whoever was responsible for Alton Towers marketing, especially for this ride and the Smiler, missed their calling as writer for a psychological thriller series or something.
Doesn't worry me, it's the first large coaster I ever rode on and since then I've loved it. The only coaster in the park that actually intimidates me is the smiler and that's because the creepy music reminds me of the accident that happened lol.
@@hannamouse1 I said LMAO to the fact that they had to remove clips from advertising which shows how stupid Alton Tower operators we're for letting this happen in the first place dumbass.
The fact the park has that height restriction just makes everything so much cooler. It's like when you go to X-Sector or Forbidden Valley or any zone, you can't see the other zones' rides. That makes it so much more unique as it's like you're entering a new world each time.
This is why Alton Towers is my favourite park. The theming and how the rides blend into the environment is second to none. Nemesis is so well done, Air was a bit of a dud for the environment as it was mostly above flat ground and one corner gave you a front seat view of the amazing... car park 😐, probably why they put VR on it and renamed it to Galactica. Not been on the VR version. After seeing the Smiler up close though for the first time today (didn't go on it unfortunately) I think it out does the Nemesis for using the environment mostly because the Smiler is the bloody environment! I can't believe how dense that thing is. Seeing two cars come close to each other on more than one section is nuts. And the music. The music will haunt my dreams until I can get a chance to go on that monstrosity. Sorry for gushing. Just being so close and not being able to go on was heart breaking today.
This seems like one of those rides that will never need updating. There's something about 90s filmography in this style that's always unsettling. It's got that industrial, thriller feel that would be a little bit harder to convey with modern video.
I honestly think Oblivion is hugely underrated. I’ll concede that the actual ride is a one trick pony, but it’s a good trick that commands multiple re-rides when the queues are kind. What makes it great though, is the psychological whole. I remember queuing for 3 hours when it first opened, and whilst nobody wants to queue for that long, the whole spectacle was genuinely entertaining. Marvelling at the drop, and the screams, teasing each other in the queue about bottling it (the creatives were bang on the money when they added that to the script for the queue videos), and even the reliability issues that plagued its early months added to this sense that something foreboding was about to happen. Those 6 years from 92 to 98, Alton creatives were at the top of their game, with each ride transcending that of a theme park attraction and becoming a part of pop culture itself. This is what happens when imagineers and marketeers are completely in tune with each other. Ps nice video! Keep em coming.
That couple should seriously just move if they haven’t already. They should know what they were in for when they lived on the grounds of a high-level theme park. It’s like moving to a schoolground and complaining there are too many kids
That's the problem though, as explained in the video, when the couple moved into their home in 1968 the 'theme park' at Alton Towers was little more than a glorified funfair. They didn't move in after it had become a huge and noisy theme park. Maybe they should have put in more rigorous complaints about noise sooner than 2004, but still.....I believe they were more than within their rights to complain about noise pollution that had happened since the purchase of their property. Also....who, except for the most die hard of Alton Towers fans, would buy the house now and choose to live there, taking into account the noise?!
They're hateful people. Have you seen their photo? Blergh. They own a factory that produces noise enough to keep a surrounding neighborhood awake, but of course because those neighbors can't afford fancy lawyers nobody cares. They're vile, spiteful, hateful twats
It's similar to a housing development just outside of......... LAGUNA SECA RACEWAY, these Soccer Moms are bitching and complaining about living next to a 50 YEAR OLD RACETRACK, now every car that races needs to have a massive muffler attached to them because it's too noisy for their precious children
@intempify Exactly. I've lived less than 40m from a major railway for years, one where 12-car passenger trains race by at 160km/h and 30-car freight trains crawl by under braking to let said passengers by at the station a mile down - with the loudest brakes you'll ever hear on a train. It was mildly annoying for the first few weeks, but once I got used to them I barely even noticed them. Never had any trouble sleeping with the windows open on the railway side of the house. A (steel) rollercoaster is comparatively much quieter, and from what we saw in the video they've got a lot of trees between them and the park as well. AND the park only operates during the day anyway, so even IF the noise got to them, it would be no different from living on a busy street. They're just spiteful people looking to use the government to ruin other people's fun, and possibly make a buck in the process.
Totally agree, the sight of it plummeting into that tunnel is breathtaking and the sound it creates such a foreboding sense of danger, my kids who are now big enough to ride still aren’t brave enough
i love how alton towers always leans towards the darker, more sinister themes in their marketing. i think it evokes an excitement in the viewer, because it’s just so ominous and appealing
Very nice job once again! I remember when there were rumors flying around about Oblivion well before they started construction. Back then the rumor was they were going to create something described as the "Niagra Falls coaster" or something like that. Totally random but interesting fact; The game Forsaken on the original Playstation has references to Oblivion in it. Long story short but I had played and completed the game in late 1998. I noticed that some of the tanks in the game had "SW4" on the side of them. After I completed the game, I was watching the credits and noticed a familiar name. The game was programed by someone named Justin Garvanovic. I had met Justin (founder of the European Coaster Club) while in line for Montu a year prior. I e-mailed him and asked him if he worked on Forsaken as I wasn't sure what he did for a living back then. He confirmed he did in fact work on the game and told me the SW4 tanks were indeed a nod to Oblivion.
Some theme parks have a big overarching theme that covers most of their operation and lasts years. Like Disney and magic or Universal and film. For Alton Towers it’s like if Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe ran MKUltra. Hey there fellow people how would you like to be the test subject for something horrifying? It’s like someone looked at all the cute Disney stuff and said ‘make the complete opposite of that. Nightmares for life’. I develop a twitch whenever I hear ‘Hall of the Mountain King’.
