Did Th13teen live up to the hype and your expectations?
- Thread starter Ian
- Start date
Th13teen is certainly an Alton Towers type coaster, and a suitable addition as a family/mid-range attraction.
It's not the "ultimate roller coaster" as they billed it. I hate spin and spew rides, I only like coasters and drop towers so in theory this should be an ultimate ride. But it isn't.
Imo, the ride is split into three sections; the first coaster bit, the drop and the backward coaster bit.
I found the first coaster section pants. Apart from the airtime on the first drop (only noticable towards the back of the train), I found it uneventful, dull and as furie said, Troublesome Trucksesque.
The drop was ok. Something else is needed inside the drop tunnel. I don't know what, but just something. The small pre-drop is great, gives a "WTF?" sort of feeling but the main drop is lacklustre, it felt a little too smooth, too controlled. If it had a real sense of free-fall, then it would be excellent.
My favourite part of the coaster is the backwards bit; it feels fast and disorientating. I have to commend the transition between the drop and the backwards launch - it's seemless. Drop then launch in the click of your fingers. Awesome.
It's an alright coaster - far too overhyped though - but it's a good replacement for Corkscrew and a decent family coaster. I'm just waiting for another park to build one, prefrably with a better first section and a longer drop where I can actually feel the freefall.
It's an alright, adequate, respectable, okey-dokey coaster but ranks below Nemesis, Rita and Oblivion in the AT line-up imo. 6/10.
It's not the "ultimate roller coaster" as they billed it. I hate spin and spew rides, I only like coasters and drop towers so in theory this should be an ultimate ride. But it isn't.
Imo, the ride is split into three sections; the first coaster bit, the drop and the backward coaster bit.
I found the first coaster section pants. Apart from the airtime on the first drop (only noticable towards the back of the train), I found it uneventful, dull and as furie said, Troublesome Trucksesque.
The drop was ok. Something else is needed inside the drop tunnel. I don't know what, but just something. The small pre-drop is great, gives a "WTF?" sort of feeling but the main drop is lacklustre, it felt a little too smooth, too controlled. If it had a real sense of free-fall, then it would be excellent.
My favourite part of the coaster is the backwards bit; it feels fast and disorientating. I have to commend the transition between the drop and the backwards launch - it's seemless. Drop then launch in the click of your fingers. Awesome.
It's an alright coaster - far too overhyped though - but it's a good replacement for Corkscrew and a decent family coaster. I'm just waiting for another park to build one, prefrably with a better first section and a longer drop where I can actually feel the freefall.
It's an alright, adequate, respectable, okey-dokey coaster but ranks below Nemesis, Rita and Oblivion in the AT line-up imo. 6/10.
Nemesis Inferno
Strata Poster
When/If they do Fast-track for it, the queue will increase a bit... Hopefully not by much, but it still will depending on it's popularity...
It entirely depends on how they improve the running of it, for example the bag storage did create a bottleneck due to people waiting for friends and family (I was one of them), meaning that there was a minimal queue inside...
As for the extra effects, it's hard to judge until they turn them on... But hopefully they will improve the indoor portion some more, because if only the wraith at the front moves then that'll only work in the front row...
Time will tell...
It entirely depends on how they improve the running of it, for example the bag storage did create a bottleneck due to people waiting for friends and family (I was one of them), meaning that there was a minimal queue inside...
As for the extra effects, it's hard to judge until they turn them on... But hopefully they will improve the indoor portion some more, because if only the wraith at the front moves then that'll only work in the front row...
Time will tell...
Did it live up to my expectations? Well, basically yes.
I sure as hell wasn't taken in by any of the horrendously inappropriate advertising, and so was expecting a roller skater with a quirky element and a backwards section. I got exactly that. The first drop could/should have been pretty good, but it wasn't. The following section just felt like a drawn-out Troublesome Trucks. The dropping track was fun, as was the backwards section, in terms of the actual coaster. The effects? What/where were they? I'm hoping that what people are saying is true and that there were things that weren't working because otherwise there's a serious missed opportunity right there.
Sorry, but I'm not seeing this "excellent theming" that so many people are talking about. I've said numerous times that, here in the U.K., we're too quick to label any theming as excellent, when, in fact, we have next to NOTHING matching that description. Th13teen is no exception. I don't need to hear the "it's good for the UK" argument either. Why do we have to be soooooo apathetic and settle for inferior products all the time? The whole thing looked cheap.
