JoshC.

Interestingly, mindswanted.co.uk has disappeared, and is now redirecting to the ride's page on the main TP site: https://www.thorpepark.com/rides/derren-browns-ghost-train-arriving-spring-2016/

Consistent? 2 B&Ms 4 years apart followed by a presumably naff Fabbri spinner doesn't sound consistent to me.

Good to see the station is getting the attention it needed! The track is looking good too so far, and I believe it is also getting a 'rust effect' of sorts added on as well. Glad to FV is getting a decent spruce up by the looks of things.

Sorry for quoting an old post... I had always been assuming this, but it turns out it's not: http://www.chessington.com/2016/ So it's an original show, except for Easter when Po is about. So that's good, if not a bit odd.

The competition closes tomorrow at 23:59. The winners aren't announced until next Monday (22nd)

Do you mean the floor in this photo? https://www.instagram.com/p/BBsME8gkgH0/ If so, I'd be surprised if that was accessible to the public given the spaces between the poles (and there's some sort of chain hanging from it too?). If that is the case, they've probably just taken a photo of it so they can say they've posted photos from inside the building, without giving anything away. Otherwise, the actual fences seem fine since there's the mesh fencing between the poles.

Sort of surprised it hasn't been mentioned here that Gardaland are getting a new coaster... Then again, it's only a spinning wild mouse from Fabbri... (Image from looooooooooooopings.nl) The park are opening up a Chinese themed area with relation to the Kung Fu Panda films (which is Dreamworks, of course, and has a new film coming to cinemas this Spring). The name of the coaster is 'Kung Fu Panada Master' according to RCDB...

I guess this was bound to happen sooner or later. It's a shame that the idea never really worked out, as pay monthly things do work in a variety of other situations (and I think some parks do have that system for their Annual Passes too?). Then again, the idea never really appealed to me since I was happy to just pay a lump sum each year.. Good that they're offering 6 months free, and apparently they will honour the current sale prices to anyone who wishes to change from a Merlin Membership to an MAP until November time. So they've handled this well.

There's several possible reasons for the enclosure of that piece of track. The main one of course being that River Quest is in the Mystery area, whereas Raik is in Klugheim, so they'd either have to retheme RQ or just enclose it and make it look mysterious (totally the wrong word to use but you get what I'm saying). And of course, with Phantasia having to minimise noise, it's only natural many of their rides are enclosed in one way or another. So any resemblance is more than likely coincidental given what they can do.

A picture from INSIDE THE BUILDING

I was about to mention Swarm here, but then I realised one could probably class Swarm as a good few years ago. I'm beginning to feel old. But I wonder definitely agree with you that whilst not world class by any means, this is definitely a good-looking, seemingly completely themed, and most importantly fun investment; something we don't see enough of in the UK.

I'd like to know what rock gardens you're visiting to see the likes of a crashed plane... However, I must admit my big fear with this has always been that the dinosaurs will always look a bit too plasticy and 'fake' when seen in the area, and perhaps stick out too much compared to everything else (which feels a lot more 'real'). At this stage I'm happy with that there is at the moment though!

Couple of photos of Raik, which is now complete, from the best Dutch website ever looopings.nl: The last photo shows the park removing some of the rockwork theming which was in way of Raik. Whilst there's no photos of it, the lift hill and end of the track have apparently been fully enclosed.

Theming update: http://www.looopings.nl/weblog/5001/Zeecontainers-als-decoraties-bij-nieuwe-achtbaan-Walibi-Holland.html Let's not bother with the "With all those shipping containers, I thought this was a Merlin park lol" comments shall we, even if it looks a bit tacky at the moment...

A 5 minute preview of Galactica's queue line music: http://www.towersalmanac.com/features/multimedia.php?id=44

The best thing about winter is snowy pictures of roller coasters... (Pictures from RMC's FB)

By not working in a theme park environment, do you simply mean by the fact it's a low throughput attraction? I only ask because I feel that an attraction like this - a themed, interactive, walk through experience - can and does work in a theme park environment. So curious if you disagree with that, or of it's down to something else?

Oooh, interesting (and somewhat unexpected)! Not getting too excited as I doubt they are major changes to any of the trials, but instead just changes to the bits inbetween the second and third trial; Dingo Dollar Challenge could replace the "reptile" tanks after the pipe scene, and the Outback Shack could be the room before the inflatable corridor. Still, nice to see some attention to it over closed season. Hopefully some of the planned effects can come to fruition too

If Walibi Holland is of a similar standard to Walibi Belgium, then they are lightyears behind Efteling (and since they're not even aiming for the same target market, pretty incomparable anyway). Walibi haven't been bought up / taken over to my knowledge. They've just had a few years of nothing, followed by adding ALL THE THINGS now. Like even Walibi Rhone-Aples is getting a Gravity Group woodie out of nowhere this year... Good thing mind.

Video posted by Thorpe given Clues 1-6 of mindswanted competition: So Clue 7 remains a mystery. And, if I remember correctly, the actual answer to Clue 7 isn't on the forums, so it has remained as secret as possible! Competition closes in a few days too, if anyone is still thinking about taking part!

If you're the super-organised enthusiast, you might want to circle early 2019 for a new unique coaster... http://www.looopings.nl/weblog/4980/Walibi-Holland-opent-weer-grote-nieuwe-achtbaan-in-2019.html Yep, Walibi Holland have said they're planning to open a new coaster for the 2019 season which "you cannot find in another park". Along with that, they're opening a new thrill ride next year, and doing some refurbs to rides over the next couple of years. And despite all this information, we still don't know what Lost Gravity *actually* is!

It hasn't been "confirmed" in the sense of Thorpe have said on their site / social media that the Lionsgate mazes aren't returning (unless I've missed it). However, one of the Entertainments staff members at park told a group of us during a BTS tour that they're not returning (hence why a non-film based maze was introduced last year, to have an established maze on park). Take that for what you will, but personally I feel no reason to disbelieve what he said, since everything else he said was true. They haven't "lost" the Lionsgate connection (they still have Saw for example!). The Fright Nights mazes (BWP, Cabin, MBV) were on a 3 year contract - again, the source being from a BTS tour, but in 2014. That contract ended last year and, for whatever reason, it seems it hasn't been renewed or extended or anything. It could be that one of the parties felt like it just wasn't working out, or Thorpe just wanted to go back to original ideas - no one really knows! --- A VR maze could be interesting. And when you consider that Thorpe did Freakshow 3D, which tried to combine live action with 3D effects, it isn't a totally absurd idea to suggest. It would take a lot of work to pull off and be very risky, but if it did work out, it could be amazing. Not sure if we're at a stage where that can happen just yet though.

Finally! We all knew it would happen, jay a case of when. Looking forward to seeing what direction they take. I remember some of the executive producers of Saw 7 said if/when it comes back, they'd like to go back to a point in time when Jigsaw is alive, and focus on that. But since there's no confirmation yet that they're involved(?), I wonder if that'll happen. I loved the majority of the Saw films (only really disliking 5), but the last one was a bit of a rushed and forced of finishing that story thread. Could be interesting to see something completely different / long after then, but then it runs the risk and not feeling like Saw... I wonder if any of the original cast will return? Would love to see Tobin Bell and Costa Mandylor return!

What is Thorpe Park Resort? I only know of a THORPE PARK Resort.

If they have rides which struggle in high winds, you have to wonder why they feel confident enough of advertising them to be ready in February; a time traditionally known for cold weather, high winds and the like.