Before I watched these videos, I liked going to Alton Towers because it seemed magical to me. I've never not had a good time there and it feeling when I'm is one of pure joy, it's the best theme park I've been to and the theming is amazing. Now the next time I go I can truly appreciate the backstory of the rides and the things they have acheived
Oblivion has the best advert it features the iconic sound and a great great guitar bit I mean how could I not like it I'm not OBLIVIOUS to good quality adverts
I do wonder what the future holds for this ride. The past 3 times I have been here this ride has always been dead and would take no more than 5 mins to get on. Maybe I was just lucky each time but not sure?
Oblivion is the definition of the phrase "short, but sweet" the queues are always fairly quick these days making it always worth a few rides on a trip to Alton.
Have an annual trip to Alton towers, went on it last year and you can tell it’s old with the crt monitors in the ques. Makes it look a lot less modern. Still enjoy the ride though.
Using a live-actor as promotion and security is genius...why can't American parks get that kind advertising. Son Of Beast just had a big wooden crate...
The Oblivion marketing and queue line security videos was PHENOMENAL! I feel like that they belong in some physcological thriller show or physcological thriller show from BBC!
This coaster nowadays, is so, i dont wanna say it but, its boring. I have been on SheiKra in busch gardens and that is a vertical drop coaster, with a drop of 62 meters (203 feet) and it includes a good inversion and the ride last abut 40-50 seconds, since I have been on so many longer, faster and taller ones, oblivion to me just seems Pointless, my opinion.
I love the sound of Oblivion. The steam around the entrance to the hole, then when it comes out the end and banks around like a giant bird. The theme is awesome too. That’s what separates it and makes it the best drop coaster . The rest are just out in the open, Oblivion is mysterious. The queue theme is great too. It’s industrial and sinister. BUT THE SOUND! The way the train/cart roars is magic!
Oblivion: Well, well, well. Look who's in the spotlight now. That's right, yours truly! Not the best at the whole vertical drop thing, but at least I can say that I was the first to do it. Nemesis: Oblivion was groundbreaking. The first vertical drop in any rollercoaster, and the first ride to really take the country by storm. Air: Everyone was talking about Oblivion when it launched. People were saying how the drop looked terrifying, others were picking up the merchandise. Rita: There were a lot of expectations for this ride, and Alton Towers really delivered. I might be the Queen of Speed, but even I can't catch up to him. Th13teen: Whenever a new ride comes out, everyone will always compare it to Oblivion's launch. That's how good it was. Smiler: The guy might be a total edgelord, but hey, at least he can back it up. That vertical drop is no joke. Wicker Man: The first time I went on Oblivion, I nearly crapped my pants. The Fanta sponsorship sucked, by the way.
Oblivion will always be special to me, my first big ride and after 100s of times riding it I still get a massive adrenaline rush from that drop. Fantastic ride, simple but brilliant!
I never knew about the noise complaints. I knew about the tree height restriction (something I find stupid), but if within a mile of the park the screams make your windows rattle, then you need new windows. Even when in the oblivion ride area, the screams aren't that loud.
I took a 10 year hiatus from this ride as I was absolutely terrified and I used the excuse “it’s boring, there’s no need for me to ride it.” In the last 1 and a half years I’ve found a new love for it as it’s a true test of fear. I know it’s a short ride the climb is so worth it. Just you and your fear! Also I knew it used to hold you at the top for longer!! Now it’s like half a second
Still my favourite ride in Alton Towers. The bass note of the car flying round the track caused by the track resonation is outstanding. Still one of John Wardley's genius moves.
The 90s seemed such a simpler and more positive time....you would never get this amount of hype for a theme park ride nowadays. I'll never forget how anxious I was from the moment I walked into X-Sector until the moment I came off this ride for the first few times. The theming of the X-Sector area is fairly minimalist, but somehow they hit the bullseye with Oblivion. The queue video is so shit-yourself memorable.
Yeah, one thing i like about alton towers is that they don't plaster adverts everywhere. this, the cadbury hero's sponsor when galactica first came out as air in 2002 and literally all of cbeebies land are really the only sponsors that i can name off the top of my head. but the fanta adverts were horrendous though and despite me not seeing them in person, they really just take away from the sense of dread at the back of your mind because the posters are so cheesy
blivvy was my first coaster ever- this year. I wasn't expecting it to knock my screaming out in the tunnel but it did! Knocked a screw loose too and now I cannot wait to go on more rides!
Alon Towers has always been a fascinating park to me. The restrictions they have to work with has shown how creative they can get with their rides. It's really interesting to see.
I've Been On Oblivion Rollercoaster At Alton Towers Back In Summer 2016 And This Is My First Ever Scary Roller Coaster In The World. Awesome. Thanks Expedition Theme Park Mate. X
Got to love Oblivion, every time I see the Lord of Darkness videos it makes me smile. I miss the old days when the debate video was still used but at the end of the day I’m just happy I get to ride this ride and watch Renny Krupinski work his magic.
Oblivion was my first ever thrill ride. I remember it vividly. I was 9 years old and I cried my eyes out nonstop saying I didn't want to go on it. My Dad forced me to queue for about 1.5 hours, seeing these videos, pretty much crying on and off the entire time. Got on it and it hung me over the edge and again, i cried. I'm glad he did it though because I'm not even a little bit scared of rollercoasters anymore and I've been to tonnes of theme parks. I can't wait to go to America and when I'm there I will certainly ride Top thrill dragster or Kingda Ka, as well as the other crazy rides America offers.
