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Drayton Manor Park

I did think that but that’s the 1st time since it’s reopened I got wet. It hit the side so hard in the tunnel and a lot of water went down my back and you think how high the backs of the seats are now. I thought it was odd then went on it again and it soaked me and my daughter as they filled the boats yesterday.
Then she wanted to go on both water rides in Thomas land so we were soaked and I promised her at the end of the day that we go on stormforce 10.
I always promise her that we go on it once a year and she even regrets going on it.

I feel lucky for you mate. I end up having to ride is atleast 3 or 4 times with my son. We are going tomorrow and I am sure he will want to ride it loads.
 
Case closed? Jesus..... I wasn't aware this was a court.

No debate was ever shut down as there was never an opportunity to start one. I certainly don't know it all and don't pretend to.

I'm more than happy to help you with any studies you may have. I am not here for any argument. I just feel that there should two sides to a debate yet only one side was being forced. Your side.

Anyhow....
You raised some good points and I will admit I drew too much attention to the branding, rather than the attractions inside the park, which like you say is what matters most.
 
Sorry for the double post
Well cause the park been busy they extended the queue time close to 6pm.
Now a short update on the park. Floorless is still closed been told they fitted the new part and found out something else needed replacing.
This is the new gate I reported that was going in on Wednesday and that new fence.
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There new vikings stuff in the shop with the new ride names on and the new park logo.
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The trains are really having a lot of down time lately as the last 3 times we been on the train it’s only been running 1 as the engines been struggling to last all day.

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Also there’s new trains on the tracks now in the model area
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Just thought of putting up the Hauntings original Vicar heads script of what he said on the final product here. There may be a mistake or 2, but it's the most accurate I could get close to:

(Library lights dim down as a suttle musical note begins to play. The portrait illuminates, now revealing the Vicar Head animatronic.)

"I am the spirit of reverend Nicholas Beales, Vicar of this Parish, until one day, 1902, this House became possessed, by horrific, and unimaginable power! This appaling spirit, is possessed of such evil, that his main essence corrupts the entire planet of the living. Look up, and you will see that no one leaves as they came in!"

(Queue Reveal of Floating Bodies above, along with a dramatic music queue.)

"So, you fools, you dare to enter this house and violate the pool of death! Nothing here, is at it seems, as it seems as it seems as it seems as it seems as it seems.... This house is now a temple to his power. A gateway to his kingdom! So, prepare to give up your souls, into the depth of darkness."

(Pneumatic Moving Floor is triggered. Slow violin horror build up piece of music starts to play.)

"For the spirit of Doom, and collector of souls is coming! You cannot go back, you can only go on, further into our Lair, from where there is no escape! Mwhahahaha!"

(Vicar Animatronic now off. Violin build up and Moving Floor continues to go on for a little longer. When both end, a duo of cymbals clang together in the background, supposedly for a minor jumpscare. Library scene ends.)
 
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I think if they had kept the original pre show video, vicar and the tombstone in the main vault and added the effects in there now it would be a world class uk dark ride.
Absolutely agree with you on that, though I do kinda like the original Chapel final a bit more than he current one, with the creepy build up of chiors and as the Vicar does his malicious laugh before the UK Ghostbusters rescued you. It had more steaks and is more dreadful when compared to the Nightclub version of what we have now with no feeling of horror or fear.

Never really liked the Coffin either in the Chapel, blocks the views quite a bit when sitting down in there.

I think that the Original ambience that plays throughout the entire ride is a step down when compared to the dreaded and pretty scary original basement Corridor music that used to play in the Basement, and an altered version in the Chapel when the riders are being positioned.


The best route for me is, like you said, Scrap Dr Ghostman, bring back Doctor X, give the ride Exteriors, both house and Lorry a complete clean, and get ride of the awful dark texture on the front of the house, it looks really out of place.

For the Preshow, get rid of them damn LEDs, repaint it back to a stale Grey, better background apparatus sfx in there, and more cheesey 90s style. Basically, just redo it back to what it originally looked like, but some new stuff added in there.

