The Future Of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 6:54 pm
Hi folks ( Neither I or a moderator could find the existing topic for the future of this ride so I saw it as a perfect opportunity to share my ideas for this ride and start a new discussion.)
I have been considering many ideas for a re-theme of the existing Charlie And The Chocolate Factory ride at The Alton Towers Resort hence me creating this topic. I started contemplating more modern IP ideas but I finally settled on an idea after the announcement of The Enchanted Village Accommodation development. I don't think it would be too out of place in the current setting of Cloud Cuckoo Land and I feel it could fit in perfectly without the need of a widespread Re-theme of the area. My idea would circulate around the theme of "The Alton Brook" which would be in an enchanted village and that flows through Cloud Cuckoo Land taking you on a journey full of secrets and beauty. I thought the visual aesthetics could follow the rich rustic look that the Peter Rabbit Rooms adopt in the Alton Towers Hotel that can be viewed in this link;http://www.altontowers.com/hotels/alton ... med-rooms/. The exterior of the ride would include a stone enchanted castle which would include both 3D and 2D theming to give a more dynamic look to the building. Exterior theming could include; Ivy, a waterwheel, Castle parapets, bright colours and cottage like facades. This theming would hopefully give a more fairy-tale look to the show building while being in-keeping with the exuberant colours of Cloud Cuckoo Land. The interior would have multiple areas that would tell a story rather than just represent different scenes and could roughly follow a running order like this;
Scene 1) The boat would start in a room which is currently taken up by the machines and plants of The factory. This room would be made to look like the interior of a cosy stone cottage/ castle and would have a fairy-tale style book narrating the scene and turning it's pages seemingly by magic. Other elements in this room would include; cottage beams, a fire and items such as rocking chairs. This room would act as a pre-show room and the start of the story. The transitional tunnel to the next scene would be dark and take the form of tree roots with projected "sparkles" rotating inside the tunnel.
Scene 2) This scene would be where the inventing room and Violet currently are. This room would include many detailed and quaint cottage facades to create the appearance of passing through the pretty village of Alton and would work in the same way as a standard yet detailed pantomime set. This room could also include; foliage, plants, a mill and a water wheel( A water wheel already exists in this area). This simple fairy-tale like theming could easily create the effect of a small village in which the brook passes through. This area would end slightly before the section where blue strobes and water effects are currently used and would transition into the next scene.
Scene 3) This scene would be in the area where the Blue strobes and water effects are currently used. This scene would use lots of fairy-tale style branches and tree's to create a creepy forest atmosphere. Other theming in this scene could include gentle strobe lighting, lightning and thunder effects and a partially hidden animatronic of a hag similar to that of The Wicked Witch. The narration would tell everyone on-board they need to think magical thoughts to escape the hag and the "Evil Forest". A shimmering light would then shine and the boat would proceed to the next scene which would take place in The Mirror/Nut Room.
Scene 4) This scene would now enter the space currently occupied by "The Nut Room". This scene would include a much brighter forest and would show the wildlife varieties alongside the brook. The room would be full of foliage, burrows and trees in which animatronic versions of animals such as; voles, rabbits, birds and foxes can be seen darting around and flapping overhead. This effect would be achieved with fairy-tale type trees and warm light effects to represent a typical yet magical meadow/forest. This area could also use a small cottage hidden amongst the foliage with shadows of people in the windows. At the end of the forest before you exit the ride into the Glass elevator there would be a themed façade representing you arriving back into the village once again.
Scene 5) Scene 5 would be in the space currently occupied by the Glass Elevator and would use the same system and the screens would show the village previously seen before departure. Before this part of the ride starts you would be informed by a narrator that on your journey you left the storybook that guided you along your journey somewhere along the way and you must find it. The narrator would then explain the magic will allow you to fly above the brook for a better view. The whole elevator would then shimmer as if a spell had been cast and the elevator would then activate using a new updated video showing you diving in and out of rabbit burrows and other previously visited scenes such as the "Evil Forest" and "The Meadow". The final scene in the "lift" aspect of the ride would show the book floating in the brook and the "lift" splashing down into the water and floating back into the village where you started. With the book found you are allowed to depart and contemplate the magical brook and the places it took you.