I went on a school trip during the fuel crisis in 2000, so there was hardly anybody there. I got to go on it something like 5 times in a row, it was amazing. I've been a few times since then, and one ride never feels like enough.
It really did create a sense of dread! At 8 years old, Oblivion was my first 1.4 coaster and i was so nervous but it was incredible. Then my first looping coaster was The Smiler, followed by Nemesis. Insane for such a young age and only being used to rides such as Vampire and Dragon's Fury at Chessington, but very glad my dad pushed me to it as now I love roller coasters and I'm an enthusiast
It's good to know I didn't imagine the "Don't look down" played at the top. I questioned my memory when I didn't hear it on subsequent visits. Thanks for solving that mystery!
It's important that pre-construction footage is archived, so future enthusiasts know exactly how a ride was advertised before release. The BBC did a great job with their Magic Factory documentary, but it's now down to us, theme park enthusiasts, to document everything and archive it.
If you can manage to time your visit to Alton Towers with a clear autumn/winter night of a full moon (did this around Halloween when Alton Towers had scare mazes and stuff) then it totally transforms oblivion if you ride it late (if you stop at the hotel you can ride stuff late). The huge moon in the sky as you climb and then hang at the top is amazing and feels within reach.
Knott's did a amazing job with their take on dives coasters with hang time. It's just amazing how they scare you with a pause at the top showing you no track.
I've never been on any dive coaster other than oblivion and while i can agree with you on some parts, the massive hole that is staring right back at you on oblivion is just so spooky,
I live in England and have been before when I was 6 and I remembered going near oblivion but didn’t go on it my sister went last year and went on oblivion and got a photo of her she went on it 2 times
charwiexe that is probably why lmao, but then again the nemesis queue is not always long. however, heard that going to the dark forest when you get there is good since there a never any queues there in the morning since lots of ppl like to go on the rides at the front of the entrance like wicker man.
Brilliant ride even today. The sad part is the longest I waited is 15 mins (Well that sounds good you ask) but it shows how it's not as popular as it once is, as it can take some time going through the waiting line that I guess when once full could have surpassed 3 hour waiting times.
I like how the sound tracks for Alton towers is like, smiler: oh shit it’s there and your gone,nemesis: oh no scary monster b&m invert,13:13 and oblivion just has goddamn drum and bass
I'm obsessed with theme parks and roller coasters, and I play planet coaster quite a bit, but I'm very acrophobic and have only ever ridden one roller coaster, is there anyone else here who can't ride roller coasters but is still obsessed with them?
Yes! They're so fascinating but I've had a phobia of them my whole life! I've only ridden one as well but I'm going Alton Towers with my friends soon and they'll probably force me on all the rides lol
@Harry Johnston-Smith you’re so right, and OMG! Thank you for reminding me that i commented on this . I did indeed go to Alton towers , and had the best day of my life sitting on all their big coasters! So yeah it was awesome 😅 if i can get over it, anybody can !
Don’t care what anyone says, this is still the best ride there imo. That video with the lord of darkness is the best for setting the tension. (Unfortunately now toned down a bit due to the neighbour next door.)
I have very fond memories of being 11 and terrified to my core of this ride. Eventually my dad and my brother took me on it and I would not stop crying in the queue! I got to the loading bay and could barely speak! I’m was so scared but this one ride operator who was locking me in saw I was wailing and told me she liked my shoes! If it wasn’t for that lady I would of seriously freaked out! So if you watching this and you somehow remember the screaming little girl who you calmed down, thank you! This is now my favourite ride at the park ❤️
See I love oblivion’s atmosphere, marketing, aethestic, and everything around it, except the ride itself, like I didn’t grow up during the time it was advertised. I wasn’t even born yet so I guess I didn’t buy so much into the hype, but I feel it hasn’t exactly aged that well because it’s a very simple ride that goes up, goes down, and that’s it
@@jess_swales hope you have a good time and alton towers is definetely worth it me and my friends go twice a year ( we live 3 hours away) and every time it gets better
Wow i just cant believe how many records they have: The Smiler:14 Loops Thirteen:First ever dropping coaster Oblivion:First ever vertical dropping coaster
I remember the first time I went on oblivion, there was a light rain that was on and off and we hung above the drop for longer than usual. It was awesome! :D
Can’t remember if I commented on this video or not, but let me just say that Oblivion is still my favourite ride in the park. It’s simple but extremely effective, and a great adrenaline rush. It’s the sort of coaster the park should never replace or remove, and I imagine they wouldn’t really try to do it since it would cost a fortune (and I’d be gutted if it got removed).
Rode it yesterday, God I've missed it. Idk if I'm just getting older (only 31) but those G's on the pull up felt intense as hell compared to previous go's hahaha still a great ride all these years later
I love Oblivion. I first rode it when I was 9, a month before my 10th birthday. That was in 2013. Since then, including the first time I rode the ride, I have been on the ride 30 times.
whoever was responsible for Alton Towers marketing, especially for this ride and the Smiler, missed their calling as writer for a psychological thriller series or something.
One thing Alton is good at is Marketing.
