Slaps roof of an abandoned indoor coaster: This baby can fit so many haunted houses in it.
@madi23596 жыл бұрын
"their jets arching like frisky caterpillars" has got to be the best description for a fountain i've ever heard.
@garcalej3 жыл бұрын
I can easily imagine that guy sitting in his parlor, panting at the naked ankles of women park guests through a CCTV monitor while dressed in a bear costume.
@AlexanderBlues12283 жыл бұрын
Yes, I have to wonder about the definitions of both “frisky” and “caterpillars” in British English. Those are not two words that are usually go together.
@TheCaliforniaHP8 ай бұрын
@@AlexanderBlues1228 indeed lol
@pallasathena15554 жыл бұрын
I love how disney land build a castle on a themed park and Alton towers build a themed park on a castle
@the113823 жыл бұрын
So that’s what the “crazy castle” scenario in RC2 is a reference of. Interesting.
@gumman86583 жыл бұрын
There's actually quite a few english theme parks built on old castles. Most small town english theme parks are built on/around either a castle or a farm
@gracekim19982 жыл бұрын
Well not literally on a castle. It’s next to Alton castle🤷♀️
@tobygreppellini59602 жыл бұрын
@@gracekim1998 its actually quite a long way from Alton castle few miles down the road which is a catholic summer camp (i am from stoke-on-trent and visited both) the towers are actually considerably larger and more impressive than whats left of the castle
@andymountain130 Жыл бұрын
And Disney pinched/took all the ideas from Blackpool pleasure beach
@MarkMcCluney4 жыл бұрын
My wife and I visited Alton Towers in the early eighties and the very first ride we strolled up to was The Black Hole. We had no idea what it was. I assumed it might be a 3-D movie so when the attendant grimly warned me that I might lose my glasses I wondered how he thought I'd see the show. Being that it was all in the dark there was no sensation of climbing the helical track. We were still expecting the movie to start when we dropped. We still talk about that ride today...
@L0rdOfThePies3 жыл бұрын
Ive lost my fair share of accessories there as a kid xD
@fakkajohan3 жыл бұрын
"were still expecting the movie to start when we dropped" that must've been fun XD
@dharmallars Жыл бұрын
You thought you needed to be strapped into a car to watch a movie?
@KarmasAbutch Жыл бұрын
@@dharmallars someone is having trouble remembering how naive our parent were were before the internet I see. Alton Towers was the furthest a lot of us had even travelled from our home towns back then. It’s not inconceivable you’d be strapped in a flat train that simply drove you in the dark then shook you about a bit to a movie of a black hole at the end. Much like the beginning of Doctor Who. No one knew what to expect when it first opened.
@swirlingstarshine Жыл бұрын
@@L0rdOfThePies ik this comment is old but,, your icon.
@leow36965 жыл бұрын
I will never forgive my parents for refusing to take me to Alton Towers when I was a child because it was ‘too far’. IT WAS LESS THAN AN HOUR’S DRIVE.
@cernunnos89175 жыл бұрын
that's just how British people seem to think distances are. I once heard a Brit call a 4 hour drive a major road trip. In the US, that's like a day trip out to get your nails done, not really a road trip worth talking about.
@tattie.b85944 жыл бұрын
It’s 3 1/2 hours away from where I live and I’d never been befire last year as it was too far, but then since we got merlin annual passes it’s like it’s only 30 mins away and we go loads lol
@sofiipote74 жыл бұрын
@cumquatrct3 I mean, it probably has to do with the fact that Britain has a fraction of America's territory. But sure, your explanation seems legit
@leow36964 жыл бұрын
@John Nichols My parents were always open about finances with me. If I wanted something for Christmas or a birthday and it was too expensive, they'd tell me 'sorry, we can't afford it, but we can get you something else'.
@strawbarry4184 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I drive over twice that every day just to get to work. It's a bit different in America
@charliedCharltube7 жыл бұрын
This is the first time I've seen a foreigner cover Alton Towers without focusing entirely on the smiler crash. Thanks for getting the words of Northern England's best theme park out there
@gracekim19982 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah….smiler…😶
@mysteriousbob2 жыл бұрын
"Northern England"? Ah yes, the midlands, so named for being at the top of the country.
@ChrisSDParker2 жыл бұрын
@@mysteriousbob As a Notherner I can say that the main pressure in claiming Alton Towers as the best theme park in the north is so we don't have to say Blackpool Pleasure Beach
@jack-a-lopium Жыл бұрын
That was so horrifying. I was an adult when that happened, so I grew up at Alton Towers many years earlier; I remember The Mouse had a bit of a reputation, it was one of the parks earliest coasters, was rickety, and had more than one accident in its history. Nothing as bad as The Smiler, but still pretty horrible. Super-thankful that I was always safe at the park.
@Peacock__7 ай бұрын
@@jack-a-lopiumthe smiler is a great ride tho, love it
@PanickedTato7 жыл бұрын
It amazes me how it seems the "turn the abandoned attraction into a building for a Halloween event" thing seems to have no boundaries. It is true of every theme park it seems, no matter its location or ownership.
@kcapila4 жыл бұрын
Currently a U-Rest stop at Universal's Islands of Adventure is actually a shut down show stadium
@collinmclaren66084 жыл бұрын
Abandoned store? "Fuckit, let's turn it into a Spirit Halloween!" Abandoned indoor ride? "Fuckit, let's turn it into a haunted house!"
@WatchTarot3 жыл бұрын
Its just a perfectly efficient use of space. It's cheaper than doing a full renovation since the place looking like shit just adds to the effect
@redkite19083 жыл бұрын
Well duh. What better theme for a dead attraction?
@TheCaliforniaHP8 ай бұрын
@@collinmclaren6608 perfect
@linksbro16 жыл бұрын
"When 'Do you fancy a cuppa' takes on a whole new meaning." Oh my god that intro so so incredibly British.
@lawrencecalablaster5685 жыл бұрын
Linksbro Am I wrong in thinking that the presenter sounds a lot like Tim Curry?
@OEDODRAGON4 жыл бұрын
It's so incredibly old too. The advert that is. Though, I don't hear anyone use the phrase either. Not where I live anyway.
