Marc

Sorry but I have to disagree with you there.. Even if as enthusiasts we enjoy these rides, Nick Varney will know everything from visitor numbers to guest feedback on these rides and is in a much better position to make comments on a rides success than us.

No it isnt - Gardaland and Heide Park are Merlin - Not sure if I missed any!

The advert is here

Indeed, I'm fairly sure this will be the replacement for Summer Nights. As Benin said - there was only so long they would continue running the park near empty for hours into the night during summer!

The vamps didn't perform on park when they last visited.

Fastrack is not on sale yet for IAC. The sign had even been taken down last week.

But comparing them queues to this one - they all look significantly shorter than what 2016 will have.

Cattle pens are the most effective way of holding people in a small area, Thorpe unfortunately don't have the premium of space on its side, especially around this area

I'm not 100% certain but I imagine they change with demand at the time, the less rooms available the higher the price kind of thing. Dont forget AP discount - not sure if thats available online?

Welcome! Thought the same actually when riding it in February, its a pretty forceful and intense ride in places, defiantly matured well.

Think last year was due to high winds too.

£3 for 8 mins I think it said

I'm pretty sure Saw requires the same about of staff if it runs 4 cars or if it runs 8 - so I'd guess the reduction is more down to a technical problem than them saving money. Saws struggled this year - opened quite late yesterday I beleve?

Indeed it is - For those of you not there we will be providing a full TPM Live stream - check back later for details

Back in the day (2004/5/6) 5 used to be the best. The way it used to be was the higher setting the better it was - will have been reprogrammed so many times since though it's hard to know if that's still the case

From southparks - you can see the program selecton dial in the middle of the 2 manual joysticks.

There are 6 settings programmed by the engineers at the park, changing the cycle is as easy as flipping the switch between the numbers.

Wow I'm glad your not my boss!!!

I doubt the park will be 2 mazes down this fright nights - MBV was stated to be on Swarms island last year, that wasn't a typo I've no doubt they will have plans to house a maze there, as for studio 13 they could just give that a fright night twist maybe?

I take it you don't remember 2009

They were giving out letters at the exit today giving everyone the chance to return for free later in the year. It looked like Saw was very close to opening with all its theming on and the ride constantly going round, Tidal Wave was also testing and id assume will open at the weekend.

Less than a quarter of the shop.

I think Matt is partly right, Samurai and Slammer are un-reliable rides, theres no getting away from that. Samurai closed before Fright Nights due to technical problems, clearly to keep it closed for over a month during the parks busiest time is a serious fault, nothing to do with getting it ready for this year. Slammer as you say, is Slammer, it looks like its getting major works again and if its able to run through the season from the extra work its getting than its a small sacrifice which will be worth it. As for the water rides who knows Tidal Wave has had most of its metal work on the lift replaced, Rumbas had most of its lift replaced too, certainly not normal work. Tidal was filling up yesterday so I guess will be ready any day now.

So your saying there is no valid excuse for a ride / rides to be down at the start of the season?

Thing is, there's alot more behind these rides than what you can see from a distance, from inferno today I could see most of the wooden slats on the lift have been replaced since the weekend. It's obviously not ideal, but if the extra work these rides get help them stay open (samurai and slammer in particular) then it's worth the wait.