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2023: The Curse at Alton Manor

Had my worst rides on Manor today šŸ˜ž

Many effects not working (moving walls, hurse effect amongst the most noticeable), and I noticed a lot of natural light coming through that wasnā€™t there on previous rides.

I really hope they keep on top of this. It would be such a shame if it wasnā€™t properly maintained.
 
Had a much better ride today than I did a couple of weeks ago! Noticed a new (or at least new to me) effect today, air cannons blasting after the giant hand that follows the 'my perfect family' scene. I will agree with @CoventryBee though that a lot of natural light did seem to be coming through, especially during the nursery door scene and the flying heads scene.
 
Morgan Price said:
Had a much better ride today than I did a couple of weeks ago! Noticed a new (or at least new to me) effect today, air cannons blasting after the giant hand that follows the 'my perfect family' scene. I will agree with @CoventryBee though that a lot of natural light did seem to be coming through, especially during the nursery door scene and the flying heads scene.
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Nursery door scene has a vent directly above, and I think that may be the case for the heads scene as well.
 
I went on Manor during my first visit to Alton Towers in two years on Monday.

I'm not going to repeat what others have (presumably) already said in this thread about the ride itself. I'm sure its (many) strengths and (one or two) weaknesses have already been discussed to death.

What I will say is that the ride is unremarkable. I mean that as a massive compliment. What Towers (and the wider Merlin estate) desperately need is more unremarkable rides.

It doesn't have an IP whose public stock is liable to fall (Gangsta Granny). It doesn't have an innovative feature that's drained most of the budget (Th13teen, and other Merlin projects ad infinitum). It doesn't have a operations-wrecking gimmick that'll get ripped out after two seasons (Galactica). It doesn't take two dozen staff to run (Sub-Terra).

It's just a really solid, well thought-out but ultimately unremarkable attraction that is both better than what it replaced, and which adds value (not to mention capacity) to the park. More of this please!
 
Sam said:
I went on Manor during my first visit to Alton Towers in two years on Monday.

I'm not going to repeat what others have (presumably) already said in this thread about the ride itself. I'm sure its (many) strengths and (one or two) weaknesses have already been discussed to death.

What I will say is that the ride is unremarkable. I mean that as a massive compliment. What Towers (and the wider Merlin estate) desperately need is more unremarkable rides.

It doesn't have an IP whose public stock is liable to fall (Gangsta Granny). It doesn't have an innovative feature that's drained most of the budget (Th13teen, and other Merlin projects ad infinitum). It doesn't have a operations-wrecking gimmick that'll get ripped out after two seasons (Galactica). It doesn't take two dozen staff to run (Sub-Terra).

It's just a really solid, well thought-out but ultimately unremarkable attraction that is both better than what it replaced, and which adds value (not to mention capacity) to the park. More of this please!
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Interesting with it following Wicker Man in recent history, another unremarkable in this sense wooden coaster, in the same park where the most regarded coaster was pretty unremarkable (may have been a first in Europe, but not brand brand new tech)
 
I think a lot of the new effects are really nice, but I think some of them arent that impactful. After thinking about it, I think my favourite new effect has to be the mirror corridor (surprised?)

My least favourite new effect has to be the screen of Emily at the end of the Dining hall. I just think it isn't that impressive or scary. I don't think it works as you can see the screens edges, that and it's a lot brighter than the surrounding scenery. That and some of my own issues, screens just don't do it for me.

Another effect I loved though is the scrim window where the bust used to be! That and the final ghoul in the screaming heads section, the one that breathes out smoke. Loads better than that troll that used to reside in there!

Here's a question if anyone's managed to have ridden it with the lights on yet, what's the new prop that replaced the rat demon? It's so dark when it appears that I can't get a good view of it.
 
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zeock said:
I agree; Tigger didn't fit in the screaming head area.
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He didn't. I feel like the screaming heads now are a decent side grade. The lighting is great in there!! The only gripe I have is the actual new heads aside from Tiggers, they're not as good or as detailed as the previous ones, and from what I've heard, they're too heavy for the arms. I like the addition of the hands though. That and no 'Nnnyyyeeaaa!' That scene just seems very quiet now without that sfx. I'd welcome them bringing thay back, but with a deeper tone to fit the more sinister theme.

