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Scarefest 2014
- Thread starter ImUrNemeis
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TheMan
TS Member
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- NemiLerVion
I would say that it is definitely seeming as though the budget is similar, and it has taken a more family direction, which given the year they've had makes sense to cater more for that in a way.
But to think that the thrill enthusiast would not still come to Towers during Scarefest and expect the same offerings they are used to, to be, seems ludicrous. You have potentially DOUBLE the market. You still have thrillseekers attentions, grab them something hard hitting, and you have family attentions WITH TEENAGERS so go for them as well.
Double up, it's the chance to really build, missed, as usual, because as always it's one or the other, instead of creating a halloween spectacular on the back of their two most successful installations for ages.
Come on, surely I am not the only one that sees this? SURELY? This is glaringly obvious!
But to think that the thrill enthusiast would not still come to Towers during Scarefest and expect the same offerings they are used to, to be, seems ludicrous. You have potentially DOUBLE the market. You still have thrillseekers attentions, grab them something hard hitting, and you have family attentions WITH TEENAGERS so go for them as well.
Double up, it's the chance to really build, missed, as usual, because as always it's one or the other, instead of creating a halloween spectacular on the back of their two most successful installations for ages.
Come on, surely I am not the only one that sees this? SURELY? This is glaringly obvious!
Benzin
TS Member
The problem is the way that Merlin use the budgets for each park out of the same pot...
So when a park (let's say Thorpe) isn't being as successful as they hoped, the budget from another park for an event (let's say Towers), gets trimmed and re-allocated to try and get the failing park up to the wanted standard...
Such an incident could also been seen with Zufari strangely losing £5 million odd out of it's budget when Smiler was going over due to all the groundwork issues...
So when a park (let's say Thorpe) isn't being as successful as they hoped, the budget from another park for an event (let's say Towers), gets trimmed and re-allocated to try and get the failing park up to the wanted standard...
Such an incident could also been seen with Zufari strangely losing £5 million odd out of it's budget when Smiler was going over due to all the groundwork issues...
Dar
TS Member
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- Taron
I don't know why they don't use Haunted Hollow as a shortcut during the day and a scarezone at night, then they can use the Carnival space for another maze. It doesn't even have to be a really scary experience, it could always be a gentler walkthrough to give the kids something to scare them as preparation for TotT et al.
As for space, they could use the corridor down the side of the towers towards Thirteen as a fairly small, cramped, and linear maze that exits near to where Zombies does. Then they have the added rumbles and screams from Rita launching to add to the atmosphere.
As for space, they could use the corridor down the side of the towers towards Thirteen as a fairly small, cramped, and linear maze that exits near to where Zombies does. Then they have the added rumbles and screams from Rita launching to add to the atmosphere.
Dar
TS Member
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- Taron
I think they had issues with guests "interacting" with the actors last time. I reckon if they ran it like they do Zombies, with staff every few yards and clear signage that it's going to be scary, they could overcome those issues.
I don't think there's any reason for the lack of ideas or originality beyond Merlin's penny pinching causing the entertainment team to lose heart and not bother.
EDIT: At the Q&A last year, it was made quite clear that the team behind scarefest have lots of ideas and plans that just get blown out of the water by lack of budget. While they seemed optimistic at the time, I can't imagine it's easy essentially being forced to put out the same lacklustre product every year
I don't think there's any reason for the lack of ideas or originality beyond Merlin's penny pinching causing the entertainment team to lose heart and not bother.
EDIT: At the Q&A last year, it was made quite clear that the team behind scarefest have lots of ideas and plans that just get blown out of the water by lack of budget. While they seemed optimistic at the time, I can't imagine it's easy essentially being forced to put out the same lacklustre product every year
jon81uk
TS Member
I once got a bigger scare on here than I did in TOTT, an actor dressed as an undertaker jumped out at the end of the ivy covered arch, given how dark it is down there I didn't see it coming!
Dave
TS Founding Member
I don't hold with the idea Thorpes mazes are free, at the weekend they where putting in 8 FT guests for every 2 main queue guests through the mazes. They are effectively making the only practical option for trying their mazes paying for FT. At least Towers are honest about their intentions.
That said there is no doubt Thorpe have the better event this year, it's fresh and the mazes seem strong.
As for where Towers could put mazes.
1) where carnival was (move the scarezone to Haunted Hollow
2) Behind Katanga Canyon on the staff car park using the access gate up there
3) The old railway line route between Gloomy Wood and FV
4) The clearing at the top of Dark forest
5) Doubtful as they wont want a loss of corporate spend but Hospitality Suite
6) Behind Duel
7) Minibus carpark (2 access gates could be used for this)
TheMan
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That, is utterly abysmal, but given the direction of THORPE totally unsurprising.
