Controversial Alton Towers Opinions

[Alsty]

I only said what I said because I feel like the pre-show not being there improves the operational efficiency of the ride, and I feel that you still get a really striking build-up with the ambient audio and lighting, and the flickering ram’s head above you!

Less RAP and Fastrack would also improve the "operational efficiency" for most people in the main queue. I say keep the pre-show and sort those out instead.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

A controversial opinion, but here goes.

I actually HATE the retrosquad rides. Quite possibly the worst thing that Alton Towers has ever done. I’m amazed that they’ve been so well received by enthusiasts. I guess this shows how out of touch I am.

 

[Matt N]

I have a couple of controversial Smiler-related opinions:

• The Smiler feels like Alton Towers’ most intense roller coaster.
• While Smiler was running fairly smoothly on my last visit, with little more than a very slight rattle for much of the ride, there are still some definite rough patches.
• Smiler is not one of my favourite coasters. Even though I don’t dislike the ride by any means, and I’d say it’s in the top 50% of coasters I’ve ridden, I wouldn’t say I absolutely love it either. The only two coasters I like less at Towers are Spinball and Octonauts.
• I can sometimes find that Smiler toes the line of being a tad too intense/nauseating for me. I find the head-spinning sensation you get on the MCBR before the vertical lift hill mildly unpleasant, and it can sometimes make me feel a little nauseous getting off due to the raw intensity. I do think it’s a coaster I’d like more if it was less intense.

 

[Rick]

A controversial opinion, but here goes.

I actually HATE the retrosquad rides. Quite possibly the worst thing that Alton Towers has ever done. I’m amazed that they’ve been so well received by enthusiasts. I guess this shows how out of touch I am.

They're not at all interesting to me, but if folks are waiting for a fairground ride instead of being in front of me in the Nemesis queue, all is well.

 

[pluk]

The Nemesis

OUT
------------>

 

[Enter Valhalla]

They're not at all interesting to me, but if folks are waiting for a fairground ride instead of being in front of me in the Nemesis queue, all is well.

The problem with these fanfair rides is that you can’t just ignore them. They’re bright, garish and in your face.

The purple one in FV (I hate them so much that I refuse to even learn their names) completely kills the atmosphere of what was once one of the best themed areas in the UK, the Waltzer has a similar affect on Dark Forest. And whilst the one in X Sector kind of vaguely looks just about alright, it can’t be ignored that where we once had a flat ride integrated into the aesthetic design of the area, we now have a brightly coloured piece of tat.

It genuinely surprises me that enthusiasts have been so ok with these funfair rides. We always talk about theming, and quality of attraction, then Alton Towers give us these. Alton is meant to be our flagship U.K. theme park, and to me hiring in dated funfair rides and plonking them in areas that in no way match the theme just doesn’t seem like the behaviour of a flagship theme park.

 

[tayspru]

The problem with these fanfair rides is that you can’t just ignore them. They’re bright, garish and in your face.

The purple one in FV (I hate them so much that I refuse to even learn their names) completely kills the atmosphere of what was once one of the best themed areas in the UK, the Waltzer has a similar affect on Dark Forest. And whilst the one in X Sector kind of vaguely looks just about alright, it can’t be ignored that where we once had a flat ride integrated into the aesthetic design of the area, we now have a brightly coloured piece of tat.

It genuinely surprises me that enthusiasts have been so ok with these funfair rides. We always talk about theming, and quality of attraction, then Alton Towers give us these. Alton is meant to be our flagship U.K. theme park, and to me hiring in dated funfair rides and plonking them in areas that in no way match the theme just doesn’t seem like the behaviour of a flagship theme park.

Like them or not people are having FUN a at a theme park riding them. Far more fun than they were ever having on the empty plots of land that they have temporarily replaced

 

[MaxPower]

Expectations are so low at this point anything new and shiny is a bonus.

 

[Rick]

I think the best thing about the Retro Squad rides is that it should (maybe?) provide an obligation to provide something permanent in that vein.

Am I too optimistic to think that they won't add four rides for this season, take them away over the winter and open with four vacant pads in 2022 ?

 

[ChristmasPud]

completely kills the atmosphere of what was once one of the best themed areas in the UK

Although that is a bit like saying the fastest snail in the UK at this point. It certainly doesnt help towards building the theme but it at least adds back some fun. Next step back to reality should be building a permanent, themed flat

 

[Skyscraper]

The problem with these fanfair rides is that you can’t just ignore them. They’re bright, garish and in your face.

The purple one in FV (I hate them so much that I refuse to even learn their names) completely kills the atmosphere of what was once one of the best themed areas in the UK, the Waltzer has a similar affect on Dark Forest. And whilst the one in X Sector kind of vaguely looks just about alright, it can’t be ignored that where we once had a flat ride integrated into the aesthetic design of the area, we now have a brightly coloured piece of tat.

