Secrets, 'Easter Eggs' and other Towers oddities.

[JonoD]

I suspect most of us are already familiar with them putting roller coaster code names in queue lines (like SW4 in Oblivion's queue and SW7 in Smiler's queue), but what other interesting quirks around the park and/or hotels have you noticed that may otherwise get overlooked?

A lot of these will be well known, but it would be nice to create some sort of compendium of hidden gems found at the resort.

I'll start off with a couple of my favourites.

The Lost Splash Landings Crab

As you know, there's a walkway that joins Splash Landings, to the Conference Suite and ultimately the Alton Towers Hotel. You'll also know that the carpet transitions from the beach-like carpet found in Splash Landings to the more regal and traditional pattern found in the Conference Suite and ATH. However, as the beach turns to carpet, one little crab looks to have gotten lost on the wrong side:

Lovely little touch.


Secondly... I doubt this is intentional, but this gave me a bit of a 'wow' moment when I saw how strong the relationship was. And that is:

The Lord of Darkness in Oblivion's queue line seems to directly answer The Lord of Light's questions in the queue video.

I'm sure everyone is familiar with this particular video in Oblivion's queue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2bFc1XXPfE#

Here we see questions being rather frantically asked by 'The Lord of Light' as a few fans have dubbed him. Those questions appear to be ignored by the much more aloof 'Lord of Darkness', however... During the station dispatch video, he seems to provide perfect answers to all of the questions asked in the previous video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiTvs3YFUyw#

Let's line up the questions and 'responses':

Spoiler

If this ride is so safe, why is it called oblivion?
For some things, there is no rational explanation.

What happens when the ride goes underground?
There is no way out.

Have you heard the screams? I heard that some of the cars go missing!
There is no happy ending to this story.

How do we know people haven't disappeared?
Welcome to the unknown.

What will be over? The ride? Your life?!
Welcome to Eternal darkness.

You may not be coming back!
Welcome... to Oblivion.

Maybe a little tangental, but it's a nice little extra something.

What about everybody else? Are there any interesting little quirks that you've noticed?

 

[Sam]

The only one I can think of is that "... confidence trickster. Didn't live here." near Duel's toilets.

 

[Enk27]

I'm sure it was mentioned on the Smiler thread but this year I though how the sign to the X-Sector being updated to "the Ministry of Joy welcomes you to the X-Sector" was a subtle but good way to try to tie all the rides together.

 

[CoasterCrazyChris]

I'm sure it was mentioned on the Smiler thread but this year I though how the sign to the X-Sector being updated to "the Ministry of Joy welcomes you to the X-Sector" was a subtle but good way to try to tie all the rides together.

The old one was better. Period.

 

[Dave]

I'm sure it was mentioned on the Smiler thread but this year I though how the sign to the X-Sector being updated to "the Ministry of Joy welcomes you to the X-Sector" was a subtle but good way to try to tie all the rides together.

The old one was better. Period.

It's pretty much the same sign except "Alton Towers" has been replaced with the MoJ.

As for Easter eggs, it's not deliberate but you can still see an old aqua land sign when in the rapids queue.

 

[smudge]

In the chapel you can see the outline of where the Model Railway was, it really makes you appreciate the scale of it.

Didn't know this until reading Nick Simm's Book - Tales From The Towers (a cracking read). There's a few 'Hidden Secrets' in there that I wasn't aware of.

Another being that the theming piece you pass through in Oblivion's queline is mainly made from old parts of the Planetarium once found at AT.

The Sales & Information Booth in Mutiny Bay was originally the ticket booth for the Minature Railway that sold single and return tickets to the gardens, partly utilizing the Haunted Hollow route.

 

[LiamC]

Didn't know this until reading Nick Simm's Book - Tales From The Towers (a cracking read). There's a few 'Hidden Secrets' in there that I wasn't aware of.

Another being that the theming piece you pass through in Oblivion's queline is mainly made from old parts of the Planetarium once found at AT.

The Sales & Information Booth in Mutiny Bay was originally the ticket booth for the Minature Railway that sold single and return tickets to the gardens, partly utilizing the Haunted Hollow route.

I loved these little bits in the book, made it that bit more fun. That and I'd always wanted to know what that piece in Oblivions queue was!

Not so much a secret as it's in clear plain site but on the approach to Air on the floor near Refresh@Ripsaw the word Air is spelt in block paving on the floor. I had never seen it before Half Term earlier this season. It's partially obscured by the fence and seating outside that cafe but it is there

 

[Ben]

I have abit of love for the old Dovecote near the towers, as so many people pass close by but never see it. Here it is in its glory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuujAIwrcs0#

Its located adjacent to the towers ruins, across from the Woodcutters behind the wall. Such a shame its never utilised, even to have a little gate to see it would be nice as due to the trees its fully hidden away.

 

[Dave]

The round black globe with the little lenses over it in the Oblivion queue is the old projector from the planetarium indeed.

You can still see the damage caused by the planetarium installation in the conservatory floor.

The ticket booth for the model railway is also still in the chapel.

On the woodland walk there is a mile stone for "Alton Abbey"

The square windows in the ruins to the left of the banqueting hall windows and the Round Tower are all that remain of the original "Alverton Lodge". The Round Tower is the oldest Tower in the ruins and is the only circular Tower in the complex.

In Hex as you pass through the curtain before going past the bookcase if you look up you can see some talbot hound heads. This park of Hex is actually a small section of the Talbot Gallery, the rest of which lies behind the faux wall in front of you and is open to the elements.

 

[Alastair]

One thing I've always wanted to know...are the tarpaulined statues on the walls of the Armoury in the Hex queueline actually real or just theming?

 

[Machin]

One thing I've always wanted to know...are the tarpaulined statues on the walls of the Armoury in the Hex queueline actually real or just theming?

Just theming, there's manakins under the sheets but that's about it!

 

[Alastair]

One thing I've always wanted to know...are the tarpaulined statues on the walls of the Armoury in the Hex queueline actually real or just theming?

Just theming, there's manakins under the sheets but that's about it!

Genuinely can't believe they used to produce theming so good that you couldn't tell whether it was real or fake.

 

[Wilsy]

You'd be surprised how much of hex is just polystyrene.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[Alastair]

You'd be surprised how much of hex is just polystyrene.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

Enlighten me!

 

[Wilsy]

You'd be surprised how much of hex is just polystyrene.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

Enlighten me!

All the statues
The various bricks/debris in the Octagon
The earl's tomb in octagon
Most of the theming on the side of the vault.

Most of the smaller items are genuine though.

It's all very well disguised so it's impossible to tell as people just walk through the attraction. It's only when you walk through with the lights on, like in the Thirteen event a few years ago, that you can notice it.

 

[djtruefitt]

It's not very exciting, but until last season there was still a Tussards Alton Towers logo in the entrance plaza, it was above the disabled pay kiosk. It now has a new Alton Towers logo on it.

 

[rightbackgranty]

You'd be surprised how much of hex is just polystyrene.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

Enlighten me!

All the statues
The various bricks/debris in the Octagon
The earl's tomb in octagon
Most of the theming on the side of the vault.

Most of the smaller items are genuine though.

It's all very well disguised so it's impossible to tell as people just walk through the attraction. It's only when you walk through with the lights on, like in the Thirteen event a few years ago, that you can notice it.

I swear I read somewhere that the covered statues in the Hex queueline are actually some of the old props from the "Around the World in 80 Days" attraction (which later became Toyland and then Charlie and the Depression Factory). Either that or some of the Toy Solders from Toyland Tours, which doesn't really add up as Hex opened before that one shut.

Not sure whether this is bonafide or not but its what I tell most people!