Attraction Source Forum

Every time some one brings up CatCF at Alton Towers everyone starts going on a tangent, so...why, what is soo bad about the ride that warrents point blank refusing to go on it soley for the fact that it's not Toyland Tours, to me it just comes of as a bit childish. Personally I like the ride, the scenes are nice and the glass elivator is very unique and enjoyable and I love the wonkas personality, over all I like the ride, but for some reason I'm wrong for liking it...so why?

I felt exactly the same about the ride... I have been on Toyland Tours, although was a bit too young to remember it in its entirety. The boat ride aspect of CATCF is a bit meh and nothing special, although i do think it's a decently themed ride as well as the videos shown on the projectors are quite amusing... I LOVE the glass elevator ride and think it's so unique, but appears that only one is working now, and that one makes a horrible screeching sound!

I think it was because apparently Toyland Tours was much better. I never rode it myself, but judging from pictures, videos I've seen of the ride, Charlie is much better.

Simple reason why people hate it is because it replaced the well loved classic: Toyland Tours, with no real reason. It was easily the best ride in the park for families with young children. Now the current incarnation is somewhat strange and isn't nearly as popular with the guests as Toyland Tours ever was.

Toyland Tours was everyone's favorite childrens attraction, listening to its theme music again will make any enthusiast swell up with joy. Long story short, Toyland Tours was a well thought-out, funny and exciting ride, but Charlie and the Chocolate Factory isn't. CATCF's disliking is probably aided by it replacing TT, as well as it just being a badly produced ride.

1. The queue is always double what they tell you
2. Every time I've been on it's broken down in the queue
3. It's rubbish until the great glass elevator

I miss toyland tours I loved it when i was a kid and always ran excited to there after having mcdonalds which i also miss.
Charlie will never beat it - hellooooooo a ride with teddy bears etc.

But i still like it being a wimp it is one of a few i can go on , there is never a queue and is an easy walk on. Plus i love kiddie boat rides any of them.
The elevator bit is ok but i would happily go straight off at that point , i prefer the boat bit.
What can i say i am a sad individual.

I love Charlie. It could be because it gives me a good sit down with my disability and I like it for the chill out factor.

Toyland Tours was brilliant. I only vaguely remember it

But CatCF is a bit boring and no where near as good as TT. It has queues that are not worth riding the ride (TBH even when it is walk on, it isn't worth the ride, IMO) It needs replacing with something much, much better. I find both the boat ride and the elevator bit boring. It would have been much better as Ice Age theme, and is something I think AT should do. The boat ride could be themed around a river through the Ice with the characters on the display bits around you. Blasts of cold air and fake snow would also add the the theming. The beginning video could be the queue line video for the current 4D cinema, and the elevator could be replaced with a 4D cinema. Then Snorlix and the gang can be restored in their rightful home.

I grew up with Toyland Tours and it was an integral part of my visit whenever I went to AT as a child, the very distinctive TT music is what, for me, added to the unique magic of AT that everyone knows and loves (or loved if you are one of the people who think the magic is fading or has long since gone). So for this reason I hold a strong attachment to TT for nostalgic purposes. The ride was incredibly well themed even though, thinking back it might of been weirder than Charlie (the hippo anyone? :lol). Also, the ride was also longer than it is now so was more worth it in my view, Charlie has got to be at the most half a ride shorter! Taking all this into account the one time I rode Charlie I was incredibly disappointed and thought it was a terrible replacement boat ride wise although I must say the elevator is a good idea and is a nice added extra. For its purpose as a boat ride however it really falls short in my view and as you can see, most people who were fortunate enough to ride TT agree.

The elevator section is pretty good but the boat ride isn't really. A lot of the sets are static, there isn't much movement, there are larger sections of black nothingness and if you don't already know the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory it won't make any sense.

I really don't mind Charlie, the glass elevator is quite fun, and while the boat ride is fairly boring you can make it fun depending who you're with :P

I don't understand because TT was just one long boat ride with dolls, teddy bears etc etc just smiling at you. Catcf, yes a boat ride but quite a fun glass elevator add on to it. How come TT has more fans?

Dan.N wrote:I really don't mind Charlie, the glass elevator is quite fun, and while the boat ride is fairly boring you can make it fun depending who you're with :P

I'm not quite sure what you mean Dan :sus:

:lol can't say I hate it and can't say I like it either
Never been on it

Um I think its time it got changed the elevator is good though if they turned it 3d it could be better ... playing rock the boat (a new game ive just been introduced to.... ) dose.make it more fun ... he he

Alex wrote:

Dan.N wrote:I really don't mind Charlie, the glass elevator is quite fun, and while the boat ride is fairly boring you can make it fun depending who you're with :P

I'm not quite sure what you mean Dan :sus:

A bit of rocking the boat

I simply love CATCF the ride because it is a unique ride based on a popular film which has millions of fans. I think the fact that it has its own quirky music and tells the story throughout the ride also makes you feel like your part of the golden ticket crew which I think alot of children when they watch CATCF feel like. The glass elivator at the end is simply a unique expereince and makes a great addition to the ride itself. The only thing I would like to have seen in the ride is you exit into a chocolate sweet shop.

It still manages to attract large queues, queues that I've seen go up to 70 minutes even! And yes, that mainly is because of the shocking throughput, but at the end of the day people still queue for it and ride it visit after visit! Surely if it was that bad it wouldn't attract that sort of attention.

Braders2010 wrote:I simply love CATCF the ride because it is a unique ride based on a popular film which has millions of fans. .

I think you'll find its actually based upon a popular book......

Well yes a film and book - its a famous brand put it that way!