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London Dungeons
- Thread starter Jonathan
- Start date
Natalie
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Phantom Manor
They are now working with MAC cosmetics! Lucky people! I can tell this because that is the promo shots for the collection for Archies Girls based on the comic plus the destinctive black paper bags that I seem to always come back with. Will I be a called a fan girl for this too? 
Natalie
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Phantom Manor
I'm really happy they have partnered up with a decent cosmetics brand with the new Dungeons. I love MAC along with many other brands of makeup. MAC face and body is a amazing foundation that I hope to get my hands on a few bottles when I next go to London along with the paint sticks they used but in the video they had been partially detubed and put in a empty eyeshadow pallete, which is actually a really good idea! Atleast the actors have now have decent training in how to apply their makeup.
Rose Of Dawn
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Eejanaika (Fuji-Q Highland)
Me and Tom went today, and I've gotta say the place has improved loads since opening weekend. Little extra touches here and there (actors appearing earlier in scenes like the Great Plague, extra smoke machines among others) were greatly appreciated. Things which weren't working at opening, such as the double trommel rat tunnel, are amazing.
I also enjoyed Drop Dead
I also enjoyed Drop Dead
I am so lucky to live close to The Dungeons, it really is a high quality experience. The tow rides are absolutely fantastic (when working) and the shows and theming are close to unbeilivable. I kept thinking, "Did this really only cost £20 million?" The quality of theming must be on par with Universal!
nickhutson
TS Member
HaydenCR said:
The theming only cost £2M; the rest of the budget goes toward things we don't see like sound installation, architect's fees, rehearsal time, script writers, air conditioning, security - etc.
nickhutson
TS Member
Then again the figure in The Mortuary did cost £100,000 to create - as it was done by the Tussuads studios... and it looks amazing.
I also love how every thing flows so nicely. In the Old Dungeons there were some serious pacing issues, and long periods where you were standing. My back was always aching by the end and the last half was always better. I dont have these issues with the new dungeons. My back aches no longer! I never felt like I was in one place fo too long!
In my opinion:
The boat and drop rides are much better then before.
Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and The Plague are all much better.
No boring and badly acted cringey educational videos.
More walkthrough areas.
Scarier and funnier!
Waiting to go in is actually fun now, thanks to the interactive queue.
The toilets are amazing!
In my opinion:
The boat and drop rides are much better then before.
Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and The Plague are all much better.
No boring and badly acted cringey educational videos.
More walkthrough areas.
Scarier and funnier!
Waiting to go in is actually fun now, thanks to the interactive queue.
The toilets are amazing!
nickhutson
TS Member
Of course, this offer doesn't apply to Merlin Annual Pass Holders. Not even 50% off, or anything.
Oh my gosh, I just feel like I have to talk about this somewhere. I really, REALLY don't like the new one. Visited last week, and have not been able to shake my disappointment for days now. I felt it was really clinical and soulless, and I'm not entirely sure who they are marketing it at.
Maybe I went on a bad day?
What is going on with the trailers and posters outside indicating that they have new very slick looking characters who are NOT in there? (Guy Fawkes and Henry VIII being main offenders, don't even get me started on the Brian Blessed projection)
Really awful, tired looking performances- and it's only June!
No concern for the disruptive behavior of the numerous foreign tourists who simply have no idea what is going on - I would have been absolutely gutted had I paid full price.
The scripts... dear god, the scripts. I know Tooley street had its failings, but the dialogue in many of these new 'shows' made me bored to tears. Drop dead is about right. I know people have said they are aiming for a more Monty Python/ Horrible Histories vibe... but at least those two are well researched and actually amusing.
I'm sorry, but standing in front of a fort facade listening to a guy press a fart button for 20 minutes is really not my idea quality entertainment.
A lot of people have been mentioning the theming, but I found the atmosphere pretty much nonexistent and devoid of anything memorable. Especially regarding Henry's Wrath, which seems to just name drop Anne Boleyn for no conceivable reason. (She didn't ever journey to the Tower through Traitor's Gate, it's more likely she went through Tower gate. But okay, that might be nitpicky) And in one corridor there was a glass panel giving visible access to a back corridor, two young kids peering through this window were simply told 'oy! stop being nosey' Why wasn't it just covered up?
Too many dark bare walls, and huge rooms that have lost the intimacy of the old venue. Literally felt like we were a herd of cattle being led drearily from one disappointment to the next. I don't know how you can begin to consider Drop Dead an improvement on Extremis- with that dire single mannequin in a bad wig and the cropped dialogue from the original ride. Extremis was literally one of my favourite (and my accessible in terms of location. I'm a Londoner) rides. I loved everything about it, especially the slow burn as you were drum marched menacingly up to meet judge, jury and executioner. (im a history nerd, details like that please me). I had that dialogue memorized, I thought it was such an appropriate and well considered little ride. Drop Dead has no suspense, I do NOT understand the bounce, and it provides no scope for the ride ops to interact anymore because it is so damn noisy.
I have no idea if im in the minority here, but well themed, atmospheric rides are literally my favourite thing in the world and I cannot think of anything that would make me want to return for a second viewing of the County Hall attraction. The only really enjoyable segment is, as ever, the Ten Bells, but even that felt somewhat stretched out and missing a spark of life. All the others, even my Dungeon favourite scene the Judge felt like it had been stripped of something special.
