Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Discuss the latest news and rumors in the magic world.
User avatar
CraigMitchell
Posts: 1792
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Magic
Contact:

Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby CraigMitchell » July 21st, 2016, 2:06 pm

Initial reviews of Derren's theme park "Ghost Train" attraction are mixed ... anyone in the UK been yet ?

http://riderater.co.uk/6115/review-derr ... orpe-park/ ( spoilers alert )

"Opening two months later than a launch date that was already later than convention, Thorpe Park had much to prove with Derren Brown’s Ghost Train ... the stakes were also high for Brown himself, after lending his name to a theme park ride for the first time ... He also agreed to issuing statements claiming that the ride represented the future of theme park attractions.

... Merlin Entertainments chief executive Nick Varney has also labelled Derren Brown’s Ghost Train as a “game changer”, while the construction cost has been reported as being between £13 million and £20 million.

The whole experience is heavily reliant on virtual reality technology which is just a little too pixelated and low resolution for us. The CGI is reminiscent of an average video game ... The ride clever, high-tech and laden with effort, but unfortunately it is not terribly scary.

Brown and Varney were right to say that it is unlike anything else that has happened before, but it would be questionable to say that it represents the likely long-term future of thrill-seeker attractions ... If Brown was as heavily involved with the concept as has been claimed, he should admit that while his Ghost Train good product, it is hardly the greatest thing he has done."

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 21st, 2016, 2:09 pm

That's not nearly enough of a budget to build a "game-changing" theme park attraction.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
CraigMitchell
Posts: 1792
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Magic
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby CraigMitchell » July 21st, 2016, 2:14 pm

There's a reason the Brits have never been king of theme parks ;-)

TripAdvisor reviews not very good either ... video quality seems to be poor.

"Regarding the new ride wow what a let down. We were so looking forward to this. Over use of VR is the biggest failure of this ride. Like usual this ride has been over hyped. Don't waste your time queuing for it like the 2hrs we wasted."

"Ghost train.... I'm going to say it. It was rubbish. *Spoilers* there are no ghosts. You are treated to derren brown telling you that is scary, mind altering experience etc and whilst I didn't expect to be scared I did expect it to be enjoyable. VR certainly has the potential to tell a great story and interact with you but this is not it."

Ouch!

Pity. The marketing made it look quite appealing ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmaE6TwDxSk

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 21st, 2016, 9:48 pm

Let me give you an example of two of the more recent rides at Disney parks, which are highly acclaimed, and have long lines:

1. Radiator Springs Racers at Carsland in Anaheim: 300 million bucks.

2. Pirates of the Caribbean at Shanghai Disneyland: 500 million bucks.

30 million bucks buys you a low-grade redo of an existing attraction (for example, Superstar Limo at California Adventure turned into a Monster's Inc. ride for 35 million--and money well spent). The show building, track, and ride vehicles were already in place.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Joe Mckay
Posts: 2026
Joined: April 13th, 2008, 6:56 am
Favorite Magician: Lubor Fiedler
Location: Durham, England

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Joe Mckay » July 22nd, 2016, 12:22 am

How can it cost 500 million dollars to build a theme park ride? That blows my mind!

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 22nd, 2016, 1:12 am

Go watch a video of it on YouTube.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
CraigMitchell
Posts: 1792
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Magic
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby CraigMitchell » July 22nd, 2016, 2:46 am

Renewed appreciation for the incredible investment Disney makes in its theme parks !

User avatar
Travis
Posts: 559
Joined: March 13th, 2008, 8:02 pm
Favorite Magician: Charles Morritt
Location: Destin, FL
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Travis » July 24th, 2016, 9:08 pm

I rode 'Pirates of the Caribbean' at Shanghai Disney 3 times in a row. It's astonishing.

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27056
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 24th, 2016, 9:15 pm

I am very jealous, Travis. VERY jealous, indeed.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
Travis
Posts: 559
Joined: March 13th, 2008, 8:02 pm
Favorite Magician: Charles Morritt
Location: Destin, FL
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Travis » July 24th, 2016, 11:36 pm

You must go. I only had about 3 hours there. TRON and Pirates were the two things I really wanted to see, but TRON was down for technical issues.

Richard Morrell
Posts: 97
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hull, UK
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Richard Morrell » July 25th, 2016, 8:31 am

A POV from some UK Magicians:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTLXXeYndOI

User avatar
Q. Kumber
Posts: 1851
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Tom Whitestone

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Q. Kumber » July 25th, 2016, 8:43 am

Richard Morrell wrote:A POV from some UK Magicians:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTLXXeYndOI


So what was their opinions of the ride?

Richard Morrell
Posts: 97
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hull, UK
Contact:

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Richard Morrell » July 26th, 2016, 9:00 am

Q. Kumber wrote:
Richard Morrell wrote:A POV from some UK Magicians:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTLXXeYndOI


So what was their opinions of the ride?


You can see that here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8llF_GXsWY

Edward Pungot
Posts: 923
Joined: May 18th, 2011, 1:55 am

Re: Derren Brown's Ghost Train - mixed reviews

Postby Edward Pungot » July 26th, 2016, 8:00 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:Let me give you an example of two of the more recent rides at Disney parks, which are highly acclaimed, and have long lines:

1. Radiator Springs Racers at Carsland in Anaheim: 300 million bucks.

2. Pirates of the Caribbean at Shanghai Disneyland: 500 million bucks.

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22GhxvNRg6s

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vIchXwRw7U


Return to “Buzz”