The Marketing Failure of Th13teen - Secret Weapon 6 | Expedition Alton Towers

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  • čas přidán 11. 05. 2019
  • Join us on Expedition Alton Towers as we look at the history and marketing failure of Secret Weapon 6 - Th13teen. This rollercoaster was hyped up as being the most intense rollercoaster experience ever created. It drastically did not meet expectations. Thirteen - The World's first Freefall Drop Rollercoasters
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    Credits -
    World Of Coasters - • Thirteen Front Row 4k ...
    callymarie80 - • alton towers 2009
    Theme Park World Tour - • John Wardley Webisodes...
    RCS Reviews - • Video
    Theme Park Family World Wide - • Alton Towers Dark Fore...
    mesmoland - • TH13TEEN (POV HD1080p)...
    Theme Park James - • Alton Towers Scarefest...
    fotowhizz - • Video
    ATJakee - • Alton Towers - Fourtee...
    Adam Curran - • Rita queue line walkth...
    www.towerstimes.co.uk
    www.altontowers.com
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Komentáře • 1,1K

  • @welcometomylives
    @welcometomylives Před 5 lety +3358

    The person who makes Alton Towers commercials missed their calling making horror movies, I swear.

  • @kaydub0623
    @kaydub0623 Před 5 lety +1820

    Alton Towers: We want the scariest coaster you got!
    Intamin: Alrighty then! What will it be? Ten inversion? Accelerator? Maybe even a bli-
    Alton Towers: Family coaster.
    Intamin: Wh- what? You me-
    Alton Towers: Family. Coaster. *Now.*

    • @cooperboy64
      @cooperboy64 Před 5 lety +16

      Kennywood Fanboy probs had that convo with b&m at the start but they didn't want to degrade themselves

    • @Addictedcoolmos
      @Addictedcoolmos Před 5 lety +11

      shouldve gotten a b&m

    • @LilzMay-sk3ew
      @LilzMay-sk3ew Před 5 lety +3

      Probably how it happened😂

    • @zig131
      @zig131 Před 4 lety +12

      More likely: 'What's the cheapest type of coaster you guys do?"

    • @abagar2000
      @abagar2000 Před 4 lety +11

      Th13teen: And Alton Towers wants to know why no one takes me seriously... *I'M A BLOODY FAMILY COASTER!!*

  • @Corks-ti4vz
    @Corks-ti4vz Před 5 lety +1050

    The most disturbing part of the ride is the squelching noises played in the queue line. I won’t even describe what it sounds like lol

    • @ashdx2172
      @ashdx2172 Před 5 lety +58

      hahaha. i said exactly the same to my wife when we were thee last month. like someone mixing macaroni cheese. ;)

    • @Garurugirl1
      @Garurugirl1 Před 4 lety +20

      It probably the sound of flesh maybe?

    • @jellybabi7600
      @jellybabi7600 Před 4 lety +21

      It sounds like wet mud being stepped on

    • @lunahetfield
      @lunahetfield Před 4 lety +7

      JMD85 85 how badly does it sound? Im curious...

    • @Pogo2025
      @Pogo2025 Před 4 lety +27

      Chloe Lennon McCartney_galaxy just put this into perspective, I stood for 2 hours listening to what sounded like flesh bubbling off the skin

  • @thecorrected7401
    @thecorrected7401 Před 5 lety +726

    Can't really argue. Th13teen is one of the best 'family' coasters in the country. Why they decided to market it as more thrilling than Oblivion i'll never understand. The coaster absolutely proved itself though. It still regularly pulls bigger queues than most rides barring the Smiler and Wicker Man.
    Towers could do with getting rid of that scaffolding at long last though.

    • @mrtophat2202
      @mrtophat2202 Před 5 lety +74

      I always thought the scaffolding was for the theme of the ride, because the workers were under construction of the new ride when they discovered the crypt and accidentally released whatever spooky stuff was inside. It does look very ugly though, especially going up the lift hill

    • @Valhalla05
      @Valhalla05 Před 5 lety +3

      How many people wrote this?

    • @mattey456
      @mattey456 Před 4 lety +1

      I quite enjoy other rides not being busy, oblivion basically has no que. I need to try “the WickerMan” looks sick

    • @trentwerner366
      @trentwerner366 Před 4 lety +7

      I thought the scaffolding looks terrible as well

    • @RSeph
      @RSeph Před 4 lety

      Pfp bros :)

  • @ThemeParkCoastin
    @ThemeParkCoastin Před 5 lety +1257

    It’s probably called 13 because that’s the age children get scary and your life’s drop just like the ride

  • @missybarbour6885
    @missybarbour6885 Před 5 lety +402

    When I was 13, I rode Verbolten the year it opened. Luckily, I hadn't done research or anything, so I didn't know drop tracks existed. When the car stoped, I looked over at my dad (who'd been my ride buddy my whole life) as if he knew what was going on. We made eye contact as the track dropped and I screamed because I thought for a split second that the track broke. Dad giggled like a little kid the whole rest of the ride. Drop tracks 4 life.

