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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
djtruefitt
TS Team
You would think with massive queues they might have fixed the second lift by now. It really does effect the queue running at half capacity.
James
TS Founding Member
The queue for Charlie reached 50 minutes today.
This hasn't been down to popularity though, due to low capacity. On top of only one lift in operation, only 4 boats have been in use for some reason. I suspect it was the same case yesterday, even though the park was busy yesterday the queue times for Charlie didn't match up with the rest of the parks queue times.
Going on the ride today jeez it needs to be demolished. Fire exit open backstage completely illuminating one room (making you realise just how really bare the ride is theming wise), house lights on after you disembark, showing off all the BTS areas and the warehouse above, the lift creaking, screens not aligned properly (and I realised just how low resolution those screens are), audio levels were all over the place and as usual a few effects were broken.
Get rid of it, Alton Towers. This crap doesn't belong in the UKs leading theme park.
This hasn't been down to popularity though, due to low capacity. On top of only one lift in operation, only 4 boats have been in use for some reason. I suspect it was the same case yesterday, even though the park was busy yesterday the queue times for Charlie didn't match up with the rest of the parks queue times.
Going on the ride today jeez it needs to be demolished. Fire exit open backstage completely illuminating one room (making you realise just how really bare the ride is theming wise), house lights on after you disembark, showing off all the BTS areas and the warehouse above, the lift creaking, screens not aligned properly (and I realised just how low resolution those screens are), audio levels were all over the place and as usual a few effects were broken.
Get rid of it, Alton Towers. This crap doesn't belong in the UKs leading theme park.
PeteB
TS Member
I love the idea behind Charlie but it's so poorly executed. The lift in particular could have been amazing if the screens weren't so close to you. Computer animated video never works well in simulators for me. Real world footage would have been much more convincing.
One simple thing that could have greatly enhanced the lift illusion would have been to use a dome for projection instead of flat walls. The joins are really off putting.
But yeah anyways, I'm all in favour of the whole thing being scrapped. It's the most rubbish dark ride I've ever been on.
One simple thing that could have greatly enhanced the lift illusion would have been to use a dome for projection instead of flat walls. The joins are really off putting.
But yeah anyways, I'm all in favour of the whole thing being scrapped. It's the most rubbish dark ride I've ever been on.
QTXAdsy
TS Member
I'm just not a fan of IP rides in general, true there are several that are exceptional, but most of which I really don't care about and sadly, Charlie is part of this, if not the worst. It's to me one of the worst IP's in terms of execution as mentioned above and most of my none enthusiast friends think rather lowly of it. When the licence finally runs out, it would be nice to see Merlin attempt an entirely orignal theme with it, though sadly I get the feeling that it won't be the case and we'll get yet another IP.
Tbh, I fully expect merlin ro do another bubbleworks, get a **** ip (though in concept I like having catcf), then when I runs out just remove the copyrighted material and logos and keep a generic soap factory/ chocolate factory (although at least with the latter they can be a little more creative)
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
It amazes me that they never put a chocolate shop at the end of the ride exit. This ride really isn't worth queuing for, on an October weekday I was annoyed that I had to queue 10 mins when all the coasters were walk on. That's says it all about the ride really.
It does. Though in my opinion, it would be better if they focused solely on one, preferably the second film, as its newer and more well known.
It suprised me too that they didn't jump at the chance of an upsell. The ride (like most ip) is a huge advert really, but they don't use it.
I would ride more often (not been on it since FHT last year), but what puts me off is that:
-most of the efects are broken
-the throughput is appaling, especially with a lift broken and fewer boats on the circuit
-most other rides have been walk on so I've had other things to do
-the ride is often killed by fast tracks
Just makes it pointless really
(edit: I'll fix my spellings later, my phone is incapable of typing properly)
I think that they missed the opportunity to have turned this ride into something amazing by making the whole experience from beginning (starting with the queue line) to end, by themeing it all on the movie set as oppose to what I can seen, illustrations out of the book.
For me the first movie was the better one, but then again, i'm now showing my true age
For me the first movie was the better one, but then again, i'm now showing my true age
DiogoJ42
TS Member
You say that, but to most people, even fans of Tim Burton didn't like the newer film that much. The original is just too classic to mess with.
I think they made the right choice to base it on Quentin blake's illustrations. After all, everyone and their dog has read the book as a child. It's just a shame it didn't live up to it's potential.
Rick
TS Member
I'm not sure that's true now, but certainly was 20 years ago and before then.
Personally, I actually prefer the second film though tbh I probably only prefer it as it has better animation.
The Harry Potter books has illustrations, yet Universal Studio immerses you with top quality themeing based on the films. Imagine what Harry Potter world at Universal Studio would be like if they decided to go down the route of using the original book illustrations instead.
James
TS Founding Member
I don't think many people are that bothered about the ride being based around the illustrations. I know there was some confusion at the time as to why they didn't choose to go with Tim Burton's film, since it was only released in 2005 and very current, but I think people got over that quickly as it was just exciting to see such a major development happen.
The main bother is the lack of theming, countless black spots and lack of immersion. It's such a bland and uninspiring ride! The lifts were the only good thing about it but since technology has moved on (the quality of the video was acceptable in 2006 but 9 years on it's very poor), the screens are not aligned properly and they creak like hell. So with that down the pan, added with a bland ride, added with effects (what there is) broken, and added with missing/broken theming, it's really a terrible dark ride. The sooner it goes the better to be honest.
The main bother is the lack of theming, countless black spots and lack of immersion. It's such a bland and uninspiring ride! The lifts were the only good thing about it but since technology has moved on (the quality of the video was acceptable in 2006 but 9 years on it's very poor), the screens are not aligned properly and they creak like hell. So with that down the pan, added with a bland ride, added with effects (what there is) broken, and added with missing/broken theming, it's really a terrible dark ride. The sooner it goes the better to be honest.