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[2023] The Curse at Alton Manor

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There would have been a few names knocking around and this one ultimately felt best in order to sell the product to guests in the way they want to. Is this the shortest name? No…but it already has a shortened version given by marketing materials “The Curse”.

Derren Brown’s Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon…now that’s a bad name.

The park have to get across a product and in this case a “new” ride that’s over 20 years old. They want any relation to the Haunted House gone in order to help them.
Duel was already called the Haunted House by many and it had it in the title. The facade will still be there when this opens with a few nice changes around the area but again, like Air/Galactica, this will look pretty much the same from the exterior to the average guest. Towers need to sell a new product as the public will take one look at the exterior and go “this is Duel, on the map it says this should be where that manor is” so they have a bit of an uphill struggle and a name that doesn’t acknowledge past incarnations will help them.

Like I said in this topic a while back, this isn’t going to be Pirates in Disney Shanghai but this certainly will be nice and the passion will be evident. This certainly won’t be Duel but this will have elements of the Haunted House you remember in a new light and new surprises.

For the first time in a long time, Towers and MMM are having faith in their own product rather than needing an IP or celebrity name slapped on it.
 
I don't think it's nearly that complicated, Duel had one of the weakest identities of any ride I know. The name "Duel" was terrible and ambiguous, conjured up no imagery, basic brand and barely got ridership. Only stuck because somehow it was there 20 years.

I'm sure the new identity will stick in guests minds immediately and sell the idea that it's a new version of the park's haunted house.
 
Press release (slightly edited via walesonline.co.uk) :

Alton Towers has released the first details of its new attraction coming to the theme park this spring, The Curse at Alton Manor - set to be the resort’s most immersive dark ride to date. The Resort said it will be a haunting ride which will frighten and excite children and adults as it takes them on a hair-raising journey.

Creators of The Curse at Alton Manor are said to have found new ways to scare and surprise fans, with special effects and visuals that have never been seen before from a UK theme park.

Kate McBirnie, Head of Product Excellence at Alton Towers Resort, said: “Let the countdown begin! The Curse at Alton Manor is no ordinary dark ride. It has all the components of a supernatural tale - it’s dark, compelling and promises some thrilling and scary moments along the way. Fans of eerie rides will certainly appreciate this one.

More details on The Curse at Alton Manor will be revealed next month, so stay tuned for what’s to come.”
 
NoSmoking said:
I'm not massive on the curse angle. Not because it's a bad idea just because it's been done too much with "Hex Legend of the Towers" (about a curse) and Thirteen (about curses), now "The Curse at Alton Manor". Please make this the best of the lot then start over on Dark Forest!

As for what's inside, very excited!
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Is thirteen a curse? It’s a spooky theme for sure but I never took it as a curse theme. Hex obviously is.

Suppose it’s all up for interpretation though as I did suggest Haunted Houses are cursed by default.
 
I wonder if the “for sale” sign on the promo image will be put onto the side of the facade, continuing on from the fact that the property was repossessed? Wouldn’t expect many more changes to the exterior!
 
I cannot wait for this, as already mentioned I think the name would have been slightly better as 'the curse of Alton Manor'
Me personally I think after my second trip of the season me and my friends will probably already referring to it as either the curse or Alton manor so it's only 2 words then and shortened down.

I'm okay with the name though, as someone who used to be a huge fan of Chucky and murderous dolls growing up I'm cool with the theme.
fair play though the dolls house theme has been in speculation for a very long time.

However I find it hard to picture this ride being entirely themed to dolls, it's certainly going to have some tricks up it's sleeve, there's way too many scenes and I think it's too big of a dark ride just to be entirely doll related imo.
 
George W said:
I cannot wait for this, as already mentioned I think the name would have been slightly better as 'the curse of Alton Manor'
Me personally I think after my second trip of the season me and my friends will probably already referring to it as either the curse or Alton manor so it's only 2 words then and shortened down.

I'm okay with the name though, as someone who used to be a huge fan of Chucky and murderous dolls growing up I'm cool with the theme.
fair play though the dolls house theme has been in speculation for a very long time.

However I find it hard to picture this ride being entirely themed to dolls, it's certainly going to have some tricks up it's sleeve, there's way too many scenes and I think it's too big of a dark ride just to be entirely doll related imo.
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I see the name as meaning there is a curse [of something else] at Alton Manor rather than a curse of Alton Manor itself. Makes it much more interesting.
 
Steve74 said:
I see the name as meaning there is a curse [of something else] at Alton Manor rather than a curse of Alton Manor itself. Makes it much more interesting.
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^This

Clearly the theme of the ride is that Alton Manor is a seemingly regular house, but something there is cursed which I'm sure we will find out on the ride.

Most likely the cursed object will be the dolls house, the promotional image shows what looks like the house splitting open down the middle like a dolls house would.

EDIT: Has anyone else notice on the right hand side of the building there is a "for sale" sign?
 
Wow, I first suggested the name of 'Alton Manor' on here quite a while back. It wasn't supposed to be a prediction at the time, I just came up with it and thought it would be a good name for an alternative ride instead of going for some silly screen based Ghostbusters monstrosity, which I thought was most likely at the time.

I must say I'm impressed with every aspect of what we know so far about this. Kudos to them for going with something new and I can't wait to see what they've done with it!
 
Josh said:
^This

Clearly the theme of the ride is that Alton Manor is a seemingly regular house, but something there is cursed which I'm sure we will find out on the ride.

Most likely the cursed object will be the dolls house, the promotional image shows what looks like the house splitting open down the middle like a dolls house would.

EDIT: Has anyone else notice on the right hand side of the building there is a "for sale" sign?
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Really hope they don't just slap a permanent for sale sign on the turret. Though it looks really nice for on the promotion poster.
 
Dave said:
Is thirteen a curse? It’s a spooky theme for sure but I never took it as a curse theme. Hex obviously is.
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Luckily Thirteen is so vague but the "idea" is that you're in a forest / building cursed by bad luck at Alton Towers right. It even has /had a spooky girl in a white dress. I think the theme could suit the Haunted House better than Thirteen but the park really needs some new themes elsewhere.
 
I'm getting strong 'The Attic' VIBES from this which makes me think the attraction is going to have a very similar storyline / vibe with all of the dolls / hide and seek nature as you go through. Infact I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some props from the maze going into the Haunted House.

Also (maybe looking into it a little too much) the houses turret is missing from the photo. Could we see this being removed to make the actual façade look more like a dolls house or do we think this is just for the promotional image?

I also noticed there's a big spider sat on the toy blocks which would make me think the spider scene is staying. EDIT: and the spelling blocks spell 'bad' 😉
 
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