    • @yellowplays8681
      @yellowplays8681 Před 3 lety +3

      LOL

    • @yellowplays8681
      @yellowplays8681 Před 3 lety +5

      SAME FOR ME WITH THIRTEEN APART FROM WITH MY FRIEND

    • @fiery1223
      @fiery1223 Před 2 lety +2

      I went on Verbolten too, different place tho Buch Gardens VA

    • @pinepapple4957
      @pinepapple4957 Před rokem +4

      ik this comment is like 3 years old but a very similar thing happened to me when I went on the harry potter motorbike ride at universal
      difference was it enters the drop track backwards so I just expected us to get launched back forwards

  • @TheLonelyGoomba
    @TheLonelyGoomba Před 5 lety +274

    13 is a great family coaster that was basically advertised as the next Nemesis. Ah well, still a good ride

    • @yellowplays8681
      @yellowplays8681 Před 3 lety +13

      ITS QUEUE SCARED ME TO DEATH LIKE I HATED IT

    • @tomahawkunion7491
      @tomahawkunion7491 Před 3 lety +9

      @@yellowplays8681 What scared me was when the woman counted from 1-13. If you were in the building part then the generator sparks and looked like it will explode.

    • @muffin_stuffin............7737
      @muffin_stuffin............7737 Před 2 lety +2

      Potato

  • @lavenderhue1785
    @lavenderhue1785 Před 5 lety +68

    the scariest thing about this ride was the obnoxiously loud electric zappy cage in the queue

  • @Larry
    @Larry Před 5 lety +422

    ...And then Alton Towers decided to go one further and give customers the psychological fear of having arms and legs ripped off on rides.

    • @ExpeditionThemePark
      @ExpeditionThemePark  Před 5 lety +48

      A true psychoaster!

    • @Larry
      @Larry Před 5 lety +26

      @@ExpeditionThemePark There's a saying that the greatest roller coaster ever built will be one where everyone comes back dead. (srsly)
      Alton Towers are slowly getting there!

    • @AJXTHEWALL
      @AJXTHEWALL Před 3 lety +11

      @@Larry after that alton towers decided to go 40 steps further and make a roller coaster tycoon death trap! Death guaranteed or money back!

    • @theairtimeenthusiast
      @theairtimeenthusiast Před 3 lety +1

      @@AJXTHEWALL beep

    • @AJXTHEWALL
      @AJXTHEWALL Před 3 lety +4

      @@theairtimeenthusiast what gain did you get for this? Satisfaction? Money?

  • @paulroberts1339
    @paulroberts1339 Před 5 lety +464

    I was always surprised that they didn’t do a cross theme with Hex with it being so close in location .

    • @ellamedley7558
      @ellamedley7558 Před 5 lety +11

      Funnily enough I got stuck on Hex (of all things, the rotating room thing wasn't lining up properly) and we where only there for like 15 mins and used the fast pass they gave us to go on thirteen.

    • @jamesp8677
      @jamesp8677 Před 5 lety +2

      @haveaniceday I think Rita is used as the escape from the towers.

    • @jack.bentley379
      @jack.bentley379 Před 4 lety +6

      @@jamesp8677 I think thirteen is meant to be entering the wods and rita is to escape

    • @sinjinl00nal0v3r
      @sinjinl00nal0v3r Před 3 lety

      that would of been so cool

  • @Zebra_M
    @Zebra_M Před 5 lety +508

    I went on this blind last year. Didn't know about the hype, didn't know about the drop. It was very enjoyable then, definitely a good surprise. Still wouldn't call this an ultimate roller coaster though, and I doubt a second round would live up to the first.

    • @PROBLOXYT
      @PROBLOXYT Před 5 lety +26

      sorry to hear about your eyes

    • @vincentjenei
      @vincentjenei Před 5 lety +5

      @@PROBLOXYT lmao

    • @PROBLOXYT
      @PROBLOXYT Před 5 lety +8

      @@vincentjenei i was expecting a reply from them tbh but then i realized they wont ever see my comment :( such shame

    • @vincentjenei
      @vincentjenei Před 5 lety

      @@PROBLOXYT lol

    • @panicking5611
      @panicking5611 Před 5 lety

      PROBLOX omfg lmaoooo

  • @cersharose489
    @cersharose489 Před 5 lety +487

    I went on this ride when I was five and I remember crying like hell because of the drop at the end, now I literally can’t be bothered to queue for the ride😂

    • @lisamorris7491
      @lisamorris7491 Před 5 lety +11

      Cersha Rose you were a bit too young at 5 😩 I'm surprised you were allowed on it

    • @gamingmadman432
      @gamingmadman432 Před 5 lety +3

      No you didn’t you weren’t old enough

    • @cersharose489
      @cersharose489 Před 5 lety +1

      Lisa Morris Morris i might have been 6 but I definitely went on it and I’ve always been tall

    • @cersharose489
      @cersharose489 Před 5 lety +2

      GamingMadMan there was no age limit when I went, dk if there ever was?