@@ExpeditionThemePark except for 13... Hyped it up to be the ultimate ride experience... Maybe if you're 10
@@19kylegreer96 TH13TEEN's marketing was still creepy and spooky, even if the ride wasn't that thrilling.
IKR? That whole section looks like "1984: The Theme Park."
I love extreme thrill coasters, 13 may not have lived up to hype but it is fun!
I appreciate them pumping fog into the tunnel entrance, so if you have never ridden it before, you don’t know how far the drop actually goes down.
OMFG Hey Jaune! I doth be a RWBY fan too!
They don't anymore and haven't for a while
Felice Graziano they always have
@@imlewisblackman they didn't last year in June and October when I was there. I rode it multiple times.
i wanted to find out how deep it was and how it was a mistake, but surely a good memory...ish
Everytime I go to Towers, Oblivion still manages to be the only ride there that intimidates me. Such a good coaster.
same, We need more coasters like it.
I love it so much. was my first 'big' coaster and made me actually excited about trying more
Same here Millsy
Oblivion is a 87 degree drop
Saw is 100
And both of them don’t phase me
Lol
Doesn't worry me, it's the first large coaster I ever rode on and since then I've loved it. The only coaster in the park that actually intimidates me is the smiler and that's because the creepy music reminds me of the accident that happened lol.
This video is perfectly safe and designed for your comfort and enjoyment....
Super Enthused sure is!
Super Enthused then why is it called Expedition Theme Park if its so safe?
Just after the smiler crash in 2015 Alton towers took down the part of the video where they are asking if it is safe or not.
Bella and “welcome to eternal darkness” as it was felt this insinuated eternal darkness for those involved in the incident I believe
@@mattvezz LMAO
@@athing8846 It's funny because....? The crash was a serious event!
@@hannamouse1 I said LMAO to the fact that they had to remove clips from advertising which shows how stupid Alton Tower operators we're for letting this happen in the first place dumbass.
I can kinda see why though hhh
The fact the park has that height restriction just makes everything so much cooler. It's like when you go to X-Sector or Forbidden Valley or any zone, you can't see the other zones' rides. That makes it so much more unique as it's like you're entering a new world each time.
Yea! Each place is like a new world and its amazing!
I couldn't agree more. Makes it seem so mysterious and adds to the alton towers magic
This is why Alton Towers is my favourite park. The theming and how the rides blend into the environment is second to none. Nemesis is so well done, Air was a bit of a dud for the environment as it was mostly above flat ground and one corner gave you a front seat view of the amazing... car park 😐, probably why they put VR on it and renamed it to Galactica. Not been on the VR version. After seeing the Smiler up close though for the first time today (didn't go on it unfortunately) I think it out does the Nemesis for using the environment mostly because the Smiler is the bloody environment! I can't believe how dense that thing is. Seeing two cars come close to each other on more than one section is nuts. And the music. The music will haunt my dreams until I can get a chance to go on that monstrosity.
Sorry for gushing. Just being so close and not being able to go on was heart breaking today.
Main Reason on why Alton Towers is the best theme park in the UK
Alton Towers planners have a lot of creativity and passion that allows them to craft stories, tales and new worlds
This seems like one of those rides that will never need updating. There's something about 90s filmography in this style that's always unsettling. It's got that industrial, thriller feel that would be a little bit harder to convey with modern video.
Yes!
Just.. Get rid of the 'hypnosis isn't available' thing and you're golden
They removed lots of parts after 2015
They could update the TV's to large flat panels
I mean you can’t really update it can you? It’s a hole in the ground.
I honestly think Oblivion is hugely underrated. I’ll concede that the actual ride is a one trick pony, but it’s a good trick that commands multiple re-rides when the queues are kind. What makes it great though, is the psychological whole. I remember queuing for 3 hours when it first opened, and whilst nobody wants to queue for that long, the whole spectacle was genuinely entertaining. Marvelling at the drop, and the screams, teasing each other in the queue about bottling it (the creatives were bang on the money when they added that to the script for the queue videos), and even the reliability issues that plagued its early months added to this sense that something foreboding was about to happen. Those 6 years from 92 to 98, Alton creatives were at the top of their game, with each ride transcending that of a theme park attraction and becoming a part of pop culture itself. This is what happens when imagineers and marketeers are completely in tune with each other.
Ps nice video! Keep em coming.
I agree I like hangtime from knott's berry farm
It's a shame that nobody seems to ride it anymore: whenever I go, the queue is always 10-15 mins.
That couple should seriously just move if they haven’t already. They should know what they were in for when they lived on the grounds of a high-level theme park. It’s like moving to a schoolground and complaining there are too many kids
JP Coasters that’s a good comparison x
I’d turn it into a bed and breakfast/ hotel
That's the problem though, as explained in the video, when the couple moved into their home in 1968 the 'theme park' at Alton Towers was little more than a glorified funfair. They didn't move in after it had become a huge and noisy theme park. Maybe they should have put in more rigorous complaints about noise sooner than 2004, but still.....I believe they were more than within their rights to complain about noise pollution that had happened since the purchase of their property. Also....who, except for the most die hard of Alton Towers fans, would buy the house now and choose to live there, taking into account the noise?!
They're hateful people. Have you seen their photo? Blergh. They own a factory that produces noise enough to keep a surrounding neighborhood awake, but of course because those neighbors can't afford fancy lawyers nobody cares.
