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2018: General Discussion
- Thread starter MakoMania
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bluesonichd
TS Member
knowing towers they will forget to change it back come next March 
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
They've also added some nice little touches inside of Duel with zombies wearing hats and holding crackers. Sure it will have cost next to nothing but I quite like it!
However, I do find it somewhat amusing and ironic that they have made more effort with Duel and the Haunted Hollow for a Christmas event where there are probably about 500 people on park compared to Scarefest where there are up to 20,000 people on park.
However, I do find it somewhat amusing and ironic that they have made more effort with Duel and the Haunted Hollow for a Christmas event where there are probably about 500 people on park compared to Scarefest where there are up to 20,000 people on park.
jon81uk
TS Member
I would expect the Christmas guests are more profitable than the scarefest guests? Certainly to make it feel worth paying the cost for the all-inclusive accommodation, rides, meals, Santa stay I think they need to offer a reasonably unique premium offering. If it feels like you are getting something you can't get without spending out on the package, it feels more worthwhile. and that's a good thing.
Although I do agree it would be nice if more was done the rest of the year like this. Just a few small extra on Haunted Hollow for Scarefest, maybe even some Firework specific jokes as well for that weekend would be nice.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
I know decisions are often pretty arbitrary at Merlin, but I hardly believe someone is sat in an office saying "We'll put a few Christmas decorations around Duel for Christmas, but not for Scarefest because guests arent as profitable.."
It's because they only have a few resources during Scarefest (the busiest time of year). The idea to redo Duel has probably been done last minute by an enthusiastic team costing almost nothing, wanting to do something a little extra while the ride is open for Christmas.
I like it. It's just a nice funny touch for Christmas, it's been done very tastefully and looks cool!
Very simple but nice to see.
Resources should have been given to the park to properly redo Duel at the start of the season, rather than do a quick in-house job with no proper direction over lighting, etc. Let's see that happen!
jon81uk
TS Member
It probably is nothing to do with Merlin, as you say its an enthusiastic team at Alton Towers, no one at Merlin probably even knew about the decision let alone thinking lets not do X for Scarefest.
But the team at Alton Towers might think, we've got guests paying a lot of money to stay over in our hotels, lets go the extra mile and make some little extra changes. If the guests are impressed they come back next year and spend the hundreds of pounds on the sleepover, this is what makes it more profitable. If it looks and feels premium, people will pay for it.
Also the Ents team are probably much busier with the scare mazes at scarefest, whereas they have more time to concentrate on the smaller things for Christmas.
The Duel TLC was a little more than a quick job, they still go new soundtracks and everything. But yes it was park funded, not CapEx from Merlin so the budget just wasn't there for more.
Poopoohead
TS Member
I take it you didn’t go last year then?
jon81uk
TS Member
I don't have kids so the Santa events aren't aimed at me.
But from what I've seen it does look like this years event has gone the extra mile compared to last year. So someone at the park must be trying to improve things.
It’s still questionable whether the “TLC” on Duel was worth it, why didn’t they use the money available to just repair what was broken? We’ve still got a broken trommel for example.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
The trommel is a sizeable engineering job. Many other repairs were made, in fact Id say the repairs were the best thing about the TLC job. Some of the props had taken a real beating over 20+ years and the repairs were much needed.
I just think it's a shame the lighting & audio was quite rushed, same with the Hex TLC and its 'random' changes. There's still so much amazing set detail towards the end you just dont see, light spilling all over the place ruining effects, and it just feels pretty bland as a ride now. But it was a step forward.
The experience would greatly improve and the new music would sound so much better if the ride had an overhauled sound system and all that.
Alsty
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Fury 325
I suspect the Trommel tunnel was in such a poor state that getting it working would exceed the entire TLC budget.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
This has just reminded me though, it was on for a short period this season before going off again. It's often done this. I think they could turn it on if they wanted to, but it needs an engineering refurbishment after so many years constantly turning (more than most industrial pieces of machinery would without a refurb!)
Seems like it was decided to not wear the trommel out anymore until a longer term solution could be found? Which is the best way.
Although it's just one effect, if it's fixed the ride will still be underwhelming and not as entertaining as it once was. It needs a big picture rethink, before someone comes along from the powers that be and just says 'whats this? Stick an IP there' and it's lost forever.
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Still, you have to admit, this is the perfect location for an Angry Birds themed ride. Thinking about it, I'm surprised they didn't try to re-theme Charlie to Candy Crush. It's pretty much the same theme.
I do genuinely love the Christmas version of the talking grave stones. Credit where it's due and all that. This was a brilliant piece of work.
Wasn’t it rumoured that “TLC” turned down help / info because they wanted to put their own mark on it so can’t see them going back and admitting they got it wrong.
For me the changes turned a must do ride into a can I be bothered ride, it’s lost it’s charm partly down to the change of music which of course will never please 100% anyway.
Matt.GC
TS Member
I actually don't like the new Duel music outside, I liked the old one. Although I admit inside it is much better. I also think the ride was worse this season than last.
Yes, last season it was in a state and everything was broken, but at least you didn't have to see much of it. Now, although it's much cleaner and in a better state of repair, it's just a bright purple illumination of all the walls and mechanisms.
Yes, last season it was in a state and everything was broken, but at least you didn't have to see much of it. Now, although it's much cleaner and in a better state of repair, it's just a bright purple illumination of all the walls and mechanisms.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
I agree. Really enjoy the soundtrack inside, but the old exterior track was actually an excellent piece of themed music, it suited the area well.
Inside, I dont know what happened but something was lost in between opening 2018 and the rest the season. I remember my first ride in March (ish) had much better moments of music, that finally put back some theatricality to the ride. I'm sure I remember more dramatic changes around the trommel, the spiders and garden. I rode it twice and happened both times.
But then later in the season, was surprised by how the effect had gone. It was like the volume was down or a track was in the wrong place, there were more deadspots. Some others I was with said the same. Such a shame.
There's also that embarassing bit before the finale where the music cuts out early every time the effect triggers, why has this error been left all season? Hey its closed season, perfect time to fix it!
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Alsty
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Fury 325
I prefer the new Duel music over the previous music - it's miles better. But the question is, is the new music better than the old haunted house music?
I know quite a bit of time and money was sunk into the Duel TLC work so I feel quite bad when I say this, but I actually didn't think Duel was any better this season. Sure, it was good to see the back of the ATNC reporter and the soundtrack is an improvement, but I wasn't convinced by the new UV lighting or paint which seemed overbearing to me.
I know quite a bit of time and money was sunk into the Duel TLC work so I feel quite bad when I say this, but I actually didn't think Duel was any better this season. Sure, it was good to see the back of the ATNC reporter and the soundtrack is an improvement, but I wasn't convinced by the new UV lighting or paint which seemed overbearing to me.
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