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They'll just remove any mention of him, the rides will probably remain for a short while.

If Annual Passes still exist then you can bet all the RAP will be gone.

The area is crap anyway so destroying it is probably the best bet. Towers is depressing at best of times but that section is just dead.

like literally you can just put anything there, either a new ride, a new restaurant, longer queue for dead beat, or just picnic benches (I propose moving bpb's skyforce to here, perfect neighbor for hyperia)

I said a couple of years ago that Merlin slowly turning to people as IPs could come back to bite them. Walliams, Derren Brown, that YouTuber Daz, etc. All it takes is one unsavoury claim against them and it puts Merlin in a hugely difficult (and totally preventable) situation. I'm not saying that any of those people are problematic (okay, Walliams definitely seemed dodgy, but the other two definitely not), but it was always a risk. Obviously there's still nothing confirmed in terms of Walliams. If Towers kept Walliams World during his previous controversies, I don't see why they would get rid now. The bigger issue is, if something came out confirmed tomorrow, what would they do? They wouldn't realistically have the time or associated funds to retheme it for season start, so it'd surely be just closing the area. Or very very hastily removing all Walliams references and just keeping Gangsta Granny closed in a best case scenario.

Merlin have announced that they have contracted out the maintenance and operations side of the park to OCS. They must have looked at the roaring customer satisfaction success of the food and beverage side of the buisness and decided lets have more of that. A theme park lives and dies by the customers experience. If you contract out every aspect that the customer deals with you have no control over your business.

With the David Walliams allegations today in the mainstream media surely The World of David Walliams land is now untenable. Especially the nature of the allegations against young women. With Merlin's current financial difficulties this is clearly the worst possible timing. Do you think the land will remain closed throughout 2026 or is there enough time for a bodged retheme?

Have all their weekend RAP allocation been booked up yet? Obviously only GOOD parks have that nonsense happen.

The opening times for the 2026 season have appeared (subject to change). They're very similar to 2025: https://www.thorpepark.com/plan-your-visit/before-you-visit/opening-times/ Season starts on 27th March and finishing on 1st November, with 13 closed days during this time (mostly in September, with a couple of Wednesdays in April/May). The park closes at 5pm on weekdays, 6pm on weekends and school holidays and 7pm in August. Fright Nights starts on 2nd October and runs for 24 days up until 1st November, closing again at 9pm nightly. They're not bad opening hours for what we have on offer in the UK. I'll forever stay in the camp of saying I'd want later closing times for Fright Nights still, and it would be nice to see them experiment again with later closes over summer. But for now, it feels positive that there's no reduction on the decent times that we currently have, especially given some of the wider uncertainty that Merlin feels like it gives off.

This is very good news. As I've said elsewhere, it will be fascinating to see a theme park created from scratch. Good luck to those who now see it as an employment opportunity.

We've got a green light from the government, this is happening! BBC NewsUniversal Studios gets green light to be built in Bedford...The park is expected to attract more than eight million annual visitors and open in 2031. Construction will start next year if all goes to plan.

Just for Josh, (who did his top 10% in 2024 as well), here is the rest of my top 10% from (11-61). This won't be in any order because after the top 10, it becomes impossible to put them in preference order. On any given day I could prefer Oz'Iris to Taron and so forth. Stardust Racers Yellow Oz'Iris Katun Helix Wodan Blue Fire Copperhead Strike Afterburn Wildcats Revenge Stealth Black Mamba Fly Superman la Atrocciones de acero Manta/Acrobat Incredible Hulk iSpeed Shambhala Kumba Griffon Alpengeist Juvelen The Smiler Medusa (discovery kingdom) Tatsu Taron Alpina Blitz (Nigloland) Monster (Walygator) Icon Karnan Flug der Demon Raging Bull Twisted Timbers Behemoth Magnum XL 2000 Maverick Gatekeeper Untamed Dwiverlwind Velocicoaster Monster (Grona Lund) Wildfire (Kolmarden) Hyperion Abyssus Dominator Pantheon Farenheight Candymonium Mako Steel Dragon 2000 Nitro El Toro Batman Gotham city Escape Iron Grawzi Goliath (Six Flags over Georgia) Aerieforce One Thunderhead The Beast Fianna Force The Voyage Piraten Dragons Fury I love lists so much.

Would love to see a Intamin Sky Jump at the park would be a great addition to fearless valley with Hyperia.

YES ! I love it too! I really don’t understand why it’s so overlooked 🤷‍♂️ Fantastic ride that doesn’t get the love it deserves!