They're vile, spiteful, hateful twats
It's similar to a housing development just outside of......... LAGUNA SECA RACEWAY, these Soccer Moms are bitching and complaining about living next to a 50 YEAR OLD RACETRACK, now every car that races needs to have a massive muffler attached to them because it's too noisy for their precious children
Screw those people! They are saying “It’s too noisy”. What do you expect from a huge theme park??
They didn't know that it would be a huge theme park when they moved in.
@intempify Typical of Mansion/millionaires to be honest.
Yeah give them the steel vengeance lift hill lol
@intempify Exactly. I've lived less than 40m from a major railway for years, one where 12-car passenger trains race by at 160km/h and 30-car freight trains crawl by under braking to let said passengers by at the station a mile down - with the loudest brakes you'll ever hear on a train.
It was mildly annoying for the first few weeks, but once I got used to them I barely even noticed them. Never had any trouble sleeping with the windows open on the railway side of the house.
A (steel) rollercoaster is comparatively much quieter, and from what we saw in the video they've got a lot of trees between them and the park as well. AND the park only operates during the day anyway, so even IF the noise got to them, it would be no different from living on a busy street.
They're just spiteful people looking to use the government to ruin other people's fun, and possibly make a buck in the process.
Yea it can fit blackpool pleasure beach 12 times
Totally agree, the sight of it plummeting into that tunnel is breathtaking and the sound it creates such a foreboding sense of danger, my kids who are now big enough to ride still aren’t brave enough
badmoon rising22 I’m eleven and I didn’t go on any ride, but then I was forced on oblivion and now I love it
@@sillycrumpet I didn't go on any till I was eighteen - though I didn't get to visit Alton Towers until I was eighteen 🤣
@@MahouKat lmao, 14 now damn that comment was ages ago, but yeah fair enough
Shame they had to modify so much of the ride video theming and narrative in wake of the Smiler incident.
Slush O'Saur it was very unsettling and yes is a shame that part of the video was removed because the smiler cant help trying to kill people
I really liked the whole Marmalization and Correction too.
Fun fact: following the Smiler’s 2015 incident, the reference to a carriage going missing was removed
And the last part when there questioning wether or not it's safe.
But why would be so, despite the fact that it was meant to further anticipate and cause more excitement/anxiety for the riders?
@@Sebastian-kx4nu I think its just a sensitive topic with and for respect to the victims of the smiler crash
just love how excited John Wardley looked during the testing............
I know haha like a kid :D
The Queue line videos are the very definition of iconic! The sheer amount of sadistic glee in The Lord of Darkness's voice is contagious!
And that’s what you missed on: GLEE
i love how alton towers always leans towards the darker, more sinister themes in their marketing. i think it evokes an excitement in the viewer, because it’s just so ominous and appealing
And than air is the complete opposite 😂
Very nice job once again! I remember when there were rumors flying around about Oblivion well before they started construction. Back then the rumor was they were going to create something described as the "Niagra Falls coaster" or something like that. Totally random but interesting fact; The game Forsaken on the original Playstation has references to Oblivion in it. Long story short but I had played and completed the game in late 1998. I noticed that some of the tanks in the game had "SW4" on the side of them. After I completed the game, I was watching the credits and noticed a familiar name. The game was programed by someone named Justin Garvanovic. I had met Justin (founder of the European Coaster Club) while in line for Montu a year prior. I e-mailed him and asked him if he worked on Forsaken as I wasn't sure what he did for a living back then. He confirmed he did in fact work on the game and told me the SW4 tanks were indeed a nod to Oblivion.
Really interesting! I remember that game and didnt know that.
Some theme parks have a big overarching theme that covers most of their operation and lasts years. Like Disney and magic or Universal and film. For Alton Towers it’s like if Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe ran MKUltra. Hey there fellow people how would you like to be the test subject for something horrifying? It’s like someone looked at all the cute Disney stuff and said ‘make the complete opposite of that. Nightmares for life’. I develop a twitch whenever I hear ‘Hall of the Mountain King’.
I freaking LOVE hearing their alternative versions of it for each of the rides and park areas XD
Before I watched these videos, I liked going to Alton Towers because it seemed magical to me. I've never not had a good time there and it feeling when I'm is one of pure joy, it's the best theme park I've been to and the theming is amazing. Now the next time I go I can truly appreciate the backstory of the rides and the things they have acheived
Factssss I fucking love it like alton towers a whole creepy amazing dimension and I love it so much
I just think of the Sonic Sez on Touching.
Oblivion: “Don’t...look...down.”
Me when watching Expedition Theme Park: “Don’t...look...up.”
I love that you cover the UK parks too! Alton Towers, Flamingo Land, Thorpe Park et al are British ICONS lmao. We don't get enough love
Of course!
The only ICON is Blackpool Pleasure Beach
(Get it?)
Oblivion has the best advert it features the iconic sound and a great great guitar bit I mean how could I not like it I'm not OBLIVIOUS to good quality adverts
Alton towers is truly one of the best theme parks on earth, change me mind
Magic mountain
hmm
Cedar point
kingmanwing dude don’t know that place so I can’t make a snide comment
@@hottestcheese7973 it's up in Ohio they have the largest section of roller coasters
I do wonder what the future holds for this ride. The past 3 times I have been here this ride has always been dead and would take no more than 5 mins to get on. Maybe I was just lucky each time but not sure?
It has a really high capacity. Over twice wickerman so sometimes the lines are deceiving
Last time we were there we rode it 3 times in a row because there was no queue. It was still suffering post smiler though iirc
It has the highest throughput on the park a mix of short ride time multiple cars and quick loading.
