JoshC.

Ah, one final thing I don't think haa been made clear... You can only virtually queue for 1 ride at a time. So, you can't have one ride reserved at 1pm, and another at half 1 for example. Thus, you can't possibly miss a reservation due to another reservation. The virtual queues are like real queues in the sense you can only be in one ay a time, and it's only when you finish with one queue can you join another.

Nope, didn't have to show my AP at any time! Surprisingly, people were still buying Fastrack. Granted, it wasn't as busy as I'd expect on a day like this, but people were still using it regularly. One thing I could see happening is, if we were to see this on the big 5 coasters, then maybe the other rides would see an increase in their Fastrack price to compensate?

I rode Swarm 4 times today, so can answer this for you. The first 2 times, as soon as I was out of the queue, I rejoined the virtual queue, resetting the timing. It's just like how you'd join a real queue again basically.

Ah, one other thing I didn't mention... There doesn't seem to be an expiration time on the QR codes. More confusingly, even after you've used your code, it still stays, saying your time to ride is now. In fact, checking my phone now, I still have the code from riding Swarm backwards I had at 1 today, saying I can ride Swarm backwards now. I doubt if you can re-use codes, and I guess it sorts it self out when you make your next reservation, but just something I noticed. I'm glad to hear this would just be used on major rides as well!

Okay, I was on park today, and tried out Reserve n Ride, of course. First thing first. Today was busy, and I mean extremely busy. The car park was on the grass and pretty much at the fence. I was on park from opening (9:30am) till just after 1. I got on Swarm 4 times today - twice each way. So, in the respect of a ride count, the system does wonders; no way would I have done 4 rides on Swarm in that period of time, along with 6 other rides, on a day like today. The way the system works, using a mobile, is very simple. You go on the site, and it shows the available rides (Swarm forwards and backwards), and what time you can ride them. You simple choose a ride, and the timer then comes up. An example... (I booked this at about 9:25am for reference). Once the timer hits 0, you are told you can ride... (Sorry for the change in time; was trying to keep it altogether but forgot ). You then simply hit a button and are given a QR code, which is scanned by staff at the main ride entrance. Said code. After that, you have a very short wait, in theory, and then your on. Staff were handing out leaflets before the park opened, people on the bridge and dome were handing them out too. It was effective tbh. As you make the turning into Swarm's island, there's a tent where you can collect paper reservations, loads of staff with leaflets, and a couple of barriers (red ones like you see in banks and places, not the metal ones), which creates a ton of congestion in the area. Most people were a bit clueless as to what was going on in the morning, and it created a huge bottleneck in the area. These aren't the greatest pictures, but it shows just how busy it was. Most of these people weren't 'getting through' either... Before getting through. After getting through. You can see the tent and the barrier-things I was on about in this photo. Even when you arrive at the main entrance, people didn't get you had to reserve a ticket. People were arriving ages before their slot. It was just manic. However, we got through and were in the queue. Once through, there was barely a 5 minute wait (with one main problem being the good old bag drop...). As per usual, people didn't seem to realise how to get on the left hand side, so were clogging up the right side, leaving the left side empty pretty much. Woo. We got a second reservation done and were on again around twenty past 10. From the time we got off Swarm to the time we were back on the island, we had done X 3 times and Flying Fish. Decent. There was still congestion and confusion around now, but a bit less than before. On our second go, where we reserved forwards once again, we headed to the left hand side, which was once again empty. There was 4 other people on our side, and no one was queueing for backwards. So rather than leave backwards empty, we asked if we could go in one of the backwards rows and were allowed. All this, and yet the right side was packed out. Needed some sorting that did. On a more positive note, the trains were flying out! Anyway, we decided to try our luck once again and reserved for a 3rd time, this time going backwards. We arrived at our time slot and low and behold... A queue. At least an hour going backwards, and probably a good 40-50 minutes at least going forwards. Oops. I later found out from a member of staff that the system had crashed which led to these problems. To be fair, it's a trial system and there's going to be teething issues. We were pretty much the last people to get in actually. So the queue fizzled away, and once we made it to the end of the queue before the station, we said we'd just go forwards, as there was still a good 10 minutes in the station. By the time we were off, the system seemed to be back on and all was well. We used the system once more later on, for backwards, and it worked fine and dandy. All in all, I think the system needs a lot more publicising before it can be judged properly. However, I'm wary as to it being successful - it relies on guests being time-efficient, guests understanding the system, the system working and such. I think it could work on one or two rides, but as has been discussed, I think it's a step too far to see it on all rides, at least now. However, it's great to see the park trying new things and aiming to improve guest experience. I'll finish on this quote, from the leaflet the park were giving out (scanner is on the blink, so can't scan it at the mo): They seem quite confident then.

Her name is Candy Holland. But this 'Kandy' seems to be about 4 or 5 guys who take over Twitter. I thought they were a band or something, but really don't know!

Thorpe are at least 12 or 13 inversions behind SFMM. Realistically, Thorpe would have to add another 2 multi-looping coasters - and hope SFMM and none - to take the record away. In a park the size of Thorpe, 3 coasters which have a main focus on inversions is a bit of an overkill to say the least.

