Oblivion: General Discussion

[AltonLover123]

Am I right in saying a single rider is someone who's happy to be sit on their own regardless if your in a group or not, only on Saturday in the Oblivion queue the staff member at the merge point would't allow a group of three through as they were together, so the Wife and I pretended we didn't know each other and we're sent through, and as it turned out they let four of us in the single rider queue all on together .

Problem is a lot of groups do abuse the single rider and then claim they “didn’t know” and harass the staff to let them on so perhaps this particular person was sick of the abuse and not letting obviously people together through?

 

[djransome]

Was at the park today for first time this season and I don't know if its just me but the mist in the tunnel seemed really thick! You really get a good amount on you as you go through and as you come out the other side. Looks great from the viewing point too. I am not complaining as it used to be rubbish.

 

[rob666]

Just very high humidity, it means that the mist lingers longer, nowhere for it to vanish to quickly.

 

[VerticalLoop123]

Was at the park today for first time this season and I don't know if its just me but the mist in the tunnel seemed really thick! You really get a good amount on you as you go through and as you come out the other side. Looks great from the viewing point too. I am not complaining as it used to be rubbish.

I can confirm this morning it’s very misty! Guessing when they did the work the other day they filled up the smoke and misters.

 

[Martin]

Am I right in saying a single rider is someone who's happy to be sit on their own regardless if your in a group or not, only on Saturday in the Oblivion queue the staff member at the merge point would't allow a group of three through as they were together, so the Wife and I pretended we didn't know each other and we're sent through, and as it turned out they let four of us in the single rider queue all on together .

Arguably it can be easier to just let a three through from single rider than let one through and then find a two, if the main queue is full of groups who want to stay together.

As an example I know Energylandia uses a system that lets through a set number from single rider and then 'tops up' if an odd number goes through the main queue, so if you go into single rider as a group it's down to luck whether you get on together or not

 

[Secret Weapon]

Arguably it can be easier to just let a three through from single rider than let one through and then find a two, if the main queue is full of groups who want to stay together.

How do the attendants know if a group of single riders are together? Do they ask, or do they guess / assume depending upon whether they see them talking to each other?

 

[George W]

How do the attendants know if a group of single riders are together? Do they ask, or do they guess / assume depending upon whether they see them talking to each other?

They're not meant to know or ask, single rider is there to fill empty seats, even if there's 2+ seats free and there's no viable option nearby in the main queue then those in single rider queue may get to sit with their friend, it's lucky when it happens but it's still beneficial to the main queue because otherwise thats 2 empty seats.

The problem is when feral families join the single rider queue knowing that they're meant to be split up and then start pressuring other groups to swap places 'so they can sit with their kid' or even start arguments with the ride host demanding not to be split up and it starts holding up the queue and stresses out the already pressured staff.

 

[Secret Weapon]

I've seen something like that happen twice - once, when two people with Fast track tickets for The Smiler genuinely joined the single-rider queue by mistake (although the main queue was virtually empty anyway) and then complained to the attendant afterwards (I'm not sure if he allowed them to ride together, as I went before them), and once when two people deliberately joined the Hyperia single-rider queue and then asked me just before the station if they could jump the barrier and join the main queue instead* (I agreed, although it wasn't fair on the people behind me)

(*This wouldn't be possible on Saw or The Smiler due to the tall metal fences that separate the two queues)

 

[Steve74]

(*This wouldn't be possible on Saw or The Smiler due to the tall metal fences that separate the two queues)

You'd think that, but I've seen someone climb over the fence separating the 2 queues on the stairs - the gap between the fence and ceiling must only be about 18" max! He climbed over from single rider to the main queue when his family effectively caught up (whether they were RAP, fastrack or normal queue I don't know as of course on the stairs, everybody in the main queue line is equal).

 

[Dan12345]

I’m watching the latest Euro theme park archive YouTube video, a park tour from 1997 when Oblivion was being built. The sound makes it hard to tell but I think it was filmed around October time

The commentator seemed to know a lot about the ride: how the track will go down into a tunnel, how far down, almost short of knowing it was a vertical drop. This surprised me, I thought that it was all very mysterious pretty much until March 1998, although I guess a lot can be guessed from a lift hill and a big hole!

Does anyone remember, how much was known and when?

 

[Secret Weapon]

Does anyone remember, how much was known and when?

I'd be curious to know this as well (ditto for Nemesis).

I remember seeing a board next to Splash Canyon at Drayton Manor in 1993 (that I wish I'd photographed*) which stated that a new stand-up coaster was on the way the following year, and I remember seeing Air being built in 2001 (it may have even been common knowledge by then that it was a flying coaster; I can't remember) - but I think the first I'd heard of Oblivion and Nemesis was when they were advertised on TV? It was during the pre-internet era for many people, and so it was hard to gather information back then!

(*I didn't have a camera at the time, anyway)

 

[Rob F]

I'd be curious to know this as well (ditto for Nemesis).

I remember seeing a board next to Splash Canyon at Drayton Manor in 1993 (that I wish I'd photographed*) which stated that a new stand-up coaster was on the way the following year, and I remember seeing Air being built in 2001 (it may have even been common knowledge by then that it was a flying coaster; I can't remember) - but I think the first I'd heard of Oblivion and Nemesis was when they were advertised on TV? It was during the pre-internet era for many people, and so it was hard to gather information back then!

(*I didn't have a camera at the time, anyway)

Air had a model on towers street telling and showing everyone what was coming

 

[Dave]

I’m watching the latest Euro theme park archive YouTube video, a park tour from 1997 when Oblivion was being built. The sound makes it hard to tell but I think it was filmed around October time

The commentator seemed to know a lot about the ride: how the track will go down into a tunnel, how far down, almost short of knowing it was a vertical drop. This surprised me, I thought that it was all very mysterious pretty much until March 1998, although I guess a lot can be guessed from a lift hill and a big hole!

Does anyone remember, how much was known and when?

I think you have to factor in that Oblivion was the last SW built prior to the internet being a major thing.

Enthusiasts at the time probably had a good idea about what was happening based on the construction if they went later in the season, but for the majority of people who visited once a year wouldn’t have a clue.

I was around 13-14 at the time and we visited in July in 1997 so all I saw was a big hole. It was a surprise to me when it was all announced as we didn’t really get a solid internet connection until a few years later.

Air was the 1st SW scrutinised by the internet, with Wayne’s SW5 site that morphed into Towers Times, as well as Rideas etc

 

[Plastic Person]

The park was comparatively upfront about the nature of AIR from at least mid-season of 2001, when the model appeared on Towers Street, and I recall even the construction fences recieved depictions of the ride vehicles and flying position. From an enthusiast's perspective, it was well known that a flying coaster was the first thing proposed or considered after Nemesis, but Oblivion pipped it as a B&M prototype.

Both Rita, the construction of which appeared completely out of the blue, and then Thirteen were both much more laden in secrecy, with the latter really dialing up the 'world's first' angle.

 

[rob666]

The big fence on the air construction site had benches on each side of a large viewing window.
I arranged, more than once, for those benches to be the meeting spot every two hours for food/drink/money for my beloved youngsters, who didn't want to hang around with a sad all thoosie all day.

Ride on Nemesis, back to the bench to watch the construction, repeat...all day.

That is how to earn a living!