There seems to be only 2 moving heads now, compared to the original 3, it does make the scene kinda empty.
 
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The flying heads scene is probably one of my least favourite scenes in the ride now as I feel there needs to be more though. However, the scene in my opinion is much better than previously - the actual heads are better, there are no mechanisms visible. The sound effects used to irritate me actually, not sure why that particular element was ever popular as it just used to annoy me šŸ˜‚
 
The only issue I have with the screaming heads area now is it can be too dark in there, and then at the other end of the spectrum Iā€™ve done it when there has been back of house lights on and you then see all the arms and stuff.

The two effects after the screaming heads are much better now then previously
 
I'd rather it be too dark than too bright personally, it probably is quite difficult to get the right balance in fairness to them.

On a side note, I hope they keep the extended queue open for as long as possible and don't shut it off after this season. It's fantastic being able to venture around that area again.
 
Had my first rides on Curse yesterday. I was impressed by the sheer amount of changes made to the props and design to transform the ride from Duel.
Biggest scares for me were the dolls that swing around towards you and the final giant Emily (This one made me audibly scream on both turns).
The mirror scene is impressive and made me jump first time I noticed it.
There's so much going on during the ride it's hard to catch everything without multiple rides.
The tunnel effect is amazing and genuinely disorientating.
The only section I thought was weak was the screaming heads section. The timing was off and didn't have any impact.
I've seen complaints about the hide and seek section being dark but it did build tension for me waiting for something to pop up!
 
Trooper Looper said:
I think a lot of the new effects are really nice, but I think some of them arent that impactful. After thinking about it, I think my favourite new effect has to be the mirror corridor (surprised?)

My least favourite new effect has to be the screen of Emily at the end of the Dining hall. I just think it isn't that impressive or scary. I don't think it works as you can see the screens edges, that and it's a lot brighter than the surrounding scenery. That and some of my own issues, screens just don't do it for me.

Another effect I loved though is the scrim window where the bust used to be! That and the final ghoul in the screaming heads section, the one that breathes out smoke. Loads better than that troll that used to reside in there!

Here's a question if anyone's managed to have ridden it with the lights on yet, what's the new prop that replaced the rat demon? It's so dark when it appears that I can't get a good view of it.
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It's supposed to be the demon that possessed Emily, the same one whos shadows you see and the one in the flying head scene. Needs to be lit better
 
I didn't have any trouble seeing the demon at the end of the Grand Hall to be honest, I thought it was reasonably well lit. It's more of a stab jump scare though and doesn't stay lit for long enough
 
Danscott22 said:
I didn't have any trouble seeing the demon at the end of the Grand Hall to be honest, I thought it was reasonably well lit. It's more of a stab jump scare though and doesn't stay lit for long enough
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Me too. People reported it being badly lit on opening day, but by early April (when I went) it was clearly visible.
 
Blackhole_Sun said:
Had a couple of bad runs on this today where effects were not triggering at all. Screaming heads we had nothing but darkness. Projection mapping before the camera wasnā€™t working either.

I wasnā€™t sure but it seems like the garden scene is now lit up more with blue lighting? Mirror effect is working well as a positive.
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With technology much more precise these days than it was in the 90s we really shouldn't be queuing up for a brand new ride wondering if this or that effect is going to work....
 
RIPCorky said:
With technology much more precise these days than it was in the 90s we really shouldn't be queuing up for a brand new ride wondering if this or that effect is going to work....
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Aside from it's first week or so, effects have been working pretty consistently on all of my rides. I've not heard many accounts of issues with it since those initial teething troubles from anyone else either.
Towers has a few issues that need to be addressed urgently, and a couple that definitely should have been addressed before opening to the public, but I can't help but think they're receiving some undue criticism off the back of that.
As you said, it's a brand new ride, that brings teething troubles. There are also significant elements still in use that are 30 years old and that can present challenges too.
Any issues that have come up so far have been fixed relatively quickly and for me that's enough.
 
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