Duel: The Haunted House Actually Strikes Back - Refurb Incoming

[Trooper Looper]

Duel didn’t really alter much of the themeing of the original Haunted House save for the zombie ending. That’ll be why it doesn’t look too much different save for the lighting.

The only main differences is the props repainted to be a lot more family friendly and less sinister. Easily the HHs lighting was a lot better executed when compared to now as a lot of the mechanics were hidden and suited the scene a lot more.

 

[WillPS]

The only main differences is the props repainted to be a lot more family friendly and less sinister. Easily the HHs lighting was a lot better executed when compared to now as a lot of the mechanics were hidden and suited the scene a lot more.

The props were repainted way before Duel, but after that video.

Very little had changed in terms of the actual scenery within the ride other than the finale. There was some stuff which was fixed, some bits were moved about, but other than the addition of guns/LEDs the changes were lighting and music.

 

[Inferno]

Went on Duel today for the first time in a few years - WOW. What a mess.

Duel is an embarrassment in its current state.

It honestly felt like we were trundling around in an old
Props warehouse

It’s become hilariously bad.
The effects are awful. There’s barely one or two that actually function properly now. Most are either broken or fully illuminated

seeing the bat carousel basically under spotlight was the worst offender for me.

What is the point of Duel at the moment?

 

[rob666]

A sit down rest between the real rides.

 

[Jb85]

Went on Duel today for the first time in a few years - WOW. What a mess.

Duel is an embarrassment in its current state.

It honestly felt like we were trundling around in an old
Props warehouse

It’s become hilariously bad.
The effects are awful. There’s barely one or two that actually function properly now. Most are either broken or fully illuminated

seeing the bat carousel basically under spotlight was the worst offender for me.

What is the point of Duel at the moment?

A real shame. I am feeling now is the time for the ride to go. Keep the building though, but put in a new version of a HH

 

[Skyscraper]

A sit down rest between the real rides.

I used it as just that back in October as the blasters make my arm ache.

 

[waffa]

As much as i'd love to see a new Haunted House ride replace Duel, i don't have much confidence in Merlin to do anything decent.

For the people saying its beyond repair, I think it honestly just needs a team of people who know what they're doing with vision. Really simple things just seem to have not been thought through.

I went recently after not riding for 10 years and have a few thoughts

• Why are the blasters glow in the dark? They completely distract you from any darkness in the ride, I swear they weren't always like this
• The Pre Show needs attention, the entrance hall speaker has no bass anymore? The Portrait Screens need to go as they are so cheap looking, but other than that just get a professional lighting designer (and bring the musty smell back)
• Get some proper UV lighting, not the purple cheap LED ones! You can buy LED UV now which only has the UV wavelength, so it doesn't give off any visible light. Swear this would solve so many problems with being able to see the mechanisms
• On that topic, if you're going to use UV, paint the props properly. The Garden phantom looks like he's been jizzed on with some party UV paint
• Screaming heads still aren't timed properly, you miss the first one and the second one swings after you've passed it.
• repair the Trommel plz

If I were Alton i'd call up Daniel Harvey who's dad and him worked on the original ride, to sort out the props and UV. Graham Owens the original AV designer to work on the sound and lighting with a proper theatrical lighting specialist, and you'll be halfway back to it being semi decent.

 

[venny]

I think it’s been mentioned already but it was interesting to see several cars on Duel with their blasters completely removed this weekend. This suggests to me that something might be planned- whether refurbishment, renovation or retheme.

 

[Skyscraper]

I think it’s been mentioned already but it was interesting to see several cars on Duel with their blasters completely removed this weekend. This sounds guests to me that something might be planned- whether refurbishment, renovation or retheme.

Or it could just be having loads of technical issues. We'll have to wait and see though.

 

[Jb85]

Nothing is planned at Alton towers , it’s all reactive…. Only when it’s completely falling apart or not functioning will something be done

take nemesis station- that only got done as the whole thing had rotted away

 

[Matt N]

Nothing is planned at Alton towers , it’s all reactive…. Only when it’s completely falling apart or not functioning will something be done

take nemesis station- that only got done as the whole thing had rotted away

That was under PLC Merlin, however… private Merlin appear to have changed tack in many regards, particularly those that don’t directly affect the bottom line.

It would certainly make sense if Duel was having something done, as the ride turns 30 next year!

They may well have more money available for 2022 due to the fact that no CAPEX was invested in 2021 (GG/Walliams would likely have been considered 2020 by Merlin); no one really knows.

 

[Jb85]

That was under PLC Merlin, however… private Merlin appear to have changed tack in many regards, particularly those that don’t directly affect the bottom line.

It would certainly make sense if Duel was having something done, as the ride turns 30 next year!

They may well have more money available for 2022 due to the fact that no CAPEX was invested in 2021 (GG/Walliams would likely have been considered 2020 by Merlin); no one really knows.

Changed how? I haven’t really seen any positive change in my three visits this year

things still falling apart, still over priced poor quality, still poor hotel offering - poor operations…..

I think the only defence I can give is staff shortages haven’t helped …. But it’s still a poor show even taking that into consideration…

for me - the park has a long road back…. The problems with duel just epitomises how far they have fallen.

You Man Utd fans out here must see this ;-)

 

[Trooper Looper]

It would certainly make sense if Duel was having something done, as the ride turns 30 next year!