I just feel its completely lost the essence of London's gritty past, and feels so commercial and generic now. I am absolutely gutted because I adored every aspect of the old Dungeon, and I simply cannot understand what people are seeing in the new one.
Really awful, tired looking performances- and it's only June!
No concern for the disruptive behavior of the numerous foreign tourists who simply have no idea what is going on - I would have been absolutely gutted had I paid full price.
The scripts... dear god, the scripts. I know Tooley street had its failings, but the dialogue in many of these new 'shows' made me bored to tears. Drop dead is about right. I know people have said they are aiming for a more Monty Python/ Horrible Histories vibe... but at least those two are well researched and actually amusing.
I'm sorry, but standing in front of a fort facade listening to a guy press a fart button for 20 minutes is really not my idea quality entertainment.
A lot of people have been mentioning the theming, but I found the atmosphere pretty much nonexistent and devoid of anything memorable. Especially regarding Henry's Wrath, which seems to just name drop Anne Boleyn for no conceivable reason. (She didn't ever journey to the Tower through Traitor's Gate, it's more likely she went through Tower gate. But okay, that might be nitpicky) And in one corridor there was a glass panel giving visible access to a back corridor, two young kids peering through this window were simply told 'oy! stop being nosey' Why wasn't it just covered up?
Too many dark bare walls, and huge rooms that have lost the intimacy of the old venue. Literally felt like we were a herd of cattle being led drearily from one disappointment to the next. I don't know how you can begin to consider Drop Dead an improvement on Extremis- with that dire single mannequin in a bad wig and the cropped dialogue from the original ride. Extremis was literally one of my favourite (and my accessible in terms of location. I'm a Londoner) rides. I loved everything about it, especially the slow burn as you were drum marched menacingly up to meet judge, jury and executioner. (im a history nerd, details like that please me). I had that dialogue memorized, I thought it was such an appropriate and well considered little ride. Drop Dead has no suspense, I do NOT understand the bounce, and it provides no scope for the ride ops to interact anymore because it is so damn noisy.
I have no idea if im in the minority here, but well themed, atmospheric rides are literally my favourite thing in the world and I cannot think of anything that would make me want to return for a second viewing of the County Hall attraction. The only really enjoyable segment is, as ever, the Ten Bells, but even that felt somewhat stretched out and missing a spark of life. All the others, even my Dungeon favourite scene the Judge felt like it had been stripped of something special.
I just feel its completely lost the essence of London's gritty past, and feels so commercial and generic now. I am absolutely gutted because I adored every aspect of the old Dungeon, and I simply cannot understand what people are seeing in the new one.
Ahh I quite enjoyed my visit, with the flow feeling much better and just a nicer environment (I hated the hot stuffy and tediously long ripper scenes in Tooley Street).
It does have it's downsides though, I agree with the Dung Farmer thing (I was the first group off the boat, she repeated what she was no less than 6 times with little else). You could also see behind the scenes at various points. However, I thoroughly enjoy Drop Dead.. it's just.. fun.
It does have it's downsides though, I agree with the Dung Farmer thing (I was the first group off the boat, she repeated what she was no less than 6 times with little else). You could also see behind the scenes at various points. However, I thoroughly enjoy Drop Dead.. it's just.. fun.
Harv
TS Member
Sounds very Merlin. I enjoyed reading your review, I was considering a visit next time I'm in London but perhaps I'll give it a miss...
With respect, could your disappointment be partially because you loved the old dungeons so much? That's not an accusation or anything, just wondering.
With respect, could your disappointment be partially because you loved the old dungeons so much? That's not an accusation or anything, just wondering.
Benzin
TS Member
I don't think people shouldn't go to somewhere because of a bad review (or several, as was the case during the New Dungeons preview day)...
Only way to build your own opinion is to go there... Fortunately when I went I missed the Dung Farmer completely, and whilst it wasn't perfect, I personally felt it built upon the previous scenes well and removed a few crap bits from them...
Also depends on the group you're with a lot though... Which is a potential issue that cannot sometimes be avoided...
Only way to build your own opinion is to go there... Fortunately when I went I missed the Dung Farmer completely, and whilst it wasn't perfect, I personally felt it built upon the previous scenes well and removed a few crap bits from them...
Also depends on the group you're with a lot though... Which is a potential issue that cannot sometimes be avoided...
I would definitely not discourage anyone from going it a go, this is of course all a matter of personal taste, different strokes. And like I said, I do feel like I'm in the minority here with this one.
And yes I did have a lot of silly sentimental attachment to the first one, I did think it was good, (Lol, you can take from that what you will, easily pleased,) been visiting since I was 8 years old. But I was also really excited at the prospect of Bigger, Bolder, Better. They definitely have the bigger, maybe in a few more years I'll be able tick off the other two.
Okay, Grandma's going back to her crosswords now. Rant over.
And yes I did have a lot of silly sentimental attachment to the first one, I did think it was good, (Lol, you can take from that what you will, easily pleased,) been visiting since I was 8 years old. But I was also really excited at the prospect of Bigger, Bolder, Better. They definitely have the bigger, maybe in a few more years I'll be able tick off the other two.
Okay, Grandma's going back to her crosswords now. Rant over.