The Future of The Flume

Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:34 am

After riding the Flume for the first time this season a few weeks back I personally think the ride is in dire need of attention if Towers are to make it last. There seemed to be water leaking from all over the ride, with quite a few holes in the channel at various points. The whole ride felt like it was drastically down on water too, with the boat dragging on the bottom more or less all the way around (And there were only two of us in it!)

The tunnel too was in a disgusting state, with barely any lighting, and a lot of very visible patches stuck to a lot of the walls. From the outside the entrance to the tunnel looked as though the wood was beginning to rot! I'd liken it to the Rumba Rapids tunnel. Dark, dank and dirty.

It was in a sorry state to say the least, poor thing

Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:05 pm

It certainly does need some attention, it is looking in a bit of a worn down state right now.

I hope they keep hold of the Flume, refurbish it and give it a new lease of life, I'll be very disappointed to see it go.

Fri Jun 08, 2012 11:12 am

I think the flume needs a new indoor section. and when you go inside the bit were the yellow duck jump out. The giant yellow duck should splash some water on you while your going past it.

Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:24 pm

The showers in the tunnel are plenty, thanks :P

Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:19 pm

All that I want is a nice, family water ride, with a big drop, and lots of fun and adventure.
It would be nice ,a high thrill ride, but Alton haven't got a good old flume, so I think before we go there, we need a nice, family friendly laughy ride

Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:02 pm

cookiee_munster wrote: whatever the replacement is. i hope the ride goes "under" the lake a'la this way...

WOW ! Where is that?? Dubai i guess??

Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:14 pm

No it's in Japan I think and it's called diving coaster vanish.

I think if the flume was replaced I would love a Mack Megacoaster. But I doubt it would happen.

Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:17 pm

Whilst I do enjoy The Flume (and i always have done since being a kid) it is really showing its age an will only be appealable to youngsters and people (like me) who feel that its a "must do" ride whilst in the park, however like many have mentioned, something really does need to be done!
I used to think this was a decent water ride, until a trip to Florida last year ... WOW ! ! They sure know how to build a water ride don't they!!
I know there is a lot of cost involved, but it needs to be done in order to keep the footfall coming through year after year! I am also aware that people don't like to see classics go - but again, it has to be done sometimes & this is where we have to learn from the Yanks (e.g Replacing the iconic ride "Jaws" with what seems to be another addition to Harry Potter! A terrible decision and an outcry initially on various forums and guests in the parks, however those tourists that love going to Universal Studios wont boycott the park next time they visit just because Jaws is no longer there - instead they'll be rushing to experience the new ride....Kerching!

I will now lcimb down off my soap box and get back to watching the cricket ..yawn !!

Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:58 pm

Yes, I think the ride's in Japan. Of course, it's a tunnel. But wouldn't it be AWESOME if it did go underwater!

Sun Jun 10, 2012 4:55 pm

Benjy Alton Towers Kid wrote: Yes, I think the ride's in Japan. Of course, it's a tunnel. But wouldn't it be AWESOME if it did go underwater!

http://www.rcdb.com/1290.htm

formula1fan · Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:15 pm

I doubt very much that Towers would get a ride that goes under the lake - the construction costs would most likely be too high for a decent attraction to be constructed. Plus I feel that to have a ride going under the lake (like the rollercoaster which has been suggested) could ruin the initial view of the Towers upon walking in and getting away from the Merlin upselling.

Joelio · Sun Jun 10, 2012 6:41 pm

The flume should be replaced by a better flume with a theme relating to Mutiny Bay.

Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:58 pm

Joelio wrote: The flume should be replaced by a better flume with a theme relating to Mutiny Bay.

They could just retheme the flume :P

But, seriously it needs to go. I'm praying for a Mack water coaster with epic theming. Merlin, do this has the next major project! After SW7 of course!

Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:04 am

The problem with the Flume is that it was badly designed. Broome was fixated about getting the 'longest' record but in the process he actually made the ride really dull.

This could have been rectified with a redesigned mid-section but the window of opportunity for this has probably closed now - the ride certainly has less years ahead than behind.

Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:45 pm

The flume was good because it takes you through the woods and is not just another coaster. You could put a coaster there but a coaster in the woods is not the same as water flowing through the woods.