I mean as well as the high capacity it fits it’s also terrifying so.... maybe people are scared!
Roly how do I find your comments on every video I watch
Why would someone dislike this vid. It’s freakin awesome with good info and an good narrator. People need some disliking for no apparent reason
They are just haters
It’s Alton Tower’s neighbors
Oblivion is the definition of the phrase "short, but sweet" the queues are always fairly quick these days making it always worth a few rides on a trip to Alton.
Have an annual trip to Alton towers, went on it last year and you can tell it’s old with the crt monitors in the ques. Makes it look a lot less modern. Still enjoy the ride though.
This. Went last week and it looked the most 90s thing ever made haha. Still a great experience though.
That's the charm of it! It takes you back and adds to the ride experience!
Using a live-actor as promotion and security is genius...why can't American parks get that kind advertising. Son Of Beast just had a big wooden crate...
I guess kings island just thought that counted as theming? Horrendous theming but okay
I love John Wardley's look of glee at around 9:09!! He's like a big kid, and thrilled with this brilliant ride!
The Oblivion marketing and queue line security videos was PHENOMENAL! I feel like that they belong in some physcological thriller show or physcological thriller show from BBC!
ridden oblivion twice (was the first ride i went on at alton towers) and its so short but it's worth the waiting times to experience the drop.
oh yeah true, but the queue time is never more than 5 minutes lmao
@@witchychlo i wanna know what time of day you're riding oblivion
@@50727Queen like anytime apart from the last hour of the day
This coaster nowadays, is so, i dont wanna say it but, its boring. I have been on SheiKra in busch gardens and that is a vertical drop coaster, with a drop of 62 meters (203 feet) and it includes a good inversion and the ride last abut 40-50 seconds, since I have been on so many longer, faster and taller ones, oblivion to me just seems Pointless, my opinion.
agreed
“If this ride is so safe, why is it called, OBLIVION?”
he said, overly articulating his words.
BlkMrkt Records ikr 😂
Alton towers makes it marketing campain about karen
JEN RAP fun lma() 😂
BlkMrkt Records not due to the smiler but the smiler crash
I love the sound of Oblivion. The steam around the entrance to the hole, then when it comes out the end and banks around like a giant bird. The theme is awesome too. That’s what separates it and makes it the best drop coaster . The rest are just out in the open, Oblivion is mysterious. The queue theme is great too. It’s industrial and sinister. BUT THE SOUND! The way the train/cart roars is magic!
Oblivion: Well, well, well. Look who's in the spotlight now. That's right, yours truly! Not the best at the whole vertical drop thing, but at least I can say that I was the first to do it.
Nemesis: Oblivion was groundbreaking. The first vertical drop in any rollercoaster, and the first ride to really take the country by storm.
Air: Everyone was talking about Oblivion when it launched. People were saying how the drop looked terrifying, others were picking up the merchandise.
Rita: There were a lot of expectations for this ride, and Alton Towers really delivered. I might be the Queen of Speed, but even I can't catch up to him.
Th13teen: Whenever a new ride comes out, everyone will always compare it to Oblivion's launch. That's how good it was.
Smiler: The guy might be a total edgelord, but hey, at least he can back it up. That vertical drop is no joke.
Wicker Man: The first time I went on Oblivion, I nearly crapped my pants. The Fanta sponsorship sucked, by the way.
Can you make more of these for all of the rides.
@@TylerPlays-ec5cc agreed 8 got some ideas f9r some my ocs wanna hear them (the ocs are corkscrew black hole and hex btw)
Oblivion was marketed absolutely perfect. The queue line video is also so good because of the anticipation it makes you scared and I love it
Oblivion will always be special to me, my first big ride and after 100s of times riding it I still get a massive adrenaline rush from that drop. Fantastic ride, simple but brilliant!
You can hear the roar of oblivion over by wickerman, I work at Alton towers and I still shudder when I hear it drop.
I never knew about the noise complaints. I knew about the tree height restriction (something I find stupid), but if within a mile of the park the screams make your windows rattle, then you need new windows. Even when in the oblivion ride area, the screams aren't that loud.
Have you heard about the red water?
@@James-gn3dj on the nemesis ride?
It's a conservation area and it's likely most properties are listed. So they can't just install triple glazing.
I actually find the height restriction very good. It is a stunningly beautiful area and nobody outside the park wants the natural beauty ruined.
@@sulphuric_glue4468 that and if the restriction were never put in place, we would never have had nemesis.
I took a 10 year hiatus from this ride as I was absolutely terrified and I used the excuse “it’s boring, there’s no need for me to ride it.” In the last 1 and a half years I’ve found a new love for it as it’s a true test of fear. I know it’s a short ride the climb is so worth it. Just you and your fear! Also I knew it used to hold you at the top for longer!! Now it’s like half a second
Still my favourite ride in Alton Towers. The bass note of the car flying round the track caused by the track resonation is outstanding. Still one of John Wardley's genius moves.
The 90s seemed such a simpler and more positive time....you would never get this amount of hype for a theme park ride nowadays. I'll never forget how anxious I was from the moment I walked into X-Sector until the moment I came off this ride for the first few times. The theming of the X-Sector area is fairly minimalist, but somehow they hit the bullseye with Oblivion. The queue video is so shit-yourself memorable.
Wow, Alton Towers became Six Flags when they put Fanta advertisements around Oblivion.
