Re: Thorpe Park construction?
It's lovely to read that some of us think that dark ride's should be laid bare before they open. This doesn't mean releasing every word of the story or visitor experience but tell people what to expect.
Take for example Transformers at USO. Before I rode it, I knew, thanks to the information on their website and what I heard word of mouth, that I would ride a simulator whilst watching an amazing battle between the goodies and baddies unfold before my eyes. What I didn't know was the story and how it would be presented. Look at the Fast and Furious ride that has recently been announced at USO - there has been no faff, no opportunity to create a negative attitude towards it by churning mysterious "ooh aren't we cunning" through the rumour mill. Casual theme park goers (the general public) DO NOT sit around discussing "I wonder what USO or Thorpe Park's new ride is". They only talk and get excited about what they know; "I'm going to Florida next year, mate!" "Really? Cool! I hear they've got a new ride based on Fast and the Furious". "That sound wicked, I must give that a go." ONLY ENTHUSIASTS TALK ABOUT EMPTY BUILDING SHELLS, MUD, AND BILLBOARDS! The public, who financially contribute the most to theme park coffers, talk about the experience and the brand associated with it. I really wish Merlin would look across the Pond to the USA and change their marketing tact.
If WC16 is a simulator of some kind, get this information in the public domain ASAP so people have an idea of what to expect. Then they can spend the next six months or so selling the story and experience. Everybody - goons and GP - will be more excited about it!