Didn’t the hall of spiders move though? I don’t think it was in the same place now as it was originally. Something tells me it came later into the ride, perhaps closer to the zombie scenes?
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Didn’t the hall of spiders move though? I don’t think it was in the same place now as it was originally. Something tells me it came later into the ride, perhaps closer to the zombie scenes?
Trooper Looper
TS Member
The Main spider or the one dangling on the wall? The one on the wall used to shake as the riders approached it, but I guess it doesn't anymore since wear and tear on the ride has started to show on the animatromics.
Squiggs
TS Team
I think you might be thinking of Tigger; this chap...
He certainly used to live in the swamp but was moved to his current spot relatively early on during The Haunted House years.
As far as I'm aware, the Hall of Spiders was always just after the Giant's Lair (where the lunging zombies are these days)
Trooper Looper
TS Member
Wasn't he also repainted from a demon like appearance to his current pale blue look to blend in with the screaming head section when it was Converted to Duel?I think you might be thinking of Tigger; this chap...
He certainly used to live in the swamp but was moved to his current spot relatively early on during The Haunted House years.
As far as I'm aware, the Hall of Spiders was always just after the Giant's Lair (where the lunging zombies are these days)
Trooper Looper
TS Member
The one where you go underneath, or the one right before the Giant One?
Trooper Looper
TS Member
I can assure you that it has not been moved ever since its original opening in 92 
Been thinking about my uni job days where I was a lighting designer for a theatre and a nightclub and how I would apply my skills to re-light duel.
Because of the mechanisms on most effects, in order to achieve the correct illusion of free moving effects, you’d need to buy “Profile” lights which are very versatile, can be adjusted in terms of beam size and focus, and have really intricate metal plates that are contained within the light itself to block light from shining onto specific areas. This high level of control simply can’t be achieved by the LED wash lights that are currently on the ride, which is why you can see everything. The trouble is, LED wash lights can be bought cheaply for as low as £80 each. They have their place in clubs, but not in a highly theatrical dark ride. Unfortunately, Theatre grade Profile Spots retail at an eye watering £995 each, meaning it would be very costly to re-light the entire ride in one go.
The same goes for the cheap purple LED lights that have been installed as an alternative to proper UV lights. Cheap, yes, but they give totally the wrong effect.
I don’t know how many Profile Spots the ride would need for a full re-light but it must be up in the low hundreds, meaning £100k of lighting hardware minimum before we even think about repairing the broken effects, the associated labour costs and other maintenance the ride is in need of.
It would be amazing to see the ride updated to a full theatrical experience that it once was, but would Merlin see the investment as a good one from an ROI perspective? It may increase attendance slightly, but it could also reduce partial refunds/free fastracks if they are starting to see an increase in complaints because “Duel was crap”.
Because of the mechanisms on most effects, in order to achieve the correct illusion of free moving effects, you’d need to buy “Profile” lights which are very versatile, can be adjusted in terms of beam size and focus, and have really intricate metal plates that are contained within the light itself to block light from shining onto specific areas. This high level of control simply can’t be achieved by the LED wash lights that are currently on the ride, which is why you can see everything. The trouble is, LED wash lights can be bought cheaply for as low as £80 each. They have their place in clubs, but not in a highly theatrical dark ride. Unfortunately, Theatre grade Profile Spots retail at an eye watering £995 each, meaning it would be very costly to re-light the entire ride in one go.
The same goes for the cheap purple LED lights that have been installed as an alternative to proper UV lights. Cheap, yes, but they give totally the wrong effect.
I don’t know how many Profile Spots the ride would need for a full re-light but it must be up in the low hundreds, meaning £100k of lighting hardware minimum before we even think about repairing the broken effects, the associated labour costs and other maintenance the ride is in need of.
It would be amazing to see the ride updated to a full theatrical experience that it once was, but would Merlin see the investment as a good one from an ROI perspective? It may increase attendance slightly, but it could also reduce partial refunds/free fastracks if they are starting to see an increase in complaints because “Duel was crap”.
Trooper Looper
TS Member
Wish you luck if do ever get a job at Alton. I'd know I'd love to, but I am going to a job interview next week at Drayotn as a ride host. So, win win either way.
If you do ever get to be a lighting designer at alton, unpopular suggestion, but please try to keep the lighting origninal looking, full theatrical looking as it did in opening year as close as Possible if you could while you're at it, cheers
Also don't know if this'll help, but the Giant spider once had a Tungsten Strobe light behind it. Advised by John in its later years at the HH. This was to give the model a silhouette with the strobe, as if the figure was moving towards you.