Here is my absolute Top 10: 1 Toutatis Parc Asterix 2 Taron Phantasialand 3 Taiga Linnanmäki 4 Untamed Walibi Holland 5 Skyrush Hersheypark 6 Helix Liseberg 7 Oz'Iris Parc Asterix 8 Balder Liseberg 9 Der Schwur des Kärnan Hansa Park 10 Phoenix Knoebels At the same time, it feels a huge disservice to not mention so many incredible rides I've ridden. As my coaster count has risen, I've found a "Top 10%" is a still-arbitrary, but more reflective, view of my absolute favourites. So without further ado, here's my 11-43 ranks... 11 Kondaa Walibi Belgium 12 Hyperia Thorpe Park 13 Lost Gravity Walibi Holland 14 Jersey Devil Coaster Six Flags Great Adventure 15 Joris en de Draak (Water) Efteling 15 Joris en de Draak (Vuur) Efteling 16 Colossos - Kampf der Giganten Heide Park 17 Manta SeaWorld Abu Dhabi 18 Kingda Ka Six Flags Great Adventure 19 Candymonium Hersheypark 20 Goliath Walibi Holland 21 Nemesis Alton Towers 22 El Toro (SFGAd) Six Flags Great Adventure 23 Troy Toverland 24 Black Mamba Phantasialand 25 Mahuka Walibi Rhône-Alpes 26 Fønix Fårup Sommerland 27 Flying Aces Ferrari World Abu Dhabi 28 Hyperion Energylandia 29 Lisebergbanan Liseberg 30 Van Helsing's Factory Movie Park Germany 31 Juvelen Djurs Sommerland 32 Batman Gotham City Escape Parque Warner Madrid 33 Pulsar Walibi Belgium 34 Voltron Europa Park 35 Silver Star Europa Park 36 Shambhala PortAventura Park 37 Nitro (SFGAd) Six Flags Great Adventure 38 Nemesis Inferno Thorpe Park 39 Storm - The Dragon Legend TusenFryd 40 Colorado Adventure Phantasialand 41 The Storm Coaster Dubai Hills Mall 42 Lech Coaster Legendia 43 Mission Ferrari Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Only Kondaa is new to the list in 2025, although there's been a bit of movement too. After riding RMC Single Rails YoY at Walibi Holland a couple of months back and not really rating them, I expect Jersey Devil wouldn't be anywhere near as high up if I re-rode it. But who knows.

Tidal Fire Effect confirmed returning?

I actually have an update to mine for once. 10 - Shambhalalalalala Floaty airtime goodness. Though the clamshell restraints weren't as forgiving last time I rode it. 9 - The Beast Love it. And at night it's REALLY special. 8 - Revenge of the Mummy (Orlando) Couldn't get enough of it. Just fun ride and fantastic themeing. 7 - Blue Fire I still enjoy Blue Fire even if it has dropped down the list over the years. I could ride it all day and is certainly a landmark for when Mack changed their game. 6 - Katun The first drop is old school B&M perfection. And one of the few "big" inverts that I really enjoyed. 5 - Oz'Iris Hopefully back on it next year, but the layout and themeing on it is top tier. Will it be ousted by Toutatis? 4 - Helix Mack struck green gold. The hillside location is used to tremendous effect, with the iconic music and Jubilee Line station adding to it. Another night time ride classic. 3 - Nemesis (Reborn) She's dropped down again! The sacrilege. However still one of the best designed coasters in the world. Was running like an absolute monster this Scarefest too. Plus the child is also obsessed with the ride so win-win. 2 - Untamed My intro to RMC (and still the only one I've ridden). There are certain rides where you only need one turn to fall in love and this is one of them. Airtime aplenty and was once my number 1, but a bigger love appeared this year... 1 - Voltron Blue Fire walked so Voltron could run. This is the most obscene bit of kit Mack have ever produced and whilst it might not be a "ride all day" coaster it is by far the most action packed and intense coaster I've experienced. It has inversions, airtime and random Mack nonsense all in one tidy package. I can understand why it would be too much for some riders but for me it is pretty much the perfect ride. And I can see it in my top spot for a long, long time.

it's more than that, it's like, we have always been heading for this!

boop beep boop beep boop beep boop boop beep beep beep painting, and track, fence, and budget, cutbacks, new MDs, injustice, and closed no more money, no more money, woooah! food, car parks, passes, food, car parks, passes, no more, no more, no more, no more, ah, ah! no more money, no more money, woooah! our money, our money, our our, our money, our money, our money, chin-chin! "I don't like consistency, I don't like ethics, I don't like don't like human resources, I don't like much really do I, but what I do like, I love passionately"

