Such a shame there wasn't more of it to see, although you could argue it was very similar to what Disneyland Paris had done not long before in Discoveryland. I think the Jules Verne/Steampunk look has a timeless look to it, it certainly suited Black Hole's rather chunky retro looking trains very well.
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This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks. - Thread starter Squiggs
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Talbot Street Lock In
Looking at this one again - I wonder if the railway had a slight reprieve as it appears to have been removed from this map? Or is this from later in the season after the decision had been taken to close it?1997 was another season that seamlessly mixed thrill and family additions, with the arrival of Ripsaw as well as Nickelodeon: Outta Control in the freshly rethemed Cred Street.
It was also, however, the final year for the last of the pre-theme park attractions with the closure of the Park Railway as well as the Boating Lake.
Squiggs
TS Team
Ah no... that is just me messing up the text. I had meant to say it was the first season without the last of the pre-theme park attractions.
Squiggs
TS Team
It was time to turn back time in 1999, as we were invited to the year 30,000 B.C.(Before Corkscrew) and UG Land - the land where fun began.
Elsewhere in park we saw the introduction of the farmyard classic - the Riverbank Eye-Spy, as well as the first performances by Barney, the purple dinosaur. The Royal Marines also stopped by to perform in the Summer Stunt Spectacular.
Elsewhere in park we saw the introduction of the farmyard classic - the Riverbank Eye-Spy, as well as the first performances by Barney, the purple dinosaur. The Royal Marines also stopped by to perform in the Summer Stunt Spectacular.
AltonTowersNerd
TS Member
Barney came to the park in the 2000’s
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Isn't that him in the bubble above Peter Rabbit?
AltonTowersNerd
TS Member
Yeah, I didn't know that is what it was but I was only messing about. It is clearly a pig, not a dinosaur.
Squiggs
TS Team
He became a permanent addition in 2000 when the theatre and playground were rethemed, but he also performed seasonally during 1999. He had a week long stint in April for the Little 5 Jelly Challenge and then a month long residency in the Cred Street Theatre over summer.
It was probably the success of these shorted stints that convinced the park that it would be a good to bring him to the park full time.
Squiggs
TS Team
Fun and Games were a serious business for the park during the late 90s and the park went to great efforts to theme their sideshows so they blended seamlessly into their respective areas.
Nowhere more so than in UG Land when it opened in 1999. Alongside the bone-rattling attractions the new area also introduced an impressive array of sideshows and pay-per attractions, from rethemed classics like the Dino Derby and Ug Basher, through to the very latest diversions such as the Lava Lump and Soakasaurus.
Which was your favourite pun-tastic sideshow in UG Land?
Nowhere more so than in UG Land when it opened in 1999. Alongside the bone-rattling attractions the new area also introduced an impressive array of sideshows and pay-per attractions, from rethemed classics like the Dino Derby and Ug Basher, through to the very latest diversions such as the Lava Lump and Soakasaurus.
Which was your favourite pun-tastic sideshow in UG Land?
MichaelTowers2001
TS Member
Hmmm let me think Rock Shot and how funny the theme song was.
Pleasure Beach Valhalla
TS Member
Ug land was the place of fun, and the marketing was brilliant! It was a well themed area that got slightly ruined when Boneshaker died and Dino Dancer died as well!Fun and Games were a serious business for the park during the late 90s and the park went to great efforts to theme their sideshows so they blended seamlessly into their respective areas.
Nowhere more so than in UG Land when it opened in 1999. Alongside the bone-rattling attractions the new area also introduced an impressive array of sideshows and pay-per attractions, from rethemed classics like the Dino Derby and Ug Basher, through to the very latest diversions such as the Lava Lump and Soakasaurus.
Which was your favourite pun-tastic sideshow in UG Land?
jon81uk
TS Member
Fun and Games were a serious business for the park during the late 90s and the park went to great efforts to theme their sideshows so they blended seamlessly into their respective areas.
Nowhere more so than in UG Land when it opened in 1999. Alongside the bone-rattling attractions the new area also introduced an impressive array of sideshows and pay-per attractions, from rethemed classics like the Dino Derby and Ug Basher, through to the very latest diversions such as the Lava Lump and Soakasaurus.
Which was your favourite pun-tastic sideshow in UG Land?
But they are all just upcharge attractions!
I really never understood the water ballloon catapults, why pay extra money to get that wet.
MichaelTowers2001
TS Member
Remember the fountains that used to squirt you unexpectedly?
Squiggs
TS Team
Last Wednesday we asked you dig out your old photo albums and send us your photos from yesteryear, so today let's take a look at some of our favourites so far.
First up, we asked for a spin on The Spider, and that is exactly what Claire gave us in this snap from 1991.
