Duel: The Haunted House Actually Strikes Back - Refurb Incoming

[Trooper Looper]

Doctor Who would be a great option for an IP based re-theme when the time comes. Utilise the weeping angels for static figures that can scare effectively. Sonic Screwdrivers instead of guns. Lots could be done

Can't see much of this about Queues, but okay.

But on a more legitimate note, this thread really just needs to be renamed to "Duel, General discussion". These consistent retheme, rebuild posts aren't getting us anywhere :/

It'd be nice to hear peoples favourite memories on Duel/The Haunted House in their time at the Park.

 

[BigShadowtinytree]

I’m having fun on Duel this season. I got my highest score of 59000 today. Not sure if that is considered ‘high’ in the grand scheme of things but last time I got 30000 so a definite improvement. As I’m able to visit a lot more this season, it’s been fun keeping track of my scores and seeing how high I can get.

 

[s_g_k]

Doctor Who would be a great option for an IP based re-theme when the time comes. Utilise the weeping angels for static figures that can scare effectively. Sonic Screwdrivers instead of guns. Lots could be done

This may well be an absolute genius idea. Weeping angels appearing to chase you using strobe lighting for the effect, the trommel could be the time vortex….I can see this really working!

It’s also a (pardon the pun) timeless IP that has longevity. It’s also an all-age crowd pleaser.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

The problem with a doctor who attraction is it have to be updated when she/he regenerate. I had the idea of tv’s which will feature the doctor in every section as you battle the doctors biggest villains.
It would be spilt into 3 sections:
1st section you take on the Cybermen
2nd section you take on the Weeping angels
3rd section you take on the Daleks in a ultimate battle.

 

[tayspru]

The problem with a doctor who attraction is it have to be updated when she/he regenerate. I had the idea of tv’s which will feature the doctor in every section as you battle the doctors biggest villains.
It would be spilt into 3 sections:
1st section you take on the Cybermen
2nd section you take on the Weeping angels
3rd section you take on the Daleks in a ultimate battle.

The doctor could easily be on a video link / voiceover to explain the basic premise of what happens, with the ride itself featuring the villains. Easy!

 

[djtruefitt]

Jumanji Duel Anyone? Now Merlin own the rights and have said they will be milking it for every penny (not their actual words) could we see the ride get rethemed completely? I’m guess what ever they do they will keep the front of the ride as it’s actually made from brick, and about the only building that is made from brick which Merlin actually own. But it could easily be rethemed or changed.

 

[Squiggs]

Jumanji... at Alton Towers you say? If only there was some other nearby ageing attraction in need of some love, that would practically be a shoo-in the get a Jumanji overlay.

 

[djtruefitt]

Jumanji... at Alton Towers you say? If only there was some other nearby ageing attraction in need of some love, that would practically be a shoo-in the get a Jumanji overlay.

I mean that could be any ride at towers in need of some love and attention

 

[pluk]

The easiest way around that would be that you become the doctor; all you'd need is a recent doctor going into regeneration and then some effect or narrative to make the rider be the outcome.of that regeneration. It could make sense with footage of a current or previous doctor.

I've fallen out of love a bit with Dr Who in the last few years, I still thunk it'd make great dark ride material though. Although I'd rather they used a Spiderman type ride elsewhere and did something else with the existing Duel ride system.

 

[jon81uk]

Yep keep Duel as a Haunted House theme I think, add a new dark ride using something like the Spider-Man system for Dr Who or similar.
Jumanji could be a new dark ride building on the car park behind sea-life or the pizza restaurant. Or just add it as a cheaper overlay on the rapids and it would kinda work, with a few scenes you ride past.

 

[tayspru]

Come to think of it, they now have animatronic moulds for Jumanji … Jumanji River Adventure coming soon?

 

[Trooper Looper]

If Disney has taught me one thing, is that IPs are mostly never the answer when giving an Original Attraction an overlay, just take a Look at Discovery Mountain/Space Mointain from the Earth to the Moon. Many people online still rave on how superior it is to its newer variants with its Jules Verne theme. While, yes, you could say it was an IP, it was so fitting into the park, especially when based in France as a representative of its History, that it practically didn't matter.

Mission 2 was meh, when compared to the original, but Hyperspace Mountain? Such a Tragedy to what happened to one of Disneys most important Roller Coasters, the ride that practically saved Euro Disney.

Duel does need something done to it, but an IP isn't what's needed to me.

 

[Poisson]

I think the annoyance with Duel is it wouldn't need much to be a quite good dark ride. A few more set pieces (that could probably get away with being reused moulds from elsewhere), some filters on the lights and they'd make it a fair bit better

 

[jon81uk]

but Hyperspace Mountain?

I haven’t been to Paris in ages but enjoyed Hyperspace Mountain in California. It did not feel forced Star Wars just a fun overlay into a loosely space themed rollercoaster. Just made it more space-themed I thought.

 

[Trooper Looper]

I haven’t been to Paris in ages but enjoyed Hyperspace Mountain in California. It did not feel forced Star Wars just a fun overlay into a loosely space themed rollercoaster. Just made it more space-themed I thought.

Hyperspace Mountain definitely fits well in the one in California, definitely.

But when you look at Paris, your first impression on the dome probably won't be something Star Wars related, but instead something more victorian looking.

 

[Matt.GC]

I think the annoyance with Duel is it wouldn't need much to be a quite good dark ride. A few more set pieces (that could probably get away with being reused moulds from elsewhere), some filters on the lights and they'd make it a fair bit better

Agreed. There's no need for a some silly short dated IP shoehorned in, just a bloody good refit. Is it too much to ask just to have a simple decent haunted house/ghost train ride?

 

[Tibble]

I think they should close it for 2 seasons. Put boarding outside that says

"House abandoned! NO ENTRY"
"PARANORMAL ACTIVITY INSIDE"
"RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES"

and have speakers playing ghostly moans and sound effects

meanwhile gut it completely, try to take inspiration from places like Haunted mansion and use screens / Peppers ghost etc to make it feel more immersive. Maybe even use another spin master from Garmendale. One of the main issues for me is that the tech is dated. You can see the arms and mechanics

 

[s_g_k]

I feel like Merlin would happily implement the first half of your plan, and then stand back and say “It kinda works having an abandoned dark ride building doesn’t it”.

And then they’ll stick a Frog Hopper in front of it.

 

[Trooper Looper]

Is it too much to ask just to have a simple decent haunted house/ghost train ride?

For Alton Towers? No

For Merlin higher ups, Yes

 

[djtruefitt]

One of the main issues for me is that the tech is dated. You can see the arms and mechanics

I think a lot of the issues with the arms and mechanics being on show is a mixture of bad lighting which has been changed over the years, some sections are still lit up really badly. And also a lot of the bits which were added during the duel change over, such as the zombies which fling out during various sections.