    • @df9679
      @df9679 Před 5 lety +17

      Cersha Rose there was never an age limit to ride it was just min/max height

  • @WorldofCoasters
    @WorldofCoasters Před 5 lety +603

    That moment i realised you've used my POV of Thirteen for you video Woooooo! great video as always and Thanks for the credit :)

  • @adelestevens
    @adelestevens Před 5 lety +300

    Spuce up 13 with a re theme.
    Lots of water jets and fog machines.
    Maybe some projected holograms.
    If you want to be scary you have to keep the level of anticipation high all the time.

    • @ZestyLimeStudios
      @ZestyLimeStudios Před 4 lety +20

      Adelle Walls - It goes through loads of trees, they need to do something in them trees to make it more scary, especially in Scarefest season

    • @bethkrager6529
      @bethkrager6529 Před 4 lety +20

      Maybe put in some animatronics branches "reaching" . My understanding is that the forest itself is alive due to the spirit? Use that. The fog is a good idea to do projection mapping of the wraith chasing you through the forest with.

    • @ultimos1239
      @ultimos1239 Před 10 měsíci

      ​@@bethkrager6529or have a pre show with th13teen girl as the narrator that would be cool

  • @MattFromWiiSportsResort
    @MattFromWiiSportsResort Před 5 lety +268

    Lol when i first rode it i was s**t scared because they hyped it up so much. I went into the room and was holding onto the lap-bar for dear life. Then it fell and i remember feeling misled and disappointed. I have ridden it since and it is ok but i really feel like that first experience of going on it changed my view of it forever.

    • @suckadick9918
      @suckadick9918 Před 5 lety +8

      Zachary Nolan I just screamed ‘ I DIDNT BLOODY EXPECT THAT’

    • @Calakapepe
      @Calakapepe Před 5 lety +4

      You were disappointed that it had a drop track??

    • @Nathan-dm9wr
      @Nathan-dm9wr Před 5 lety +4

      Calakapepe no he was disappointed with how it felt after all the hype surrounding it

    • @hannahbrown5465
      @hannahbrown5465 Před 5 lety

      That’s how I felt about mystic timbers at kings island, the shed didn’t even end up being close to the hype

    • @h6ych
      @h6ych Před 4 lety +1

      We started queuing for it, we got on and went into the room, I didn’t know it was gunna drop because I’d never gone on so I screamed ‘WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS’ and pissed my pants

  • @MrPhoenixQuill
    @MrPhoenixQuill Před 5 lety +192

    I can't believe that they used Teddy Bears picnic for the adverts of this ride.
    That's twice now where I wondered who thought Henry Hall's music was scary.

    • @charlottevicarage1331
      @charlottevicarage1331 Před 5 lety +15

      Nursery Rhymes are inherently creepy.

    • @NebLleb
      @NebLleb Před 5 lety +7

      Well, you remember how in Dead Space, you walk into a room, and you hear a voice singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"?
      Yeah they were operating on that logic.

    • @masterknife8423
      @masterknife8423 Před 5 lety

      @@charlottevicarage1331 That I can agree with

    • @otaking3582
      @otaking3582 Před 5 lety +3

      What was the first time? The Mr. T comic that Linkara reviewed?

    • @MrPhoenixQuill
      @MrPhoenixQuill Před 5 lety

      @@otaking3582 nah, it was a movie, can't remember the name right now

  • @hexatrance7
    @hexatrance7 Před 5 lety +63

    13 is probably my favourite ride because I love the spooky aesthetic but am an absolute wimp so the “mild” side that people complain about is probably my limit

  • @carlcarlington7317
    @carlcarlington7317 Před 5 lety +198

    Alton towers: "I'm going to make the scariest ride ever"
    Alton towers: "I'm about to end this man's entier carrier"

  • @TinyToastandJam
    @TinyToastandJam Před 5 lety +226

    Great video thanks. As a US resident I'm always a curious about more UK park content

    • @tsurra
      @tsurra Před 4 lety

      I just wish I could find more Aussie ride content 😔

    • @thisissaah_3536
      @thisissaah_3536 Před 3 lety +3

      these rides (especially the smiler), i tell ya
      coming out of a usa mate, the uk's got the stuff i need to experience

    • @neveclark9362
      @neveclark9362 Před rokem +3

      Join us

  • @Croz89
    @Croz89 Před 5 lety +83

    The problem I had with this ride is that it was really only interesting the first time you ride it. After you know what's going to happen it becomes much more dull and pedestrian.

  • @heatherdixon4184
    @heatherdixon4184 Před 3 lety +19

    This feels like the equivalent of a toddler begging you to look at them so they can do half of a backflip and land on their face

  • @alistairsmith4308
    @alistairsmith4308 Před 5 lety +626

    Its such a shame that alton towers doesn’t understand that there is something other than horror to theme rides around currently, especially as over half the park is now horror themed

    • @RAIDgames21
      @RAIDgames21 Před 5 lety +99

      It’s not Alton towers it’s merlin. I mean just look at Thorpe park, name a ride that’s opened over the last decade that hasn’t got a horror/apocalyptic theme attached to it

    • @russt1931
      @russt1931 Před 5 lety +78

      I like the horror theme especially at scare fest but I’m not sure if a non-horror themed ride would fit in at the park.