Yeah, one thing i like about alton towers is that they don't plaster adverts everywhere. this, the cadbury hero's sponsor when galactica first came out as air in 2002 and literally all of cbeebies land are really the only sponsors that i can name off the top of my head. but the fanta adverts were horrendous though and despite me not seeing them in person, they really just take away from the sense of dread at the back of your mind because the posters are so cheesy
@@smilerpunk922 Spinball Whizzer was temporarily Sonic Spinball and they're adding The World of David Walliams with a Gangsta Granny ride.
I'm so glad I was only 3 when that happened
Fucking shite
I am still in love with this ride! Thank you for doing a history video on it!
Thanks for watching!
Been on that thing 7 times, even though it’s ridiculously short the adrenaline you get just before you drop is unmatched by any other ride
blivvy was my first coaster ever- this year. I wasn't expecting it to knock my screaming out in the tunnel but it did! Knocked a screw loose too and now I cannot wait to go on more rides!
Alon Towers has always been a fascinating park to me. The restrictions they have to work with has shown how creative they can get with their rides. It's really interesting to see.
also, i LOVE how the ride operators are acting, it creates such a cool experience
the drum and bass track never gets old
I've Been On Oblivion Rollercoaster At Alton Towers Back In Summer 2016 And This Is My First Ever Scary Roller Coaster In The World. Awesome. Thanks Expedition Theme Park Mate. X
Got to love Oblivion, every time I see the Lord of Darkness videos it makes me smile. I miss the old days when the debate video was still used but at the end of the day I’m just happy I get to ride this ride and watch Renny Krupinski work his magic.
Oblivion was my first ever thrill ride. I remember it vividly. I was 9 years old and I cried my eyes out nonstop saying I didn't want to go on it. My Dad forced me to queue for about 1.5 hours, seeing these videos, pretty much crying on and off the entire time. Got on it and it hung me over the edge and again, i cried.
I'm glad he did it though because I'm not even a little bit scared of rollercoasters anymore and I've been to tonnes of theme parks. I can't wait to go to America and when I'm there I will certainly ride Top thrill dragster or Kingda Ka, as well as the other crazy rides America offers.
I went on a school trip during the fuel crisis in 2000, so there was hardly anybody there. I got to go on it something like 5 times in a row, it was amazing. I've been a few times since then, and one ride never feels like enough.
It really did create a sense of dread! At 8 years old, Oblivion was my first 1.4 coaster and i was so nervous but it was incredible. Then my first looping coaster was The Smiler, followed by Nemesis. Insane for such a young age and only being used to rides such as Vampire and Dragon's Fury at Chessington, but very glad my dad pushed me to it as now I love roller coasters and I'm an enthusiast
It's good to know I didn't imagine the "Don't look down" played at the top. I questioned my memory when I didn't hear it on subsequent visits. Thanks for solving that mystery!
It's important that pre-construction footage is archived, so future enthusiasts know exactly how a ride was advertised before release. The BBC did a great job with their Magic Factory documentary, but it's now down to us, theme park enthusiasts, to document everything and archive it.
The fog over the tunnel was there to keep insects away, but also neatly doubled to obscure the view into it from the top of the drop.
Ah, another good Alton Towers episode. Oblivion will be forever immortalized in RTC.
I went on this and was terrified. I'm glad my mum pushed me on it just like Air. Seeing the tunnel being constructed, I'm glad they added fog effects.
That advert is legendary. Still remember seeing it all those years ago. 4hr queue though 😂
I can’t believe I first rode this 20 years ago I feel ancient, I miss the ‘don’t look down’ being played before the drop. The echo it made was creepy!
This was the first ever rollercoaster I went on, I didn’t know what was coming to be honest. I’ve ridden it hundreds of times since
Same but mine is thr Yukon Striker.
What i mean is that its a dive coaster
If you can manage to time your visit to Alton Towers with a clear autumn/winter night of a full moon (did this around Halloween when Alton Towers had scare mazes and stuff) then it totally transforms oblivion if you ride it late (if you stop at the hotel you can ride stuff late). The huge moon in the sky as you climb and then hang at the top is amazing and feels within reach.
Watching John wardley fidget in excitement at 9:05 is wholesome
I absolutely love this rollercoaster as it terrified me then and still does now!
Oblivion is and always will be my favourite advertised ride.
Knott's did a amazing job with their take on dives coasters with hang time. It's just amazing how they scare you with a pause at the top showing you no track.
I've never been on any dive coaster other than oblivion and while i can agree with you on some parts, the massive hole that is staring right back at you on oblivion is just so spooky,
Love your videos thank u!
I live in England and have been before when I was 6 and I remembered going near oblivion but didn’t go on it my sister went last year and went on oblivion and got a photo of her she went on it 2 times
Grammar... do you even?
Ellipsis of Triple Tap sorry it was my older sister distracting me
2 times? amateur.
i only got 6 rides on my last visit but i went on nemesis 20 times
AJ Faller it is mostly busy when I go
charwiexe that is probably why lmao, but then again the nemesis queue is not always long. however, heard that going to the dark forest when you get there is good since there a never any queues there in the morning since lots of ppl like to go on the rides at the front of the entrance like wicker man.
Absolutely love their marketing campaigns at this park. They just go all in.
being about one of my favourite rides this was going to get a like anyway but having a short 'making of' for the advert? hell yes.
8:34 after he said “Welcome to OBLIVION” i got a coca cola advert. Took atmosphere away…
Oblivion: Don’t look down
Oblivion in Australia: Don’t look up
Australians: I-
Oh
fuck sake, not again.
