Duel: The Haunted House Actually Strikes Back - Refurb Incoming

[Skyscraper]

I got my daughter as far as the station before she decided it was all far too scary and being led out the exit in tears.

This was the first time I had seen the reworked entrance for myself and I was about as upset as she was. What a state.

How did they get you from the entrance station to the exit? Did you use the old RAP access door?

 

[pluk]

How did they get you from the entrance station to the exit? Did you use the old RAP access door?

As if to add insult to what I'd just seen, yes.

 

[Matt.GC]

I still don't buy all these rumours. A tidied pathway? Happens all the time. A MMM van parked at a Merlin attraction? Who'd have thought it. Bits of rot being pointed out inside Duel? Most Merlin attractions are like that day to day anyway.

Not saying something won't happen. I'll believe it when an Argos van turns up full of cheap telly's.

 

[Alsty]

A tidied pathway? Happens all the time.

Come off it, you don't see any preventative maintenance at Alton Towers

 

[AT86]

I think on balance it is looking more and more likely that Duel will be getting some work very soon.

- MMM creatives spotted around the ride with plans
- Presentation of the ride has fallen further than usual, suggesting that even basic maintenance on the effects has been stopped, Merlin have form in this area - remember that Hocus Pocus didn’t have 3D glasses for months before it closed with staff saying that management wouldn’t order replacements of broken ones, hey-presto next season it is revamped to Room on the Broom
- MMM van parked outside the attraction (see Dungeons and Gangsta Granny for two recent times when the exact same van popped up just outside the respective buildings )
- Respected fan sites such as TS posting about ‘signs change could be coming’ wink wink, nudge nudge.

Of course it could all be coincidence, but on probability, I’d say the balance was tipped way more in the ‘changes are afoot’ category than the ‘nothing happening’ one.

 

[Trooper Looper]

So when was the last time the extended queue was actually used? I'm taking that it's been years from how people are talking about it on the Thread.

 

[s_g_k]

I always assumed it was used every Scarefest, or is it the extended section of the extended queue line we’re talking about? As in the queue deep in the wooded section.

 

[Trooper Looper]

I always assumed it was used every Scarefest, or is it the extended section of the extended queue line we’re talking about? As in the queue deep in the wooded section.

Yes sorry, I meant the deep forest section, not he one that just goes into the woods a bit. The extended exterior woods queue...


Talk about its queue, I noticed this year some of the old queue fence poles where the graves are were replaced with new ones. So, maybe whatever is being done is keeping the rides Exterior and queue route.

 

[WickerWonder18]

So when was the last time the extended queue was actually used? I'm taking that it's been years from how people are talking about it on the Thread.

I'd say Duel Live to be fair mate but could be wrong.

 

[Dave]

In general TS doesn’t really hint at things unless it had a good idea there is basis for the rumour, having been on the team I know how much rumour gets passed to us and how much effort goes into filtering out the dross and only commenting on the substantive stuff.

Doesn’t mean they get it right all the time, certainly have in the past been told on very good authority that something is happening then it gets dropped but TS is not in the habit of trying to flog washing machines…..

So I would be fairly confident something is happening to the ride, the extent of any refurb is certainly up for debate.

 

[Trooper Looper]

I definitely don't expect anything big coming to the ride. If it was having an IP overlay, there'd already be sprayed markings around the Facade and crypt, for a new one that is. Like dave said earlier, a refurb is probably the most likely thing to happen.

 

[Jb85]

I definitely don't expect anything big coming to the ride. If it was having an IP overlay, there'd already be sprayed markings around the Facade and crypt, for a new one that is. Like dave said earlier, a refurb is probably the most likely thing to happen.

They’d probably be advertising the new ride / closed duel by now as well

 

[Trooper Looper]

They’d probably be advertising the new ride / closed duel by now as well

Exactly. If a big change was coming, I can't expect it to be done during the closed season. Like Bubbleworks, that had to close during September because so much work was needed to be done for the IP overlay (and I still regret to this day not being able to ride Bubbleworks)

Duels showbuilding is actually larger than Bubbleworks as well, so I expected some big work around late July, and marketing teaser of a new ride a couple months earlier. Its now June, and would you look at that, no teasers for a new attraction yet.

 

[Matt N]

For what it’s worth, I don’t think they actually revealed Bubbleworks’ closure until July 2016, from memory, so this could still be a retheme or something. And there were no prior signs or rumours of Bubbleworks closing before the park revealed it, from what I can remember.

We also don’t know the timeframe of any potential closure; would Duel’s replacement open in 2023, or could it be a 2024 addition instead? I think knowing that would have a significant bearing on what this is likely to be; 2023 would make it more likely to be a retheme or refurbishment, in my eyes, whereas 2024 would make it more likely to be a ground-up new ride of some sort.

 

[djtruefitt]

So when was the last time the extended queue was actually used? I'm taking that it's been years from how people are talking about it on the Thread.

The part they have cleared and tidied is a part of the queue I don’t think has been used for at least 8-10 years, maybe longer. On my visit a few weeks ago it was completely overgrown and not in a suitable condition. Now it’s spotless.

However I do find it odd that they would tidy the extension queue so early if the ride is going to be closed for a refurbishment. As of course by next March it will all need cleaning and tidying up again.

Like others have said. You usually only see that Merlin Magic Making van when new projects are happening, eg outside the dungeons, Walliams, CBeebies Land, Wicker Man, etc.

 

[rob666]

Still say the queueline attention is for scarefest.

 

[Dave]

Other potential is they are planning on taking out a lot of the ride vehicles for refurbishment mid-season so expect longer queues.

It’s well know they want to upgrade the control system and some rumours suggest getting rid of the guns so that might explain clearing the queue extension early if they are taking a phased approach to a refurb.

 

[WickerWonder18]

Personally I don't they see them taking the blasters out, rather an upgrade of them, as the public love them, and it's an interactive experience. The targets need sorting too.

Surely they wouldn't keep Duel and nemesis shut in the same year, both being throughput monsters.

 

[AstroDan]

Personally I don't they see them taking the blasters out, rather an upgrade of them, as the public love them, and it's an interactive experience. The targets need sorting too.

Surely they wouldn't keep Duel and nemesis shut in the same year, both being throughput monsters.

On the flip side, maybe that's why we've seen Retro rides return. To compensate for loss of Duel/Nemesis.

They need Hex & Enterprise back pronto.

Itll be a blow if we're without Duel and Nemesis, of course, but for three months we'll cope. Then next year, just Nemesis.

For their long term futures, though, I'll take it.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

 

[Skyscraper]

Still say the queueline attention is for scarefest.

Yeah could they be bringing back Duel Live maybe? That would probably be very popular so would need a longer queue path. Although it's more likely just because Duel does get busy during Scarefest with the crowds. And I really do hope they add a merge host on the porch this season!