@naomieddy62944 жыл бұрын
It left me stirred, but not shaken...
@purplehz974 жыл бұрын
@@lawrencecalablaster568 No.
@mim03814 жыл бұрын
@@OEDODRAGON It's very common in Australia.
@flip45184 жыл бұрын
The newspaper cutouts you see in this video were supplied by me. They were mostly from the local newspaper 'The Sentinel' who often report on news from the towers. Kept a scrapbook on the park through the 80s, maps, tickets, newspaper articles, ride photo tickets, letters, menus etc. Still have it somewhere.
@FabulousKiljoy2 жыл бұрын
Glad you shared!
@tobygreppellini59602 жыл бұрын
that's really cool that you documented the history or our town. Haven't read the sentinel in about a decade since by grandad was in it for getting banned from Weatherspoon's in Biddulph over peas.
@Statusinator3 ай бұрын
Based archivist.
@TheClauwman6 жыл бұрын
"What's your favorite section of the park, little Billy?" "Oh gee! My favorite has to be the OH GOD, NOT AGAIN area!"
@ericandy885 жыл бұрын
Or the whole of Action Park.
@yoursleepparalysisdemon81714 жыл бұрын
So x-sector
@Jayfive2767 жыл бұрын
Re: the serious incident on the Smiler mentioned at the end: "A train carrying 16 riders and travelling approximately 20 mph (32 km/h) collided with an empty, stationary train. Of the eleven riders who required medical treatment, five were seriously injured. Two required partial leg amputations in the weeks following the incident. According to reports, the train carrying passengers was stopped automatically on the lift hill by a safety mechanism that prevents two trains from occupying the same section of track. It correctly detected that the empty train sent previously had stalled. A ride engineer manually overrode the mechanism allowing a ride operator to dispatch the halted train, which led to the collision."
@dargonpheonixx81755 жыл бұрын
Jayfive276 The reason the engineer overrode the system is due to the fact that they only knew of four train cars on the track. They had added a 5th and had not told the engineers. When the engineers counted the cars they counted the four that they knew of, thus causing the engineer to override the system believing the system was faulty.
@blackwing975 жыл бұрын
@@dargonpheonixx8175 It was also due to pressure from the higher ups, as down time led to less pay, so the employee felt pressured to get the ride running again quickly. This is a company putting productivity above customer safety, and frankly I wouldn't feel comfortable going on any ride at this park, having read about this.
@bulletnotloaded35864 жыл бұрын
@@blackwing97 That doesn't make any sense, almost all downtime is due to things maintenance crews/ride operators can't do anything about like sensors wearing down naturally over time. It doesn't make any sense that staff would get paid less for things they can't avoid. Also anybody can see that doing so is a recipe for disaster, so can I ask where exactly you read this?
@blackwing974 жыл бұрын
@@bulletnotloaded3586 honestly I made this comment 7 months ago and don't remember. I was only going off what I've heard, I'm not an expert on the situation.
@FlorSilvestre124 жыл бұрын
Fascinating Horror has a good video on the incident
@Larry7 жыл бұрын
I went on Black Hole's sister ride, Space Station Zero at Thorpe Park as a kid, smacked by head several times against the guard, but they took that outside eventually and renamed it The Flying Fish.
@zig1316 жыл бұрын
My cousin made the mistake of riding X No Way Out with a row to herself sat in the middle where there was no head rest :/
@Natendowii6 жыл бұрын
HELLO YOU! I almost went to Thorpe Park during a trip to the UK, But my UK Friend had to cancel due to work. I'd love to go back to England to visit one of your theme parks some day.
@starrypawz6 жыл бұрын
My first experience of X No Way out was being on the BACK of the ride so I was going first. Apparently they've changed the ride to go forwards now.
@sarahhelensquizzes6 жыл бұрын
Larry Bundy Jr are you saying that the flying fish (and indeed the scorpion express at chessington) is exactly the same ride as the black hole?!
@z8eee6 жыл бұрын
Oh my gosh I remember going on the flying fish. It was one of the very first roller coasters I went on as a kid.
@HaohmaruHL6 жыл бұрын
"Started 150 years too late" ooh, that sick burn tho
@abramquinn77264 жыл бұрын
🤣🤣🤣
@madmanadam14 жыл бұрын
@@kcapila Wat.
@MeltedToast844 жыл бұрын
Soooo true and I love it XD
@Silver-rx1mh3 жыл бұрын
@@kcapila Oh but they speak very highly of you sweetie......lol
@Hamsterjuices3 жыл бұрын
It would be even sicker if it was true lmao.
@ewy62086 жыл бұрын
What I love about Alton Towers is the whole kind of story behind it, how each of their record breaking rides is like a 'experiment'/'test' kind of thing.
@unifiedscene6 жыл бұрын
Nemesis, in my opinion, has the best track design of any coaster, and I would include Space Mountain. Amazing theming as well; it's framed as being the skeleton of a prehistoric monster. Alton Towers went from a quaint English stately home to one of the world's best parks in a surprisingly short time. This video doesn't even touch on many of their memorable attractions like Air/Galactica, Hex and 13. Because of local restrictions on how high the rides can be they always come up with creative solutions - e.g. in Oblivion the drop goes underground. And the theming is way beyond aping Disney - can you imagine the House of Mouse theming a whole zone around a dystopian future where guests are 'test subjects'?
@r-pupz70324 жыл бұрын
100% agree, Nemesis really stands the test of time and is a masterpiece of working with limitations (such as height restrictions.) The queue is the most fun I've ever had waiting for a ride!
@alexkrycek33594 жыл бұрын
I went about five years ago and couldn't believe how filthy and run down the park was. Nemesis was so rough and the "river of the blood" was not dyed any more and had moss floating on the surface. Doubt I'll go again.
@MeltedToast844 жыл бұрын
@@alexkrycek3359 that joke didn’t land very well :)
@jonsmith50584 жыл бұрын
I'd argue that the limitations actually enhanced certain aspects, Oblivion seemingly dropping into a pit added to the fear factor. I remember the buzz around it as a kid and how crazy the idea of a coaster that would just hang above a drop like that and then plummet into to ground was. Had they been able to build taller and it just banked around it would have been far less impressive. I used to live in Derby near Alton Towers and now I regret I didn't go there more often in the later years, I hadn't been back since before their built Air so I missed loads of iconic new coasters that are in the park now, I think I only got to do Nemesis and Oblivion as the last big ones made during the times I went.