For the Basement Corridor, bring back the old ambience it had, and the flickering lights, but keep the current jumpscare, but with the old scream SFX, and slightly echoed to give it that creep factor.

Library now. TURN DOWN THE AMBIENCE in there, it's so loud that i can't hear the Host (me) on most cases I'm in there. Either turn it down drasticly, or have no music in there 50% of the time, while the other 50% has the music randomly come on and off. Bring Back The Vicar Head and preshow as it was. Done.

For the Chapel though, oh this is tricky. I really like the current Version of it, but I also really like the original version of it.

Okay, here's what I thought. Headstone is back, or something else but the Coffin. That has to go, just blocks your view quite a bit. Have it start as the original Did, but with a twist, just before it starts to swing, the lights and audio abruptly switch off, with a new audio of one of the UK Ghostbusters contacting you to remain calm and they're doing your best to get you out before its too late. The Vicar abruptly silent the communication with his laughter, and the lights come back on, now showing the Chapel swinging. As the chior starts to rise, the Chapel dims down, and uses the current UV lights, butbheavily dimmed down, and only showing the Gargoyles. The Headstone, or whatever replaced the Coffin, starts to move with the sound of movement coming from inside it. The UK Ghostbuster staff quickly warns all the Guests to brace for a Plasma Wave Distortion. The Headstones starts to move, slowly opening up, with a pair of inhuman claws grabbing the edges. The Plasma gun can be heard charging, the Vicar screams "No" out loud many times until a glass shattered sfx is heard and a strobe, supposedly the Plasma Wave beam shoots at the Headstone, with both the Vicar, and supposed almighty spirit of Evil screaming in agony. The Chapel cycle ends, with the Ghostbuster staff saying that they hope you never need to come here again.
 
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Absolutely agree with you on that, though I do kinda like the original Chapel final a bit more than he current one, with the creepy build up of chiors and as the Vicar does his malicious laugh before the UK Ghostbusters rescued you. It had more steaks and is more dreadful when compared to the Nightclub version of what we have now with no feeling of horror or fear.

Never really liked the Coffin either in the Chapel, blocks the views quite a bit when sitting down in there.

I think that the Original ambience that plays throughout the entire ride is a step down when compared to the dreaded and pretty scary original basement Corridor music that used to play in the Basement, and an altered version in the Chapel when the riders are being positioned.


The best route for me is, like you said, Scrap Dr Ghostman, bring back Doctor X, give the ride Exteriors, both house and Lorry a complete clean, and get ride of the awful dark texture on the front of the house, it looks really out of place.

For the Preshow, get rid of them damn LEDs, repaint it back to a stale Grey, better background apparatus sfx in there, and more cheesey 90s style. Basically, just redo it back to what it originally looked like, but some new stuff added in there.

For the Basement Corridor, bring back the old ambience it had, and the flickering lights, but keep the current jumpscare, but with the old scream SFX, and slightly echoed to give it that creep factor.

Library now. TURN DOWN THE AMBIENCE in there, it's so loud that i can't hear the Host (me) on most cases I'm in there. Either turn it down drasticly, or have no music in there 50% of the time, while the other 50% has the music randomly come on and off. Bring Back The Vicar Head and preshow as it was. Done.

For the Chapel though, oh this is tricky. I really like the current Version of it, but I also really like the original version of it.