The baths are a bit chunky, the idea or baths floating rather than being filled with water is fairly funny though.

What I want to see in terms of water rides is not prior art but the next Bubble Works. Something completely new, so not even a water coaster really. Journey to Atlantis looks amazing but I want something (newly) original and creative (which could be a water coaster I guess just has to be done John Wardley style if not developing further on what he has taught us- as should it be).

Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:56 pm

MattsDesigns wrote: The flume was good because it takes you through the woods and is not just another coaster. You could put a coaster there but a coaster in the woods is not the same as water flowing through the woods.

The baths are a bit chunky, the idea or baths floating rather than being filled with water is fairly funny though.

What I want to see in terms of water rides is not prior art but the next Bubble Works. Something completely new, so not even a water coaster really. Journey to Atlantis looks amazing but I want something (newly) original and creative (which could be a water coaster I guess just has to be done John Wardley style if not developing further on what he has taught us- as should it be).

The problem is that it could backfire and become a complete gimmick. (Think thirteen on water

) An attraction can be unique by using concepts that have already been used but giving it its on take on that style of ride. Nemesis being the best example of this. By using an unoriginal concept (B&M inverted), in a pit with fantastic theming and back story. No gimmicks! Plus the park as so many "worlds firsts" its unreal! Oblivion, Air, Thirteen and now SW7 seems to be going down that route.

The bottom line is a good, simple water ride with theming is what the park needs!

Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:43 pm

I guess it could go wrong but if you have the right people with experience you should be able to churn out something that works. John Wardley said that all new rides are a prototype. They need to be amended many times but it makes for a much better ride....

To me, gimmicks (if youre using Th13teen as an example) are actually very desirable. Do people not like gimmicks due to the down time that they could cause or is it like how people don't like gimmicks in Music and Art?

Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:57 pm

I see where you're going from. The problem with such gimmicks are downtime (as you metioned) and most cases, because it's a new form of ride that hasn't open anywhere eles, therefore making downtime more unpredictable when first open and running to the public. Air and Thirteen had a fair bit of downtime when opened to the public.

Attractions which aren't gimmicks usually are much better on that front. As manufacturers have time to iron out any bugs. This is usually harder with prototype rides. This will make a better experiance for riders and park staff and coasting the park much less in the long term, plus when buying the product the park will have much more money to focus on other areas of that ride, insteed of the worlds first element as non-prototype coasters/rides are cheaper. Theming can be better for an example.

This is why I want to see a Mack water coaster being build on the flumes site. We don't have a water coaster in this country so they can attach a gimmick that isn't a gimmick... "The UK's first water coaster" If that makes much sence. And because it been done before in other parks and have been well received by the public over there, theres no reason why it won't be popular over here. If theming is used effectivly to create somthing special and magical. The next Bubble works could well and true happen if they are no more gimmicks.

Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:04 pm

How about a water coaster which goes backwards with indoor scenes. Just think how much area the flume takes up including the parts that go under ground.

Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:03 pm

formula1fan wrote: I doubt very much that Towers would get a ride that goes under the lake - the construction costs would most likely be too high for a decent attraction to be constructed. Plus I feel that to have a ride going under the lake (like the rollercoaster which has been suggested) could ruin the initial view of the Towers upon walking in and getting away from the Merlin upselling.

when i posted that picture, i never meant it should go under the main lake in front of the towers, but under the lake/pool the current log flume has.

going on from what i suggested, id love the idea for the station to be underground, under the lake/pond, so on the big finale when the ride goes into the tunnel into the lake/pond it doesn't come back out, making it look like riders have been "taken" to the depths

EDIT - another idea i had was going on from that newspaper report thing posted in the park, that got us all speculating about whether SW7 was going to replace the flume, remember? something about a weapon?

I'd love for the replacement to have this kind of theme, if it is to be some kind of water coaster then the cars should look like some kind of drift wood sculpted cannon, a weapon as you were. what to destroy? i dunno, some kind of sea monster protecting a huge load of treasure? for folk familiar with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, when i think of this cannon idea, i think of The Flying Dutchman ship from the films.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightterror/265127771/