@manifestgtr3 жыл бұрын
I’ve never been to Alton Towers or indeed, England. The closest I’ve come is Fawlty Towers. But based solely on what I’ve seen, Nemesis and Space Mountain aren’t even remotely comparable. It’s like comparing Evander Holyfield to a toddler with boxing gloves. Nemesis is a full scale, inverted roller coaster, practically carved into a hillside with a river that used to run red. Space Mountain is one, small tick up from a family coaster with lasers and fun sound effects. They’re not even in the same league...
@xingcat7 жыл бұрын
"Fireworks, Clowns and Torture Devices" would make an excellent title for an autobiography.
@dogepopper29817 жыл бұрын
xingcat The next book about the trump whitehouse
@yo_bro7 жыл бұрын
🤦🏾♂️
@carlosrodgers24747 жыл бұрын
Sounds like a night out with John Wayne Gacy.
@xingcat7 жыл бұрын
"Send in the clowns...." (Too soon?)
@counterfit57 жыл бұрын
Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me. Can't sleep, clown will eat me.
@Defunctland7 жыл бұрын
Hey everyone, thanks for watching the video! Have a great week! Edit: The corkscrew coaster was designed by Arrow but manufactured by Vekoma. I apologize for my transgressions.
@christianc99157 жыл бұрын
YOU SHOULD POST VIDEOS EVERYDAY!!!!! >:( IT MAKES ME SAD AND MAD!
@sarahhbov9817 жыл бұрын
Great job!!
@ElectedNews7 жыл бұрын
Love the frequency of the uploads!
@halloweenspookygirluk95957 жыл бұрын
I go to Alton Towers every year and the corkscrew was re themed in its last days to a caveman prehistoric theme and called the bone shaker which was very apt always came of there with aching body and headache😖😖😖😖😖all gone now, thanks for doing a UK park😁😁😁
@averyoldaccount7 жыл бұрын
It's great seeing a European park pop up! I don't know if there's that big of a story to tell since I'm actually not very knowledgeable about amusement park history, but Efteling's Pegasus could be another fun European episode maybe? Efteling's one of the oldest theme parks in the world so there might be something fun to share in its history :)
@thisisnotharvey7 жыл бұрын
as a uk lad, you probably know alton towers more for it's ads, they were mad
@HaohmaruHL6 жыл бұрын
ThisIsNotHarvey as someone from outside U.K. I only found out about Alton towers from the accident where two cars collided amputating legs of people in first row
@supercullen00476 жыл бұрын
Haohmaru HL Lol yeah same here
@thainette73346 жыл бұрын
A lot of our ads were mad in the 90s early 2000s the you’ve been tangoes one was mad also
@homestuckdubs6 жыл бұрын
I just remember after every one, my brother wouldn't stop laughing.
@benpulley70496 жыл бұрын
Bloody yankee
@BeMoreBroadway5 жыл бұрын
14:56 "Don't look down-!" Oblivion: *kicks down door* I HAVE BEEN SUMMONED.
@yoursleepparalysisdemon81714 жыл бұрын
Oblivion: WHO SUMMONED ME!!?!?!
@tuna0000000005 жыл бұрын
“American theme parks could never” How unprovoked😂😭
@Grimmwoldds4 жыл бұрын
We even made the largest cup of tea ever as a symbol of friendship, and the British decided we were hooligans.
@georgemcgeough35134 жыл бұрын
Nah it’s just there will *always* be a rivalry with America and England
@yelloweyeball4 жыл бұрын
As an Ohioan, I am laughing.
@oddjobplayzps43144 жыл бұрын
@@ryanepley3180 the actual Towers and gardens were before that
@oddjobplayzps43144 жыл бұрын
@@Grimmwoldds not every Brit likes tea
@nordicberserk7 жыл бұрын
I have never been to any of the amusement parks you talk about, but the way you make these videos are so interesting that I dont care. I have happily watched several of your videos, enjoying the history and breakdown of the attractions and rides you talk about.
@brennicolas30934 жыл бұрын
Wait are you serious? Have you been to any amusement or theme parks?
@jacobgarland46927 жыл бұрын
I love how you're theming each title sequence to the specific ride! A nice little touch in an already awesome video. Keep up the great work!
@LunaFund7 жыл бұрын
Jacob Garland yeah these videos are awesome, first time here :)
@LunaFund7 жыл бұрын
Very cool video!
@coasterinc19877 жыл бұрын
Ha, nice use of my pov :) i dont mind, actually pretty chuffed that it got used, especially in an awesome mini documentary like this!
@NachoCheeseDorito-Kun3 жыл бұрын
Empty Indoor Coaster: *exists* Halloween events: _"It's free real estate."_
@lorennash8824 жыл бұрын
There are rooms you can stay in that are “smiler” themed and they are SO creepy
@nicmarilyn29866 жыл бұрын
I'm way to young to have ever ridden the black hole.. but I was 15 when the smiler arrived and I cannot describe the excitement it caused!! Every kid at my school was buzzing about it, and the terrifying adverts are etched into my memory. We got to go on a school trip to Alton Towers that year, and rode on the coaster the first summer it opened. Kids who missed out on that trip were so sore, and we rubbed it in their faces to no end. Whatever anyone says about it ripping off Disney, Alton Towers is an integral part of growing up British!
@ZILOGz80VIDEOS5 жыл бұрын
As a Utah resident ive ridden Jetstar 2 at lagoon a bunch and it's really not that scary of a ride, maybe in pitch black but with the lap thing it's kind of though of as a couples ride
@tattie.b85944 жыл бұрын
I’m from the south and people still talked about it. I heard loads of rumours about it like they use laughing gas!!
