with Th13teen. They should have had a covered tunnel as you leave the station, to prevent daylight from flooding in.
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That would have been good on Th13teen and to be honest on Wicker Man a tunnel over the initial curve out of the station into the first smoke room would have been perfect. It could have had burning wall effects similar to the station and the first point of daylight would be the turn into the lift hill.

Very unlikely AT would add a tunnel so shall we start a crowd-funding page? :D:p
 
The theming is great for Wickerman, but there's lots of room for improvement. It's one of those attractions that if it were themed much more, wouldn't look out of place at a Studios park. It's not quite at that level sadly, and there are good reasons why.
The pagan flags dotted around and the runestone signposts, are good, and the exterior to the tunnel is superb. The station is also well timbered and painted to look old and mystical, which is good. But in the queue area, there's not enough to make me think it's a pagan village. Small thatched houses and may pole areas around where the queue is would of improved it so much more. Wax figures and animatronics in these areas and around the station and pre show area may have added to costs and taken time to make, but they make all the difference to adding personality and human beings to a storyline too, which would make it feel that bit more real. I couldn't agree more with the daylight flooding the station on both Wickerman and Thirteen. Misses a chance to make a nice indoor themed area in their respective pre ride sections. Overall, It's much more complete than Thirteen and Smiler to be fair, which only have one real good end product (Marmaliser and The crypt), but in my opinion, Wickerman is still not a fully complete experience and needs a few final touches before it can be classed as a 5 star experience. It rides well though.
 
Has anybody been geeky enough to decode the new Wicker Man tee yet? :D

wickermantee.jpg
 
Alsty said:
Has anybody been geeky enough to decode the new Wicker Man tee yet? :D

wickermantee.jpg
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I have this shirt and the lanyard and as I wear the lanyard for my work keys I always get asked what it says my answer is usually “feed the flames” or “be chosen” but I think I’ve cracked it
It actually says
“The wickerman is experiencing a temporary delay and has ceased its ritual”
 
So today the bay loader was stood at the back of the station doing nothing except chatting to the ride host at the enabling position, so everyone was filling the bays on their own. We ended up at the back row behind another couple of people. Result... except after the train dispatched, he then walked the length of the platform and moved everyone forward about 6 rows. I asked if we could stay and he refused. "No, we have to fill from the front". I suggested he could fill up the rows in front and was told "No, you must move".

Do Merlin teach this level of customer service? There really is no need to have an attitude or force your guests to move unless they're physically blocking the other rows.
 
Alsty said:
So today the bay loader was stood at the back of the station doing nothing except chatting to the ride host at the enabling position, so everyone was filling the bays on their own. We ended up at the back row behind another couple of people. Result... except after the train dispatched, he then walked the length of the platform and moved everyone forward about 6 rows. I asked if we could stay and he refused. "No, we have to fill from the front". I suggested he could fill up the rows in front and was told "No, you must move".

Do Merlin teach this level of customer service? There really is no need to have an attitude or force your guests to move unless they're physically blocking the other rows.
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It's probably someone who is making the most of having a position of what they seem to think is relative power. I agree that it is poor customer service. At most US parks, when there is a batcher you can ask for say front or back row and they will allow you to go there, you just may have to wait a little longer.

:)
 
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