Alton Towers has always had a weird and wonderful selection of souvenirs on offer, but over the years the variety has certainly changed as seen in David's souvenirs from the 1980s.
Michael took us on a trip back to 2002 and 2006, with a collection of shots of classic attractions from the time, including the recently shuttered Black Hole.
Who remembers Radio Pippin? @sneydpotter certainly does after meeting the park's in house puppet DJ during the Christmas Festival, which used to run during the closed season in the late 80s and early 90s.
We hope you've enjoyed this virtual flip through the photo albums from across the country. Thanks to everyone who has shared their presh mems with us so far.
If looking through these old photos has inspired you to dig out your own photo albums or home videos, our submission form is always open as we love sharing photos from days gone by.
First up, we asked for a spin on The Spider, and that is exactly what Claire gave us in this snap from 1991.
Alton Towers has always had a weird and wonderful selection of souvenirs on offer, but over the years the variety has certainly changed as seen in David's souvenirs from the 1980s.
Michael took us on a trip back to 2002 and 2006, with a collection of shots of classic attractions from the time, including the recently shuttered Black Hole.
Who remembers Radio Pippin? @sneydpotter certainly does after meeting the park's in house puppet DJ during the Christmas Festival, which used to run during the closed season in the late 80s and early 90s.
We hope you've enjoyed this virtual flip through the photo albums from across the country. Thanks to everyone who has shared their presh mems with us so far.
If looking through these old photos has inspired you to dig out your own photo albums or home videos, our submission form is always open as we love sharing photos from days gone by.
Plastic Person
TS Member
I had no idea the park ever hosted a Christmas event, never mid one with a puppet DJ.
Pleasure Beach Valhalla
TS Member
Why was Spider removed back at the end of 1991. There was always no clear reason for it??Last Wednesday we asked you dig out your old photo albums and send us your photos from yesteryear, so today let's take a look at some of our favourites so far.
First up, we asked for a spin on The Spider, and that is exactly what Claire gave us in this snap from 1991.
Alton Towers has always had a weird and wonderful selection of souvenirs on offer, but over the years the variety has certainly changed as seen in David's souvenirs from the 1980s.
Michael took us on a trip back to 2002 and 2006, with a collection of shots of classic attractions from the time, including the recently shuttered Black Hole.
Who remembers Radio Pippin? @sneydpotter certainly does after meeting the park's in house puppet DJ during the Christmas Festival, which used to run during the closed season in the late 80s and early 90s.
We hope you've enjoyed this virtual flip through the photo albums from across the country. Thanks to everyone who has shared their presh mems with us so far.
If looking through these old photos has inspired you to dig out your own photo albums or home videos, our submission form is always open as we love sharing photos from days gone by.
Squiggs
TS Team
Pippin was one of the park mascots for a few years in the late 80s and early 90s - the park back then was a little obsessed with animatronics that interacted with guests.
I hadn't realised he took part in the Christmas Festivals before, though I suppose it makes sense that if the park was open then the mascots would be out and about.
I suspect there are actually two parts to that questions. 'Why was the Spider removed?' and "Why 1991?"
The answer to the first was most likely Tussauds' early drive to distinguish the park from amusement parks and fairgrounds. They made a conscious effort to remove anything that might remind guests of a fairground, and Polyps scream 'fairground'. It's much the same reason that the 4 Man Bob was more or less the first ride out of the door.
Why 1991... whilst removing fairground attractions was there aim, they knew they couldn't do it straight away without destroying the variety of rides on offer. The Spider was in the unusual position of being a duplicate, since the park also had an Octopus, which was identical except for the decoration. So the Spider was an easy cut to make straight off the bat.
Squiggs
TS Team
The new millennium saw the park tell 'a tale with a twist' with the addition of Hex in the Towers ruins, bringing a slice of local legend to the park.
After a successful summer run the previous season, Barney the Dinosaur moved into Cred Street full time in 2000, taking over the Theatre and Playground. The double-decker Cred Street Carousel also arrived in the area, having previously operated at Thorpe Park, which had been acquired by Tussauds in the late 90s.
After a successful summer run the previous season, Barney the Dinosaur moved into Cred Street full time in 2000, taking over the Theatre and Playground. The double-decker Cred Street Carousel also arrived in the area, having previously operated at Thorpe Park, which had been acquired by Tussauds in the late 90s.
JSG093
TS Member
I went on Hex in its first year, although by the time I went it was the current incarnation rather than the short lived first version with different narration and pre shows. I do vividly remember different audio playing in the octagon including the sound of the witch cackling manically although I could be misremembering as it was so long ago. Did anybody else go on the early version of Hex and have any memories of it?
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