    • @tomwhite4596
      @tomwhite4596 Před 5 lety +36

      I think it works, we got smiler and swarm and saw from it so I'm happy

    • @nitsuatnarg4511
      @nitsuatnarg4511 Před 5 lety +31

      I love it. My partner visited the U.K. for the first time and I took her to Alton Towers. She really loved it as she was expecting Disney ;and type theme park.

    • @AwkwardTurtle10
      @AwkwardTurtle10 Před 5 lety +32

      Well the only downside to horror themed parks is that it gives a bit of a depressing vibe. If you go to a park like Disney you're most likely to feel better and happier because that's what their goal is. Frightening your guests does the opposite

  • @meg-4662
    @meg-4662 Před 5 lety +54

    I remember being terrified to ride this as the rumours were that it was recommended for over 20s only!! What a load of tosh!

    • @booth2710
      @booth2710 Před rokem

      and those rumours that during the excavation work for the ride work crew were sighting ghosts of dead monks materializing in the woods ! A typical theme park propaganda tactic ..

  • @kittikoko
    @kittikoko Před 5 lety +107

    Th13teen's a lovely little family coaster but they definitely missed the mark when it came to marketing it - great documentary! I'm always surprised at the number of first time riders who STILL don't know what happens and I LOVE their reactions.

  • @FatSnorlax
    @FatSnorlax Před 5 lety +131

    Lol I remember going to Alton around the time 13 opened as part of a school trip. I suppose to justify the trip the teachers included an educational element which meant learning about 13's marketing. Watching this and seeing you call it a failure is just funny to me.
    Anyway, as for the coaster itself, I've always liked the theming and idea behind 13 but I could never get over the big old scaffolding in the entrance to the drop and inside. Always made it look unfinished to me.
    Great job on the video!

    • @visionist7
      @visionist7 Před 5 lety +11

      That scaffolding is really out of place

    • @FatSnorlax
      @FatSnorlax Před 5 lety +12

      @@visionist7 Right? Like you've got the whole haunted house/creepy wood thing which is nailed pretty well and then you look like you're entering an unfinished part of the coaster. Just ruins the experience a bit for me.

    • @visionist7
      @visionist7 Před 5 lety +3

      @@FatSnorlax I can't imagine they were originally gonna go with the scaffolding but I guess they ran out of funding lol

    • @FatSnorlax
      @FatSnorlax Před 5 lety +3

      @@visionist7 That or it's a poor piece of theming?

    • @ejcmoorhouse
      @ejcmoorhouse Před 5 lety +2

      @@FatSnorlax The scaffolding is like on Hex and around the towers. Its there as part of that restoration project.

  • @thatsamuelgrant
    @thatsamuelgrant Před 5 lety +82

    Th13teen was the first ever rollercoaster I ever went on, this being the year of release and I really enjoyed it. However I went on it again only a few weeks back, its definitely a ride that is thrilling on the first go, but not so much on the second. Still really enjoyed it though

    • @tattie.b8594
      @tattie.b8594 Před 5 lety +1

      Darklight Films, I rode it back in Easter, but I’ve done rides at Thorpe park, and Florida, so riding this I was rather underwhelmed and honestly just laughed at it!

  • @privateryan5671
    @privateryan5671 Před 4 lety +14

    I went on Verbolten before, and when the freefall drop came, it suprised me. Needless to say, it's a great rollercoaster.

  • @dexty112
    @dexty112 Před 5 lety +24

    Riders expectations fell faster than the drop track.

  • @truemetalsonic
    @truemetalsonic Před 5 lety +19

    I love Th13teen, the marketing didn't disappoint me but I wish the first section was a little longer.
    Alton really has a nack for rides with a dark theme.

  • @BenjyDale
    @BenjyDale Před 5 lety +18

    Despite the media hype, I was still pretty impressed with 13. The hype implied that there were going to be spoilers, so the best thing was not to look into it too much on the internet if you were planning to ride it.

  • @Jacob_-yi6oy
    @Jacob_-yi6oy Před 5 lety +40

    "It'll be the scariest rollercoaster ever," they said, "You need to be brave," they said. :|

  • @prentisroberson2305
    @prentisroberson2305 Před 5 lety +67

    Fast and Furious Supercharged as Universal Orlando is also a marketing disaster. It was advertised to be an intense thrill ride. But when it opened, it was just a underwelming experience compared to Earthquake/Disaster. They should replace it with a Secret Life of Pets 4D shooting dark ride/simulator.

    • @voiddcxi2630
      @voiddcxi2630 Před 4 lety +6

      They could replace it with a bench for all I care

    • @tsurra
      @tsurra Před 4 lety +1

      Honestly even that would be an insult to Disaster/Earthquake which had a genuinely unique and at least somewhat intriguing concept to it versus the absolute failure that was Fast and Furious (although I might be biased due to having experienced Disaster heh)

    • @sillyreymond
      @sillyreymond Před 3 lety

      r/strangelyspecific

    • @totaleclipseofmymoon
      @totaleclipseofmymoon Před 3 lety

      Void DCXI lmfao honestly tho that ride is such trash

  • @hopespeak5852
    @hopespeak5852 Před 4 lety +12

    Whoever makes the trailers is a legend.