Okay, here's what I thought. Headstone is back, or something else but the Coffin. That has to go, just blocks your view quite a bit. Have it start as the original Did, but with a twist, just before it starts to swing, the lights and audio abruptly switch off, with a new audio of one of the UK Ghostbusters contacting you to remain calm and they're doing your best to get you out before its too late. The Vicar abruptly silent the communication with his laughter, and the lights come back on, now showing the Chapel swinging. As the chior starts to rise, the Chapel dims down, and uses the current UV lights, butbheavily dimmed down, and only showing the Gargoyles. The Headstone, or whatever replaced the Coffin, starts to move with the sound of movement coming from inside it. The UK Ghostbuster staff quickly warns all the Guests to brace for a Plasma Wave Distortion. The Headstones starts to move, slowly opening up, with a pair of inhuman claws grabbing the edges. The Plasma gun can be heard charging, the Vicar screams "No" out loud many times until a glass shattered sfx is heard and a strobe, supposedly the Plasma Wave beam shoots at the Headstone, with both the Vicar, and supposed almighty spirit of Evil screaming in agony. The Chapel cycle ends, with the Ghostbuster staff saying that they hope you never need to come here again.
Right without having to spend lots of money on the attraction. I would remove the Argos shed and broken computers out of the queue line and with the music playing in the background you now hear the girl in the picture laughing.
The video starts with Dr ghost man but the girl cuts in and says you better turn back now or you will be sorry and laughs and then it goes back to dr ghost man and he says good luck team. You then go into the Skeleton room and the girl says I warned you and now you will pay and the skeletons come down and she’s laughing again.
Then you enter the library and the picture comes alive and the effects stays the same.
Then in the madhouse during the cycle the girl as the demon is projected onto the windows instead of the skeletons and warns us for not turning back we be joining her in there forever and the coffin opens and she pops back up and then dr ghost man has taken back control of the chapel and we should leave there at once.
 
Right without having to spend lots of money on the attraction. I would remove the Argos shed and broken computers out of the queue line and with the music playing in the background you now hear the girl in the picture laughing.
The video starts with Dr ghost man but the girl cuts in and says you better turn back now or you will be sorry and laughs and then it goes back to dr ghost man and he says good luck team. You then go into the Skeleton room and the girl says I warned you and now you will pay and the skeletons come down and she’s laughing again.
Then you enter the library and the picture comes alive and the effects stays the same.
Then in the madhouse during the cycle the girl as the demon is projected onto the windows instead of the skeletons and warns us for not turning back we be joining her in there forever and the coffin opens and she pops back up and then dr ghost man has taken back control of the chapel and we should leave there at once.
It's sounds good, but i think its too vocal and there's a but too much going on. Fully agree though with removing the small shed outside. Maybe replace it with either nothing, or a burnt pile of old machinery with the Ghostbuster Ripoff logo from the old Haunting.

With spooky attractions, less is more. That's why having much more dialogue on it could actually ruin it when there's no suspence. That's why I'm not a huge fan of Dr Ghostman, he talks too much and I think he ruined the corridor jumpscare.
 
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Maybe in the skeleton corridor they could make it darker above you and have 2 fitted lights instead that just lights up the skeletons as currently you can see the support frames.
I do prefer the next room when it was the bloke as a lot more was going on as I feel she talks more than he did.
 
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"I am the spirit of reverend Nicholas Beales, Vicar of this Parish, until one day in 1902, the House became possessed, by horrific, and unimaginable power! This appaling spirit, is possessed of such evil, that his main essence corrupts the entire planet of the living. Look out, and you will see that no one leaves as they came in!"

(Queue Reveal of Floating Bodies above, along with a dramatic music queue.)

"So, you fools, you dare to enter this house and violate the pool of death! Nothing here, is at it seems, as it seems as it seems as it seems as it seems as it seems.... This house is now a temple to his power. A gateway to his kingdom! So, prepare to give up your souls, into the depth of darkness."

(Pneumatic Moving Floor is triggered. Slow violin horror build up piece of music starts to play.)

Very good. Not sure if it is a typeo or not. But it is look up not look out. A prompt to look towards the now illuminating ceiling.
 
I love a Madhouse, but never really liked The Haunting. The original incarnation was a tonal mess, as underscored by the transcribed dialogue above. The script reads like something from the Hellraiser series and the rip-off Ghostbusters were played it entirely straight, despite the fact that the ride and its props are incredibly goofy. Not sure it ever had the potential to be a world-class dark ride on either an international or UK scale, and as a support ride, it just takes so long to get in there. Isn't the point in pre-shows on these things to increase capacity as much as to setup the story? Shame it never got the more fitting Scooby Doo retheme once mooted.
 