Station? What? What was there? From what I could see, a lot of dark, some writing on the wall and a WHOLE lot of nothing else. Thank **** the queue moves quickly enough to prevent having to spend much time there because when the weather gets warmer it's going to be awful.
We're hearing about a lot of overheard G.P conversations, with the general consenus being that people are loving it. Fair enough, but both times I rode it I heard other people (non-enthusiast) on the train come out with the "is that it?!" reaction.
Ok, I realise I'm being very critical, which is a little unfair since I got exactly what I was expecting, at least with regard to the coaster. I was disappointed by the (lack of) effects though. Anyway, it's absolutely NOT what was being sold to us (by us I mean park goers in general). Obviously, a park needs to hype a new ride as much as possible, but to try and sell a large kiddy coaster, with a mediocre gimmick, as the world's most terrifying ride experience is ridiculous.
If I was looking at it as a family attraction, I'd give it a solid 6/10. If I was looking at it as a member of the GP is supposed to, as an exercise is physical and psychological terror, I'd give it a 3/10 and be considering a phone call to Trading Standards.
I sure as hell wasn't taken in by any of the horrendously inappropriate advertising, and so was expecting a roller skater with a quirky element and a backwards section. I got exactly that. The first drop could/should have been pretty good, but it wasn't. The following section just felt like a drawn-out Troublesome Trucks. The dropping track was fun, as was the backwards section, in terms of the actual coaster. The effects? What/where were they? I'm hoping that what people are saying is true and that there were things that weren't working because otherwise there's a serious missed opportunity right there.
Sorry, but I'm not seeing this "excellent theming" that so many people are talking about. I've said numerous times that, here in the U.K., we're too quick to label any theming as excellent, when, in fact, we have next to NOTHING matching that description. Th13teen is no exception. I don't need to hear the "it's good for the UK" argument either. Why do we have to be soooooo apathetic and settle for inferior products all the time? The whole thing looked cheap.
Station? What? What was there? From what I could see, a lot of dark, some writing on the wall and a WHOLE lot of nothing else. Thank **** the queue moves quickly enough to prevent having to spend much time there because when the weather gets warmer it's going to be awful.
We're hearing about a lot of overheard G.P conversations, with the general consenus being that people are loving it. Fair enough, but both times I rode it I heard other people (non-enthusiast) on the train come out with the "is that it?!" reaction.
Ok, I realise I'm being very critical, which is a little unfair since I got exactly what I was expecting, at least with regard to the coaster. I was disappointed by the (lack of) effects though. Anyway, it's absolutely NOT what was being sold to us (by us I mean park goers in general). Obviously, a park needs to hype a new ride as much as possible, but to try and sell a large kiddy coaster, with a mediocre gimmick, as the world's most terrifying ride experience is ridiculous.
If I was looking at it as a family attraction, I'd give it a solid 6/10. If I was looking at it as a member of the GP is supposed to, as an exercise is physical and psychological terror, I'd give it a 3/10 and be considering a phone call to Trading Standards.
Nemesis Inferno
Strata Poster
Whilst I didn't hear that on Thirteen (and I am not denying people said it), it was rather amusing to hear Distressed Woman say it multiple times on the Nemesis brake run :lol:
I liked the station Gavin! Boooo! I thought it had an excellent, abandoned creepy Japanese horror kind of feel to it.
Admittedly I was only in it for a few seconds due to the bag queue being much longer than the queue in the station, but I thought it was good from what I saw.
The problem for me was that it just didn't seem to fit properly with that kind of gothic look the rest has. I just couldn't get a complete theme/story from it all.
Admittedly I was only in it for a few seconds due to the bag queue being much longer than the queue in the station, but I thought it was good from what I saw.
The problem for me was that it just didn't seem to fit properly with that kind of gothic look the rest has. I just couldn't get a complete theme/story from it all.
Sorry, I meant that Japanese Horror "film" type of thing to it. I've seen a few of those, and that's the impression I got it was trying to give off - but then mixed with a Gothic crypt and some badly covered lepers or something. The bit inside the station I thought did that harsh, creepy thing well - but I do think that a lot of it was due to the fact it was bare breeze blocks pretending to be themed as "abandoned".
It was just a small bit of the station though on the inside, and was only a tiny part of the whole "theme" thing - it's just a small bit which appealed to me.
It was just a small bit of the station though on the inside, and was only a tiny part of the whole "theme" thing - it's just a small bit which appealed to me.