The new top ten. Woah 1. Steel Vengeance (first ridden 2018). Retaining its spot at number 1 is the astoundingly well paced, brilliant Steel Vengeance. 2. Nemesis Reborn. (first ridden in 2024 or 2004 depending on your point of view,). Staying at number 2 is Nemesis Reborn, despite not riding this year. Having done a fair number of inverters now, this just has something special about it and is so iconic for many many reasons. 3. Ride to Happiness. (first ridden in 2022). No movement here either. An amazing ride and I am desperate to get back on. 4. Voltron (first ridden in 2024). A tour de force of Mack skills. I love it. Flying Dinosaur (first ridden in 2025). A brilliant flyer, one of the most forceful rides out there with an outstanding starting sequence. The fly to lie to fly to lie to fly (I loved typing that) is just outstanding and feels like your face will be ripped off. Then you hit that pretzel loop at such pace. Ah.. so good. 6. Taiga. (first ridden in 2024). My favourite Intamin, such a great well paced ride. 7. Toutatis (first ridden in 2023). Another excellent Intamin, two in a row. Desperate to get back on this. 8. Fury 325. (First ridden in 2024). Looking back, I didn't appreciate Fury 325 enough. It isn't normally my kind of ride but Fury is something different and a great evolution of Leviathan. 9. Baron 1898. (First ridden in 2017). Sadly when I last went to Efteling, Baron was going through refurbishment so I am itching to get back on. I love this ride for its theatrics. It's not the best ride out there but I love the storytelling. Stardust Racers - Pulsar (First ridden in 2025). Theres actually very little in-between Green and Yellow so it really comes down to the smallest details and for me Green is the better of the two. I prefer the interactions on green such as the zero g roll over the top of yellow for example or the way Green races through the last section of track. Just feels better. See you in 2026... I tink this list will literally be the same next year

Maybe its a new hint for a name for a new park mascot. Instead of the Thorpe Park Rangers we have the Parm Poms

Guess it’s time for mine. Parks: Thorpe Park 4x Chessington Once Towers Once Paultons Park 1 Pleasure Wood Hills 1 Great Yarmouth PB 1 Brighton Pier 1 Phantasislsnd 2x Efteling 2x Port Aventura 2x (no Ferrari land, closed) Parque Warner 1 Parque de attractions Madrid 1 Coney Island SF Great Adventure Dorney Park Hershey Park 2x Knoebels Cedar Point 3x Kings Island Kennywood Tokyo Disney 2x Disneysea 2x Universal Japan 2x Fuji Q highland Nagashima Spa Land Edit- Babylon Park Madrid New creds 2025/ 67 New parks/ 13 Favourite new (for me) coasters Eujaneika- Mad and incredible at once Wildcats Revenge- Another excellent RMC El Toro- it lives up to its name Phoenix- I doent more time off my seat than sat down Over new (for me) rides I loved: Danse Macabre, Jaws (USJ), Mine Craft madness, Beauty & the beast, TOT (Disney sea), Frozen (Disney sea (yes)) Best new park/ Tokyo Disney (both parks) HM, US Japan, Knoebels Better than expected park Knoebels - Very surprised in the best ways HM, Dorney Park, Most disappointing park moment: Being spited Steel Dragon 2000 DHMs/ Being spited KA (because those SF maniacs blew it up) Hershey not meeting expectations (for some reason) Parque D’attractions Madrid being a dump 2026 will probably be a quieter year, at least on the new park/cred front, but am sure will still have dom epic moments.

Parm Pap has gone so crazy they think their name is Parm Pom

Friends of the embattled realm now pom hear my voice as Mr Pom rails at mismanagement within Merlin's halls where greed has pom brewed collapse. Yet certain cupcakes preen as if pom their sugary schemes shaped destiny, while I, Mr Pom, observe their crumbly antics pom with arch disdain, noting how they dodge blame in this pom of corporate folly. Let us recall how leaders once pom promised stewardship but instead chased glittering gains, leaving Mr Pom to witness pom the fictional implosion as cupcakes offered nothing but pom hollow sprinkles of advice when strength was required pom by wiser minds. Thus I urge vigilance against pom the sweet distractions of cupcakes masquerading as counsel, for Mr Pom knows pom that only courage and clarity defeat pom the grinding gears of greed before realms fracture pom beyond gentle repair.

Not just the fact that the park could do with a couple of new mid-sized investments to tide them over, their current support/filler line up is approaching the end of life. As you say, the newest of those big ones is now over 20 years old. Even 2011's Storm Surge was second hand. Whilst we know these rides can last 30-40 years, their reliability and maintenance costs increase, and their appeal can shrink. Just look at Zodiac, which was closed for half the season. Samurai which has regularly spent months closed in each of the last 10 seasons. Even something like Tidal Wave (okay, not a flat ride, but still fits) is incredibly expensive and could well be having parts reaching end of life. I'm of the broad opinion that I wouldn't particularly mind if Thorpe went down the route of becoming a coaster park. A UK Six Flags style park as it were. But they still need a support line up, and they need to invest in that sooner rather than later. There's huge potential these days with flat rides. Things I could see fitting into the park... -Intamin SkyJump (see Falcon's Fury / Ikaros) -ART Wild Swing (XL version or bigger version...ART could do that I'm sure) -Zamperla Nebula -Zamperla Big Wavez -Zamperla Endeavour (would be a great Zodiac replacement) For clarity, I'm not saying I want these or the park should get these. But I reckon they'd work at the park.