Going Against The Grain

[Slugjc]

The best theming at the park is AIR.

Interesting - bar fake rocks, there is no theming. That station is not themed nor is queue or ride area!

Agreed with Duel, I adore it <3

Exactly its nice and simple. Clean (or it was before nature got hold)

 

[Sazzle]

I would agree and say Air is very well landscaped, but I can't say its themed at all! There's nothing apart from the rock work :-/ the station is a tin shed!

My guilty pleasure is Rita... I love the launch I haven't ridden this side of 2013 though, purely because I can't be bothered with the queues!

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[delta79]

I do love a quick spin on RMT. Its a cracking ride.

my thoughts on air theming. I like the minimal theme and grass covering ride area. it seem to fit with the ride concept of flying over the countryside.

I just wish they would put blue vinyl sheets in the tunnel standing off the walls by a 10cm and back light them.

 

[Ben]

You know what annoys me about Air?

I can cope with the basic 'tin shed station'. I can almost put up with the 'nuclear bunker' tunnel before the lift hill.

I despise it goes so close to the car parks. Alton have always done really well at not breaking the 4th wall until Air - it makes no attempt to hide it. Just some trees, bushes or even a wooden wall would be better.

--

But realising this isnt the correct topic, I do love Air for itself going against the grain! Its not a ride about speed, loops, excessive thrills - its a rollercoaster built upon practically chilling out. Yey!

 

[Shockadelica]

I despise it goes so close to the car parks. Alton have always done really well at not breaking the 4th wall until Air - it makes no attempt to hide it. Just some trees, bushes or even a wooden wall would be better.

This has been my thought too. All the other rides that give you a view of the outside of the park at least have the decency to look out into the rather lovely countryside around the place, but that last turn of Air gives that little reminder that you'll be going home some time soon.
I do hope that the car park right by Air gets something in it that becomes part of the park and blocks off that view. How about a nice, thrilling indoor coaster where the building fills the area and 'seals' in the magic?

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

They should have built a lake under Air's final turn and then stretched the queue around it.

But like many concepts at Alton Towers, it never materialized.

 

[Rowe]

I'm genuinely not bothered if I miss out on any of the roller coasters whilst on park, there's never been a big 'rush' for me to get to one. Th13teen and Oblivion get my interest most but even then I don't feel frustrated if I've missed it.

I also really enjoy Sub-Terra, for what it's worth, and find it to be unintentionally hilarious. "TOUCH NUFFIN'!" and the Nemesis crab impressions are always highlights!

 

[Amy]

I despise it goes so close to the car parks. Alton have always done really well at not breaking the 4th wall until Air - it makes no attempt to hide it. Just some trees, bushes or even a wooden wall would be better.

This has been my thought too. All the other rides that give you a view of the outside of the park at least have the decency to look out into the rather lovely countryside around the place, but that last turn of Air gives that little reminder that you'll be going home some time soon.
I do hope that the car park right by Air gets something in it that becomes part of the park and blocks off that view. How about a nice, thrilling indoor coaster where the building fills the area and 'seals' in the magic?

In the spirit of the thread, I'm completely the opposite of this. I love that last turn of Air when you see the car park, especially on the front row, right hand seat. I think it's because it intensifies that feeling of flying for me, because it feels like I'm flying out of the park!

 

[Olii]

In contrast to the general feeling of negativity towards it among enthusiasts, I actually really like Spinball. Even though it isn't really unique and it racks up massive queues, all of the queue line games are broken and the theming is enough to give me a headache, I generally find riding it a very enjoyable experience.

 

[manxman]

I'm going to agree with the positive thoughts of Rita, I love it! It's just the fast launch and turns that really get me, but I can't understand why?

In terms of the flats, I quite enjoy Enterprise, maybe because of the freeness from the lack of restraints. I agree with the negative attitudes to ripsaw, the last time I rode it the program was awful hardly any flips compared to the first time I rode in 2008, not to mention the classic fountain in face at the end that didn't even reach the ride in 2011. Heading to the park next wednesday though, hopefully I could be lucky? (although I highly doubt it due to the summer holidays)

 

[Duckaphobia]

I agree about enterprise, I love it, the feeling as you start to move towards the sky with no restraints is just something else.
Also, I love duel, it's one of the funnest rides to go on as a group.

