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Does anyone else sometimes feel a bit short changed after being on a ride/ attraction??

T

themeparkfan

TS Member
I know it sounds a bit random, but after my son's " is that it? " comment after going on oblivion for the first time. I was wondering if anyone else has felt "short changed " after waiting a long time for a ride? My son felt oblivion was too short, and I must admit my first time on stealth felt similar. A few mates say that nemisis and thirteen aren't long enough when you consider their counterparts in America and Europe. What does everyone else think?

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All Legoland Windsor , All Chessington, Shreks adventure, London Dungeons, Madame Tussaud’s Blackpool, Frightnights 2016.
If I had paid money to get into they of these places I would have been demanding it back and compensation for my life I had lost.
 
Funny, as soon as I read the topic title I thought Oblivion.
I was one of the lucky few who got to peep down the massive construction hole.
I rode it in the first few weeks of opening.
I still love the ride.
But is that it?
Really?
Should have done a figure eight round the black hole tent...at least.
That was my thought on the day.
 
The thing about Oblivion is it was a prototype. When B&M created the first dive coasters they didn't even have fully vertical drops, never mind inversions. I guess the concept was still so new and they weren't sure how it'd work in reality.

If Alton Towers hadn't wanted the marketing gimmick they could have let another park have the "world's first", then a few years later install a much better dive coaster instead when the technology had improved...
 
The thing about Oblivion is it was a short prototype.
For the cost of the enormous hole...I bet you could have got six or eight wild mice tracks down there, it was absolutely massive before backfilling, they could have spent a few more quid on track.
 
rob666 said:
The thing about Oblivion is it was a short prototype.
For the cost of the enormous hole...I bet you could have got six or eight wild mice tracks down there, it was absolutely massive before backfilling, they could have spent a few more quid on track.
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You could have, but the whole theme and story around Oblivion was dropping into, well, Oblivion.
 
I feel Rita is a bit short after all that queuing and wickerman is a bit short too IMHO. At least RMT gives you two circuits!

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I went for a long period of not visiting parks and before that my experience was limited to the corkscrew, looping thunder and scenic railway, all rides that gave you two laps as standard, then upon my return I'm like 'is that it?' for most rides, the only rides I find are a good length are the smiler and the big one at Blackpool, the rest are over before they've even begun.
 
IanSR said:
I went for a long period of not visiting parks and before that my experience was limited to the corkscrew, looping thunder and scenic railway, all rides that gave you two laps as standard, then upon my return I'm like 'is that it?' for most rides, the only rides I find are a good length are the smiler and the big one at Blackpool, the rest are over before they've even begun.
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Exactly smiler and big one are the only decent length coasters I can think of, lasting for a decent 2 minutes. Oh and RMT with 2 circuits (or 3 on a lucky day ) . Nemisis is good but a bit longer wouldn't go amiss. Even the great John wardley admitted it was a smaller length inverted coaster compared to others in America. However I guess the intensity and near misses with pit make up for it.


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Thirteen for instance is great, but the section between the two lifts could really have been a bit longer.
 
I felt that with the golden fleece pub scene from York Dungeon, You go in and the barkeeper tells you a ghost story, during the story, he trys to jump out at you but it falls flat because, why would the barkeeper be scary?
Anyway, After the story, the lights go out and there's quite a creepy encounter with the ghost, he repeats "I'll see ye in hellllll" several times and the lights go out...then the lights come back on...and you calmly leave...what?



Oh yeah, the barkeeper was also gone OHHHH...SPOOOOKYYY!!!!!!!!
 
Almost all of the coasters at Towers are too short with the exception of The Smiler, RMT and Nemesis (which is short, but unquestionably perfect). You can look at equivalent models in the US to see just how much better things can be done - e.g. Tatsu for Galactica, Griffon for Oblivion, Maverick for Rita...hell even White Lightning at FunSpot Orlando is better than Wicker Man and that was pretty much meant to be a kids coaster!
 
Never felt short changed coming off a ride as I'd base my experience on the whole package and that can differ on the day depending on attitude of ride hosts, operations, ride availability etc.

In that respect the only park I've ever left feeling short changed was Blackpool pleasure beach and that was due to the selection of rides (some that should have been pulled down years ago), operations, ride availability and the attitude of ride hosts. I could have left feeling different on another day. I won't be back though.
 
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Alastair said:
Almost all of the coasters at Towers are too short with the exception of The Smiler, RMT and Nemesis (which is short, but unquestionably perfect). You can look at equivalent models in the US to see just how much better things can be done - e.g. Tatsu for Galactica, Griffon for Oblivion, Maverick for Rita...hell even White Lightning at FunSpot Orlando is better than Wicker Man and that was pretty much meant to be a kids coaster!
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White lightening better than Wickerman???

I assume you're referring to purely the track layout itself because WM as an overall attraction is in another league to WL quite frankly.
 
Benjsh said:
White lightening better than Wickerman???

I assume you're referring to purely the track layout itself because WM as an overall attraction is in another league to WL quite frankly.
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Yes of course only by layout - no doubt WM is better experience-wise. But still, a bit of a disappointment to effectively receive the tamest GCI ever built as an expensive new addition at the flagship park in the UK!
 
Part of the thrill of oblivion is the build up of fear. Standing by the drop and hearing the woosh as trains dissapear. Spiraling upwards in the queue towards the station with views of the coaster and looking over x-sector. The reclined ride up the lift hill as your tension builds, all to dip you over the edge, the suspense reaches a crescendo and then the sudden drop to darkness. It packs a punch and then a feeling of relief as you hit the break run. You did it! It's an accomplishment.

Oblivion in my opinion was a masterpiece. It's a shame to lose the mist, and for some of the the theming to be broken, but it still thrills me every time.

Perhaps this is because when I started going to Alton towers I was young and not a fan of coasters. I saw it as the most intimidating ride on the park. 15 years later and it's my favourite ride.
 
Lurker said:
Part of the thrill of oblivion is the build up of fear. Standing by the drop and hearing the woosh as trains dissapear. Spiraling upwards in the queue towards the station with views of the coaster and looking over x-sector. The reclined ride up the lift hill as your tension builds, all to dip you over the edge, the suspense reaches a crescendo and then the sudden drop to darkness. It packs a punch and then a feeling of relief as you hit the break run. You did it! It's an accomplishment.

Oblivion in my opinion was a masterpiece. It's a shame to lose the mist, and for some of the the theming to be broken, but it still thrills me every time.

Perhaps this is because when I started going to Alton towers I was young and not a fan of coasters. I saw it as the most intimidating ride on the park. 15 years later and it's my favourite ride.
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Brilliant post, couldn't agree more.
 
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