Jools
Giga Poster
Some friends of mine went over to Alton Towers this weekend, they had to wait 50 minutes for Thirteen, and they were very impressed with it, one said that even though the drop looked small, it felt big. They said it was one of their favourites in the park, but no one mentioned the outdoor bit being anything special.
Martyn B
CF Legend
Well not every ride is for eveyone. Take, Rita and Air for example.
I've not even seen the ride in person yet, but I know the positives already;
- Its differen't, add's even more variety to Alton's coasters.
- Chance's are it will be better/more enjoyable than Corkscrew
- Dark Forest looks a lot better than Ug-Land
So to me, even if it is an average ride, I believe its still an improvement for Alton.
I've not even seen the ride in person yet, but I know the positives already;
- Its differen't, add's even more variety to Alton's coasters.
- Chance's are it will be better/more enjoyable than Corkscrew
- Dark Forest looks a lot better than Ug-Land
So to me, even if it is an average ride, I believe its still an improvement for Alton.
Gazza
Giga Poster
I can sort of see where bob_3 is coming from....A number of rides that opened in recent times have copped it for one reason or another...Air because it was boring (And broke down a lot), Stealth because it didn't do enough (And broke down a lot), Spinball because it looked garish and had low capacity (And it broke down a lot) Saw because the coaster was average/rough/underthemed (And broke down a lot).
But in time, they have all 'settled in', people forget about the hype surrounding the opening, and begin to just take it for what it is.
To dismiss 13 as having only 5 second trick...How long is the trick on Oblivion
I think in time people will sort of just take it for the not too intense ride that it is, they'll still give it a go on every visit, and they'll mostly just ride for that one trick.
But in time, they have all 'settled in', people forget about the hype surrounding the opening, and begin to just take it for what it is.
To dismiss 13 as having only 5 second trick...How long is the trick on Oblivion
I think in time people will sort of just take it for the not too intense ride that it is, they'll still give it a go on every visit, and they'll mostly just ride for that one trick.
It all depends on the person, for me I hate air and can easily go to Alton and not ride it. This will be the same with me and 13 and tbh Saw as well.
All the coasters are good for the park there just not coasters I like.
13 has got mixed results all over coaster forums, everyone says good family coaster but poor thrill coaster. We all cannot be wrong.
All the coasters are good for the park there just not coasters I like.
13 has got mixed results all over coaster forums, everyone says good family coaster but poor thrill coaster. We all cannot be wrong.
Nemesis Inferno
Strata Poster
marc said:
This...
Unfortunately the marketing people came in making it seem like it was something more and people (enthusiasts and GP) took it in and then possibly went off and imagined something it was never going to be...
And UC why do you keep posting in everything Towers related since Thirteen opened?
Gazza said:
To be fair, Air IS still boring, and people still think that, Stealth still doesn't do enough, and people still think that, Spinball... doesn't actually look garish now, but it does have a stupid capacity, Saw IS still average, rough and underthemed, and people still think that...
The difference is Th13teen opened like, three days ago, so we're NATURALLY going to be talking about it more than rides which have been open years. It's not the fact we don't think that about those rides anymore, it's that we're bored of saying it.
Mysterious Sue
Strata Poster
Having had no real expectations, the drop came as a brilliant surprise.
I even said to Vadge on spotting the 'shed' where the drop was - 'ohh they haven't finished it yet' - ha ha
Unfortunately, this excitement only lasted for one turn, and on my second go it was only half as fun.
The outside section was also very tame with lots of braking.
Sorry to be so negative (this is my first review), I absoultely love the concept, but think they could have done so much more with the ride - sure I said to a couple of people that the car could have fallen through several layers or spun round before falling. Also as someone said in an earlier post, even some moving statues or scary voices would have helped.
I didn't even realise there was anything to see at the bottom, not being at the front! :roll:
I agree with most people, a great family ride, nice enough, but not up there with Oblivion and Nemesis for thrill seekers.
I even said to Vadge on spotting the 'shed' where the drop was - 'ohh they haven't finished it yet' - ha ha
Unfortunately, this excitement only lasted for one turn, and on my second go it was only half as fun.
The outside section was also very tame with lots of braking.
Sorry to be so negative (this is my first review), I absoultely love the concept, but think they could have done so much more with the ride - sure I said to a couple of people that the car could have fallen through several layers or spun round before falling. Also as someone said in an earlier post, even some moving statues or scary voices would have helped.
I didn't even realise there was anything to see at the bottom, not being at the front! :roll:
I agree with most people, a great family ride, nice enough, but not up there with Oblivion and Nemesis for thrill seekers.