JoshC.

Given the angle of that photo, I wouldn't be surprised if The Swarm was the reason it was destroyed, not fixed!

Didn't like the Angry Birds 4D Experibance.

Next month, Universal Studios Florida introduce their 'Diagon Alley' expansion to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It sees the headline attraction 'Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts', the Hogwarts Express, as well as numerous shops from the Harry Potter universe. As to be expected, everyone is excited about the development. However, why should we be so excited? We've got a newly opened area which is much better than Diagon Alley ever could be - Angry Birds Land at Thorpe Park! Travelling all the way to America seems pointless when most of us on this forum can pop down to Thorpe in under a couple of hours to enjoy the delightful Angry Birds Land. First of all, let's look at the rides and attractions in each area. Angry Birds Land has a 115ft drop tower, perfect for thrill seekers, some fun dodgems, which are perfect for everyone, and a 4D cinema experience, which again is perfect for everyone. So, here, we have a land which caters for all ages - we have a ride which is solely dedicated for a thrill audience. As far as thrill rides go, Detonator: Bombs Away! is as thrilling as you can get; there's not many better drop towers around after all. Then there's a good set of dodgems. Okay, so dodgems aren't anything special, you can find them anywhere. But people like dodgems, and if people like something, you give it to them! Finally, the 4D experience is clearly something that's been designed for a younger audience, yet it works for everyone. What's most surprising about it is how immersive the attraction felt - it's a film about a set of cartoon birds, who don't speak, trying to get the precious eggs back from some bad pigs. Yet you feel a part of the film, you can create emotional bonds with the birds, and you feel like you're there with them. For a cartoon, that's pretty darn impressive. Now, Diagon Alley. We have a headline attraction being ride about escaping from a bank. Escaping...from a bank. Just let that sink in for a moment. And this will have loads of goblins scattered about. Not gonna lie, those goblins looked pretty hideous in the films, I imagine they'll look even more hideous in real life. Not exactly a family-friendly thing to have is it? Especially considering this is already a ride about escaping from a bank that you've broken into (great moral values there!). Now, this ride is apparently some epic dark ride/coaster combo. These types of rides are always risks, since some people's expectations can really shape how they react to the ride. Expect a coaster, you may be left unthrilled. Expect a dark ride, you may be left unimmersed. It's a really, really big risk. Then you've got a train ride linking two parks together. Now, it will of course be more like a 4D experience, and this all sounds well and good. But it's not going to be easy to create a 4D experience about a franchise which already has so much going for it; very difficult to create an emotional link to the story. I have so many concerns. Then there's also theming. Okay, Angry Birds Land's theming isn't the greatest, and there's room for more. However, let's step back and look at what Diagon Alley's theming will entail. Firstly, there's a dragon that breaths fire. Fantastic. That's better than anything at Angry Birds Land. However, this dragon doesn't move, from the looks of it at least. Talk about unrealistic! What's the point in having a creature for theming if it doesn't move. You're meant to be in a world where a dragon has just escaped; it's not gonna stand still, lording it over everyone else puffing some fire occasionally. It's going to move. Angry Birds Land's theming at least makes sense; you're in a snapshot of a game, where some birds have just been catapulted, others are about to be, and so forth. It makes perfect sense to the story. Diagon Alley's dragon does not. Then there's all the shop fronts. They're shop fronts from shops in a back alley in London. Where's the excitement in that? The transportation to a whole new world? You can't get that here. It's basically just like walking down a part of London with shops you've never seen before (which isn't exactly difficult). Poor theming really; it's taken realism a step too far. There's other things as well. Harry Potter is an outdated IP. The last book was released 7 years ago. The last film 3 years ago. Even if it's still popular, and there's a spin off film series on the way, the main Harry Potter IP is outdated. It's got little more than nostalgia now. It's time to let go. Take away the nostalgia and all we have is a kid's story that finished many years ago, and whilst still memorable, should be left alone, instead of picked away until its dignity has gone away. Angry Birds is about to get its second wave of popularity. There's a major film to be released in 2016. Mobile gaming is still huge, and a new game could easily make it to the top in 24 hours. Now that's a popular and current IP for you. I think that's all I need to get my point across. Harry Potter is an outdated IP, and Diagon Alley is shaping up to be an overhyped dark ride that teaches bad moral values and a 4D experience which could go really well or really badly. Perhaps not the best family area. Angry Birds, however, is a current, popular, IP, with Angry Birds Land having a quality 4D experience and rides for everyone, which everyone will enjoy. It also teaches good moral values (don't steal, fight for what you believe in, yadda yadda yadda). If that's not quality, I don't know what is. So save your money. Avoid Diagon Alley. Save yourself the disappointment. Take a trip down to Thorpe Park and bask in the greatness that is Angry Birds Land, and smile to yourself that you're in a better place than some hocus pocus area set about robbing a bank. You deserve it.

I vaguely remember it being mentioned on here a while back about a destroyed-looking box atop of the Burger King in Amity looking like it could do with some TLC. Well... It's fixed! (Tried finding a photo of the old box for compariosn, but to no avail.) But yeah, nice to see I guess.

Carouselfie

Even if they don't limit it, at £500 a pass, I'd be surprised if many more than 1000 people could actually afford them!

Okay, I was really looking forward to this and it didn't disappoint. I really enjoy all the effects used; worked really well with the film and certainly felt like a complete experience. It was quite immersive at times at well; I bet younger children will really think they're apart of the film, which is really good too. Quick spoiler with my only complaint: But yeah, all in all, very good; certainly my favourite 4D cinema!

