2023: The Curse at Alton Manor

[James]

I'm not sure if it has been discussed anywhere. In TPW's Christmas vlog, Shawn mentions that Alty Mans is undergoing 'system updates' and 'replacing the operating system'.

I know that's a rather vague statement and could be interpreted differently. It could, of course, be false information, but Shawn generally gets reliable information and has links with the park. The ride has suffered from downtime throughout 2023 and seems to have timing issues, so it makes sense that there will be some system improvements to ensure it runs more smoothly in 2024.

I hope MMM also stop by and see if any further improvements can be made to any effects. It would be good if they could figure something for the fireplace entrance.

Video below of TPW's vlog, The Curse, mentioned at 14:00.

 

[Rob]

I believe it is getting a new PLC for 2024. They wanted to do the work last closed season but there was just not enough time to work on both the re-theme and the ride system.

Hopefully it goes better than Spinball's new PLC!

 

[Dobba]

The ride host joked with us that the oldest and scariest thing in the building was the ride's operating system. Didn't think anything of it until now.

 

[tayspru]

The section that looks worst in Curse (by a long way) is the projected hand reaching down, it just doesn’t succeed as an effect and they need to think of something else for here

 

[Ethan]

The section that looks worst in Curse (by a long way) is the projected hand reaching down, it just doesn’t succeed as an effect and they need to think of something else for here

No the worst bit is the new skull. Doesn't fit the ride in any way

 

[tayspru]

No the worst bit is the new skull. Doesn't fit the ride in any way

Meh the skull is a more incidental effect, which I think it’s already been said will have changes in closed season. It also is a far smaller dead / bad space compared to the hand effect which almost looks like it was designed to have a physical prop in there

Not only that, the scaling is all wrong, the hand in the video is too big when you compare to the previous physical hand, or indeed the finale Emily

 

[Blackhole_Sun]

The ride host joked with us that the oldest and scariest thing in the building was the ride's operating system. Didn't think anything of it until now.

Was super reliable until they changed it from Duel to Curse.

I wonder if they will be able to start controlling the speed of the ride cars and sort the gaps out following the change?

Would love to see the hand go, it’s just terrible. I can see what they imagined it to be like but it just didn’t work. The skull is a lazy addition.

 

[Dobba]

Was super reliable until they changed it from Duel to Curse.

I wonder if they will be able to start controlling the speed of the ride cars and sort the gaps out following the change?

Would love to see the hand go, it’s just terrible. I can see what they imagined it to be like but it just didn’t work. The skull is a lazy addition.

Of course it was reliable, the majority of the effects were broken or turned off.

I'm the greatest footballer on the planet if the other team doesn't turn up.

 

[Trooper Looper]

Of course it was reliable, the majority of the effects were broken or turned off.

I'm the greatest footballer on the planet if the other team doesn't turn up.

I think he meant as in the actual ride system, but from my experience, Duels effects were a little more reliable than Curses, but for some reason that Mirror effect has never failed on me, haha!

 

[Dave]

Was super reliable until they changed it from Duel to Curse.

I wonder if they will be able to start controlling the speed of the ride cars and sort the gaps out following the change?

Would love to see the hand go, it’s just terrible. I can see what they imagined it to be like but it just didn’t work. The skull is a lazy addition.

I don’t think it was that more reliable as Duel, it’s just no one noticed when it was closed because… you know… it was Duel

 

[Blackhole_Sun]

I assumed curse was closing because of the ride system (cars were eventually bumping coming into the offload), rather than the effects not working.

We would be in a considerably terrible place if new effects were not working more reliably than Duel, switched off or not. Some were 30 years old, that is a valid excuse, I was clapped out by 27 myself.

 

[JSG093]

Don't forget The Haunted House had a new team of technicians brought in to rework several effects in its first year, as well as issues with the transit system, so it's nothing new can just take time for large scale dark rides to bed in and curse had a lot of drastic changes in a short time.

 

[JakeDLP]

No the worst bit is the new skull. Doesn't fit the ride in any way

in what way does it not fit the ride? May i ask?

 

[Ethan]

in what way does it not fit the ride? May i ask?

Dolls house, an attic with dolls and spiders, Emily roaming throughout the ride and then... a random fire skull projection?

 

[JSG093]

As much as I like the ride I agree the projection is pretty jarring and not well implemented, especially seen as there used to be a third physical flying head there and now there's two.

 

[Trooper Looper]

As much as I like the ride I agree the projection is pretty jarring and not well implemented, especially seen as there used to be a third physical flying head there and now there's two.

I'm still slightly confused why they never repaired that head. If they could get the trommel back working, surely repairing one of the flying heads was also possible instead of just taking it out with nothing on its place.

 

[Poisson]

Flying heads are a bit mediocre, that's probably why.

 

[JakeDLP]

Dolls house, an attic with dolls and spiders, Emily roaming throughout the ride and then... a random fire skull projection?

It's the skull of the entity/ spirit that's possessed Emily, the same one as the flying heads, grand hall and shadow in hide and seek scene

 

[tom_taylor]

Happy 2024 - we survived Happy New Year...

I managed to locate the skull projection, hopefully you'll see it on an up and coming project..

Looking forward to open weekend on Sat 16th March!

 

[Euro Theme Park Archive]

Also found some of the old HH/Duel characters in Trick-o-Treat Town

Only just seen your post, do you know what other recycled props there were? Im interested to find out what happened to the original stuff.

Apparently the dolls house was given to the fan who wrote that Amazon haunted house book.

In general, what theme parks do with old props is a bit of a conundrum. Selling means they become trophies for highest bidders and it gets out of hand. Binning is a loss when some these older props are really interesting crafty items from the entertainment world.

Best practice with other parks around the world is to archive and record them and bring em out for an occasional exbo, or securely destroy them as the attraction they were intended to be part of doesnt exist anymore.

Efteling and Disney do it really well