The World of David Walliams: General Discussion

[Rob]

I don't think there is anything wrong in saying it seems a tad cringey to see a load of adults with cameras in the queue for a ride that is primarily targetted at kids. I also don't think there is anything wrong with these people doing that (and no one here has said that they shouldn't have done so), especially on an off peak day when most of the target audience are in school.

It is probably best that we stick to discussing the new ride and area rather than to start throwing accusations around. Thanks.

 

[RoyJess]

I'm not offended. I'm trying to understand why it is cringey that the queue line is full of adults? Are you trying to suggest some sinister motive about those queueing?

Alton have spent a lot of money and time on the new ride as well as promoting it. I rather see the queue line full of adults as oppose to an empty one with just children and families riding it. A large queue line on opening day just shows that Alton have got it right with the promotion of it as well as the desire effect.

 

[AT86]

So anyway, now all the vloggers have been and gone, the ride has been sitting at about a 10mins queue this morning. Given its throughput that must mean about 4 people are waiting

 

[ChristmasPud]

I rather see the queue line full of adults as oppose to an empty one with just children and families riding it. A large queue line on opening day just shows that Alton have got it right with the promotion of it as well as the desire effect.

"Just" children and families isn't an empty queue, that would be a full queue of the target audience and a big indication that the promotion has been a success.

By all means ride it, but if Alton look out their window to see a queue full of adults I don't think they'd be thinking "well that's a job well done"
Anyways, it wasn't a peak day, good to get the enthusiasts out the way to bring queues down for the kids I guess

 

[Steve74]

By all means ride it, but if Alton look out their window to see a queue full of adults I don't think they'd be thinking "well that's a job well done"

I think as far as yesterday goes, it would be "a job well done" after all, I doubt they were expecting many kids on a Monday in term time. All those vloggers there = free advertising on social media ready for the coming half term holiday

 

[Burbs]

Burbs and some of the TowersStreet team were on park yesterday too, should they have not ridden the ride?

Don't know where you've got that from, I've not been to Towers since September last year!

 

[jon81uk]

Don't know where you've got that from, I've not been to Towers since September last year!

Oops, I’m certain it was you that said you were going yesterday! Sorry must have been someone else.

 

[Skyscraper]

I have to say, the live performers are really good!

 

[TheAverageNerd]

Honestly really enjoyed the ride today. It was much longer than I was expecting, with some pretty cool effects and bits of theming. There are some pretty jarring static figures that definitely take you out of the experience a bit, but the use of screens is actually quite good and I was smiling throughout. There are some nice little easter eggs in the queue and overall I'd say my expectations were surpassed. However, it smelt terrible. I don't know if it was the smell pods or just the smell of a 'new' ride, but something smelt off throughout the entire experience.

 

[RoyJess]

However, it smelt terrible.

That be the smell of cringiness from yesterday

 

[andeyhart]

Despite some of the snarky replies, I actually agree with you MattN. I was pleasantly surprised by how relatively well themed Flavio's Fabulous Fandango was. Yes, it is technically *just* some disco balls on sticks and some queue line posters, but that is actually far more than the three other temporary flats have. Plus it has an actual themed entrance way, unlike the others. Considering it's a last minute, temporary addition, I don't think it's bad at all.

I do agree, however, with the poster who criticised the queue line incorporating the front of the theatre. It seems like a pretty lazy attempt to distract from an empty building.

 

[tayspru]

The thing is, if enthusiasts are happy to accept these as “heavily themed” additions, the standards will just continue to decline, as we are essentially a hyper focussed market that, although not being a driver for decisions, can be counted on to cast a more critical eye than the average punter.

I think we can all agree that the ride itself is a good investment in and of itself, but it is inarguable that the rest of the area should not be praised as anything but the bare minimum

 

[Jb85]

Oh and...

Spoiler

There are apparently water sprayers during the ride, but they weren't working today. Be warned if you visit later!

