Dobba
TS Member
Absolutely, compared to the enormous amount of X-Sector fitting theming Enterprise had on it this new one is a significant step down. The area just won't be the same without Enterprise's... sign?
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The Retrosquad: General Discussion
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Danscott22
TS Member
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On a separate note, is it known if Twistatron will be open tomorrow? I know Spinjam opened a week late, not sure if that's the same for this.
BarryZola
TS Member
They'll probably leave it there and open it half way through the season for no apparent reason, just like Sub-Terra 
On a serious note. As long as it's been plugged in and H&S have signed it off, why wouldn't it be open? It's just a fairground ride and it's been in place for a week or two already. When the fairground comes to town they can usually get their rides going pretty quickly.
On a serious note. As long as it's been plugged in and H&S have signed it off, why wouldn't it be open? It's just a fairground ride and it's been in place for a week or two already. When the fairground comes to town they can usually get their rides going pretty quickly.
AT86
TS Member
A bunch of rides that were closed for the buy out days have been added back to the app today - Funk n Fly, Rapids, Battle Galleons, Get Set Go, Go Jetters etc.
Spinball, Skyride and Twistatron are still missing. Could be an error, or could be because they aren’t ready for tomorrow.
Danscott22
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Possible it won't be open though. I have heard otherwise that Spinball Whizzer won't open (might be a load of tosh) but this might be the case with Twistatron also then!
AT86
TS Member
Their tweet from yesterday also said ‘coming soon’ as opposed to ‘opening Saturday’ - perhaps another pointer to a later opening.
I'm not sure I follow.
Your suggestion was that "from a business perspective they do exactly the same thing themed permanent ones do". What I'm saying is that's not quite true - because when they get a permanent one and theme it properly they can then either market it as a standalone attraction or at least feature it on advertising for the resort.
They can't do (or aren't doing at least) either of these things with the hired in fairground rides.
Dobba
TS Member
This Retrosquad group of flat rides have been given as much advertising time as anything permanent they put in would have done, if not more. They're not going to spend the kind of money it takes to stick an advert on national TV to promote a flat ride as they'll get little to no return on it. If Enterprise's replacement had been bedded into the ground and given X-Sector theming (i.e. a sign like Enterprise had) exactly the same amount of people would have turned up to the park today as they have with this latest Retrosquad installation in place. From a business side of things (visitor numbers and revenue) flat rides do not move the needle one millimetre.
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
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Did anyone get on Twistatron? What's it like?
AT86
TS Member
Twisty.
They've had nothing at all, except for a few animations which were fed out through social media. I'm not knocking it, it's cute - but a 5 figure spend (guessing!) is basically nothing.
You might be right - although the last major flat added (Submission) did indeed have a national TV campaign! They would be able to use it as part of a park/resort-wide campaign tho, as we've seen with Curse of Alton Manor this year.
You're not comparing apples with apples though. Your suggestion was that the park would get no additional value from a permanent themed flat ride compared with a hired in one.
You're now only comparing to Enterprise - which used up all its capital as a marketable asset years and years ago.
Danscott22
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Do Spinjam and Twistatron play the same audio? I know they don't fit in with the area, but I at least hope they are sharing the same music at least!
Rick
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They seem to be synced up - they're playing covers of various 80s songs, with the Retrosquad theme appearing every so often.
Did them both today. Twistatron isn't very interesting, Spinjam was nowhere near as nauseating as I feared.
LLCorkscrew
TS Member
I did Twisatron today for the first time. It's a 3/10 flat ride IMO, so I was disappointed.
Spinjam remains my favourite in the squad, whilst Mixtape was decent too. I do ride Spinjam every time I go cos I do think it's a genuinely fun ride.
Agree with the consensus that permanent, quality, themed flat rides are needed, and are sorely missed in the line-up - 2002-2003 were the golden years of flats at Alton.
I really do think a Ripsaw II would be a success - there aren't many better flats than a Top Spin - they're popular, have several programmes of varying intensity and length, are visually impressive from a spectactor's pov, can be enhanced, themed. Pretty much tick every box except originality, as they've already had one.
A new flat in FV, and two permanent flats in X Sector, then I think most of us would be happy. Dark Forest's design just doesn't lend itself to a third ride.
Spinjam remains my favourite in the squad, whilst Mixtape was decent too. I do ride Spinjam every time I go cos I do think it's a genuinely fun ride.
Agree with the consensus that permanent, quality, themed flat rides are needed, and are sorely missed in the line-up - 2002-2003 were the golden years of flats at Alton.
I really do think a Ripsaw II would be a success - there aren't many better flats than a Top Spin - they're popular, have several programmes of varying intensity and length, are visually impressive from a spectactor's pov, can be enhanced, themed. Pretty much tick every box except originality, as they've already had one.
A new flat in FV, and two permanent flats in X Sector, then I think most of us would be happy. Dark Forest's design just doesn't lend itself to a third ride.
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I'm seeing Towers getting alot of stick on Twitter for the Retrosquad this year, and rightly so.
Towers needs three flat rides asap, I'd go for
Floorless Huss Topspin in Forbidden Valley (Call is Ripsaws revenge)
The newest model Huss breakdance on the Enterprise site
I'd go for a new family flat ride in dark forest, not sure what would fit in the space they have there.
Towers needs three flat rides asap, I'd go for
Floorless Huss Topspin in Forbidden Valley (Call is Ripsaws revenge)
The newest model Huss breakdance on the Enterprise site
I'd go for a new family flat ride in dark forest, not sure what would fit in the space they have there.
Maybe but a terrible waltzer was hardly over subscribed - personally I'd rather my (our) money was spent on a team to plan future rides - personally and most of the people I know just find all these fairground rides totally nauseating
Squiggs
TS Team
I think if they were to add a new Topspin, I think Dark Forest would be the right spot for it. I think just popping it back on Ripsaw site would be a wasted opportunity, given that site has a lot more passing trade so any support ride would do well there.
If Topspins have enough popularity to warrant a second run in the park, they are compelling enough to work at that end of Dark Forest.
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