@kaitourobin32064 жыл бұрын
I know since there are both Amusement Park so saying one ripe off the other is like saying Batman is a ripeoff of Ironman since there both similar. Of course there are similar they both superhero. Same for amusement parks. However that ad at the beginning: All i could see was it a small world, teacups, and gardens which all staples of Disenyland and I couldn't help but laugh. (Disenyland do in fact actually take their plants decoration seriously. Like have cabbages in Tomorrowland to give unusual greenery or keeping a Old tree that the orginal landowners made diseny promises to never cut down in Adventureland. )
@spacebar31194 жыл бұрын
Claude Terry-Marchant I rode a jetstar 2 at lagoon it was really smooth suprizingly smooth
@spacebar31194 жыл бұрын
Dec bruh the jetstar 2 trains are so weird it’s like it makes you gay lol
@TangyTangyRose7 жыл бұрын
Awesome, as a Brit I love that you’ve included an English ride!
@matski0077 жыл бұрын
Katherine Thompson he should totally do the Space Invader from Blackpool Pleasure Beach too!
@michaelmcinally67407 жыл бұрын
Katherine Thompson Same, also loved the little bit of history of the towers too. Can’t seem to find anything on it so well done Kevin for finding what you did!
@tomjohnvincent7 жыл бұрын
Oooo! Yes! A look at the history of Pleasure Beach would be great!
@Picobits7 жыл бұрын
I'd prefer thorpe park, imo much better than blackpool but maybe on par with alton. Maybe history of X:\NWO and it's rethemes?
@kitpalmer15836 жыл бұрын
@@Picobits thorpe park would be great. fun fact: my voice broke on Stealth
@wspadisaster6 жыл бұрын
As someone who currently works at Alton Towers I loved this video. Filled in some history for me about things I see every day. Going to have to show it to other staff too.
@C0ZMIK5K1TTL354 жыл бұрын
"safe, family friendly theme park." THE SMILER, OBLIVION AND NEMESIS: "sure....family friendly....funny. very funny."
@james_guy69304 жыл бұрын
Every big ride at alton towers (except galactica)
@harperette3 жыл бұрын
@@james_guy6930 (and rita)
@edcola667110 ай бұрын
Every single notable coaster there may as well be themed to psychological horror. Smiler, Oblivion, Wicker Man, Thirteen……
@pepinopepino74 жыл бұрын
2:31 Lmao i love how "torture devices" is thrown there at the end like any other thing. Also dude, your stuff is amazing! Really captivates the attention to people who don't even specially like these things
@CryptP2 жыл бұрын
That's just how historical based British attractions are sometimes Like fairly nearby there's Warwick Castle, where you can take a tour of the dungeons including plenty of torture devices
@fabueno97257 жыл бұрын
I live in England and am a theme park enthusiast so it felt really good to have English theme park attractions on Defunctland.
@tra7796 жыл бұрын
As someone born and bred in Shrewsbury I just want to thank you for saying it correctly! I remember going on the black hole a few times, but after the nemesis, oblivion and even enterprise it felt a bit old. I also remember the rumours about deaths and how that just seem to add to the excitement of it all
@TheNukaColaMan107 жыл бұрын
OK...but did the ride end with the passengers landing in Alaska?
@RinzlerHoC87 жыл бұрын
Welcome to Alaska!
@trixsta48076 жыл бұрын
Bruh. The disaster transport references.
@thainette73346 жыл бұрын
Haha hell no. I used to love the black hole. Also oblivion used to break down so often when it first opened I remember a time when it broke down and they were all stuck hanging down for like over an hour
@trixsta48076 жыл бұрын
@@parimabartender Shut it you fucking rascist
@hamzahsajjad79525 жыл бұрын
@@trixsta4807 massive necro, but what happened here
@SuperNuclearUnicorn4 жыл бұрын
That ad at the beginning was so British that a cuppa magically appeared in my hand and I have a sudden urge to colonise some third world countries
@scrambled59483 жыл бұрын
Or have a pint of ale while making a tv show about a hobo in a time travelling box who kidnaps innocent women that goes on for 60 years
@gracekim19982 жыл бұрын
😅oh boy
@thegoatcarnival4 жыл бұрын
That very subtle "Oh yeaahhh~" in the background when you alluded to Disaster Transport had me laughing.
@EuroThemeParkArchive7 жыл бұрын
Just politely pointing out some untruths, since thousands will watch this video without having been to the park! Back then the only real themed area was Talbot Street, done by a British theme park design studio. The rest was just rides fitted in wherever and didn't attempt to be themed, until the park changed ownership. The Black Hole wasn't *that* uncomfortable, was arguably much less 'head-banging' than The Smiler that replaced it. Also it did originally have more effects than you give it credit for, it had a long queue line tunnel with portholes that you could see out through to stars and planets, floating spaceman at the top of the coaster lift and a fibre optic tunnel at the end the ride. Its steampunky redesign in 1996 (before Oblivion) was fab, one of the best coaster stations in the UK. BTW, the Smiler's promo campaign with those 'viral videos' in the psych ward were pretty awful, but Oblivion's whole campaign was one of the most elaborate marketing campaigns for a UK coaster ever.
@BadlanderOutsider7 жыл бұрын
I still remember Oblvion being a massive deal in the late 90s, early 2000s. It really did have this strange mystique to schoolboys of the time. Going to Alton Towers and riding it was seen as an amazing thing for those who got to go.
@NimbusCumulus7 жыл бұрын
I remember my first time going on Oblivion, a mixture of fear and excitement as the car left the station, and then a minute later thinking, “Is that it?” Probably the most overrated coaster ever. One almost-but-not-quite-vertical drop and that was it. Dropping through the misty hole was quite fun though.
@reillymcwriting6 жыл бұрын
British Theme Park Archive Smiler was awesome though
@sidarist6 жыл бұрын
No man it was a bad ride from the get go. Everyone that worked at the park was wary of it. The whole thing shook under high stress and the computer system was so dodgy. I was unfortunate enough to of been present on the day of the accident. It was harrowing.
@coreym1626 жыл бұрын
The reason he could have laid off the entire history of Alton Towers.
@DistoryDan7 жыл бұрын
Season 2 is rolling baby! And we're going WORLD WIDE! hahaha
@highschoolmusical467 жыл бұрын
Lol
@sandakada7 жыл бұрын
MISTA WORLDWAAAAAAHHHHHHDE
@user-vi4xy1jw7e7 жыл бұрын
WORLD STAR!