 

[Alexsutton]

I prefered Sub Terra before they added the 'scare maze' ending. It gives me absolutely no thrill or pleasure and just slows everything down as you get someone in front of you moving slowly, and the person behind you pushing you forwards. I'm ignoring the rest of the ride as that was generally much improved when they added the new ending in terms of the sequencing of the ride effects, etc. and there are parts of the ride I really like now, like how the exit lift is plunged into darkness on the way up. The only good thing the new ending has brought is that I love the effect when the lift doors open and the torch light shines into the lift, but that effect could remain without the rubbish maze ending just with some think black flaps on the way out to keep the exit in darkness.

 

[Alastair]

I prefered Sub Terra before they added the 'scare maze' ending.

I think you'll be on your own with that one! The ending is completely unexpected and added an extra dimension to the ride IMO.

 

[Scott]

Well... You don't prefer it before they changed it if you think every other part of the attraction is better now that it has been tweaked and changed. The scare maze isn't the only change that was made and as you know, the effects were changed, the story was tweaked, the lifts were altered and the egg chamber was made much more effective too. It's not all about the scare maze and I don't *really* think you prefer the old ride...

If you do though, fair enough! Each to their own xD


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[Alexsutton]

Can't argue there, made my point pretty badly in my original post! That being said though, if there was a hypothetical choice between the ride exactly as it is today, and the same ride but without the 'scare maze' section after the lifts, I'd choose the latter every time.

 

[Scott]

Oh yeah, that makes more sense now

I like the 'maze' bit at the end - particularly if there's a few actors working all the areas of it well! But I can see why people may rather the ride simply ends at the lifts too.


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[Ted]

I apologise for breaking up the Sub Terra discussion as what I'm going to post is unrelated to it (Sorry!)

Anyway, I must admit that I don't think Nemesis is the best coaster on park. Sure it's a great ride but out of the 3 B&Ms, it's now probably my least favourite. Having rode it and Air on Saturday, I'll admit I seemed to enjoyed Air more. I think it's on par with Smiler in my view.

As others have mentioned, I like stuff such as Sonic Spinball and Th13teen and think they're great family coasters. I also like Rita and don't think the actual ride is bad.

And I must also admit, I like Duel WITH the guns. I don't know what it is but everytime I've been on it I've always used them. Although I would have love to have ridden the original Haunted House.

 

[Alastair]

I apologise for breaking up the Sub Terra discussion as what I'm going to post is unrelated to it (Sorry!)

Anyway, I must admit that I don't think Nemesis is the best coaster on park. Sure it's a great ride but out of the 3 B&Ms, it's now probably my least favourite. Having rode it and Air on Saturday, I'll admit I seemed to enjoyed Air more. I think it's on par with Smiler in my view.

As others have mentioned, I like stuff such as Sonic Spinball and Th13teen and think they're great family coasters. I also like Rita and don't think the actual ride is bad.

And I must also admit, I like Duel WITH the guns. I don't know what it is but everytime I've been on it I've always used them. Although I would have love to have ridden the original Haunted House.

Air is probably the worst of any of the B&M fliers. Sure, it may have been designed to be unintense and to "feel like flight" but it honestly does absolutely nothing for me. Of all of the coasters in the park, it's the only one that I wouldn't feel anything if it were to be removed. It's all the more depressing when you eventually ride coasters like Manta and you see what really can be achieved by the flier concept - actual thrill.

 

[Benzin]

If actual thrill means having the ride feel like it was ripping your legs off your body then I never want to ride Manta if it's like Tatsu...

Air is the best Flyer I've been on...

 

[Alastair]

If actual thrill means having the ride feel like it was ripping your legs off your body then I never want to ride Manta if it's like Tatsu...

Air is the best Flyer I've been on...

Hope to ride Tatsu next year, but if it's anything like Manta (especially in regards to its pretzel loop) then I imagine there'll be a good amount of reriding. Air is uninspired and boring where the American fliers are intense and thrilling.