Fun dodgems. Decent speed, decent ride length, easy to control. Not much more you can ask for. Fortunately Fastrack (regardless of how pointless and stupid the idea is) wasn't affecting the queue length that much; it wasn't really noticeable. The batching area is a great idea and makes things so much easier. Would of course liked to have seen a bit more theming around it (or a bit more exciting theming at the very least), but we've got we've got I guess. Would love it if the music was louder, as it seemed a bit on the quiet side in my opinion. But yeah, overall, alright dodgems. Nothing that sets the world alight, but a fun addition to the park's line up.

Well, I've updated this... Board is looking nicer, and there's slightly different positioning on the board now (complete conversion list below ) So it's still a work-in-progress a year on, but it's certainly getting there. Character pieces and other Chance/Community Chest cards are coming soon!

From Twitter (how do I embed Tweets by the way?) Nice to seem Thorpe reminiscing! Now quick, everyone favourite it so it shows that people want a dark ride at Thorpe!

No doubt the unique nature of the attraction (free flow and choosing your own way) got a lot of attention within the scare industry. But yeah, scare attractions are very personal with how people react; what one person finds scary, others will find boring. I imagine the uniqueness played a huge role in how it won the award. I personally also found it the best last season, so it's really good to see it getting that recognition. Hear's hoping that they can sort out the problems with the latter half of the maze this season!

(From Thorpe's FB) Nice!

The Bantremist

I need need need need need need need need need need to go. It just looks phenomenal. And that's a massive understatement.

Let's remember the original costs of Summer Nights, £15 for AP holders, £18-20 for non-AP holders. Thorpe do respond to these things, and if it's shown that it's too expensive for people to want to do it, they'll possibly adjust prices.

In some cases, 1 carer is not enough to safely help a disabled person (especially in case of evacuation). I don't think there's any reason as to why one person would need 3 carers though. However, I don't see any harm in it. Remember, disabled guests are just that - guests! They also want to enjoy a day out with their family / friends, so having just 1 person with them is just unfair on them really - it could even be seen as penalising them for being disabled. I think 3 is a good number. 4 people in a group is probably quite average (especially if one of those guests is disabled). Also, it keeps rides filled up evenly. With coasters, they even have 2 or 4 people to a row. Sure, having only 1 carer means that's not an issue, but if you have 2, then it's unlikely that the remaining seat will be filled (especially as you couldn't put 2 disabled guests on the same ride), so by having a fourth person, it in fact make no difference on the throughput compared to three people (and, in 4 row coasters, no difference compared to two people). As for the idea of a Parent Swap, I don't particularly see how that's fair. I have limited knowledge of how it works, but I'm under the impression that if two adults and a child, say, visit, and the adults want to ride a big coaster that the child can't, then one adult queues, whilst the other adult and child are free to go round the park, then the adults can ride together? Or something similar at least? That's the parents' choice; they choose to split up so they can ride a ride they want, whilst being able to keep the child entertained. But why should a group of people have to split up because one of them is disabled? That's one thing I don't think you're seeing...what you've suggested involves splitting up the group for the sheer reason that one of them is disabled and so it doesn't affect throughputs as much. I think it's down to the guest's own choice. With someone who can't walk, or who needs assistance walking, there's a list of rides that they're usually not recommend to go on (due to evacuation procedures). I've seen some people ignore these and ride anyway, whilst I've seen other guests be stopped from riding. I guess it depends on the staff who are on the ride as well. With other rides, where the evacuation procedures are less complicated, some disabled guests are still required to have at least 2 carers if they can't walk unaided, for example. There certainly won't be enough disabled guests to fill every back row of Inferno, back car of Colossus, etc. It's very rare at Thorpe that those rows are continuously closed off. However, when disabled guests arrive, they are of course blocked off to minimise the queueing time for disabled guests. Things like that are more a problem at Chessington I've found, due to the broader appeal (and lower throughputs) of their major coasters. However, something like that is, unfortunately, going to be unavoidable.

Ironic, since this time, you actually have... Anyways, BansterDude, go ride Banesis, your favourite ride!

You've listed your favourite theme park as Banton Towers.

From Thorpe's Facebook: So it's opening this weekend then!

It's a difficult one. A balance has to be reached between making it easy for those who have a right to the disabled pass to get hold of one, but difficult enough that not everyone qualifies for the system / people can't make up an excuse. At the same time, you don't want the parks to discriminate against guests or be overly obtuse about it all. As it stands, the system is quite good. The criteria for who qualifies for the band is fair, and the way it is used is also a fair. As Marc says, a lot, lot better than the system a few years back too. Unfortunately, some people do try to abuse the system, and it is difficult for it be detected. The particular case is probably quite rare, and it's good they've been able to crack down on this. I certainly don't think this should lead to any changes in the disabled system either. I always find it interesting when people with these sorts of injuries go to theme parks anyways (real or faked). Last year, when I broke my ankle, people were suggesting I should go and make use of the disabled system (or even after when it was still healing). In my opinion, if you're normally a fit and well person and you suffer an injury that stops you from standing in queue lines at theme parks for long times, then perhaps you shouldn't be going to theme parks at all...

This. Looks. Incredible.

Don't Look Down, your favourite ride is Obanvion!

The trouble with increasing prices in my mind is that it could well create a very distinct divide between the 'haves' and 'have nots'. Yes, you want to create a premium service, but I think a balance has to be created. Make it too expensive, and you alienate too many people. Make it too affordable, however, and too many people want it. I'm all for raising prices of Fastrack, but I wouldn't want to see prices ridiculously sky-high.

LeBangeHalil_

The closest theme park to you is Adventure Islband.