I love a Madhouse, but never really liked The Haunting. The original incarnation was a tonal mess, as underscored by the transcribed dialogue above. The script reads like something from the Hellraiser series and the rip-off Ghostbusters were played it entirely straight, despite the fact that the ride and its props are incredibly goofy. Not sure it ever had the potential to be a world-class dark ride on either an international or UK scale, and as a support ride, it just takes so long to get in there. Isn't the point in pre-shows on these things to increase capacity as much as to setup the story? Shame it never got the more fitting Scooby Doo retheme once mooted.
I think you're missing the point of the rides original intention. It was meant to pay homage to those types of cheesy sci fi films and TV shows of the 80s. The ride was intentionally goofy, and It looked like it executed it in na very charming way. You're absolutely correct about the ride having a ridiculous wait though, it used to be a lot lot quicker before the 2016 update actually with the Count Erika Version. The ride is mostly long nowadays because the Preshows have been extended, and unfortunately aren't as scary nowadays.
 
I think you're missing the point of the rides original intention. It was meant to pay homage to those types of cheesy sci fi films and TV shows of the 80s. The ride was intentionally goofy, and It looked like it executed it in na very charming way.

Perhaps you are missing the point in mixing up your own nostalgia and projection with my personal experience? When 'The Haunting' opened in 1996, those 'cheesy sci-films and TV shows of the 80s' were still an oft-repeated part of pop culture and not seen with the reverence and affection that the passing of time has since blessed upon them.

The ride and it's marketing had a po-faced tone that didn't translate to the experience. Everything up until the pre-show promised something genuinely frightening, and aside from the cool technical trick of the finale, soon to be bettered and even perfected an hour away at Alton Towers, the experience never really won over the public. The skeleton flying down above the corridor always prompted more laughs of derision than screams, even in the quaint late-nineties.

I haven't experienced the latest iteration of the ride, but can't believe that the queue could be any slower!
 
Perhaps you are missing the point in mixing up your own nostalgia and projection with my personal experience? When 'The Haunting' opened in 1996, those 'cheesy sci-films and TV shows of the 80s' were still an oft-repeated part of pop culture and not seen with the reverence and affection that the passing of time has since blessed upon them.

The ride and it's marketing had a po-faced tone that didn't translate to the experience. Everything up until the pre-show promised something genuinely frightening, and aside from the cool technical trick of the finale, soon to be bettered and even perfected an hour away at Alton Towers, the experience never really won over the public. The skeleton flying down above the corridor always prompted more laughs of derision than screams, even in the quaint late-nineties.

I haven't experienced the latest iteration of the ride, but can't believe that the queue could be any slower!
I have never had the chance to experience any of the pre 2016 versions of the Haunting at all. The closest time I was to experiencing the Count Erika Version was when I went with my Dad to Drayton Manors 2014 fireworks show, and I was too scared to go on just from the Facade and I was crying in tears XD, so we never did it.

My first time going on it was last year, so I have no nostalgic connection to the previous variants of the ride whatsoever. You have to remember, Ghostbusters was well over 10 years old when The Haunting opened, so it was already a little old and left quite a big cultural impact. It was only a matter of time until someone decided to do a ghostbusters style attraction, especially in a respectful manner to try and recapture the feel of the 80s in general. I think the Haunting did it quite well.

The ride has one of the best Ride Adverts ever put on the Screen i think, especially when it was made by a small team in an independent park. Very cinematic, well built up, great lighting and effects.

I think we can all agree though that the previous/original Skeleton jumpscare is just plain out cheap and laughably bad. The latest version is loads better, and now has a new animatronic Skeleton that literally swings over the Guests at quite some speed, though I do think the old ambience that used to be home in the Corridor and Chapel are loads better than the current one, but the new one suits the library really well. If only they turned it down a bit.

Kinda hate the fact that they replaced the Animatronic head in the picture frame for a mere projection screen.
 
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