@user-fluffyfish7 жыл бұрын
Yay its DISNEY DAN
@alexlaughridge50607 жыл бұрын
Disney Dan I
@Cgeary172557 жыл бұрын
This channel doesn't get nearly enough attention.
@TheInflicted7 жыл бұрын
I just discovered it. 17k views on day one for theme park history ain't bad.
@Angrykitty196 жыл бұрын
Really interesting to see a video on a theme park I've actually been to. We don't have many theme parks in the UK but Alton Towers is always a great day out. I've never heard of The Black Hole (before my time) but I love Oblivion and am shocked to see how old that ride now is. Oblivion was my first experience of getting into rollercoasters
@furryash83886 жыл бұрын
"That will leave you shaken but not stirred." Britain loves their Bond references.
*sees it and drops what I was watching* I bet the Black Hole would have been awesome to ride; it amazes me how much coaster can be squeezed into a small space with enough ingenuity!
@timeforrick54137 жыл бұрын
Ricardo Saucedo I’m eating popcorn right now
@ricardosaucedo22987 жыл бұрын
I know right! This is like one if those rides that suffers from major changes over the years but yet still enjoyable and that you wanted to ride it over and over again!
@saucecat66077 жыл бұрын
Man I hope this channel blows up soon. Your videos are looking great
@ricardoacosta87447 жыл бұрын
QT MLE they almost have 100k subscribers.
@saucecat66076 жыл бұрын
honestly i could see this getting into the millions at some point
@ricardoacosta87446 жыл бұрын
QT MLE me too
@alexhollinghurst39456 жыл бұрын
@@ricardoacosta8744 11 months later and he's on 470k
@heyjakeay16 күн бұрын
@@alexhollinghurst3945 2 million now!
@digitalistea4 жыл бұрын
It’s so cool to have actually been to one of these theme parks you talk about, and it’s cool to see all the old pictures of the gardens and the castle where hex is now and it’s all still there!
@gtritz42233 жыл бұрын
I’m so happy you briefly mention Lagoon. I grew up going there and it’s so cool to hear you acknowledge it.
@natalyn1393 жыл бұрын
i’m sorry, are we just going to ignore how absolutely terrifying that ad for Oblivion was?
@L0rdOfThePies3 жыл бұрын
I was scared of the whole x sector as a kid!
@OwlyFisher3 жыл бұрын
alton towers ads are deranged and engrained into the british schoolkid subconscious. i remember the smiler one and nearly shitting my pants! they were even on cereal boxes lol
@L0rdOfThePies3 жыл бұрын
@@OwlyFisher i can attest to that! I loved that cereal though..
@mlpfan19867 жыл бұрын
As a Brit, it's so cool to see you cover Alton Towers! I have to say though, Alton Towers was never a 'castle'. There IS an Alton Castle literally a mile up the road (you can see it on top of the hill if you leave the Towers main entrance and turn left). I worked there 2006/7, and actually got free passes to Alton Towers as I lived in the village.
@broccoliface45017 жыл бұрын
Was that some goodwill gesture to the residents due to the fact you always heard of local displeasure at all the noise and the fuckton of coaches threading the village?
@mlpfan19867 жыл бұрын
Yeah, that was the idea! I heard they stopped giving them out at some point after 2007, when I moved away. I have no idea how they keep the locals happy now as the traffic was always horrific!
@kaori_hyacinthus44096 жыл бұрын
Siobhan Harper I went to Alton towers last year and heard they allow the residents to work and get free passage in the theme park. So they're still doing something I believe.
@roarshach137 жыл бұрын
My god I'm loving the unwarranted smugness of that opening advertisement. "Hm yes we are DEFINITELY miles better than Disneyland even as we openly rip it off."
@TheEpic227 жыл бұрын
roarshach13 That was the most British ad of all time
@ThemeParkChomp7 жыл бұрын
John Broome, the park's original owner, was notoriously smug. It is a hilariously old fashioned advert but not one that really represented the park the way most people knew it at that time. It was a nice relaxed, British park and was more about fun rides in an amazing setting than just trying to rip off Disney in that smug way.
@warbossgegguz6797 жыл бұрын
Those Promos are so calm it's jarring.
@PancakemonsterFO47 жыл бұрын
roarshach13 well it was cheaper and the lines weren‘t as enormous so definitely better as Disneyland 😏
@roarshach137 жыл бұрын
If you think Alton Towers is better that's perfectly fine. Hell it's perfectly in the spirit to tell your competition "we're better than you." Buuuuut to try to say that you're better than you're competitors whilst clearly trying to be them is a bit...dumb. Also "they're 150 years too late" doesn't mean shit. Being first doesn't automatically make one better.
@SDOSnape7 жыл бұрын
OMG The Black Hole @ Alton. As a British person, this is awesome to see on your channel! There was no reason they couldn’t have done this up and modernise the bloody thing. My first ride was oblivion, and to see the dated tent continue to gradually empty out for years then for longer still, become empty itself (except for the seasonal Hallowfest I go to) was quite heart-breaking as X Section was a place to go with Enterprise and Submission. Corkscrew can reside in hell for all I care. That hurt like buggery on my jaw the only time I rode it.
@woman-of-clay2 жыл бұрын
this is such a shock to me that you mentioned the jet star 2, it was one of my favorite coasters at lagoon as a kid and honestly high lighted a harsh time in my life. seeing the footage takes me back and i am so glad and thankful that you made this video. the work you do is and always will be magical.
@applewater54366 жыл бұрын
I actually worked as a ride operator for the Jet Star 2 at Lagoon. I still remember doing everything from break checks, and block checks where we would hit wooden blocks to make sure they stay under the support beams of the ride. I enjoyed learning a little more about the history of the ride.
@rogodarius91666 жыл бұрын
"Treated to fireworks, clowns and torture devices." - Wait, what? How do you treat someone to a torture device? O:
@gayplasma5 жыл бұрын
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
@Andyatl20024 жыл бұрын
As a sort of show, executions were popular to watch as well as civil war battles at one point.
