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Oblivion: General Discussion

smidgey said:
We did an Oblivion tunnel tour way back when James Paulding was at the park. It was a charity auction thing at an enthusiast event…

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Interestingly, those concrete steps are no longer in use, a metal catwalk is now mounted above them along with safety line and travellers making it very similar to a lift climb, and as such a harness and helmet are now required. There are only three travellers on the line so if guests were ever to go down (or up) one at a time would be the maximum with a ratio of two staff to one guest. (Not that more travellers can't be added)
Procedure before going down is to lock off at the panel, as well as accessing through the interlock gate that is just through the black perimeter gate to the left of the smiler shop, keeping both keys on your person, no risk of having to dodge shuttles.

Edit to add that the grime in the tunnel in places is now more of an ankle deep sludge
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So whilst having my morning coffee I was pondering Oblivion, and how I think this ride is peak Tussaud's (and peak ride design in the UK and Europe at the time). I don't think they ever managed to best this ride. Here's why:

  • Whilst technically very challenging at the time, the premise is simple, and it delivers on this premise very well.
  • The attraction is pure theatre. Queue line design is amazing, whereby you see the drop, then you don't, then you see it again, then you don't (due to the circular nature). This adds to the tension
  • The slow ascent, clackity clack, and slow turn around at the top. All adds to the suspense.
  • The hold at the top, the audio (when it was working) before the plunge.
  • The jungle/drum and bass track in the station. Remember at the time, this stuff was still relatively underground (no way near as big as it is now). Hats off the production team/marketing for being on the pulse, and creative edge in terms of audio design.
  • The whole mysterious marketing/build phase. Again pure theatre.

I do need to ride more of these B&M models, (the only other one I have done is Baron at Efteling), however the drop gets me every time on Oblivion. I would say its probably one of my favourite theme park rides, due to its simplicity, and theatrical delivery.
 
MattBTP said:
So whilst having my morning coffee I was pondering Oblivion, and how I think this ride is peak Tussaud's (and peak ride design in the UK and Europe at the time). I don't think they ever managed to best this ride. Here's why:

  • Whilst technically very challenging at the time, the premise is simple, and it delivers on this premise very well.
  • The attraction is pure theatre. Queue line design is amazing, whereby you see the drop, then you don't, then you see it again, then you don't (due to the circular nature). This adds to the tension
  • The slow ascent, clackity clack, and slow turn around at the top. All adds to the suspense.
  • The hold at the top, the audio (when it was working) before the plunge.
  • The jungle/drum and bass track in the station. Remember at the time, this stuff was still relatively underground (no way near as big as it is now). Hats off the production team/marketing for being on the pulse, and creative edge in terms of audio design.
  • The whole mysterious marketing/build phase. Again pure theatre.

I do need to ride more of these B&M models, (the only other one I have done is Baron at Efteling), however the drop gets me every time on Oblivion. I would say its probably one of my favourite theme park rides, due to its simplicity, and theatrical delivery.
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Nope...

An oversized one trick pony, far too short, built around a concrete shed...not even vertical, and the only ride , ever, on off peak days, where the queue to get off the ride can be longer than the queue to get on.

Nemesis was, and is, a far superior ride, in my humble opinion.
 
I happen to like Oblivion more than Nemesis (original and Reborn). I just love the airtime you get over the drop, as well as the immense sense of speed in the tunnel!

I fully agree that it’s a very theatrical ride; John Wardley was always very good at that, and the ride does have a certain sense of gravitas to it with the hang over the plaza and the low thud as the train hits the tunnel. Those are aspects of it that I hope never change!

Perhaps controversially, I do think the theme could now do with a Nemesis Reborn-style facelift, more so than the original Nemesis needed one. Aspects of it are cool, but I think it now looks very much like a product of its time rather than a timeless theme that’s stayed relevant into the 21st century. It looks very 90s now.
 
MattBTP said:
  • The jungle/drum and bass track in the station. Remember at the time, this stuff was still relatively underground (no way near as big as it is now). Hats off the production team/marketing for being on the pulse, and creative edge in terms of audio design.
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Hate to be a music stickler, as I otherwise totally agree with your assessment, but jungle/drum and bass had just peaked as a cultural and commercial force in the UK circa 1998. Pretty much every 'yoof' television show had a dodgy DnB soundtrack, many not dissimilar to Oblivion's royalty-free tune, and legacy artists like David Bowie were invested in it (with mixed results...)

I don't think Oblivion ever quite matched Nemesis for impact, but the memory of standing around the drop for the first time as a kid is vivid. Back then, there would be dozens of people just gawping up from the pit, and I recall being quietly relieved that I was just under the height limit to ride, at least for a year or so. When I did get on it at ten years old, it completely knocked my socks off. In fact, I didn't dare to join the queue for another five years or so.
 
Plastic Person said:
Hate to be a music stickler, as I otherwise totally agree with your assessment, but jungle/drum and bass had just peaked as a cultural and commercial force in the UK circa 1998. Pretty much every 'yoof' television show had a dodgy DnB soundtrack, many not dissimilar to Oblivion's royalty-free tune, and legacy artists like David Bowie were invested in it (with mixed results...)

I don't think Oblivion ever quite matched Nemesis for impact, but the memory of standing around the drop for the first time as a kid is vivid. Back then, there would be dozens of people just gawping up from the pit, and I recall being quietly relieved that I was just under the height limit to ride, at least for a year or so. When I did get on it at ten years old, it completely knocked my socks off. In fact, I didn't dare to join the queue for another five years or so.
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Ah yeah completely forgot Bowie put a dnb album out. I know he used to frequent Goldie's Blue Note club nights.
 
The thing about Oblivion is it still does its one trick incredibly well (better than the 3 other Dive Machines I’ve done as well, IMO). Not gonna say it’s better than Nemesis, partly as I don’t care to get into that debate, but considering it’s a concept developed in 1998 I still think it’s fantastic and holds up against the best of them.

Baron OTOH… It’s very pretty. That’s all I’ve got to say. 😉
 
Of the dive machines I have done (1 of the USA big beasts and 2 new generation 6 across) Oblivion has the best drop of all of them.

It’s a one trick pony but it is very good at its trick.

I think the drop hold is more to do with the trains than anything else as it’s variable how long it holds across the different shuttles.
 
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