But what's the point in Fastrack now? Why would you PAY TO QUEUE for a ride when you can freely book a ticket, join a virtual queue and do other rides, then go back to the ride at a set time and get on with, apparently, no queue whatsoever? Colour me confused now.

Only the second wing-over drop to twist counter-clockwise (Swarm being the first). Nice to see. It does look a lot better than the birds-eye view made it out to be. Should be very interesting to see how it turns out...

Okay, just so I get what this actually means... So, they get rid of the general queue and the Fastrack queue. Instead, you sign up for a time slot (I assume it'll be a 20 or 30 minute one?) and then just go along then and ride (and presumably there's a chance you experience a small queue)? This means there no 'queue' whatsoever. Seems all well and good in theory. However, in practice, I'm not so sure. Say you 'book' your ticket for 1pm, and then you're stuck in a queue for another ride at that time (due to the queue board being wrong / a breakdown / whatever). Then what? Surely there's potential for Swarm to become 'fully booked' if you will. If that happens, it would seem strange to say 'Sorry, you can't ride Swarm today as it's fully booked', especially after entering the park. I don't quite know what the queueing systems are like at DLP, so is this in any way similar to that? Then what happens if you spread this park-wide? Would you have to turn your day out at a theme park into a timetable, saying you're going to do 'Ride 1 between 10am and 10:30am', 'Ride 2 between 10:30am and 11am', etc.? Also, whilst your day may become queue free, what are you going to do whilst waiting for your time slot to come about? Not really a lot you can do. Obviously a lot of thought has gone into this, and the fact that they're trialling on the new and shiny Swarm means they must have faith in it. However, I remain a tad sceptical and pessimistic for the time being, and personally don't think it could be spread park-wide (though may work on just having it for 1 or 2 rides). Only time will tell I guess...

I never really understood the 'cookie cutter' criticism of B&Ms before. Then wingriders became popular...

Not sure if it's been posted, but the full lineup is now online... http://www.chessington.com/plan-your-trip/halloween-hocus-pocus.aspx

I doubt that the new logo is giving us any clues as to what the new mazes / attractions will be - the logo did need a change after all - but I do think, especially with the logo, they have taken some inspiration from other popular horror-related things, even if they aren't to be connected in any way.

Anyone else felt like they took inspiration from the Psycho logo... As for the new logo, I do like it, but I can't help but prefer the older logo (though I guess that could be down to being used to the old one). The new logo makes me think more of a slasher horror film, whereas the other one made me think more of a climatic horror film; though I somewhat doubt that will reflect in the style of mazes we see this year. I expect we'll see more teasers / a full reveal this week. Two FB statuses in two days followed by a couple of weeks of nothing would be peculiar social media-ing. Can't wait to see what is up their sleeves!

There is, apparently, ERT for guests who stay at The Crash Pad. However, there is no ERT for Annual Pass holders or guests who book in advance. Sometimes the park will open up early though.

The Swarm. a or x?

I feel like I recognise it from somewhere (a film or something), but not sure what!

I think it's 14 and over for all the mazes, and anyone for the scare zone. However, life with FN mazes, it's just a recommended age and anyway can enter if they so wish.

I too will hopefully be taking part! My music knowledge ain't that good really, and I'll be a lot busier in September (which I guess is when this'll take place?), but I'll try and take part as often as possible; should be a good laugh!

Well, we more or less know that there's more than one new maze this year. So, I'm more expecting that to relate to a park-wide theme for FN as opposed to a specific maze. Unless they're going to have individual clues for the new mazes? Official announcements usually come end of summer / beginning of September (last year, The Passing didn't come about till mid-September?). However, they seem to be upping their game this season for FN, so I'd expect / hope they'd start advertising early.

Peach from Finding Nemo (the starfish). Y'know, because you're a star(-shaped person) James.

To be honest, I doubt Chessington were involved with this in any way. All the sections on the parks had phrases which felt lifted from press releases, and there was a couple of things wrong (Wild Asia was called Wild Africa for example). For the past couple of weeks, Daybreak have had little slots on things to do over the summer and stuff, and today just seemed to be the turn of theme parks. So, I expect it is Daybreak who are at fault, but the park will suffer the consequences from angry guests (even though it is a nice little bit of advertising for the park!)

In 2011, I think the 'preview day' just more ending up being a day where AP holders didn't have to pay the extra £5 to get in (but I think that you had to book in advance instead). I can't remember how it worked in 2010, but I remember it being very quiet. I'd expect it to be the same this time around, as it works well. I guess there's a chance it could change though.

Previous events were held on the first Thursday before Fright Nights (so it's quieter, and gives the park a chance to iron things out). I'd expect it to be the same, so probably the 3rd October.

All very good news! Having just the mazes open for the last hour (with maybe a couple of rides is necessary) is actually a really good idea, and would help add to the overall atmosphere I think. I wonder if this means mazes will open at 4pm again? More dates and the return of the 'preview day' for AP holders is just fantastic. Fright Nights well and truly is, rightly so, the pinnacle of the park's year, so the park should do as much for it as possible, which seems to be the case. Whilst I won't be able to take advantage of any of those extras, it does mean when I do visit - solely for the mazes - that there would have been more time for the mazes to develop and such, which will be good! And now the wait to see this year's line up!