JoshC.

Thorpe basically need something with airtime. It'll offer a very different sensation to all the other coasters on park. They also need a major family coaster if they want to seriously be considered as a family park. So get a coaster satisfying those two boxes is a must in my eyes. Also, just thinking out loud here, and this is more an idea for a low-key investment, but I'd actually love to see Thorpe get a Junior Vekoma Boomerang. Yeah, so the throughput is naff, but if it's marketed as a coaster aimed at kids / younger families, it might balance itself out at a park like Thorpe.

I think it's been said by Thorpe that this isn't the last clue, but instead a generic announcement. And even if it is the last clue, the time at which you submit it won't make you more or less likely to win. Hmm, a very interesting view point, and one I disagree with... As I'm sure you know, when your child is at school (especially primary / secondary school), the school are in loco parentis. So, they can do what they want if they believe it is in the student(s)' best interest. So, if a teacher believes that a student having their phone out is going to be negatively affecting their learning, then they can act in the student's best interest, and confiscate that phone. Personally, I think confiscating it for any more than until the end of the lesson is harsh and unnecessary, but that's a different subject matter. And, of course, there is the question of whether having their phone out actually is negatively affecting their learning, but again, a different subject. The "imprisoning a child against their free will" is an odd argument. Many children are of course grounded by their parents, usually against their free will. So why can't a school do a similar thing, within reason? I worry a bit about you saying you'd give a teacher "a good talking to" if you had a difference of opinion. It sounds very confrontational. Teachers are there to teach and help children, and what they think is in their best interest. Of course, have a chat with that teacher, see if a happy medium can be reached. But just because you don't see a problem with your son doing one thing, it doesn't mean that a teacher can't have a problem with 25 individual students doing it. Anyways, this post has been slightly hypothetical and whatnot, and there's no right and wrong answers with these sorts of discussions. But, on a serious note, I completely agree with Jack - the announcement is still going to be there at 9:01am, 9:30am and 5pm on Monday. It's no once in a lifetime opportunity or anything. Just have a bit more patience.

To prevent any more derailment of this topic (see what I did there?), I've decided to move the school-discussion to this thread: http://forum.maniahub.com/topic/7386-education-exam-results/page-10#entry226235- Happy schooling! Anyways... I'm pretty certain this will be a "thrill ride" of some variety. I'm guessing that Thorpe are going to be sort of alternating investments, having a thrill investment one year, then family investments for the year or two after. Not to dissimilar to Alton I suppose. It's the only way I could see the family market working for Thorpe right now. How thrilling exactly, I have no clue. But I have no doubt it will be a "thrilling" dark ride.

According to the most recent stuff, the 42 million euros is for the whole area (including Polle's, etc), and it's 35 million euro for Symbolica itself: http://www.efteling.com/NL/Over-de-Efteling/Pers-en-Publicaties/Persberichten/persberichten-persberichten/persbericht-nieuw-in-2017.html Anyways, we digress. Yay, Thorpe Dark Ride Hype!

I thought the latest figure was 35 million euros (ie about £26 million)? Unless that is just for the ride hardware, and the 42 million euros is the total investment cost?

According to CoasterForce's Twitter, 'Space Fantasy', one of the park's coasters, is getting the VR treatment this year as well.

I get all that. My point is simply that Thorpe are rumoured to be spending anything up to £35 million on this, which would be more than enough to invest in a trackless ride system. I'd be surprised if this is trackless, and know that based purely on ride system, Efteling are likely investing more into Symbolica than Thorpe are on this..

Trackless dark rides are becoming very affordable. If Efteling can get a trackless dark ride for £26 million in Symbolica, then I don't see why Thorpe couldn't invest in one.