They may well have more money available for 2022 due to the fact that no CAPEX was invested in 2021 (GG/Walliams would likely have been considered 2020 by Merlin); no one really knows.

I said this earlier, something is probably going to happen to Duel next year to celebrate its 30th anniversary. We can evidently see this on the ride as all the original HH props are still working but a good majority of the post 2002 props are starting to fail, like the bust before the Grand Hall, the zombies before the Giant spider, and the finale.

If I had to guess if they are to do anything for it next year, it'll be,

A) The least likely (Unfortunately) will be Duel going back to the HH with a HUGE retrofit to resemble its opening year With the help of John and remaining Spark Groups workers.

B) Duel is going to have a massive refurb with fixed props, trommel working, lighting, and new merchandise of Duel and the HH.

And C) They'll invite John Warldey and Former Spark Group employers to celebrate it and have a meeting with guests outside the Facade.

I doubt they'd permanently close it next year as we've heard nothing of the sort so far from Merlin. They are very aware it's a well beloved classic, well what's left of it that is. If they were to close it, they would probably give us a 6-9 month warning on their Social media. But for now, nothing has been announced yet, if anything was to Happen to Duel, we'd most likely have some official info by late Closed Season.

 

[Matt.GC]

Changed how? I haven’t really seen any positive change in my three visits this year

things still falling apart, still over priced poor quality, still poor hotel offering - poor operations…..

I think the only defence I can give is staff shortages haven’t helped …. But it’s still a poor show even taking that into consideration…

for me - the park has a long road back…. The problems with duel just epitomises how far they have fallen.

You Man Utd fans out here must see this ;-)

You have a point there. I've been very pleased with the events, entertainment and opening hours improvements, all of which have taken me by surprise. But then I think of the rest.

Walliams World has to be the worst "retheme" Merlin have ever done, even worse than whatever they did to Transylvania at Chessington. The accommodation has never been so bad. The whole park has never looked as tatty and broken as it does now. Food outlets not only remain closed but even more have been removed for cheap garish Coke refill stations.

Nothing will happen to Duel next year. There will be no celebrations as that would draw attention to it. It'll limp on getting worse and worse until the whole thing is ripped out and replaced with awful TV screens like Ninjago.

 

[waffa]

Nothing will happen to Duel next year. There will be no celebrations as that would draw attention to it. It'll limp on getting worse and worse until the whole thing is ripped out and replaced with awful TV screens like Ninjago.

This is my biggest fear with a retheme. Screens.... I think they should have no place in a Theme Park ride unless it's some kind of simulator experience.

We spend most of our lives glued to screens now, theme parks are meant to provide some real life immersion. Theres something so jarring about suddenly seeing a screen amongst some real theming.

 

[Inferno]

Such a shame about Duel.

I have to say I was quite shocked how poor it was on Sunday. Nearly everything was either broken, badly timed, or fully lit up.

One section at the start is total darkness so you can’t see anything at all, then the rest of the ride might as well be in broad daylight.

The swinging heads (or the one that works at least) ‘swings’ when the car has already gone past, then the mechanism is lit up by a spotlight when the car turns back around.

The sound is also dreadful now, with only a handful of speakers actually playing sound here and there.

The whole ride is a disgrace now. It’s like a parody of a bad ghost train.

There’s a part of the ride right near the end where you get a blast of hot air - I’m not sure if it’s a light running very hot??
I thought to myself the other day, would it be such a bad thing if Duel burned down after everyone went home?

 

[WillPS]

I said this earlier, something is probably going to happen to Duel next year to celebrate its 30th anniversary. We can evidently see this on the ride as all the original HH props are still working but a good majority of the post 2002 props are starting to fail, like the bust before the Grand Hall, the zombies before the Giant spider, and the finale.

If I had to guess if they are to do anything for it next year, it'll be,

A) The least likely (Unfortunately) will be Duel going back to the HH with a HUGE retrofit to resemble its opening year With the help of John and remaining Spark Groups workers.

B) Duel is going to have a massive refurb with fixed props, trommel working, lighting, and new merchandise of Duel and the HH.

And C) They'll invite John Warldey and Former Spark Group employers to celebrate it and have a meeting with guests outside the Facade.

I doubt they'd permanently close it next year as we've heard nothing of the sort so far from Merlin. They are very aware it's a well beloved classic, well what's left of it that is. If they were to close it, they would probably give us a 6-9 month warning on their Social media. But for now, nothing has been announced yet, if anything was to Happen to Duel, we'd most likely have some official info by late Closed Season.

I think you might need to dial down your expectations a tad. The park did more maintenance than they usually would (I refuse to use the three letter acronym they market this as) a few closed seasons back.

The only thing I can see changing, is the blasters - either they will be fixed or entirely removed one would expect. No big deal either way.

 

[MattyH]

... C) They'll invite John Warldey and Former Spark Group employers to celebrate it and have a meeting with guests outside the Facade....

They won't touch the ride but will do this anyway to celebrate the anniversary.

 

[JAperson]

They won't touch the ride but will do this anyway to celebrate the anniversary.

I was under the impression that John Wardley didn't like Duel and its shooting element?

 

[AT86]

I would hope John Wardley has more integrity than to go anywhere near Duel in its present state. Except to knock it down of course.