Today is the 6th of September, which – if this mysterious sign is to be believed – marks the end of one of Alton Towers’ most iconic attractions, Duel: The Haunted House Strikes Back.
I’m no Alton Towers historian. Before getting my first Merlin Annual Pass back in 2020 (and consequently falling head-first in love with all our UK parks), I’d only visited twice (in 2013 and 2017). Thus I have no nostalgia for Duel’s former life as The Haunted House, beyond what others have told me and the obvious hype that surrounds anything that King Wardley touches. But I think that’s almost a good thing, as it means I’ve been able to fall in love with Duel on its own merit, and what a wonderful attraction it is (/was). From the moment you step through the enormous doors and into the unsettling foyer – admittedly less so since its redesign, but I’m here for any accessibility improvements – you’re on a constant mission to take in every detail. This is an attraction that I don’t mind having to queue a little while for as there is so much to see in the lounge area. Particularly the doll house complete with resident ghost, which if the rumours are true, might turn out to be rather significant in the future.
In the discussion of the best station in the country, I feel like Duel is a pretty strong contender that always gets forgotten about, perhaps because it is so fitting. It’s easy to overlook a station when it’s exactly what you’d expect a haunted house’s station to look like. But that’s why it’s so excellent! With low lighting, cobwebbed set-pieces and not-quite-right portraits, it’s a gorgeous introduction to the strange and unusual. Not to mention the beautifully themed ride vehicles constantly crawling through.
And then there’s the ride experience itself. The first time I rode Duel, I remember being taken aback by how sophisticated the design of the attraction was. This was no regular ghost train. It pulled design elements from Phantom Manor (the hearse with the ghosts arising from it is very Disney), classic ghost trains (those zombie jump scares are no joke) as well as making its own unique mark on spooky dark ride history. I think I can say that those of us who have a soft spot for the ride will never forget the iconic YEAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH noise or for me, the rotating bats. I love those bats so much man. And the soundtrack? That music goes hard.
As a shooter it’s middle-of-the-road. You can’t tell where you’re aiming, and the guns are stiff enough that your hand hurts by the end, but at the same time, I’ve never had a ride where I felt that my gun was letting me down which is high praise indeed for a shooter.
There are a lot of rumours flying around as to what the future holds for this area. Could we be seeing a return to the original Haunted House? Is it going to be levelled completely to make way for Secret Weapon 9? Are we getting an IP dark ride?!
Honestly, who knows? (Some of you, I know that much!) But one thing we can be sure of is that without Nemesis and Duel, 2023 is going to feel very different at Alton Towers. Let’s just hope they get Hex back in operation (PLEASE). Personally, I really hope they don’t alter the surrounding area too drastically. I absolutely adore how currently you almost stumble through the forest with no idea of where you’re going and eventually make it to a clearing where, in the middle of nowhere, lies this house and an aura of foreboding. Haunted Hollow just works so well in my opinion, and I’d be gutted if we were to lose that.
I’ll miss you Duel. I’ll miss the music, the spooks, and the fact that there was always one excellent ride you could get on with a minimal wait. Sure, you were more than a little broken in recent times but that didn’t stop me from having a blast on every single ride. Here’s to a brighter, more well-maintained future eh?
I hope to see you soon too Emily.
Speak again soon,
Claire
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coasterclaire.co.uk 