JoshC.

Probably not, but that's because the gravel part of the car park can't be fully tarmaced as it's used a flood relief zone (I think). Probably similar rules for the grass part too. The money could be reinvested into staffing the car park, better signage, etc. There has been money pumped into moving the pedestrian entrance to make that safer too, for example. The change in locker price is largely down to the new £1 coin being introduced. The lockers cannot take the new £1 coin and I believe there is currently no way to retrospectively allow them to. So it was easier to make it accept only £2 coins rather than have many people waste new coins in there and subsequently complain.

Nice music, looking forwardto hearing it in person!

There's also a difference between several people asking about it once, and some people asking about it several times in successive days / weeks / months expecting a different response. Let's face it, they'd no use in digging into these replies to look for a hidden meaning. The only thing we can conclude is that there's no universal single response, which there should be. But not enough people will pick up on that I guess.

The LC in LC12 stood for 'Long Count', which related to the Mayan Calendar and 2012 end of the world vibe.

Who remembers when they did the 'anyone over the age of 12 must be accompanying someone under the age of 12' rule a few years back?

What have Walibi been smoking and can I have some of it please?

X had quite a few issues before its closure - lots of lengthy shutdowns! And don't forget it ran 2 trains pretty much all the time too. Not saying X couldn't be related, but it was far from 'running fine'!

In other shocking news, it's been hot today and the sky is blue.

I find it interesting that Towers are doing these videos going into a bit more depth about shutdowns, etc. after they're bought up in the media. Yet Merlin parks will only ever give the 'This ride has currently ceased operation due to an unexpected delay' line to guests when it is happening. Makes you wonder if they gave a bit more information about shutdowns, would the public feel more at ease knowing the situation is under control? Seeing a coaster stuck half way up a lift hill and hearing it's an 'unexpected delay' sounds more concerning than being told, say, 'The computer system that runs the ride noticed something odd, so it's just doing checks again' or something.

I'd be very surprised if it was weather based given that it's been fine in all other years, and Ghost Train probably has more troubles with indoor temperatures and that hasn't closed. As ever with lengthy closures, they're almost always related to waiting for a new part or (as seen in recent years) to allow for modifications related to new procedures under the H&S mask. I doubt anyone knows the exact reason though.

How will you cope with only the likes of Taron, Black Mamba, Chiapas, Maus au Chocolat, Winjas, River Quest... to keep you entertained?

Ate at RCR for the first time. It's clearly designed to be a premium option, though the food doesn't quite match the price. But I guess you're paying for the experience just as much as the food. I was a little disappointed at how bland some of the tracks to the tables were (I was expecting a couple more loops and twists about!), but it's fun to watch. Definitely a worthy investment and adds a lot more choice to the mix.

I was going to write a full out review / blog post on my views of Galactica after experiencing it for the first time this weekend. But then I realised there's not a lot to say. The VR isn't great quality (I personally found Ghost Train's old VR slightly better). The audio is far too quiet. My first go I had an issue where the video was tilted. And it all feels very quick, like it crammed too much in. But at the same time, it is interesting. It's something that really draws you in, you are intrigued by it, you are curious about what will happen. It's likeable. The branding is very good as well. And throughput wasn't as bad as I expected.. So yeah, it's alright. Nothing special, nothing awful.

Having trouble linking video so will link article with video in it: http://www.looopings.nl/weblog/7924/Phantasialand-kondigt-langste-flying-coaster-ter-wereld-aan.html Coming to Phantasialand for presumably 2018, F.L.Y. - the world's longest flying coaster and first flying coaster to feature a launch, because why not? Steampunk theme still looks likely too.

Thanks for the report! It's always great seeing Thorpe from a first-timer perspective, even more interesting from someone from a different country. I was around on the Thursday you were there (I think I actually I saw you at one point!), and it wasn't the best day for ride availability. Such a shame with the beautiful weather that day, but it seems like you enjoyed yourself; certainly helped by having 2 days and the VIP event being opened up to you. Totally agree about the Dome. It feels very dated, and they need to completely redo rather than little bits at a time. Google translate hasn't made it very clear, but it sounds like you enjoyed the Ghost Train? Great to hear if so. Thanks again for the report!

Just to restate my point: I didn't find the ride last week any lighter than my ride in April (the waterfall projection seemed less bright, but that was about it). My little brother was fine. I know there's complaints about it being too dimly lit, but it might be the case that it's not as common a complaint as people are suggesting.

Recently did Gruffalo and I'm pleased to say that all effects were working on my run... I stand by my previous thought that the biggest issue is that each scene requires you to be looking in a certain direction, which can cause issues when people are sat in circular boats. Also, having now experienced at normal speed (rather than the sluggish speed of my previous ride), I do feel like things unfold a bit too quickly, and you're not given enough time to take in every scene. I guess that will always be an issue though, you could slow the ride down in theory, but you reduce the throughput, which you don't really want to do for a major attraction. And to throw a spanner in the works - I've seen loads of people on forums and Facebook pages saying it's too dimly lit (and hence 'dark'), which is scaring little kids. My little brother was fine, actually enjoyed the experience to be honest. For comparison, he screamed all the way through Bubbleworks last year.

From Tatenhill Airfield FB A nice overview of the site, and it's quite easy to see how much of the layout is already marked out.

They always refer to it as the 'Thorpe Shark Hotel'.

A small interview with the project manager of Gruffalo... http://backstage.merlinentertainments.biz/bringing-the-nations-favourite-bedtime-story-to-life/

redevelopment riːdɪˈvɛləpmənt/ noun the action or process of developing something again or differently. "the redevelopment of the university website" construction of new buildings in an urban area, typically after demolishing the existing buildings. "the town is undergoing significant redevelopment" So, so long as something happens to the spot in the future, the are have been redeveloped. Behind the scenes planning counts as redevelopment.

Thorpe have released EIGHT new pin badges this weekend... I don't think the photo does justice to some of them (the Stealth one in particular looks a lot nicer in person! Also, the X one is lenticular, which is pretty awesome. They're priced at £3 per pin (as standard with all pins), or a 'Starter Pack' featuring the TP logo, Swarm, Tidal and Stealth pins plus the lanyard in the photo for £12. As ever, Merlin showing that they know how the make merch..

If that's the cost of a decent sized plate, I can at least understand why the ones at Pizza Pasta are so small (and all different shapes)!

Of course, it is true to say that in terms of attendance figures, Merlin (including theme parks, Legolands and midways) is second only to Disney. But as everyone knows, quantity does not equal quality.