It's really poor to know, someone actually has sat in an office and concocted this idea. And it's been again pushed down through budget restraints so they cannot run the park either fairly to every customer, or at a reasonable level.
8 FT to 2 normal guests from what you are saying, that's atrocious.
Can we agree, none of them are doing it right. There's not a "lesser evil" here, there's just a top down issue starting with Nick Varney.
I have made complaints direct to his office, I KNOW he knows about these issues.
Dar
TS Member
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- Taron
Hence why I suggested running as a fully fledged scarezone, with staff stationed at intervals to step in if necessary.
They're not issues until people stop paying for them. As long as the general public still think they're getting a premium day out, and they keep paying for it, they have little to no incentive to change anything.
They're not issues until people stop paying for them. As long as the general public still think they're getting a premium day out, and they keep paying for it, they have little to no incentive to change anything.
TheMan
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- NemiLerVion
They don't think they're getting it though do they?
I want to be clear as well, I am not for a second suggesting they throw tons of money at it, this team don't need that, it's obvious they can work brilliantly with the funds they have.
Regardless of what anyone says, it's not hard to look at the events, the materials, the actors, and appraise whether an event is increasing in size, or in real terms decreasing in quality.
No one will convince me this is appropriate for Alton Towers.
I want to be clear as well, I am not for a second suggesting they throw tons of money at it, this team don't need that, it's obvious they can work brilliantly with the funds they have.
Regardless of what anyone says, it's not hard to look at the events, the materials, the actors, and appraise whether an event is increasing in size, or in real terms decreasing in quality.
No one will convince me this is appropriate for Alton Towers.
Plastic Person
TS Member
TheMan, I find the wasted potential of Scarefest in particular as frustrating as you, but your letters will fall on deaf ears. Not to discredit the people trying their best at the park, or your personal connection with it as an attraction, but all you can do is vote with your feet.
jon81uk
TS Member
The old railway line is Haunted Hollow.
I agree on Thorpe and charging. I think Alton are right in charging for timed tickets. As you say Thorpe are basically charging due to the way FastTrack is done so they might as well go whole hog and just charge. Or increase gate price for Fright Nights and then make it times tickets only so there is less queuing.
TheMan
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- NemiLerVion
Actually I do disagree with that, I think if you kick up enough fuss about something, and gain enough support as the dissatisfaction disseminates to a wider audience, and people feel more confident to vocalise whom may have thought "Oh, I bet it's just me", then indeed you can raise a profile of an issue.
Let's face it, the enthusiast community is bigger than people perhaps realise, then think... how many people does each one know? How many readers/followers do they have on Facebook/Twitter?
This isn't the 80s where it was a stern letter in the post lol!
I don't want to crush Towers team, in admire what they do on the whole, I genuinely do, but I have been visiting Towers for MUCH longer than Merlin have been around and I'll be darned if I will sit around quietly whilst they plaster and poster tat everywhere are Merlin's behest.
Merlin are not without their good work, this is specifically about Scarefest, and the general direction the parks are taking.
8FT to 2 guests at THORPE is a level no theme park should ever be at unless it's a free Disney style system of course. Which they are trialing this weekend I believe?
Anyway, my point being, standards, events etc with a company this big should be raised, and Alton Towers should be the showcase event that draws people to Merlin as a whole.
It isn't.
Dave
TS Founding Member
Haunted Hollow is part of the old railway line but it continues onward to Forbidden Valley (as I said in the post
)You can see this stretch of the old line from the path between gloomy wood and FV if you look down the hill into the trees! There is a closed access gate at the GW entrance to Haunted Hollow and next to Edge Games in FV.
Andrew
TS Contributor
Duel's extended queueline could also be used for Scarefest (as it has been in previous years IIRC).
Shouldn't really be too hard considering it has the queueline in place. All you'd need is a bit of extra theming and one or two actors walking around and it's already an improvement.
Sadly, I doubt that would ever happen as it would still cost money which doesn't appear to exist for Towers.
Shouldn't really be too hard considering it has the queueline in place. All you'd need is a bit of extra theming and one or two actors walking around and it's already an improvement.
Sadly, I doubt that would ever happen as it would still cost money which doesn't appear to exist for Towers.
On Saturday night at approx 6pm - 7pm, the ratio on My Bloody Valentine was 6 normal queue and a couple from fastrack. Same with Studio 13. I spent 45minutes in the fastrack queue for Studio 13. It was blatant that the park were severely overselling fastrack.
Alastair
TS Team
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Danny
TS Contributor
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Which we have done before, we accomplished the removal of the excessive and obtrusive Fanta sponsorship. The difference between now and then however is that Towers listened to us and valued our opinions, as well as having a perky relationship with the enthusiast community. These days it is very difficult to sway them in specific unless you part with absurd amounts of cash. It's not that nobody on here doesn't want to be heard, it's just common sense and knowledge that we won't be unless extreme circumstances arise.