  • @reubob1849
    @reubob1849 Před 5 lety +15

    8:12 all coaster enthusiasts who followed th13teens construction: "oh god its her again lol"

  • @vintagesharpe
    @vintagesharpe Před 5 lety +14

    I remember watching the advert on tv, wondering what the hell this was about. It creeped me out tbh

  • @innesrawdon1481
    @innesrawdon1481 Před 5 lety +27

    The first time I went on I’m glad there isn’t loads of those cameras that take photos because my face was probably like
    👁 👁
    👄

    • @k1zm3t
      @k1zm3t Před 4 lety +1

      13th like :0

  • @freyahrl
    @freyahrl Před 5 lety +5

    thirteen is definitely not the most scary ride, or the most thrilling, but it’s definitely really enjoyable and still gives a sense of thrill and fear without being too much. it’s one of my faves and i’m into ‘bigger’ rides, which thirteen would not be classed as. it’s almost a perfect mix of a ‘big’ ride and a kid’s ride.

  • @borgstar1997
    @borgstar1997 Před 5 lety +162

    I would love you to do Rita queen of speed

    • @lucaskent4567
      @lucaskent4567 Před 5 lety

      Harvey Borg omg I hate that ride it’s the scariest one in the park!

    • @borgstar1997
      @borgstar1997 Před 5 lety +1

      Lucas Kent i know right I don’t have a face after going on that

    • @dariamih07
      @dariamih07 Před 5 lety

      @@borgstar1997 I went to it today and the lines are so long but bro that ride was so scary I thought I was gonna fall of!

    • @xxsophiexx8009
      @xxsophiexx8009 Před 5 lety

      THATS MY SECOND FAVORITE I LOVE IT

    • @keepsmilinglittlemax1244
      @keepsmilinglittlemax1244 Před 5 lety +1

      I LOVE THAT RIDE!! I love the unexpected start (although I knew about it prior to my first time) and they better not remove it.

  • @ewantennant5847
    @ewantennant5847 Před 5 lety +18

    I love thirteen and it is on of my must do attractions when I visit Alton Towers. It even takes priority over wickerman

    • @terry141186
      @terry141186 Před 5 lety +3

      Wickerman is fantastic but thirteen is unique and enjoyable. A well designed coaster doesn't have to do 70+mph and go upside down 20 times to be good imo.

    • @k1zm3t
      @k1zm3t Před 4 lety +1

      13th like :0

  • @Doley99
    @Doley99 Před 5 lety +2

    Riding this at scarefest in the dark is a must. It's my favourite ride in the dark.

  • @thomaskylecreative
    @thomaskylecreative Před 5 lety +5

    I would absolutely love it if you made a series of videos regarding the build up and marketing of past attractions. It’s absolutely a fascinating field of work and park history.

  • @ayannaaki
    @ayannaaki Před 5 lety +6

    As someone who is terrified of heights and won't go on coasters that go upside down, I really enjoyed this ride. That says it all really 🤣🤣🤣

  • @tom-ch5ii
    @tom-ch5ii Před 5 lety +71

    Does anyone think that Thirteen's theming kind of links with Hex? Because that demon looking branch in Hex seems very suspicious sitting right next to other paranormal trees..

    • @MsModeller
      @MsModeller Před 5 lety +6

      afaik that whole area is meant to be linked to Hex.I mean It's been totally shoehorned to have that link, but it's been forceably done pretty well.

    • @sinjinl00nal0v3r
      @sinjinl00nal0v3r Před 3 lety

      yes! i wish they were next to each other because it would make sense.

  • @tom-ch5ii
    @tom-ch5ii Před 5 lety +12

    YES! I love this ride so much, it holds so many funny memories

  • @JayAlfordElementJMusic
    @JayAlfordElementJMusic Před 5 lety +13

    I remember following the construction and build-up around this coaster when it was announced (mind you, I live in the US and at the time I was still in high school) and I kept thinking to myself "Wow, Alton Towers is truly going to unleash a beast of a coaster). In all honesty, after seeing what Th13teen really was, it was quite disappointing. Other than the free fall aspect of the coaster, the actual layout of it was quite..um, mundane.

  • @RichardLerwill
    @RichardLerwill Před 4 lety +2

    The innovation with John.W and Intamin with the quick moving switch track paved the way for their new swing launch coasters I feel, such as Dualing Dragons and Pantheon and obviously Hagrids in IoA. There's alot of great engineering on this ride if you ever get to tour backstage, it's just a shame that non of it translates to a cohesive complete ride experience on this ride, but it is more important than people realise.