I feel this would add an original and magical dark ride to Alton Towers and would fit in with the Fairy-tale lodge development. I hope you like this idea and I would love to hear your response to this ride idea and your ideas also
I have been considering many ideas for a re-theme of the existing Charlie And The Chocolate Factory ride at The Alton Towers Resort hence me creating this topic. I started contemplating more modern IP ideas but I finally settled on an idea after the announcement of The Enchanted Village Accommodation development. I don't think it would be too out of place in the current setting of Cloud Cuckoo Land and I feel it could fit in perfectly without the need of a widespread Re-theme of the area. My idea would circulate around the theme of "The Alton Brook" which would be in an enchanted village and that flows through Cloud Cuckoo Land taking you on a journey full of secrets and beauty. I thought the visual aesthetics could follow the rich rustic look that the Peter Rabbit Rooms adopt in the Alton Towers Hotel that can be viewed in this link;http://www.altontowers.com/hotels/alton ... med-rooms/. The exterior of the ride would include a stone enchanted castle which would include both 3D and 2D theming to give a more dynamic look to the building. Exterior theming could include; Ivy, a waterwheel, Castle parapets, bright colours and cottage like facades. This theming would hopefully give a more fairy-tale look to the show building while being in-keeping with the exuberant colours of Cloud Cuckoo Land. The interior would have multiple areas that would tell a story rather than just represent different scenes and could roughly follow a running order like this;
Scene 1) The boat would start in a room which is currently taken up by the machines and plants of The factory. This room would be made to look like the interior of a cosy stone cottage/ castle and would have a fairy-tale style book narrating the scene and turning it's pages seemingly by magic. Other elements in this room would include; cottage beams, a fire and items such as rocking chairs. This room would act as a pre-show room and the start of the story. The transitional tunnel to the next scene would be dark and take the form of tree roots with projected "sparkles" rotating inside the tunnel.
Scene 2) This scene would be where the inventing room and Violet currently are. This room would include many detailed and quaint cottage facades to create the appearance of passing through the pretty village of Alton and would work in the same way as a standard yet detailed pantomime set. This room could also include; foliage, plants, a mill and a water wheel( A water wheel already exists in this area). This simple fairy-tale like theming could easily create the effect of a small village in which the brook passes through. This area would end slightly before the section where blue strobes and water effects are currently used and would transition into the next scene.
Scene 3) This scene would be in the area where the Blue strobes and water effects are currently used. This scene would use lots of fairy-tale style branches and tree's to create a creepy forest atmosphere. Other theming in this scene could include gentle strobe lighting, lightning and thunder effects and a partially hidden animatronic of a hag similar to that of The Wicked Witch. The narration would tell everyone on-board they need to think magical thoughts to escape the hag and the "Evil Forest". A shimmering light would then shine and the boat would proceed to the next scene which would take place in The Mirror/Nut Room.
Scene 4) This scene would now enter the space currently occupied by "The Nut Room". This scene would include a much brighter forest and would show the wildlife varieties alongside the brook. The room would be full of foliage, burrows and trees in which animatronic versions of animals such as; voles, rabbits, birds and foxes can be seen darting around and flapping overhead. This effect would be achieved with fairy-tale type trees and warm light effects to represent a typical yet magical meadow/forest. This area could also use a small cottage hidden amongst the foliage with shadows of people in the windows. At the end of the forest before you exit the ride into the Glass elevator there would be a themed façade representing you arriving back into the village once again.
Scene 5) Scene 5 would be in the space currently occupied by the Glass Elevator and would use the same system and the screens would show the village previously seen before departure. Before this part of the ride starts you would be informed by a narrator that on your journey you left the storybook that guided you along your journey somewhere along the way and you must find it. The narrator would then explain the magic will allow you to fly above the brook for a better view. The whole elevator would then shimmer as if a spell had been cast and the elevator would then activate using a new updated video showing you diving in and out of rabbit burrows and other previously visited scenes such as the "Evil Forest" and "The Meadow". The final scene in the "lift" aspect of the ride would show the book floating in the brook and the "lift" splashing down into the water and floating back into the village where you started. With the book found you are allowed to depart and contemplate the magical brook and the places it took you.
I feel this would add an original and magical dark ride to Alton Towers and would fit in with the Fairy-tale lodge development. I hope you like this idea and I would love to hear your response to this ride idea and your ideas also