Skyscraper
TS Member
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Good luck mate!Wish you luck if do ever get a job at Alton. I'd know I'd love to, but I am going to a job interview next week at Drayotn as a ride host. So, win win either way.
If you do ever get to be a lighting designer at alton, unpopular suggestion, but please try to keep the lighting origninal looking, full theatrical looking as it did in opening year as close as Possible if you could while you're at it, cheers
Also don't know if this'll help, but the Giant spider once had a Tungsten Strobe light behind it. Advised by John in its later years at the HH. This was to give the model a silhouette with the strobe, as if the figure was moving towards you.
Sadly I’ve been out of the industry for several years now so my knowledge is quite out of date. Would love to get back into it though!Wish you luck if do ever get a job at Alton. I'd know I'd love to, but I am going to a job interview next week at Drayotn as a ride host. So, win win either way.
If you do ever get to be a lighting designer at alton, unpopular suggestion, but please try to keep the lighting origninal looking, full theatrical looking as it did in opening year as close as Possible if you could while you're at it, cheers
Also don't know if this'll help, but the Giant spider once had a Tungsten Strobe light behind it. Advised by John in its later years at the HH. This was to give the model a silhouette with the strobe, as if the figure was moving towards you.
Trooper Looper
TS Member
Trooper Looper
TS Member
Sorry for the double Post, I have no idea how to Quote 2 different posts.
Shame
I myself also wanted to try out some theatrical lighting, tried to get a volunteers job at my local Theatre. Sadly they never got back to me
It'd be nice for someone who has a fondness of it as the HH to take over its development (if it ever has any) instead of scrapping all of the theming inside the showbuilding. All the ride needs is a good re-light, or back to the Haunted Houses theatrical hay day.
Again, I am still hopeful, but not too much, that something great can be done with what it already has. I don't see why they can't either spice it up a bit for Scarefest 15 this year. Why not either, close it down for the summer, either get it ready for something like Duel: Live again, or, like I said above, Bring Back you know what. I still say that reverting it back The Haunted House is the best option to do with the ride, instead of a complete retheme. It'd be a great way to celebrate both The Attraction and Scarefest together.
Sod the Zombies, bring back Nessie and the Giant fingers!!
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Cheers mate
I'm gonna need IT XD
Good luck from me too, let us know how you get on.
This has probably been posted on the forum before but I can’t find it so tonight I’d share!
Seeing The Haunted House in its heyday really does show you how far it’s fallen when comparing it to today’s mess.
The lighting and effects are fantastic, but to me the most impactful ride element is the music. It’s so theatrical and really tells the story. The use of silence really makes you feel like you’re the only ones on the ride, and the jump scares are so much more impactful for it. It also builds up huge amounts of tension at various points, and I imagine some scenes were really quite scary in the ride’s heyday! I rode the ride in this form quite a few times but unfortunately was too young to really remember it.
Trooper Looper
TS Member
It's an absolute Tragedy that the Haunted House didnt last long with its original effects (as the POV shows them)
Though I don't know if it's my eyes playing tricks with me, but last year, as my Profile Picture suggests, that the Grand Hall had a relight, and it looks awfully similar its original 1992 lighting. I'm not sure this means anything for the rides future, or it was just done by the ride ops for nostalgia :/
The Garden was definitely quite a scene back then with its sinister soundtrack, and the lighting is hugely superior to its current lighting, especially around the column monster. Kinda wish they give the Mechanics on the Animatromics some TLC to make them quick and jumpy like on your POV. But this is Merlin we're talking about...
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It's really hard to make out the dark scenes and I really had to look carefully. However, as you say, the music and silence really adds to the sense of atmosphere, tension and theatricality of the ride. As does the lighting and props.
Must find a pair of headphones to listen to the sounds again.
Thanks for posting!
Trooper Looper
TS Member
Just found a very interesting Documentary about the park back in 2002 when Air Opened, quite in depth if you ask me about how the park worked back then. But around the 16:48 mark, I found some footage of the Haunted House in its last year of operation. Could this footage have been the very last footage of Alton Classic before its controversial conversion to Duel?
Anyway, heres the Video if you want to check it out yourself. Definitely worth a watch
Anyway, heres the Video if you want to check it out yourself. Definitely worth a watch
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