You honestly can't beat alton towers adverts and marketing or their rides, all phenomenal
Brilliant ride even today.
The sad part is the longest I waited is 15 mins (Well that sounds good you ask) but it shows how it's not as popular as it once is, as it can take some time going through the waiting line that I guess when once full could have surpassed 3 hour waiting times.
I like how the sound tracks for Alton towers is like, smiler: oh shit it’s there and your gone,nemesis: oh no scary monster b&m invert,13:13 and oblivion just has goddamn drum and bass
I'm obsessed with theme parks and roller coasters, and I play planet coaster quite a bit, but I'm very acrophobic and have only ever ridden one roller coaster, is there anyone else here who can't ride roller coasters but is still obsessed with them?
Yes! They're so fascinating but I've had a phobia of them my whole life! I've only ridden one as well but I'm going Alton Towers with my friends soon and they'll probably force me on all the rides lol
@Harry Johnston-Smith you’re so right, and OMG! Thank you for reminding me that i commented on this . I did indeed go to Alton towers , and had the best day of my life sitting on all their big coasters! So yeah it was awesome 😅 if i can get over it, anybody can !
Yup
Don’t care what anyone says, this is still the best ride there imo. That video with the lord of darkness is the best for setting the tension. (Unfortunately now toned down a bit due to the neighbour next door.)
Agree
Lol I like how you referred to the smiler as neighbour next door
What I love about Alton Towers? Unlike the Disney theme parks and their manufactured happiness it's a dark dystopian theme park of destruction.
I have very fond memories of being 11 and terrified to my core of this ride. Eventually my dad and my brother took me on it and I would not stop crying in the queue! I got to the loading bay and could barely speak! I’m was so scared but this one ride operator who was locking me in saw I was wailing and told me she liked my shoes! If it wasn’t for that lady I would of seriously freaked out! So if you watching this and you somehow remember the screaming little girl who you calmed down, thank you! This is now my favourite ride at the park ❤️
When you going to do pin ball wizzer/sonic spinball?
See I love oblivion’s atmosphere, marketing, aethestic, and everything around it, except the ride itself, like I didn’t grow up during the time it was advertised. I wasn’t even born yet so I guess I didn’t buy so much into the hype, but I feel it hasn’t exactly aged that well because it’s a very simple ride that goes up, goes down, and that’s it
Cool ride I can't wait to go alton towers this may . I haven't been on this since 2003❤🎢
A LOT has changed, must've been awesome back in '03! Might see you in the queues :p
I’m going in May too for my 14th birthday, however I have never been before so I’m going with a friend. 💙
@@jess_swales hope you have a good time and alton towers is definetely worth it me and my friends go twice a year ( we live 3 hours away) and every time it gets better
Ethan Martin thank you, we also live about 3 hours away and I’m so excited. 💙
@@eawykeham3900 Hi Ethan I hope you have a lovely time too 😎 Have you been on the Wicker Man yet . I can't wait to go on that x🎢
Wow i just cant believe how many records they have:
The Smiler:14 Loops
Thirteen:First ever dropping coaster
Oblivion:First ever vertical dropping coaster
Yes and many more.
Air/Galactica:Worlds first flying coaster
Nemesis:Europe’s first inverted coaster
I remember the first time I went on oblivion, there was a light rain that was on and off and we hung above the drop for longer than usual. It was awesome! :D
Can’t remember if I commented on this video or not, but let me just say that Oblivion is still my favourite ride in the park. It’s simple but extremely effective, and a great adrenaline rush. It’s the sort of coaster the park should never replace or remove, and I imagine they wouldn’t really try to do it since it would cost a fortune (and I’d be gutted if it got removed).
You know it's an Alton Towers video when you hear Edvard Grieg in the AT commercial! 😆
Rode it yesterday, God I've missed it.
Idk if I'm just getting older (only 31) but those G's on the pull up felt intense as hell compared to previous go's hahaha
still a great ride all these years later
John Wardley is a genius :) Oblivion, Nemesis, The Smiler, AIR, I mean he designed all of their roller coasters :)
8:25 Welcome to Eternal darkness
Welcome to Oblivion
The ad that played right after that: welcome to resistence
honestly I'd give the guy who came up with that logo a big raise, iconic
I visit alton towers all the time, and oblivion is the only rollercoaster that truly scares me
Can you imagine getting paid just by going "Clear the area please" at guests?
Oblivion was the reason I first went to Alton Towers as it's such a long drive down there when Lightwater Valley and Flamingo Land are so much closer.
YOU EXPLAIN THESE SO WELL
Oblivion was the first rollercoaster I ever rode on, I think I went on it about 5 times that day! It has a special place in my heart as does nemesis!
I love Oblivion. I first rode it when I was 9, a month before my 10th birthday. That was in 2013. Since then, including the first time I rode the ride, I have been on the ride 30 times.
i've only been on it 4 times and the first time was last year when i was 13!
@@smilerpunk922 You've got to admit, it is a fantastic ride. I know the words to the video on the screen off by heart !!
Keep coming back to this Alton Towers series
Alton Towers: “First vertical drop coaster.”
(Oblivion has an 87 degree drop)
Alton Towers: “Close enough.”
I love how well made the theme is.
Nemesis - scary themed music Galactica/air - relaxing space music Oblivion- late night rave music
Oblivion Soundtrack was amazing change my mind.