Much like the jokes in this thread, we'll be go round and round and getting no where fast.

pluk's logic is sound about Automatons in my opinion. Same trademarking as Galactica, fits in with the idea of "minds wanted", Derren has a history of revolving work around them (Svengali; which is also Victoriana), Big Top featured an automaton (and that was of course littered with Easter eggs for this) and so on. Plus, it actually 'feels' like a name of a ride at a theme park, if that makes sense? Chronicles of London does have some things going for it, but it just doesn't sound right to me. And apparently, Chronicles of New York has also recently been trademarked? In my opinion, I reckon that's something to do with Madame Tussauds attractions.. So yeah, I feel like Automatons is the most likely name. And even if it's not the name of the ride, I feel like it will have something to do with this (ride vehicles or something maybe?).

I'm betting on a name reveal.

Very true about the ORP thing and I have no doubt that people will put their money in their pockets for them, but I just don't like them all that much. --- Also, the April opening thing is a bit of a weird one. Not having the big new thing open for the Easter weekend is a very strange decision to be honest, especially when this has been planned for so long?

Pointlessly Long Name: The Ride

It's more the fact that there will be a green screen photo point that annoys me. Even if the reason for the photo works perfectly within the story for the ride, I just hate the idea of having to stand in front of a blank screen, maybe with the odd prop, and having my photo taken.

I still don't know what to think about all this. All the reviews I've read about Alpen Express' VR treatment have been good (in that, it's a nice, novel, way to experience a coaster). And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit excited to try this out. But then all the standard worries crop up. How will throughput be affected? How will the VR vs non-VR work? How will the cleaning (of the goggles) work? Why on earth do we have to now have a blooming green screen photo point in the queue? What's this mean for Forbidden Valley? Is Air the right coaster to be doing this on? Is it really worth it? Will it have return appeal? As I say, I'm excited to try this out, and I'm sure that it'll be a good thing to experience at least once. But, at this stage, I have so many niggling concerns that just make me fear for this..

Only severe weather will cancel them. I've done one in very cold and windy conditions, and one in wet and windy conditions and had no problems. If the weather is particularly bad on your day, email them and just double check if it's still on / if you'd like to rearrange. They're always quick to respond and very helpful. Enjoy!

(Source: TPR) The Flying Aces entrance looks surprisingly good!

Or just close your eyes.

Wait, what? You mean we're not getting a Darude Dark Ride themed around a Sandstorm? The throughput of that Robotic Arm Ride would be fine given a suitable number of cars. It looks like it'd be pretty awesome, but I don't think that's what this'll be. Would love to be proven wrong though.

A short Press Release from the park has also been released: http://www.efteling.com/NL/Over-de-Efteling/Pers-en-Publicaties/Persberichten/persberichten-persberichten/persbericht-nieuw-in-2017.html (warning: it mentions roughly what the ride system is, so is best avoided if you want to avoid all spoilers). The dark ride itself is costing 35 million euros (approx £26 million), and is of course being designed for all the family and to be suitable for all nationalities. It sounds as if they are planning to make it all very interactive too. So all sounds incredibly exciting. On a completely different note, was anyone else amused by the similarities between the press release for this and WC16?

Efteling have announced on their Facebook page that Symbolica, the long awaited dark ride, will open in 2017 in the centre of the park. EDIT: Concept art...

^In fairness, most staff members at Thorpe won't have a clue what Derren's exact role is. Most will know as much as we do, and have likely just been told what to say if anyone asks; which will be the same vague response.

I'd retheme Stealth to Stealth VR. Riders would wear VR headsets, and the video would be of an extension of Stealth (twice the track length) that you go through at twice the real speed. Pretty sure it'd be the world's first Launched VR Coaster too, which is great.

Plopsaland aren't going to be Heiding away from posting construction pictures it seems... (From Plopsa's Twitter) I don't think it's been mentioned here yet, but apparently the construction of this is being split into two halves, with the coaster opening this year, and the majority of the theming coming next year.

Crudely speaking, marketing is designed to get people talking. And let's face it, for a video that probably took 30 minutes to shoot and edit, this isn't half bad.