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Gardaland
- Thread starter Olly
- Start date
venny
TS Member
Having experienced Jumanji last week, I have to say I was disappointed. For what is clearly supposed to be a headline attraction with a large budget, it was really not great.
As has been pointed out, the lighting is really amateurish, lighting up blank spaces and walls in the same way the poor alterations to Duel have. The outside is impressive, although it clearly uses the existing theming a lot; the fountains etc make it feel a little cartoonish. The back half of the indoor queue is hardly themed at all, to an almost embarrassing degree - one wall for example is just painted beige with a small hyroglyphic in one corner.
The station is probably the best section of the ride, representing a market with some smell pods that remind me of those used Piraten at Europa. The rest of the ride is a mix of screens, set pieces and some very obvious blank walls. As I mention the lighting is poor and means the flow of the ride is broken up as it draws attention to those strangely barren areas. There is very little in the way of impressive effects, although the ride vehicle’s motion is probably the standout here. It is surprisingly subtle, which means it supports the journey rather than being too obvious to the point of becoming the ride itself - it complements the scenery rather than distracting from it. Whilst I don’t like screens, I will also say the animation on them is actually a very good quality.
Otherwise, I can’t really tell you too much more. The ride a a a whole didn’t leave me with much of an impression at all. The most memorable thing is the exterior, which as I mentioned uses much of the old scenery to impress with its scale.
If this truly was a €20m ride, I’m quite shocked as to where all the money has gone.
As has been pointed out, the lighting is really amateurish, lighting up blank spaces and walls in the same way the poor alterations to Duel have. The outside is impressive, although it clearly uses the existing theming a lot; the fountains etc make it feel a little cartoonish. The back half of the indoor queue is hardly themed at all, to an almost embarrassing degree - one wall for example is just painted beige with a small hyroglyphic in one corner.
The station is probably the best section of the ride, representing a market with some smell pods that remind me of those used Piraten at Europa. The rest of the ride is a mix of screens, set pieces and some very obvious blank walls. As I mention the lighting is poor and means the flow of the ride is broken up as it draws attention to those strangely barren areas. There is very little in the way of impressive effects, although the ride vehicle’s motion is probably the standout here. It is surprisingly subtle, which means it supports the journey rather than being too obvious to the point of becoming the ride itself - it complements the scenery rather than distracting from it. Whilst I don’t like screens, I will also say the animation on them is actually a very good quality.
Otherwise, I can’t really tell you too much more. The ride a a a whole didn’t leave me with much of an impression at all. The most memorable thing is the exterior, which as I mentioned uses much of the old scenery to impress with its scale.
If this truly was a €20m ride, I’m quite shocked as to where all the money has gone.
TroySmith1
TS Member
I watched some of the POVs and I was quite impressed with the size of the set pieces & animatronics used. The front facade is incredible to say the least and the water really adds too the beauty! Merlin certainly are getting there with dark rides now.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Plastic Person
TS Member
My first visit to Gardaland rolls around next week. I'm visiting with someone who is rather a theme park casual, so it will be more of a 4PM-11PM jaunt. I will probably still purchase that beer lanyard. I've already clocked that the Rapids, Log Flume, Mad House, Drop Tower, Flying Island and a few other things all close at 7PM, so while a bit annoying, that plots out our route, at least. Queue times in the evenings seem reasonable. Any other tips?
venny
TS Member
The production show is pretty decent - worth your time.
The poke bowl place themed to Hawaii not too far from the above mentioned theatre does great, freshly made food.
The park railway is pretty enjoyable, especially if you’re with a non-theme parker.
You get a free days entry if you have a MAP.
The Kung Fu Panda spinning coaster is not worth waiting more than 3 minutes for.
The poke bowl place themed to Hawaii not too far from the above mentioned theatre does great, freshly made food.
The park railway is pretty enjoyable, especially if you’re with a non-theme parker.
You get a free days entry if you have a MAP.
The Kung Fu Panda spinning coaster is not worth waiting more than 3 minutes for.
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
In regards to Gardaland’s music, do we know who makes their music for them?
The reason I ask, is because their songs sound incredibly similar to the ones which PortAventura put out every year, almost identical in some cases, which makes me think that Garda and PA use the same music supplier.
The reason I ask, is because their songs sound incredibly similar to the ones which PortAventura put out every year, almost identical in some cases, which makes me think that Garda and PA use the same music supplier.
Gurkensalat
TS Member
I recently visited Gardaland and can recommend I Corsari, Jungle Rapids, Fuge da Atlantide, Mammut and with some reservations Jumanji (did not do the big coasters). The Show Gardaland Awards is well made and entertaining if you like movie songs.
Gurkensalat
TS Member
Well, yes, the front is impressive, but they mostly reused it from before and put a bit of Jumanji theming on it. If you look closely you see that the former Egyptian theme is still there. Also the queue line is still themed Egyptian like before and changes to Jumanji only with the preshow just before the ride. Obviously the money had to be stretched.
Rick
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Crux
djtruefitt
TS Team
So it seems Merlin did not learn their lessons from the likes of Saw Alive, I’m a celebrity and Krake Alive.
They have announced opening next year:
They have announced opening next year:
Plastic Person
TS Member
Having ridden it earlier this year, I'd prefer to see them perfect or even complete their existing Jumanji attraction before investing in another...
QTXAdsy
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
You know what this reminds me of, the Japanese military in the Godzilla films in which no matter how many times they go up against him in all the films and always get defeated badly by him, they still keep trying to fight him over and over again without any success and like Merlin learn utterly nothing!
Yes, Merlin got their ideas of the Godzilla films I'm sure now that I think about it.
Yes, Merlin got their ideas of the Godzilla films I'm sure now that I think about it.
jon81uk
TS Member
But its Jumanji Labyrinth and Black Mirror Labyrinth is operating fine at Thorpe Park. I’ve not been there in years but it’s not a scare maze and doesn’t rely on a lot of staff or actors as far as I know? I think they have actually learnt from those alive attractions and gone for mirror mazes that use video screens instead?
QTXAdsy
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
Regarding Labyrinth attractions under Merlin, I don't mind them as just filler attractions but what I don't like is that all are connected to an IP and I would rather have more original themed stories which ironically might be far cheaper to do without having to pay for licensing an IP out for a park.
A Black Mirror style attraction for the X-Cite building in X-Sector that has an original story to fit in with the area without having to worry about paying for an IP or use actors unless for an event like Scarefest would actually worked as a cheap yet nice novel filler attraction for the park.
However using live actors for these attractions for the whole season round is just doomed to fail and yet as mentioned already with Merlin having done this so many times yet seem to not learn anything from it defies disbelief. Surely someone up at the top most of noticed this problem?
A Black Mirror style attraction for the X-Cite building in X-Sector that has an original story to fit in with the area without having to worry about paying for an IP or use actors unless for an event like Scarefest would actually worked as a cheap yet nice novel filler attraction for the park.
However using live actors for these attractions for the whole season round is just doomed to fail and yet as mentioned already with Merlin having done this so many times yet seem to not learn anything from it defies disbelief. Surely someone up at the top most of noticed this problem?