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Alton Towers' Galactica VR coaster/Rollercoaster Restaurant

Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

In terms of sanitising the headsets...If it is indeed just a smartphone stuck in a headset, could it not be designed that the phone pops out and the headset goes through a dishwasher?
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

Yeah that matches up with rumours around Alton. I'm not too excited by VR becoming a thing.

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Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

They had been testing the VR headsets on Air for quite some time this year. Such a shame.


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Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

Yep we all know its Air, there's no need for Lofty to provide a source for his above post. My opinion of the move is not negative, I'm more than happy to give it a chance and see what its like before making a judgement. Also be glad they didn't pick Nemesis people.
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

As long as it's optional, I don't mind it. It adds a new experience in the UK, so it's at least worth a try.
 
Alton Towers submits planning permission

I suppose it's a nice effort, but unfortunately, it'll just be another silly Merlin gimmick that'll get completely overhyped.

I'm not opposed to the concept of VR completely - but it just doesn't make any sense to add it to a major, high capacity ride, which has enough difficulty with loading times in the first place. Plus, Air's flying position, inversions and g-forces, makes it just about one of the worst candidates for it. Would you really want the extra weight on your head during that lie-to-fly?

At least in return for their lack of proper investments, we have Shrek's adventure :p
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

I hope they use the Dual loading station to its benefit and have one side VR and one side normal Air and split the queues somehow..

As others have said I just hope its optional. Surely they can't force people to wear the headsets? Like, even if it isn't optional and they say that you have to wear them in the station, there's nothing stopping people taking them off mid ride?
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

The problem with using one side of the station for VR and the other for normal would be that if they are running three trains, you return to the opposite station that you get on. So you would have the faff of taking the headset off on the other side of the station, then staff collecting them to clean and return to the other side.

If they ran just two trains and devote one to VR and the other normal, then they could utilise the current fastrack queue to feed the right hand station, along with the single rider queue and then move the fastrack entrance to the disabled entry.
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

I don't understand how the VR headsets aren't a massive H&S risk.

"For safety reasons, please remove your hats, glasses and other loose articles... Except your big chunky VR headsets - they'll be fine."
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

Yeah, it will be optional because I have no doubt they'll be an upcharge for it. Europa upcharge and it's a model that works well.

This is how I guess it will work, going on my previous experience at Europa and at Fun Spot America during IAAPA.

1. The back or front rows will be reserved for VR riders. They batch them together. I don't know why but I guess it has something to do with safety or the VR receivers location. As Air has a dedicated front row queue line, they will either use this as the infrastructure exists but my guess it will be at the back.
2. Riders will pay for a ride time window of 30mins, like the old fast pass system.
3. Riders will enter a special queue during their ride window and will be issued with headsets.
4. VR Riders ride the coaster, slightly delaying the regular queue as the riders are briefed, headsets are adjusted and tested.
5. Riders leave coaster and hand back the headsets.
6. Groups of riders will have dividing opinions, except for AT fanboys who will claim it to be the best thing ever.

I've enjoyed the two VR coaster rides I've done. I found it a novel (keyword there!) way to energise a coaster and tweak the experience. However, for me, it is something I will probably only do once per coaster or when there is a new animation. REAL LIFE RIDING > VR RIDING.

I have a gut feeling that this will work quite well on Air because of the inversions. On the Junior SLC at Fun Spot and the Mine Train at Europa, the ride experience is rather tame and doesn't have any top end sensations. If the VR animations works well with Air's inversions and the swooping helix, I think it will be a good giggle. But only as a one off.
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

I don't get the "there better be an option" discussion.... If it is changing to a VR coaster.... Tough? You either ride it, or you don't.

I really can't see it being optional anyway, it looks like it's going under a pretty major refurb for this new experience. If it were to be optional, they might as well have just left it as the original bland air.

And they can **** off with an up-charge too.
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

I'm 99.9% certain it will be optional. There is an opportunity to make money, so of course it will be optional. Surely Alton Towers wouldn't ruin one of their top coasters by making the headsets compulsory. Surely not...!
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

Martyn B said:
I really can't see it being optional anyway, it looks like it's going under a pretty major refurb for this new experience. If it were to be optional, they might as well have just left it as the original bland air.

And they can **** off with an up-charge too.
Click to expand...

I think it will be optional, they can't force paying customers to wear VR headsets if they don't want to. And yeah I was going to say, an up-charge of 3 or 4 pounds would not surprise me, I hope to be proven wrong though because no one wants to pay all that entry money just to be nickelled and dimed all day long.

I hope they don't use this as an excuse to not bother with repainting Air, that coaster is truly desperate in spots. At least Colossus is getting a repaint this closed season
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

cjbrandy said:
Martyn B said:
I really can't see it being optional anyway, it looks like it's going under a pretty major refurb for this new experience. If it were to be optional, they might as well have just left it as the original bland air.

And they can **** off with an up-charge too.
Click to expand...

I think it will be optional, they can't force paying customers to wear VR headsets if they don't want to.
Click to expand...

My point is, if they don't want to wear the headsets, they don't have to go on it?

They don't force anyone to do anything, it's each individuals choice to go on the rides....
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

It will be optional because then it can be an up charge. Simple as. Whilst they do keep making PR blunders, I don't think they're THAT stupid to risk upsetting so many by completely editing air.
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

Joey said:
It will be optional because then it can be an up charge. Simple as.
Click to expand...

But surely that can be said about any new ride/retheme?

Given what happened to the park this year, I just don't think it's in their best interest to have their "new for 2016" experience as an extra charge, especially when they already charge like £50 to get in. To say the press would go to town would be an understatement.
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

I really don't think that the up charge element is going to work - I think if they're doing this, it'll be free. It's actually really hard to market the 'new ride' if the only new element to it is an up charge attribute, they're setting themselves up for a big loss (not financially, but in guest experience) and therefore, a **** tonne of complains, which Alton Towers just can't be doing at the moment.

I think it'll be an optional experience for no extra cost.
 
Re: Alton Towers submits planning permission

Maybe they'll copy the Europa model. Offer it for free to pass holders or those who book a time slot for a limited time, then gradually phase in a blanket up-charge.
 
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