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Fireworks 2023 🎆

Once again though, just a reminder, the holiday dates of the local education authority isn't indicative of when the schools in the area are actually off now. Most secondary schools in this country are now academies (and a large proportion of primary too) and they don't have to follow LEA holiday dates and quite often don't. Some do, obviously, but it's not as easy now to tell if somewhere is going to be busy at half term, because it can vary wildly even within the same authority.
 
Tom said:
Seems a little late for fireworks (and for Scarefest if going over the weekend before)?
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I had worked it out to be the weekend before 1/2/3 which is half term for most in the immediate area. Guess we will find out soon. Yet that is a very quick turn around with scarefest ending the day before...
 
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It wouldn't be the tightest turnaround they've had - think it was 2017 or 18 where there wasn't even a day between them?

Regardless - if Fireworks was a four day event, that'd be excellent. The business is what puts me off going, so if there was an extra day I'd definitely be more interested.
 
Just my 2 pence on the Fireworks, the actual display itself was very good (not as good as previous years mind you imo) but what really got me was, it came across as a Fireworks Display that could literally have been shown anywhere, and wasn't unique to Alton or really themed around Alton at all (Other than the small Ministry of Joy/Smiler bit followed by music and the Emily Alton piece), just think it could (and has been in the past) so much better and 'Alton-esque'
 
Steve74 said:
Saw the green flashing lights of this drone last night (it was about 30 mins before the display started). Bit naughty I guess, but a cool picture.


From: https://x.com/danbayliss/status/1721239085321232597?s=20
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That’s me. Nothing naughty though. The flight followed all the relevant drone laws
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With Disney looking to utilise drones and projection more (the DLP Bastille day show was amazing) it would be great if Merlin could start moving in a similar direction. They have enough attractions to justify investing in this technology - moving it around the attractions when required. I'm not saying remove the fireworks completely, just wind them back a bit and focus more on lights audio, drones etc. I also feel that the lake/ fountains could have a lot of potential.

I watched TPW's recording of the fireworks and felt they were excellent, the narrative behind it was a bit muddled in places - but that's not what people really came for! I have seen a bit of negativity behind this years show online - I do feel that is because last years was so good.
 
I thought it was a pretty strong fireworks show this year. Some slightly odd music choices but definitely more pyro than recent years and some very cool lighting. Combined with lots of mist/smoke, some fire and a couple of ground shaking boom effects.

Loved the Alton Manor section with Emily doing her best Mickey Mouse in Fantasmic impression.

Worst park was the underfoot conditions on the mound where we always watch the show from, it just got worse every night. The weather was not kind to Alton Towers this year, Saturday especially was a wash out.
 
ScottishChris said:
With Disney looking to utilise drones and projection more (the DLP Bastille day show was amazing) it would be great if Merlin could start moving in a similar direction. They have enough attractions to justify investing in this technology - moving it around the attractions when required. I'm not saying remove the fireworks completely, just wind them back a bit and focus more on lights audio, drones etc. I also feel that the lake/ fountains could have a lot of potential.

I watched TPW's recording of the fireworks and felt they were excellent, the narrative behind it was a bit muddled in places - but that's not what people really came for! I have seen a bit of negativity behind this years show online - I do feel that is because last years was so good.
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I think most people attend Alton Towers (not Merlin) fireworks to see the fireworks though. They already use a good combination of lights, audio and screens. Disney are using drones more because they are reusable and fireworks are not, because they put a show on pretty much every night of the year they need to keep costs down, Paris already invested heavily into fountains to cut down the amount of pyro. Whereas Alton Towers do it for three nights a year and their main contracter (Jubilee Fireworks) is a pyromusical firework show specialist. Yes drones can add to it, but they don't need to cut down on fireworks.

Merlin don't do any night time shows, I'm not even convinced they significantly share knowledge between the parks about ScareFest and Fright Nights, yes they had similar experiences with the audio things but also its clear the events are managed locally quite differently.
 
It would be good to see something like Fright Lights return for Scarefest. Perhaps that's a good place for drones to be utalised as a part of an evening show.

For fireworks I would rather see more effort in the theme/story and pyro over drones. I like what you can do with drones but I would rather see it as an extra rather than it impede on fireworks/other effects.
 
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