[2023] The Curse at Alton Manor

[Blackhole_Sun]

If they were really behind schedule it wouldn't have a confirmed opening date. Seeing as they are doing all the marketing etc I would imagine the ride is pretty much complete by now.

Pretty sure we will see a daily 10am opening for the ride also, unlike Duel which was usually 11am every day!

 

[AT86]

I thought this ride was supposed to have the same style and theme as the original HH but with different sets and a storyline? Im sure John said on the interview that he wanted the ride to have the original ethos of the Haunted House. Am I wrong here? Please let me know if I am.

I think you might take some things too literally.

 

[Matt N]

I thought this ride was supposed to have the same style and theme as the original HH but with different sets and a storyline? Im sure John said on the interview that he wanted the ride to have the original ethos of the Haunted House. Am I wrong here? Please let me know if I am.

“Original ethos” could mean any number of things.

John could be referring to the style, but he could simply be referring to the fact that the ride won’t have blasters and will be more like the original Haunted House. Or he could be referring to something different entirely.

 

[RIPCorky]

“Original ethos” could mean any number of things.

John could be referring to the style, but he could simply be referring to the fact that the ride won’t have blasters and will be more like the original Haunted House. Or he could be referring to something different entirely.

It'll be a massive let down for me if they've removed all the mechanical effects and replaced it with projectors and mirrors.

 

[Deleted member 17535]

I think this project was destined to be divisive within the fanbase. There are just so many ways of doing a haunted house, it's inevitable that one camp is satisfied with the result and the other saddened at a perceived 'wasted opportunity'- believe me, I've been in that camp myself before! But I really think Duel needed a big, big change up for it to become a successful ride, which sadly means some things we've come to know have to disappear. I'm not sure how anyone could argue with that honestly! I really hope the finished thing incorporates a bit of everything really- some 'visual' stuff (which we already know to be happening in the way of projection mapping) and some physicality (i.e. some big sets and props) We might just be surprised by what they've cooked up for us...!

 

[Zeock]

I thought this ride was supposed to have the same style and theme as the original HH but with different sets and a storyline? Im sure John said on the interview that he wanted the ride to have the original ethos of the Haunted House. Am I wrong here? Please let me know if I am.

The original ethos of the HH was to be a high tech 'laff-in-the-dark' ghost train, as you know as well as any of us. When John said that, he was probably referring to the removal of the blasters, and the fact that this ride would be of the same style of the HH, as you said. This doesn't mean that the theme has to be similar to the HH.

 

[QTXAdsy]

With all the work on the outside of the building, am I the only interested In if there are any changes to the outside queue?

 

[Deleted member 17535]

With all the work on the outside of the building, am I the only interested I'm if there are any changes to the outside queue?

That's actually a really good point. I too wonder how/if the ride will influence any changes to Gloomy Wood at large! In that video all the tombstones appeared to still be there.

 

[James]

If they were really behind schedule it wouldn't have a confirmed opening date. Seeing as they are doing all the marketing etc I would imagine the ride is pretty much complete by now.

Wouldn’t be the first time Towers have announced an opening with the expected attraction not on schedule.

I’m sure they will be fine with this however!

 

[TomW]

Just been catching up on the last few pages. I have to say right from the 'This is my house' sign, through to the phone number and the holes in the fence, the dolls sent to journalists and now the London pop up, this has been my favourite marketing campaign that the park has done for a new ride for a long time, potentially since Oblivion.

The pessimist in me still feels that we haven't seen a truly great dark ride from Merlin yet, and marketing campaigns can be done well on a low budget if you have a talented team behind them. The same is more difficult to achieve with a full attraction however.

That said, there has been nothing so far to say that this ride won't be anything but great. I think they have hit the balance of nostalgia and contemporary horror well from what we've seen so far, I really like the storyline and the enthusiast in me loves that they are basing it around what is essentially a niche character created in 1992. Really looking forward to opening day.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Just been thinking about the pop up dolls house there in which as good as it was in getting the word out, kinda wish they would take it out to several more locations around the UK to really get the word out about the new ride...just imagine the sight of it in Edinburgh sitting in the middle of Prince's Street Garden sitting under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle...that would have been a spectacular backdrop compared some modern London skyscrapers.