@aim-to-misbehave56744 жыл бұрын
People weren't being publicly tortured and executed in the 1890s. The Victorians were obsessed with faux-medieval gothic horror - Victorian showmen invented the Iron Maiden (metal casket lined with spikes) and claimed it was a medieval torture/execution method, and the same with a few other really weird 'medieval torture devices'. Chastity belts were also a faux-medieval Victorian invention, as was droit de seigneur/prima noctis (a medieval lord's right to rape peasant women on their wedding nights) - they never existed. Never. These were not real medieval objects or laws. But the wealthy (and sexually repressed) Victorian upper-class enjoyed the _scandal_ and the _excitement_ and the ability to feel morally superior over how far they'd come since those _barbaric_ medieval folk. (The general view at the time was that Victorian British democracy was the absolute pinnacle of civilisation and all of history was leading up to this moment of triumph. Google "Whig history". It's all part and parcel of the same idea.) (Yes, I have a history degree, how could you tell?) So yeah, the Earl probably had travelling showmen come around with _real genuine medieval torture instruments_ for people to stare at, aka a metal casket made in the village down the road a couple of years ago with fake dried blood on the spikes.
@KoneSkirata3 жыл бұрын
@@aim-to-misbehave5674 I didn't expect to have my medieval misconceptions debunked today, so I thank you for this selfless community action or spreading information.
@andrewjones11436 жыл бұрын
"They started 150 years too late." THE SHADE
@happynaru77117 жыл бұрын
It really is great you’ve put the big blue tent into the spotlight! Remember my dad telling me stories of him skipping the line constantly so he could ride black hole and cork screw continuously! If any Americans come to England, do check Alton Towers out, it I really is a great park to spend a day in!!!
@Hoffy1138 Жыл бұрын
0:21 That background music is a synth arrangement of "Clair de Lune" done by Isao Tomita. I was not expecting to hear that.
@ashb7123 жыл бұрын
Man i love watching defunctland playlists. Really gives me an itch to play a theme park tycoon game like Planet Coaster.
@liliflower13763 жыл бұрын
Years ago I had a couple of friends who were obsessed with the smiler When the park "using the guests as test subjects" was mentioned I started to think it sounded really really familiar And then oh my gush that coaster those old friends used to talk about for ages and ages, man what a nostalgia trip
@baronvoncreep7 жыл бұрын
I want to cry, I've been waiting for an Alton Towers episode for so long. It's only 5 minutes from me and my mother even worked on the Black Hole!
@TheCinemaMonologues7 жыл бұрын
I was living in Ireland when oblivion came out, I distinctly remember how all the kids where talking about this insane ride where you dropped vertically. Even many class trips would ferry across to England for the weekend to go to Alton Towers, it was a huge deal.
@hushthecipher Жыл бұрын
What i loved about Alton Towers as a kid was how straight up horror themed it was. Like even when you're not there at Halloween there's this pretty ominous vibe in almost every place in the park. It made it stand out so much compared to other theme parks at the time.
@Daisy-el4tr6 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for including Alton Towers! I'd love to see more on it or other UK parks
@emmafjm40557 жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed this video, especially as it was about a British theme park so I have had the chance to visit! have you considered looking on to the history of Blackpool Pleasure Beach rides? there is a lot of history there
@leons.kennedy27476 жыл бұрын
Can I take you to Alton Towers?
@averagecuppajoe7 жыл бұрын
What a pleasant surprise! I'm Californian but lived in the Staffordshire near Alton Towers for the better part of the last decade. I used to daydream about what the ride that resided in the big ol' tent was like. It was very exciting to see Smiler come along and replace it. Smiler is an epic ride and indeed a great replacement. I love getting to peek at the old park maps. I've done quite a bit of research on AT but old maps elude me. Great job on the history lesson, too! It's such an unusual place - especially trying to get to it. You have to drive through the village of Alton on a little single-lane road when coming north bound. Interesting tidbit about the park: All rides must be out of sight for the villagers and cannot be higher then the tree line. Thus, rides like Oblivion are sunk under ground so that they are hidden from view outside the park. The villagers constantly complain about the park.
@infinituszd7 жыл бұрын
I love Alton Towers, it’s one of my favourite Theme parks and I hope to go there this year to Ride the Wickerman. I love hearing the history and back story of Alton Towers’ rides. Great video :-)
@heathengremlin9924 жыл бұрын
As soon as you said Jetstar I was like “oh, like Lagoon!” And then you mentioned Lagoon and now I’m happy that our little park has some recognition 😊😊
@MuchAdoAboutADD2 жыл бұрын
Wow, that was really jarring to hear about my hometown Lagoon amusement park in one of these videos hahaha.
@EuroMIX27 жыл бұрын
I was genuinely just thinking about how it'd be interesting to see you do a UK ride after going through so many US ones previously. I like how you had to give a bit of background on the park to build context on the ride itself. I actually did ride it a few times in my youth. "Budget Space Mountain" is probably a good moniker for it, but it was pretty uncomfortable. Something you didn't mention, that I think people should be aware of, is that IIRC Alton Towers has hight and noise limitations put upon it by the local council, which explains a lot of their ride designs and choices; nothing can go too high, probably above the treeline.
@WreckItRolfe6 жыл бұрын
I think that's part of the reason Oblivion goes into the ground.
@logicn.reasoning97446 жыл бұрын
Solution.... Build taller trees!
@WritingisDifficult6 жыл бұрын
Dan Spinabella I don't know why but that made me laugh so much!
@thelittlephish27 жыл бұрын
W E L C O M E T O A L A S K A in all seriousness, great job! Hoping to see a video about Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast soom.
