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There is always Saw. If Merlins approach becomes cost cutting everywhere IPs may be moved to the chopping block.

Smiler is constantly Towers busiest ride but that doesn't make it the most popular 😘

The double up into the MCBR is just perfection. Was consistently busiest ride when it wasn't breaking down (40 mins average queues) . Though I did get a rollback on the turntable launch section on my final ride so can't complain. Certainly the intensity and relentless nature of it can be its downfall for many as well, but still had people waiting for it all day long. RAP system at Europa wouldn't last 5 minutes at a Merlin park. Just needed an Access Card then up the relevant queue with the only requirement being you wait that ride's queue time before riding that ride again. So you can literally ride Wodan & Blue Fire for example one after the other. Least a good number of the attractions are step-free, with Widan and Euro-Mir being the main offenders. Such a good park, even if the food is still a bit meh. Once they've binned Euro-Mir there won't really be any really weak links in the line-up. Though didnt do Bobsleigh sooooo.

It's a top five for sure. The return journey to the station is some of my favourite sequencing on any rollercoaster, the pacing is just spot on. With Voltron and Helix, Mack prove that if you let them, they can push boundaries with even the smallest of elements. I guarantee, if you ask the majority of the general public, their favourite ride at Europa Park is still Silver Star. I remember a few years back, they did a general poll and I was so sure Wodan would be the guest favourite, but no it was the old reliable. As brilliant as Voltron is, it is just that aggressive and intense that it probably puts a lot of people off after their first ride.

Define slow. I believe they can dispatch as soon as the 1st train has cleared the lift hill.

According to a LinkedIn, A new role at Thorpe Park has been created: Creative Manager - overseeing creative maintenance across the park, while continuing to support the conceptualisation of future Fright Nights, as well as new projects, land developments, and ride rethemes. The person is quite well known, but I’ll leave that to linked in. It’s interesting to see a role as such created in the current climate and will be interesting to see how much impact they have on implementing changes and maintaining theming. That’s is something key to all Merlin parks as MMM can create something really good and the parks let it go downhill. Also very interesting in this current climate is the mention of lands and ride rethemes. I mean there’s not much at Thorpe which could be rethemed other than the walking dead which is long rumoured to be next. The rest have been rethemed in the past couple of years.

Agreed. I think there were some issues early on but Mack resolved them. I do have to say though that I think Voltron is an aggressive ride, to the point I found some of it uncomfortable. I wonder if that's what people refer to when they call it 'rough'

Voltron is really REALLY good. Relentless in pacing and doesn't let up aside from the turntable and final brakes. A good variety of elements as well keeps things interesting and the airtime I don't think gets mentioned much. And if people think it's rough then they clearly don't know what a rough ride is. Blue Fire walked so Voltron could run. Straight into my top 3.

I understand that due to the water table in that area, they will not be incorporating service tunnels, which means that all staff and services will all be served at ground level. It is going to be interesting to watch progression and see what Merlin may have to do.

I have seen them counting down the inferno dispatches, going ‘next train leave in 30s’ then counting down, but I think it depends on the operator. Haven’t seen it this season but the last 2 it’s definitely happened to me on multiple occasions.

To me it’s always seemed that a train can dispatch after it’s passed the block brakes before the slow right-hand turn next to the maintenance shed. Back in 2009 sort of time, when the park was heaving after Saw opened, the operators on the coasters used to count down over the tannoy, and often the trains would be ready to go and would have to actually wait to be sent - the operations back then were incredible at times. Inferno would regularly dispatch before the next train had to come to a stop. I remember very regularly coming back to the station and watching the dispatched train in front fully leave the station and be out of sight round the corner as we rolled in without stopping. I’ve never seen it dispatch earlier than that though - I suppose in theory the lift hill creates a block doesn’t it? So I guess if it would be setup to do so, a train could be sent before the other one reaches the first brakes as the lift hill would stop if the block ahead (the main layout) isn’t clear by then? Not a lot of point though because realistically it’s rarely going to be that quick, and would literally save a couple of seconds at the very best

VID_20211016_121210~2.mp4

Is it actually possible to despatch the second train just as the first has returned to the station, or close to it? Seems to be so slow on this ride.

Just for clarification the SDO has been formally submitted. They usually outline the visual strategy and environmental strategy and give an indication of what they want to build. With an SDO granted they wouldn't need to submit typical planning permission documents. So its possible we will never get to see detailed plans until development is well under way. Getting the Eurostar to Bedford would be an immense challenge due to differences in signalling systems. Not only that but route availability on that line is basically non existent. The guest split mentioned in the SDO is rather interesting with the first year expected to be 70% domestic and 30% international at a total of 8.5m with that changing to a 50:50 split in subsequent years woth 11.5m guests. Seems a bit of the high side but I do suspect those are marketing figures and not commercial targets.

I know what you mean about those visitor numbers - also the potential opening hours (standard from 7am to 11pm) are wild - we all moan about Merlin’s hours, but the reality is that when they do open (Alton after hours, Thorpe summer nights) the number of customers is extremely low. That said however, nobody is “on holiday” at either of those parks as such, as they would potentially be at Universal. Saying that though, even DLP don’t open those hours do they.

For context, 8.5 million is near the bottom of the Universal portfolio Japan 16 million Orlando 10 million (for each park) California 9.6 million Beijing 9 million Singapore 4 million Being bang in the middle of Orlando and the three Asian resorts, I think the scope is there for 8.5 million but the UK needs to get the infrastructure bang on. I really have doubts in Eurostar ever making it to Bedford, Disneyland Paris had Eurostar right on their doorstep and halted that right after Brexit so there's no way it's going to Bedford. Not with Thameslink from Kings Cross St Pancras already in place.

So true, but it annoys me that Merlin does not appear to pick up on the difference. How can they not assess their operations.

Sadly, there are some very optimistic visitor figures being bandied about. TP and AT get about 2.5 million annually, yet the PR for Universal are talking of 8.5 million which is a massive figure in comparison. There is a limit to the potential visitor market, though their plans appear to include larger entertainment venues and accomodation than Orlando to serve more, but to me, the more hype, the more doubt for longevity. The Government refer to the numbers employed to "build" but no mention of their future employment. It is a massive project and I do hope that it goes ahead. However, logically, it would deplete the number of visitors attending venues that exist now.

Until the plans are officially up and online anything is hearsay. Don't think anything has been submitted publicly yet given hasn't been 100 influencer videos going through the exact plans with a fine toothcomb. Eurostar is a different thing all together too. And requires a lot more to get through the system comparatively.

Ah are these not the official plans? I thought they were going for some sort of special development permission direct from government or something?

Eurostar extension would probably be finished before HS2 too. All pie in the sky stuff though until the official plans are in.

Yeah that’s true. I have only seen bits of what people have posted but there seems to be a few mentions in there about being able to compete with other parks in Europe when it comes to heights etc. Their height comparisons also cheekily don’t even mention Hyperia, but they do mention other European rides The image in the plans of the Eurostar route map going to Bedford is huge. That will also have Disney’s attention I bet, as they are no longer even served by Eurostar and rely on connections.

I find it interesting that the special development order has stated a potential ride height of 377ft. They also seem keen to focus on high thrills so I wonder if Thorpe will be more affected than first envisioned.

Colossus being closed would improve my visit 😉

First not-too-good day at Thorpe in a while it appears today. Colossus is closed all day, and was yesterday. Nemesis Inferno closed all day. Stealth on one train.