Duel: Retheme, Replace or Remove?

Got an idea of how the Alton Towers Resort may develop over the coming seasons? Discuss it here.
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TheDuke
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Robert.W wrote:I wonder if they will trim away some of the ivy on the exterior as it's getting a bit out of control and before long the entire house facade will just get swallowed up by it!
Yeah I think that says alot about the state of duel too that its in need of a touch up, with SW8 moving in near it next year it will get TLC this closed season. I hope so anyway.
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rbsmith18
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AltonOperator wrote: I cannot wait for a refurbed duel, I've accepted that they'll keep the guns but considering who theyre getting in do they effects it'll be amazing
Who are they getting in to do the effects on Duel? I'm desperate to see it return to its former glory! I rode it at scarefest last week and it was operationally the worst I've ever seen it. So many effects not working, seriously poor effect lighting, the trommel seems to have gathered dust it's been that long since it turned, and the guns (which everyone says Merlin love as the gimmick/pull) stopped working three quarters of the way around. This ride is a classic, much like Nemesis, for it's originality, design, scale...I just wish the powers that be realised what a jewel in the crown it could still be for the park with a little investment!!!
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ScottLann
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With the theme of SW8 getting clearer, I think Duel has the potential to be re-themed with some major refurbishment taking place. If anyone knows what Outlast 2 is then this will make more sense.

The Wicker Man and Outlast 2 both have similar themes as they are based around a group of people who live in a forest in the middle of nowhere. Likewise, these cults have some sort of god/supernatural idol that they look up to.

I believe that if SW8 was to be part of Gloomy Wood, Duel could be refurbished into some type of old church that could be where the cult bases themselves. The ride type would be kept the same (maybe without the guns) but would have the theme of trying to explore/escape the church and discover who these "people" really are. This is just an idea of course, but it's something I thought would fit in well if Duel was to be re-themed :)
Last edited by Dan on Thu Dec 21, 2017 4:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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TheBeornen
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Yeah that would work, it’s actually a better idea than just a having sw8 right next to a completely unrelated haunted house, even if it was refurbished over closed season
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Justin
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I've never actually considered the facia of Duel being changed, although that would be a great idea if SW8 was linked to Gloomy Wood. Duel would need a big investment though, which I can't see Alton paying for anytime soon, but I could be wrong! I think we'll just get an improved Duel with fixed effects next season.
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JC13
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ScottLann wrote:With the theme of SW8 getting clearer, I think Duel has the potential to be re-themed with some major refurbishment taking place. If anyone knows what Outlast 2 is then this will make more sense.

The Wicker Man and Outlast 2 both have similar themes as they are based around a group of people who live in a forest in the middle of nowhere. Likewise, these cults have some sort of god/supernatural idol that they look up to.

I believe that if SW8 was to be part of Gloomy Wood, Duel could be refurbished into some type of old church that could be where the cult bases themselves. The ride type would be kept the same (maybe without the guns) but would have the theme of trying to explore/escape the church and discover who these "people" really are. This is just an idea of course, but it's something I thought would fit in well if Duel was to be re-themed :)
I’d absolutely love this to happen, but i think Justin is right saying we probably will get duel with fixed effects
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TheBeornen
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Yeah you guys are probably right and if the rumours are correct and Sub-Terra is given work over the season, I wouldn't expect them to do a lot of work to Duel. They're both dark rides even though their both quite different.