Really wish they did more than a London centric view but that's just me perhaps.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

It seems the facade of the ride has been given a repaint. The smokey, ashen grey really makes it look very grotty and sinister! The smutted brick tower seems to hearken back to the original style of The Haunted House also.


(Still from a video by the very imaginatively named ''Drone footage and various videos'' on YouTube)

From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3Axk7srudU


Edit: Spooks R Us appears to have gone into liquidation too!

Just looking at that picture and what they installing on the right side of the entrance door?

 

[Trooper Looper]

Just looking at that picture and what they installing on the right side of the entrance door?

I think it's just the cover taken down from earlier this year. It was put over the doors presumably to protect them from the construction and to prevent damage to them probably.

 

[DistortAMG]

I would imagine the ride is complete now. They'll be well into the final touch ups and testing I would imagine. Bit late in the day to be removing things from places and installing in the ride

Are you sure? Alton Towers have a long history of doing things up to the wire. Oblivion's queue line and area block work was still being laid on the morning of the ride opening. Now I am not saying they are behind by any means....just you never know.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Are you sure? Alton Towers have a long history of doing things up to the wire. Oblivion's queue line and area block work was still being laid on the morning of the ride opening. Now I am not saying they are behind by any means....just you never know.

Didn't Thirteen have its queue finished the day before opening? The most infamous being Smiler being delayed until May.

 

[Ash]

I’ve got a funny feeling the two sides of the house represent the exit and entrance. Considering the left side had the fire place, doorway that wouldn’t look too dissimilar to before the ride station.

I’d make a decent bet there will be a gramophone in the reimagined living room scene in the pre show. And the ride itself may be along the lines of Emily playing hide and seek and wanting someone to play with. Perhaps counting down throughout the ride until the end with some reveal or affect as though she’s near the ride car.

The right hand side of the house looked not too dissimilar to the exit (chandelier included), maybe with a new jump scare in the corner on the way out

 

[Steve74]

It’s clearly not the final product so I think it’s a bit silly to form a judgment based on one image.

We’re just over a month away from opening and the exterior could look completely different by then.

Once they've finished the monorail station I'm sure they'll have a can or two of purple paint left over.

 

[Benzin]

Nice to see we're still instantly jumping to conclusions of quality based off a drone photo.

And taking words literally from certain personnel who are revered.

Looking forward to the over-reaction to the ride having replaced some HH scenes and not fitting the "ethos" however that is judged or generally not being what someone envisioned in their own mind.

Sometimes nostalgia goggles really do cause more issues than moving on and being glad it happened. Guess though might be because many never experienced the original and its gained some weird reverence because of missing out and things being changed.

See also Disney fans whenever anything is changed that Walt or one of the big Imagineers did.

 

[ChristmasPud]

If that colour in that image is true, and obviously it's not a base coat if the scaffold has already been taken down, it looks pretty sad and poor quality. The photo could be misleading though.

Painting something pale grey / white is never a good idea. There's better ways of making something look haunted than a painted-on look. I actually think was one the few things in the ride that looked great as was.

We don't need another area at Alton Towers going bleak and grey!

Looking forward to the over-reaction

I see way more people saying things like this than any over reaction. A reaction to a fictional reaction / 1 person. Most reaction Ive seen people are looking forward to a drastic new ride.

It goes both ways, something isn't sacred just because MMM made it. As long as the ride is entertaining and any criticism is constructive. They have a hell of a difficult balance to strike with this ride.

 

[Benzin]

The photo could be misleading though.

Yes. Seeing the frontage from the air compared to the ground is a very different situation.

To judge the new paintwork from such an image and declaring "I thought it was meant to have the ethos of the original HH" is over-reacting in my book.

And I don't see many saying that things are sacred because MMM made it. Their quality historically has been iffy at best, with poor design choices and a focus on a singular visually imposing theming element over an overall design philosophy of the older attractions.

They have a hell of a job because a number seem to want the original back (see also when Bubbleworks closed for Gruffalo) rather than progress the ride. Not helped by the new ride heavily leaning on the nostalgia of fans which will really effect the expectations.