  • @ShadowTD
    @ShadowTD Před 5 lety +2

    A good video, well researched. Interesting to see myself in it (I was one of the boot campers) and a good explanation of how they missed with the 'pitch'. The ride was several months behind schedule - Boot camp was rescheduled and ran only a few days before the park opened. They had originally intended to run it nearly a month before and use footage from it in an online campaign. Instead a hastily edited video popped up on the website weeks after it opened almost as an afterthought.
    When we rode it (which ISTR was Thursday, two days before it opened) they had us wound up and borderline sleep deprived after nearly two days of shenanigans which significantly affected how we felt about the ride. Morwena is a skilled marketeer and knows exactly how to deliver the message she wants. I do still love the ride and met people who are now some of my best friends and got to see some behind the scenes stuff that I'll cherish forever. For an AT fan, it was an amazing experience.

  • @zombiemosher1139
    @zombiemosher1139 Před rokem +1

    I always liked Thirteen, that drop track part is fun then hurtling out backwards is great. My daughter was terrified to go on it but after one ride we went straight back round for another go.

  • @guy2316
    @guy2316 Před 5 lety +12

    God whoever was marketing this ride was physco

  • @Hatska2wolf
    @Hatska2wolf Před 5 lety +3

    When I rode for the first time, I was terrified, the buildup had nearly psyched me out from even getting on, but afterwards I realised it was basically the runaway mine train with a bigger drop. It still stands out to me as a ride with really well done theming, with smaller additions in the queue line which I find I may have not noticed the first time round. I enjoy the ride quite a bit, I won’t however ride it if the queue time is above 35 minutes because it’s not really worth the hassle. But I have to say it is one of the secret weapons which since it’s opening has had consistent queue times of around 30-40 minutes + on busier days which I think is a testament to the ride and its enjoyment factor. People might think otherwise though. I definitely saw the flaws in the marketing, but I think that’s something that only adds to the lore of the coaster and is slightly humorous to look back and think about now the ride will be reaching its 10th birthday next year.

  • @esmeelizabethb
    @esmeelizabethb Před 5 lety +1

    absolutely brilliant video - please keep making alton towers content! :)

  • @MrMrMrprofessor
    @MrMrMrprofessor Před 5 lety +2

    Been waiting for this one!! Really cool to hear about the history of the ride. It's also a great reminder of how much marketing and hype can bother help and hinder a new theme attraction. Great video!
    Would love to see one on Wicker Man as well!

  • @user-fb7ut6rw9t
    @user-fb7ut6rw9t Před 4 lety +3

    Alton Towers: Th13teen is our scariest ride!
    The Smiler: *Are you sure about that?*

  • @morganx5570
    @morganx5570 Před 5 lety +8

    You should start a expedition on other UK theme parks like Thorpe Park , Drayton and Blackpool

  • @lukegreen5341
    @lukegreen5341 Před 5 lety +1

    I've Been On 13 The Ride At Alton Towers Back In August 2016. It Was Super Awesome. Thanks Expedition Theme Park Mate. X

  • @SyphaB
    @SyphaB Před 5 lety

    I love these videos so much! Please do more Alton Towers ones. I must go there at least twice a month, maybe more. I love the place.

  • @SeanJohnDyerFilms
    @SeanJohnDyerFilms Před 5 lety +4

    I think it's a brilliant coaster. A great intro ride for someone who is just getting into coasters, but still thrilling enough for adults too. I just love how it's so different to anything else in the park. The theming works great for me too, considering how UK rides tend to underdeliver on theming. Personally, it gets better for me everytime I ride it.

  • @LozzyPanda
    @LozzyPanda Před 5 lety +3

    I did really enjoy this ride. But they did go ott with the adverts, but then didn't live up to the expectation of the "scariest ride ever" thing they were going for. Yes the drop is great! But the track leading up to it had no themeing surrounding it. They could have easily made it a thick forest, with smoke effects, even some blue lighting or something. Just to make it dark and scary! The woodland seemed pretty bare and boring when I went on this back in 2010. Great video btw! Love seeing videos on AT and TP

  • @saffyalcremie
    @saffyalcremie Před 3 lety +2

    My first trip to Alton Towers was just after the release of Thirteen. It was my first trip to any theme park at a height where I was tall enough to ride most to all of the thrill rides. Unfortunately due to the marketing of Thirteen I'd seen on TV I was too afraid to ride any of the thrill rides. In the whole day trip I only went on Hex, the Mine Train and the Log Flume. That subconscious fear has stayed with me for all of my life since then. I have since ridden a few more thrill rides like Raptor twice and another one on trips to Lite Water Valley and Rita twice on successive trips to Alton Towers. However it is only now in this last month or so that I've been exploring ride and theme park videos that I'm wishing things had gone differently and I could have joined my peers on bigger rides if it hadn't been for the marketing of Thirteen and later the Smiler (and it's accidents).

  • @HenryAnderson_
    @HenryAnderson_ Před 5 lety +1

    Another incredible video!

  • @averagecuppajoe
    @averagecuppajoe Před 5 lety +18

    Exactly what you said. Not a bad family coaster but due to the hype-a huge letdown.