@carloscortez70297 жыл бұрын
And you should definitely do a colab with pieguyrulz for this vid
@thecinematicmind7 жыл бұрын
Now this is a nice surprise! Nice to see a video on a former Alton Towers ride. I wanted to go on it as my father called The Black Hole one of his all time favourite rollercoasters. Unfortunately I arrived to Alton Towers *the day after* the ride was closed for good. 😞 Oh well. At least this video brought a huge smile to my face. 😊
@comatisi7 жыл бұрын
i remember visiting the park as a little 6 year old and wondering why i couldn't go on black hole because all of the tent and signs were still there 😂 summer of 2008
@thecinematicmind7 жыл бұрын
Sparky Strongly relate so much with this
@skywalkerchick6 жыл бұрын
Grew up in Salt Lake City, used to go to Lagoon almost every summer. The Jet Star 2 was one of my favorite rides there
@kainpwnsu Жыл бұрын
Hello from Farmington, Utah. Jest Star 2 has been a favorite in my family my entire life. It's still great because the wait time is short. You can easily get 3 or 4 rides in the same time as one other attraction. Thank you for the fantastic videos! I like your style.
@MoguMogu8186 жыл бұрын
7:21 I've been to Farmington, ut's lagoon several times. I love that ride.
@aitch2d2 Жыл бұрын
As someone who's visited Alton Towers numerous times as a child and an adult I can't believe it's taken me so long to watch this episode of yours. Fun fact: My lifelong fear of cable cars stemmed from the ones at Alton Towers - they were so rickety, wobbly and terrifying!
@mutate347 ай бұрын
oh f-k I blanked out the memory of the cable cars, I remember being in them with some couple we didn't know and the guy was shaking it and jumping
@meimeihughes6 жыл бұрын
I have rode the jet star 2 so many times but never knew it's history. It is a fairly tame roller coster but i love it so much.
@ChimpPeensRevunge2 жыл бұрын
Loved seeing Jet Star 2 footage from Lagoon at the beginning! Would love to see a Defunctland episode on Lagoon, but I'm pretty sure it still has all of its original coasters and attractions, so I don't know what you'd cover!
@TylerF1411 ай бұрын
These ads being slotted in between any given T.V show are a fever dream I didn't expect to experience today
@andysorensen17377 жыл бұрын
Fireworks, clowns, AND torture devices? Interesting day out for sure.
@mac58957 жыл бұрын
lol!
@tenara-kun59797 жыл бұрын
Andy Sorensen torture devices? My kinda park People were so much less sensitive back then.
@andysorensen17377 жыл бұрын
TenaraTheCat It’s also a good Security measure.
@jamescooper1917 жыл бұрын
One of these things is not like the others , one of these things is not like the rest
@TheJrbdog7 жыл бұрын
James Copper Clowns are creepy.
@christtototottottott7 жыл бұрын
Great to see some UK content. Corkscrew was built by Vekoma though, not Arrow. I'm aware they were tied but Vekoma is credited as the manufacturer.
@TheEpic227 жыл бұрын
Chris Dawson But did vekoma design it? Vekoma manufactured Arrow's designs in Europe to reduce cost of shipping. So I would say it's fair to credit arrow with designing the coaster. Either way fuck vekoma.
@christtototottottott7 жыл бұрын
TheEpic22 I don't know the exact ins and outs of it but corkscrew has always been credited to Vekoma. I'm pretty sure it's a Vekoma model as well, just using arrows style track. Arrow never built the same model themselves anywhere else in the world so I think it's fair to say it's a Vekoma design. Vekoma built quite a few of these. The original Vekoma plaque is also displayed along with the track at Alton towers main entrance.
@christtototottottott7 жыл бұрын
TheEpic22 rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&mo=8204
@Hugabolunga7 жыл бұрын
TheEpic22 To be fair Vekoma has recently built some pretty cool stuff.
@colefreer7 жыл бұрын
I love Lagoon up in Utah, it’s not as big or well themed as Disneyland but it’s nostalgic and will always bring a smile to my face.
@spinningpeanut6 жыл бұрын
Cole Freer I was staring hard at the jet star 2 footage. "Is that... Is that the rocket? Wait the flying aces are right there! That's lagoon!"
@thetidalwaveee2 жыл бұрын
When Jet Star 2 was mentioned my first thought was “oh I guess Lagoon (Farmington UT theme park mentioned) must have bought the ride design and kept the name.” I thought the footage of the ride was veryyyy familiar and finally realized it WAS Lagoon!! Very cool to see :) I’ve been to Lagoon dozens of times while growing up so it was cool seeing a sort of shout out!!! Jet Star 2 has been my favorite ride as long as I can remember.
@pandorasangel27474 жыл бұрын
I do say, that intro was exquisite! Never in my life have I heard such wordplay so British in my whole mortal history!
@DavidAStroud4 жыл бұрын
"and be treated to fireworks, clowns, and torture devices" fun for the whole family!!!
@stebmcdreb36277 жыл бұрын
if anything else ever goes wrong with it The Smiler would probably make a great defunctland episode
@jessicalatham96977 жыл бұрын
Steb let's hope not. It's first incident was bad enough. Those kids almost died.
@Picobits7 жыл бұрын
every news article about alton towers/gp ever: *the actual part* "This could be like the major incident back in 2015 which left 2 girls without legs..." Fuck off, GP.
@saphiriathebluedragonknight3756 жыл бұрын
Is it sad that I know what you are talking about even though I live in the US and don't watch the news?
@jessicalatham96976 жыл бұрын
Saphiria TheBlueDragonKnight if you watch KZbin videos like this then no, it's not sad/surprising.
@icy86116 жыл бұрын
StebMcDreb to be honest I doubt they will, they’ve already faced enough backlash, nearly got the ride permanently shut down after 2 years and blown way out of proportion. I’m sure now that it happened it was a big lesson for the ride operators to pay attention and I’m sure now they have extra security and testing the sensor which faulted to allow the other car to pass and completely re-done it otherwise this ride would still be a danger but, it’s not and I’m sure they made it extra safe
@Oli.V6 жыл бұрын
I’ve ridden the original jet star 2 at lagoon! I have a season pass and I never knew it was the exact one from the worlds fair, honestly even when you can see the track it’s still pretty brutal
@akemiknowsbest36716 жыл бұрын
I live near Lagoon and go there multiple times a summer, so I instantly recognized it when you showed video from the Jet Star 2 there. Haha.
@deeznoots62415 жыл бұрын
The swinging pirate ships(they are in multiple parks in the U.K. at least) are a nice and relaxing ride, love them.