Lol - not working....shocking

 

[jmc]

I cannot help but feel the whole area looks incredibly temporary. There is nothing heavily themed about anything outside of GG.

It is a very strange state of affairs when you can see the stark contrast in quality between additions like Wicker Man and this. I think it just highlights Merlins bizarre way working.


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[pluk]

I'm trying to understand why it is cringey that the queue line is full of adults?

I believe the correct plural term for a gathering of geeks is a cringe. Even from the inside, and without a care in the world, I can see that to be true. When every other one of them waves a camera phone around and calls themselves a vlogger the cringe only intensifies.

Despite some of the snarky replies, I actually agree with you MattN. I was pleasantly surprised by how relatively well themed Flavio's Fabulous Fandango was. Yes, it is technically *just* some disco balls on sticks and some queue line posters, but that is actually far more than the three other temporary flats have. Plus it has an actual themed entrance way, unlike the others. Considering it's a last minute, temporary addition, I don't think it's bad at all.

I don't dobt it was last minute, but is FFF confirmed as temporary? I've not seen it marketed as such like the other three, it appears to be brand new, and it has had some attempt to theme it beyond the other new flats.

 

[Skyscraper]

I don't dobt it was last minute, but is FFF confirmed as temporary? I've not seen it marketed as such like the other three, it appears to be brand new, and it has had some attempt to theme it beyond the other new flats.

I believe it is; they hired the four flats together in for this season. The machine itself does indeed look brand new though.

 

[AstroDan]

"Heavily themed" should not be bandied about.

Klugheim or Pandora are "heavily themed".

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[andeyhart]

The thing is, if enthusiasts are happy to accept these as “heavily themed” additions, the standards will just continue to decline, as we are essentially a hyper focussed market that, although not being a driver for decisions, can be counted on to cast a more critical eye than the average punter.

I think we can all agree that the ride itself is a good investment in and of itself, but it is inarguable that the rest of the area should not be praised as anything but the bare minimum

Agreed.

Although I don't think anyone here has described the area as "heavily themed". It's clearly a lightly themed IP based area that is well done for something churned out on the cheap.

I mentioned that Flavio's Fabulous Fandango is relatively well themed compared to the three other travelling flats in that there was at least an attempt to make it fit into the area it's in, but I don't think anyone from the enthusiast community believes this to be more than a bare minimum revamp overall.

 

[Matt.GC]

So the building that GG itself in looks fine, GG looks fine, the flat is temporary any way. So from Burger Kitchen up to Driving School that leaves about 80% of the area still to be sorted out. If this is phase 1 over a multi year project that started in 2019 then it'll take 10 years to finish it all at that pace

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[djtruefitt]

So having visited the park on Monday here are my opinions on the ride. Starting with the ride, it was actually much better thsn I expected (but maybe I just had low expectations), the ride was much longer than I thought it would be, especially as he building is tiny. It’s a shame the building isn’t a bit bigger as it would have been nicer to have transitions between the scenes, as it very much is one scene to the next with nothing in between.

The ride system is actually quite clever, the way the cars can move 360degrees is really good, and does mean they can utilise the small footprint a lot more. The cars are also much bigger than I expected and can easily fit 4 adults on each row. The theming inside was also good, and was a nice mixture of screens, 2D and 3D theming. It’s got a lot of effects as well, my only concern is if something isn’t working then the ride wouldn’t work well. Eg if a screen was off or an effect didn’t work then it really would ruin the ride, unlike on duel when if something doesn’t work it doesn’t make that much difference to the ride.

The indoor queue line is very nice, and a like all the little Easter eggs for towers, there’s even a few inside the ride and shop.

However my main concern is the throughput, they are only filling one group per car at the moment, however the queue really moves so slowly. I dread to think what the queues will be like on a busy weekend. It’s got it’s main queue and then a extra bit which I believe can be removed if needed (like the bit they add outside wicker man), however there is also more room to expand the queue if they really want to add more. The other rides in the area also have fairly long queue lines, compared to when it was CCL.