  • @moo9874
    @moo9874 Před 5 lety +11

    The wood creak sound effects just...no xD it scares me quite a lot

    • @ellentaylor-king5680
      @ellentaylor-king5680 Před 3 lety

      I remember walking thru the line and made a quick nope out of there I was 11 or 12 mind you

  • @0yal569
    @0yal569 Před 5 lety

    love finding underrated gems of youtube channels

  • @PhilTheHappyWanderer
    @PhilTheHappyWanderer Před 5 lety

    You mentioned something about this ride a while ago, and I've been excited for this video since. Very interesting ride concept. I didn't do any research on it because I like the way you present the rides.

  • @stephenjholloway27
    @stephenjholloway27 Před 5 lety +98

    Yea this ride was massively over hyped. The drop is clever but its nothing special really.

    • @MrMoo272
      @MrMoo272 Před 5 lety +8

      Alton Towers: here's a rollercoaster that does something no other rollercoaster in the world has ever done before.
      Stevie John: nothing special really
      😂😂😂

  • @pjw1993
    @pjw1993 Před 5 lety +3

    I think there was definitely a marketing 'hype culture' around that period of Alton's development. They were really aggressive in putting out fabricated PR stories what seemed like every other week, and I think Thirteen was pretty much the last hurrah of their mindset at the time.
    Enthusiasts at the time will remember things like the Baby coaster, cloud bursting to control the weather and high heel metal detectors as just a few examples of the stories they released back then.

  • @suitsyousir1980
    @suitsyousir1980 Před 5 lety

    Great vid as always

  • @rad6666
    @rad6666 Před 5 lety

    Loving these videos mate.

  • @alexdavison259
    @alexdavison259 Před 5 lety +4

    The scariest part of this ride was when I went on it in the pelting rain, every drop felt like being stabbed by a pin.

  • @DeadMeatMorgan
    @DeadMeatMorgan Před 5 lety +3

    It's not the ultimate rollercoaster but I definitely enjoy it when I do ride. It's one that I'd normally save for a quieter day when the queues are much shorter or if I'm bringing someone to the park for the first time

  • @wearechptrs
    @wearechptrs Před 4 lety

    Gosh these videos are so well done!! Getting me through this covid quarantine. Thank you! I need to buy one of those Knott’s shirts soon.

  • @hiphoplyrics3007
    @hiphoplyrics3007 Před 5 lety +1

    I went on it once and have never been more disappointed. I don’t even bother queuing for it anymore.

  • @elaynamartin6620
    @elaynamartin6620 Před 4 lety +4

    When I went last year I was queuing for enterprise and it was taking a while so we started talking to the people behind us...the said the had just been on 13 and we asked what it was like...they said they could not say and it was a surprise. We later got on 13 and thought it was quite bad to be honest because it was quite slow. We then thought the ride was over and thought the surprise was how bad it was😅 then it dropped and we left the coaster stunned. I now have a hoodie from the gift shop with the 13 logo on....I nearly pissed myself...not bad

  • @Chris173972
    @Chris173972 Před 5 lety +3

    I love how unique the ride is but there needs to be more to it. Currently just feels like a tech demo. Enjoyable but short.

  • @zackleburg7429
    @zackleburg7429 Před 2 lety +2

    I love that clip of the guy falling, i laugh every time

  • @citizenofcorona8783
    @citizenofcorona8783 Před 5 lety +1

    I'm glad you're the only theme park person who is talking about attractions other than Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

  • @violetpixie7224
    @violetpixie7224 Před 5 lety +4

    *Ooh! I love this ride so much!*
    _Tbh Alton Towers is more or less my second home so I love all the rides :)_

  • @evanredacted7977
    @evanredacted7977 Před 5 lety +5

    I'm gonna have to make a trip to Britain some day just to go to Alton Towers.

  • @nickbarnett1942
    @nickbarnett1942 Před 3 lety

    I like it always gets your tummy when it drops

  • @joevinski1
    @joevinski1 Před 5 lety +1

    Great job Sam !!!! God I love all the accents in all the video clips lol keep up the great work almost to 100k can’t believe that

  • @Harry-tx2kh
    @Harry-tx2kh Před 5 lety +10

    You should should do a video about splash landings the hotel ✌️

  • @SamnDan.1
    @SamnDan.1 Před 5 lety +21

    I went for my 13th birthday and I'm going again for my 18th birthday

  • @Lordmrgrumps
    @Lordmrgrumps Před 5 lety +2

    This is my favourite coaster at Scarefest. It’s great scuttling through the Forrest in the dark.

  • @liladrevenue
    @liladrevenue Před 4 lety

    Expedition Alton towers is probably my favorite series of yours 😁😍💕

  • @StarportS
    @StarportS Před 5 lety +37

    Do ToyStoryMania! Also you should do AIR as well

    • @onionshavewings
      @onionshavewings Před 5 lety

      No not yet do air let's let wiker man have a longer time before it's his turn

    • @SuperEnthused
      @SuperEnthused Před 5 lety

      Douglas Egdell yes agree, let wicker man have some time for the wicker to settle first! 🤣

  • @alicemarion2127
    @alicemarion2127 Před 4 lety +3

    It was a great middleground ride, I visited the park when I was about nine or 10 and I wasn’t tall enough to ride any of the bigger rides, 13 was a fun experience and made me feel fearless for the remainder of my stay 🤣x

  • @Bexster8773
    @Bexster8773 Před 5 lety

    love your alton tower vids!