@jamescrow49154 жыл бұрын
The pirate ships are a favorite in carnivals and state fairs in america as well. We have a fully enclosed variant, run under several names that can do a full operator controlled loop however and many visitors find it confusing or jarring
@AtomiicCoasters7 жыл бұрын
0 dislikes. Makes sense, really this channel is awesome
@EuroMIX27 жыл бұрын
Spoke too soon.
@PancakemonsterFO47 жыл бұрын
Atomicsora 12 assclowns disliked who I wish would be tortured by fireworks
@leophyte96637 жыл бұрын
Hey, someone who got why the dislike button really exists x)
@paulakroy26357 жыл бұрын
Mark Wordley this what he found in his research. Unlike the other videos he hasn’t been to Alton towers. It’s harder to research. Maybe there are some areas to improve but he put a lot of effort researching
@ThemeParkChomp6 жыл бұрын
@@paulakroy2635 Well then he shouldnt do a video on something he doesn't actually know well enough or done proper research on. But I forgot on KZbin it's the person with the best logo that counts, not the person with the best understanding or experience with the subject. Googling facts is not proper research on something pre-internet from a different country, otherwise you just dont capture the subject and spread misrepresentation.
@TheLegend18006 жыл бұрын
-Video starts with a classy, british ad for a theme park -Cut to high-tech space themed intro cards "In the 1600s..." Jeez, Kevin. Pick a time period and stick to it!
@bbolin56264 жыл бұрын
TheLegend1800 What’s wrong with it?
@jaedinhathaway15976 жыл бұрын
6:49 hey that's Lagoon's version of Jet Star 2
@rox9570 Жыл бұрын
The Jet Star 2 at Lagoon in Farmington, Utah is one of my favorite coasters! It's a really fun ride, if pretty short.
@austinbaum6991 Жыл бұрын
i literally came on here to find the Lagoon comments ahahaha
@rivran6 жыл бұрын
I’ve ridden Lagoon’s Jet Star 2! It’s rickety, painful, and I get bruises on the inside of my arms every time. I love it.
@masterchaoss7 жыл бұрын
Definitely would love to see more non US attractions covered.
@Dr0dd7 жыл бұрын
I feel like he would do more if he could find out more about them, especially on some Asian and European attractions it can be hard to find information in English.
@lachlankeddie76 жыл бұрын
There are more than enough defunct theme parks here in Australia to do a whole season on. Wonderland Sydney probably being the most notable...
@MadameChristie5 жыл бұрын
@@Dr0dd he could always talk about the development hell Ontario Place is currently in XD
@eleanortitmus95496 жыл бұрын
This was an awesome video, it's so nice to hear about other theme parks - especially those in the UK! I'd love to hear more about other UK based rides/parks.
@icatfishedyourdad27672 жыл бұрын
To be honest, there aren’t many. Available land not in close proximity to homes/conservation areas is harder to come by here but our three biggest and most modern are Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Chesington World of Adventures (I think). If you’re interested more in the historical aspect, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is my favourite fairground of all time. It’s a seaside park that opened in Victorian times and there are a worrying amount of fun but nerve racking wooden rollercoasters still going (at least there was when I last went). My favourite one is called the Steeplechase where you literally sit on a carousel horse with just a seatbelt securing you and a handhold in front and go around a racetrack racing other patrons. Apparently it’s the only rollercoaster of it’s type operating in the world. It’s the type of place that’s falling to pieces and is way past it’s prime but the nostalgia pull for a lot of people is so strong. Get a bag of fish and chips followed by a Mr Whippy, stroll along the promenade fighting off seagulls, insist you’re ok to ride “The Big One” then promptly throw up….good times 😊
@heatherhoerschgen99246 жыл бұрын
Fun fact: The Smiler is (maybe) one of the only rollercoasters to have it's own fanbase. P.S. You sent me down a rabbit hole trying to find info on The Smiler. Thank you. Edit: I have a theory that Alton Towers discovers a "Wyvern Project" to go along with their secret weapons (i.e. groundbreaking rollercoasters) and Rita/Camilla. First one found was Nemesis. The Smiler was found after the wyvern before procedure was called Black Hole on opening day of The Smiler. No one knows what happened to turn Black Hole into a perma-smiling beast. Those yellow scales. The spiral eyes. The curled tail. The insane laughter. "What happened Black Hole?" ... "I don't remember... hahahahaha... I don't remember anyone by Black Hole."
@TrenersLP6 жыл бұрын
I grew up just a few miles from Alton Towers and went there a lot as a kid. Its really cool to see a video like this going into its history.
@nathancunning71953 жыл бұрын
Allton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chesington Adventures and the "Pleasure Beach" (Blackpool, Yarmouth ect) So So glad we visited them all before moving out of the UK (into Australia) at the end of 2019. Fantastic Timing. Never thought I'd see you cover anything from England, thank you so much for doing so! My wife who isn't much of an adrenaline junkie (but she loves hearing people scream) enjoyed being able to wander around such beautiful grounds and surrounded by history.
@CoasterConnection7 жыл бұрын
Great video 👍🏻 Alton Towers is a fantastic park 😄
@thecinematicmind7 жыл бұрын
A spectacular theme park. 👌🏻
@thegamecubek34247 жыл бұрын
Do You Think This Would Make A Interesting Video for defunct land =D www.thorpeparkmania.co.uk/ride/X%20No%20Way%20Out
@VeggeMight6 жыл бұрын
Man the Brits have such balls love the dark theme of Alton towers.
@UKEDNHAT73 жыл бұрын
Man the backstory behind the smiler, wicker man and 13 makes this my favourite theme park.
@deano21604 жыл бұрын
I remember coming of this ride when I was probably 10 yrs old and everyone, I mean everyone came of with a massive neck pain on the left side due to the first drop. It was brutal.
@klodlthebottle3 жыл бұрын
There is a corkscrew at silverwood in Athol ID, USA, same as the one here! Also by arrow, the one at silverwood came from knotts berry farm
@ashleydanielson32222 жыл бұрын
After watching one of his other videos, I wondered if Silverwood’s corkscrew was from Arrow. I guess the one in this video isn’t from them though.
@Octopusmaster5 жыл бұрын
Hey! Python at Busch Gardens was my first roller coaster ever. Its sucks, but still has a place in my heart.