I think they'll release a re-themed and reworked dark ride each year, this year they brought back Hex and they did a really great job. Next year it might be Sub Terra and then in 2019 it could be Duel.
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Dan
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TheBeornen wrote:I think they'll release a re-themed and reworked dark ride each year, this year they brought back Hex and they did a really great job. Next year it might be Sub Terra and then in 2019 it could be Duel.
Duel has already been confirmed to be receiving TLC over this closed season. As for what level of attention it’ll get, at this point it’s anyones guess. I can’t imagine it’ll see any drastic changes except effects being fixed and maybe some improvements to the lighting.
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TheBeornen
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Dan wrote:
TheBeornen wrote:I think they'll release a re-themed and reworked dark ride each year, this year they brought back Hex and they did a really great job. Next year it might be Sub Terra and then in 2019 it could be Duel.
Duel has already been confirmed to be receiving TLC over this closed season. As for what level of attention it’ll get, at this point it’s anyones guess. I can’t imagine it’ll see any drastic changes except effects being fixed and maybe some improvements to the lighting.
Ok that's good, Duel really needs some work because it's just sub par right now compared to everything else at the park.
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rbsmith18
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Justin wrote:I've never actually considered the facia of Duel being changed, although that would be a great idea if SW8 was linked to Gloomy Wood. Duel would need a big investment though, which I can't see Alton paying for anytime soon, but I could be wrong! I think we'll just get an improved Duel with fixed effects next season.
I didn't forsee Alton investing as much as they did with Air to rebrand it to Galactica, so although I tend to agree in terms of scale...this is Merlin we're talking about, unpredictable at times (so maybe they will invest heavily in it), but ultimately they're being stringent on expenditure at present (so actually no, we'll never see a huge investment in Duel...just a few effects tweaked!).
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Robert.W
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I would consider an entire facade change to Duel to be highly unlikely, especially as the exterior, in my opinion, is the best "scene" of the attraction, despite all the overgrown leaves, which I do hope will be trimmed down a bit. I just think that it would be a little pointless of Alton Towers to change the facade if they aren't going to put a new attraction inside, which to do right, would cost mega, and with them already investing a lot this year with SW8, I just can't see it happening.
As the ride was confirmed to be getting "TLC" I'd assume this doesn't mean an entire ride re-theme anyway, however I could still be wrong!
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matt_1985x
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I think whatever they do with this ride they should involved Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman to build long lasting effects. I think they would do an awesome job!
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Wolverine0492
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I like Duel.

Think it would be too costly to redo it to fit in with the Wicker Man.
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Robert.W
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Well... considering they are renovating it (and yes, I'm aware that in some cases things are being made even worse), I really don't think Duel will ever be rethemed to anything other than what it is now. A (rather bad) zombie shooting [not] dark [enough] ride. Maybe in the very distant future we could hope for the building to be gutted and for Towers to start again, but that just seems very unlikely at the moment.
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Scarlyboo22
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I would say that Duel needs a retheme. The props have had some Towers Loving Care but the idea is outdated and I think there should be a more family centered approach.

I understand it is a shooting zombies theme but I don’t think many kids go on it due to the scary exterior. I for one believe they could change it to a more comedic approach. It would certainly attract more families to the area and it would give the children that are to old for CBeebies Land and too young for the thrill rides a more varied choice.

However some could disagree and may want a proper haunted house full of thrills and spooks. I do agree with the above though.
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Scarlyboo22
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I think that Gloomy Wood should have a horror water ride. The horror element could make it really scary. It will bring some thrill seekers missing Nemesis Sub-Terra which at the rate it is going will probably never reopen. It could be indoor or outdoor.
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Robert.W
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Whatever they decide to replace Duel with in the long and distant future, they must make it suitable for the entire family to ride. And they have to do it properly. Not done on the cheap.
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AltonOperator
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Location: Exactly 65.38 miles from Nemesis' entrance

When deciding whether an area has space for a new ride I find it helps to use this map:
http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=199590
rather than the inaccurate park maps.

There is very little room for anything else and its slightly too far from either KC or FV to merge the areas. If they removed Duel however, they could create a fairly large land using the backstage areas.
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Robert.W
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As much as I complain about what Duel has become on the inside, I think that Gloomy Wood as a land is really a nice area.. it's got a kind of charm to it that perhaps some of the other areas in the park maybe don't have. Perhaps it's because it just so small, and hasn't really changed too much over the years.. I don't know, but it's definitely area that I'd be really sad to see be removed.

As for fitting in another ride, plans were submitted for the area surrounding Duel near the gardens, but obviously, for whatever reason, they never went ahead. But I don't think that was necessarily a bad thing though. 
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That looks like a better version of Rita :lol

Would have been nice to have had a new ride there as it is quite bare with just 1 ride.
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