Great theme park music!

[Quintus 5,399]

I recently visited Alton Towers in Stoke and I had a ride on Hex, a wonderful ghost story attraction with top notch production values, especially in the music department. During the ride itself (and above the noisy din) I couldn't help but notice the stand out orchestral soundtrack - the music seemed to score the experience of the ride itself rather than being a cut and paste gimmick ripped from something else and it just worked really well. Anyway after a short search online I've managed to find the cue, which is quite brilliant:

The sound quality could be better - the source was sadly a less than ideal 64Kbps, but hopefully you get the idea nonetheless. It makes me wonder just how much superb music comes and goes, largely unnoticed and unappreciated.

As a small bonus an extended preview of the cue can be found on the composer's website here Scroll down to The Hex. The sound quality is immensely superior and I only wish it were available to purchase. As memorable and original theme park music goes (like I know loads of it ), Crispin Merrell's Hex is surely near top of the pile.

[indy4 155]

"Soarin'" by Goldsmith is fantastic.

[Melange 446]

Good God, Alton Towers. Last time I went there was about 10 years ago with my girlfriend at the time. Our soundtrack to the various ride experiences was screaming or the sound of coins falling out of our pockets. Without having been on the ride myself (I assume it is fairly recent ride?) it's hard to appreciate how good the music you put up, might be for the ride.

[Datameister 2,042]

You never spoke truer words, indy4. Goldsmith's work for that attraction is utterly sublime. I don't know how that man did it.

Disneyland music basically constitutes the other half of my musical tastes, so this is a topic I obviously care something about. I'm a major fan of Buddy Baker's work for the Haunted Mansion, as well as John Debney's fantastic orchestral development for his "Grim Grinning Ghosts" theme for the Disneyland Paris version, Phantom Manor. George Bruns also did really fun stuff for Pirates of the Caribbean around the same time...it certainly has no resemblance whatsoever to the Media Ventures take heard in the films, mind you. I've said many times already that Giacchino's 2005 score for Space Mountain is superb in the way it pays homage to scores for spy films and sci-fi B movies, too.

[Kevin 22]

James Horner's The Rocketeer.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

"Soarin'" by Goldsmith is fantastic.

The music is better than the ride.

The E.T. Adventure score is fantastic. I've found myself standing around in line in the forest for a variety of reasons, one of which is the music. I think JW arranged/composed this stuff. The forest waiting area has wonderful underscore.

[Datameister 2,042]

Oh, do you guys still have the E.T. ride in Orlando? It was removed from Universal Studios Hollywood a few years ago.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

I went back to Universal in L.A. for the first time in a decade and surprisingly little had changed. They were piping the usual Williams music in the entrance (although I'm ashamed at how long it took me to identify the section of The Banquet from Hook that was played at one point) and I recognised music from every attraction I saw (Waterworld, Backdraft, The Mummy, Jurassic). It's really nice they use the actual scores and don't get some crappy synth stuff done.

And a tip for other visitors to the US - the WB tour nearby is way better. You go on to actual sets, not some touristy things.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The gift shop at the exit to the JP ride at Islands of Adventure plays unreleased music. I've heard the T-Rex chase and the cue from TLW when Roland hits the T-Rex with the dart. We need to make friends with Universal theme park employees.

Oh, do you guys still have the E.T. ride in Orlando? It was removed from Universal Studios Hollywood a few years ago.

Yes, complete with queue line footage of JW conducting the score, playing Spielberg the flying theme on piano and Spielberg whistling the theme.

[Matt C 454]

As a small bonus an extended preview of the cue can be found on the composer's website here Scroll down to The Hex. The sound quality is immensely superior and I only wish it were available to purchase. As memorable and original theme park music goes (like I know loads of it ), Crispin Merrell's Hex is surely near top of the pile.

I was about to make a thread asking about the great music that opens the Universal Orlando site. Then I remembered the 'search' function and lo and behold, you have that cue on a YT link.

Thank you!

[stewdog1 50]

The entire soundtrack to the old Horizons ride at EPCOT is IMO the best ride music of all time.

Check out the Full Stereo Mix of the entire ride at this link: http://www.horizons1.com/media.htm

But the best is the "Ride Through Music Only" at that link sans dialog.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I love this Buddy Baker theme for the Journey to the Center of the Earth ride at Tokyo Disney.