It genuinely surprises me that enthusiasts have been so ok with these funfair rides. We always talk about theming, and quality of attraction, then Alton Towers give us these. Alton is meant to be our flagship U.K. theme park, and to me hiring in dated funfair rides and plonking them in areas that in no way match the theme just doesn’t seem like the behaviour of a flagship theme park.

Well, as the saying goes "you can't please everyone".
Towers have done this to gage whether thrill flat rides are still popular with their audience.
Given the popularity of the Retrosquad rides (especially Mixtape, the Smashing Jump), It is very likely that they will consider adding new pernament flats in their place during the upcoming closed season, themed in to their respective areas. Fingers crossed we get a pernament Smashing Jump in X Sector.

 

[Matt N]

Given that Chessington’s new 2023 coaster is being bundled in with 2-3 supporting flats, I wouldn’t personally say it’s out of the question that Merlin could buy a bundle of flat rides for Towers in 2022 to replace the Retrosquad.

 

[pluk]

It genuinely surprises me that enthusiasts have been so ok with these funfair rides. We always talk about theming, and quality of attraction, then Alton Towers give us these. Alton is meant to be our flagship U.K. theme park, and to me hiring in dated funfair rides and plonking them in areas that in no way match the theme just doesn’t seem like the behaviour of a flagship theme park.

The rides aren't dated, they are mostly traditional and all practically new.

I don't think many enthusiasts would be pleased with these rides if they were planned this way, were the finished article, and were permanent. There is though an understanding that Towers have lost significant capacity from closing filler rides over a number of years, that flat rides can have their place in a theme park, and that this temporary measure should show the powers that be that flat rides are popular and valuable to their lineup.

As a last minute fix loosely tying them together rather than to their respective areas makes sense. They are not their rides to properly theme so that wasn't really an option, but there's no reason to think any replacements the park actually buys wouldn't be properly themed to an area, just like the departed flats were.

Of course they shouldn't have put themselves in a position where this was thought necessary, but they have. If this is a way out that results in long term improvements it can only be a good thing.

 

[Poisson]

The park should seriously consider a lower capacity permanently.

 

[ChristmasPud]

Towers have done this to gage whether thrill flat rides are still popular with their audience.

No they havent, it's a compromise for extra capacity because they havnt been granted budget for permanent flats for 10 years now. The parks knows flats would be popular/needed from 40 years experience

 

[Skyscraper]

No they havent, it's a compromise for extra capacity because they havnt been granted budget for permanent flats for 10 years now. The parks knows flats would be popular/needed from 40 years experience

Well yes that's part of it as well.

 

[WickerwomanH]

I feel like I'm going crazy hearing about how "ok" enthusiasts are with the flats at AT, I think most people talking about them on here just a few months ago hated the idea! I was one of what I thought was only a few people that didn't mind them being introduced, and as I'm sure I said at the time, it's important to remember the actual purpose they serve. They are new rides, to allow for increased capacity, and more rides in one visit. They aren't permanent, and aren't some demonstration that AT no longer care about quality or themeing. An added bonus is that they've highlighted both the need and popularity of flats at AT.

 

[tayspru]

I feel like I'm going crazy hearing about how "ok" enthusiasts are with the flats at AT, I think most people talking about them on here just a few months ago hated the idea! I was one of what I thought was only a few people that didn't mind them being introduced, and as I'm sure I said at the time, it's important to remember the actual purpose they serve. They are new rides, to allow for increased capacity, and more rides in one visit. They aren't permanent, and aren't some demonstration that AT no longer care about quality or themeing. An added bonus is that they've highlighted both the need and popularity of flats at AT.

I think most people were fine with the idea . It’s just those that weren’t were VERY loud about it and confuse their opinion with immutable fact

 

[Matt N]

Sorry to bump the thread, but I’ve got a potentially controversial one; Graham Smart’s Towers Street score is my least favourite of the 3 used.

That’s nothing against it, as I still think it’s good from having listened to it, but I personally think that both the 2008-2015 PitStop one and the current IMAScore one appeal to me more. The 2008 one is a really nice track with a very upbeat, euphoric feel (albeit one that does hold a lot of nostalgia for me, which might help), and while I’ll admit I wasn’t initially too sure on the 2016 IMAScore one, it’s grown on me hugely and I’d say it’s now my favourite of the 3, with IMAScore’s similar Heritage track also being excellent, in my opinion, adding a lovely bit of ambience to areas of the park!

On another controversial music-related opinion of mine; Simon Allen’s Duel/Gloomy Wood theme (the current one) is my favourite one they’ve used. I think it’s a great track that sets up the spooky tone really nicely, myself!

 

[Nerdsticks]

On another controversial music-related opinion of mine; Simon Allen’s Duel/Gloomy Wood theme (the current one) is my favourite one they’ve used. I think it’s a great track that sets up the spooky tone really nicely, myself!

I don't think that one is all that controversial, unless of course you're including the original Haunted House soundtrack with it, then those are fighting words.