  • @ItsMeDylan7
    @ItsMeDylan7 Před 5 lety +1

    omg I can't get enough of your videos

  • @DiscreetHobo
    @DiscreetHobo Před 5 lety +3

    It's still a great ride eitherway

  • @AirtimeThrills
    @AirtimeThrills Před 5 lety +6

    Overselling it is good in the short term but can piss people off long term. Not sure how many people were mad enough not to come back for that reason

  • @lucy922
    @lucy922 Před 5 lety +1

    The station area used to be the thing that freaked me out most! The generater and shock cage made me jump out of my skin. I also remember getting off the ride and skipping off to the shop only to meet a live hooded figure a few steps before the shop (this was at scarefest) and I was like NOPE and turned back on my heels and ran to my mom and dad

  • @hannahm6152
    @hannahm6152 Před 4 lety

    im so glad I've seen the drop now with the lights omg

  • @abagar2000
    @abagar2000 Před 4 lety +3

    Th13teen: If you... Go down... To the woods... Today... You'll find me. Hi. I'm Th13teen. Sorry about my appearance, but I'm really not as scary as I look. My ride is basically a family coaster, but the freefall drop is my claim to fame, I guess.
    Nemesis: To be honest, I have mixed feelings towards Th13teen. She has a great world's first element, but other than that it isn't too special.
    Oblivion: As much as I want to take her seriously as a proper thrill ride, it can be very difficult for me to do so because of it's lack of big thrills. The freefall drop is fantastic though.
    Air: I'm glad that Alton Towers wanted to introduce a unique element for Th13teen, but a family coaster just wasn't the type of ride to put it in.
    Rita: I still can't get over when she killed Corkscrew. I mean, come on! He was my best friend for a long time, and you had to get rid of him just so you could fit! Not cool.
    Smiler: I actually like Th13teen. Not enough people can say that, but I can. The theming is fantastic, the ride is very smooth, and the freefall drop is probably the most underrated world's first element in the park. I just hope more people are willing to give it a chance.
    Wicker Man: I think it's because of the theming and promotion of Th13teen that really made her the "art critic" of the Towers. She's always supportive of rides with great themes and backstories, and that's something that I can kinda appreciate her for.

  • @adventuresbyalex6511
    @adventuresbyalex6511 Před 5 lety +16

    Please do one on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Ride and one on the bubble ride at Chessington and the London Dungeon.

    • @latte1608
      @latte1608 Před 5 lety

      The bubble ride is gone

    • @Eliteerin
      @Eliteerin Před 5 lety

      @@latte1608 fuck sakes I loved that bubble ride

    • @latte1608
      @latte1608 Před 5 lety

      @@Eliteerin same

    • @Oodelally
      @Oodelally Před 3 lety

      The bubble ride was my first roller coaster :(

  • @lukesmith5018
    @lukesmith5018 Před 2 lety +1

    We went on this not knowing anything about it beforehand. When we went into the false dock just before the drop, I thought it had finished and that the ride had been a little underwhelming. The drop and backwards part took me completely by surprise, and I remember laughing hysterically. Even though it's not as 'scary', or 'thrilling' as things like nemesis, it was definitely one of the most fun rides that day.

  • @andrewamidala
    @andrewamidala Před 5 lety

    I knew nothing about it and went on it, I absolutely freaked because I didn't know drop coasters existed. Made my day at Alton Towers amazing!!

  • @bartvandenaker2237
    @bartvandenaker2237 Před 5 lety +14

    When is a new expedition Efteling coming?

  • @sulphuric_glue4468
    @sulphuric_glue4468 Před 5 lety +7

    Unrelated to the video, but who else thinks that a thrill ride themed around DOOM would be amazing? I think about it a lot

    • @thecinematicmind
      @thecinematicmind Před 5 lety

      Would made a better dark ride

    • @sulphuric_glue4468
      @sulphuric_glue4468 Před 5 lety +1

      @@thecinematicmind If it was themed around Doom 3 then yes, but certainly not the new games, the balls to the wall action in Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal fits a thrill ride

  • @TheVloggerDude2018
    @TheVloggerDude2018 Před 5 lety +1

    It’s always interesting to find out about failed rides in other countries. Thx for this amazing video!

    • @theonlynorbs4272
      @theonlynorbs4272 Před 5 lety

      13 is in no way failed. The worst it could be described is that it didn't meet some expectations.
      The queues are still somewhat long for it every time I visit the park, even though there has been many rides (and a VR update to another ride) has been added since.
      Like the video said, it's a great addition to the park!

    • @TheVloggerDude2018
      @TheVloggerDude2018 Před 5 lety

      Norbs 89 oh I said failed? Sorry about that. Thx for the insight though!

  • @smashleymcbashley6250
    @smashleymcbashley6250 Před 4 lety +1

    I feel like rides here where i live just would never live up to the art and efforts of these rides in Alton Towers. I mean these rides of lore!! So cool