2010: Sonic Spinball

[DomB]

I think the re-theme looks brilliant, loving the blue!

[AstroDan]

I too think it's a job well done. The change in name and the whole "Sonic" business is fairly unobtrusive, it's a quick way for Alton to get some cash to give the ride a bit of a boost. It looks much better now - like a brand new rollercoaster.

I have read here that "AT had a choice". What choice? Either leave it or give it a new coat of paint, some new audio, signage and a Sonic statue? I think I would take the latter,

Spinball was a theme nobody ever much rated anyway - had this been Nemesis or Oblivion of course we would have probably felt different, but for Spinball Whizzer it has given it a new lease of life.

[Gloomy Dude]

I too have softened to the new theme more and more.

The trick is, not to look at it as an entirely new theme. It's more like a Sonic facade to the old Spinball. That is, by keeping a lot of the old signs, the queue line games and the same colour scheme, it's more like giving Spinball a kind of thumbs up from Sonic... if that makes any sense? As though Sonic has stumbled on the ride and thought "oooh, this is good."

More like an upgrade in theme than a change. They're not trying to pretend the old theme never existed...

[Skumfidus]

[quote=""AstroDan""]
I have read here that "AT had a choice". What choice? Either leave it or give it a new coat of paint, some new audio, signage and a Sonic statue? I think I would take the latter,
[/quote]

You really, honestly believe those were the two options that Alton Towers had? Nothing or this?

I would certainly take the latter also...but there were never just 2 options...there's a billion...Alton Towers went with the cheapest and easiest, requiring the least imagination...and I just believe that it shows.

[AstroDan]

How were there other options? Name them? Alton obviously got the chance to link with Sega and took it. Like the money would have been there had a partner not come in?!

[furie]

I think it's clear that Sega and Alton came to a deal. That deal will have been £x to Alton for "advertising" (just having a massive Sonic advert in the park) and £x for the actual re-theme.

It will have been:

"Hello Sega, here are the options for the Sonic Spinball retheme"

1. Cheap ass repaint, stickers, rename and model - £x0,000
2. As above, only with themed cars - £x00,000
3. Complete professional re-theme with all new themed area, pulling out anything that was part of Spinball Whizzer and have carte blanche. - £x,000,000

It will have been a decision based on cost of re-theme that SEGA took, not Alton. Okay, Alton may have pushed a scheme that meant minimum problems to them re-theming back in three years time - but it will have been agreed by Sega and it will be entirely based on costs and what Sega were happy to pay.

So yeah, it's not the best it could have been, but it's the best that Sega were willing to pay for.

Either way, it's still better than it was.

[jomo1993]

I reckon they changed the name to Sonic Spinball because it fits on to the queue boards better.

[Elliot]

Well it is very tacky, stickers galore. I but the ride was in need of a paint job, but I do like the new announcements all done by the hedgehog him self, like when there was bad weather; "It looks like Dr. Eggman has put a cloud of bad weather over us" and the music for the ride isn't in the queue it's around the area and the only song I heard was Take Me Out -Franz Ferdinand, but it was pretty in-audiable.

[mezza]

[quote=""RR Elliot""]I do like the new announcements all done by the hedgehog him self, like when there was bad weather; "It looks like Dr. Eggman has put a cloud of bad weather over us" [/quote]

That's awesome!

[Elliot]

I don't know it if happened with Spinball Whizzer but with Spinball Sonic when there is bad weather it goes down to 3 per car, it that normal?

[Craig]

Yup it's been the case for a while now. It's to prevent the cars from overspeeding on the brakeruns due to the slippier conditions.

[Eagie]

Which is why I like going when it is a bit wet as it makes the single rider queue exceptionally fast!

[Elliot]

Me, my brother Sam (Elite 795 on here) and his friend got in the last car with 4 people in when it started raining and it makes it spin alot more and make it alot faster.

[CGM]

The Eiffel Tower's looking a bit worse for wear, maybe we should plonk a 6 foot statue of the Green Giant at the base and vinyl wrap the whole tower in a fetching sweetcorn related design, maybe the lifts can play "ho ho ho, Green Giant" as you approach the top?...the Green Giant's tall like the Eiffel Tower isn't he?

Sorry, just thought I'd point that out.

But overall, I agree, I don't like the retheme. It certainly looks newer but not necissarily better. I personally find that the new red and blue colours are much more garish than the previous colour scheme and the whole Sonic theme is just unecissary.

Sometimes ride sponsorships can work and be unobtrusive such as Air with Miniature Heroes. This is just in-your-face advertising. I don't want to pay £30+ to get in a park and then have brand names rubbed in my face. It's supposed to be an immersive experience that takes you away from such things. Very poor form from an operator like Merlin

[James6]

If it was a long term thing, I'd agree, but for a few years I think its a great thing

Also, I have barely seen even any recognition or the brand being "rubbed in my face" on the website or anywhere else so far. The only change I've really seen relating to Sega is the change in ride name and logo.

[dan_pmbo]

To be fair the ride needed painting and TLC that’s fine and I think they have done a good job, but what I disagree with is the claims from the 2010 park map stating new for 2010. It's not new. Working on this basis Big Dipper, Pleasure Beach Express, Monorail, Revolution,Ghost train are all new for 2010. When the Revolution took the Irn Bru name it was not labelled as a new ride.

[NickT04]

They always do it though? The Skyride was claimed as new last year! Technically speaking though Sonic Spinball is new, as it's no longer Spinball Whizzer!

[Scott]

[quote=""NickT04""]They always do it though? The Skyride was claimed as new last year! Technically speaking though Sonic Spinball is new, as it's no longer Spinball Whizzer![/quote]

Yeah, the name and the paint job is new, along with the new branding, but the actual ride is no different tbf.

[NickT04]

[quote=""Scott""][quote=""NickT04""]They always do it though? The Skyride was claimed as new last year! Technically speaking though Sonic Spinball is new, as it's no longer Spinball Whizzer![/quote]

Yeah, the name and the paint job is new, along with the new branding, but the actual ride is no different tbf.[/quote]

That's where the technicality comes in Obviously the ride is no different. It's the same when cars have facelifts, they claim them to be new - they've just got new headlights and a bit more chrome

[Scott]

[quote=""NickT04""][quote=""Scott""][quote=""NickT04""]They always do it though? The Skyride was claimed as new last year! Technically speaking though Sonic Spinball is new, as it's no longer Spinball Whizzer![/quote]

Yeah, the name and the paint job is new, along with the new branding, but the actual ride is no different tbf.[/quote]

That's where the technicality comes in Obviously the ride is no different. It's the same when cars have facelifts, they claim them to be new - they've just got new headlights and a bit more chrome [/quote]

In all fairness, it doesnt make it 'new' though does it?