JoshC.

If anything happens, don't expect changes to the ride system. The standard winter maintenance on the ride has already commenced, which means that the ride system will return.
 
I am under the impression that the Derren IP was originally 6 years long, which would mean it would expire this year. There were some unknowns there, with the ride having opened late in 2016, and not opening at all in 2020. But I imagine its in both parties interests to just wrap things up with it and move on. 
 
The thing with Ghost Train is it would be very easy to remove Derren from it. Replace the pre show and edit his voice out of the start / end of the VR. Stick a different video in the finale, if they even keep that, and boom, done. Just drop the 'Derren Brown's' part of the name. Very easy, very cheap.
 
Given the state of the VR headsets and the general mess they are though, it would make sense for them to attempt to do more. New VR. The long-suggested have screens in the windows instead. Have it as a completely actor led experience, turning it into a more Dungeons-esque experience. There's lots of more costly options there if they choose to do anything substantial to it.

Except people weren't saying that. 
 
With Fish, the ride went into storage, with an intention to possibly sell it. The plan then changed and the park reintroduced it, with a new train. Being in storage, the ride was protected from the elements and well looked after. This is very different to Rocky, which has been effectively abandoned for a year now.
 
Rocky Express is not returning. 

https://twitter.com/J_Silkstone/status/1591891248180527104
 
Using this as its the first one I found and others are on facebook groups that may link
 
Due to Exodus construction requiring the train shed to be demolished, the Canada Creek Stock and the last remaining Treasure island loco on site (the other loco  and coaches left to other lines years ago)
 
The Canada creek locos I have heard are heading up to a line in Scotland, probably needing a  bit of work by Severn Lamb (the manufacturer who also made the ride vehicles for DBGT), though even the one that had a fire put in its cab and put on its side is still in good nick, the design of those locos used a diesel engine and hydraulic pump in the tender with only a hydraulic motor in the loco that they themed for fright nights
 
The Treasure Island loco has been sold as well but is first retuning to its manufacture Alan Keef for a full overhaul before moving on
 
so even though some posts said wrongly, they are not being scrapped

Except people weren't saying that. 
 
With Fish, the ride went into storage, with an intention to possibly sell it. The plan then changed and the park reintroduced it, with a new train. Being in storage, the ride was protected from the elements and well looked after. This is very different to Rocky, which has been effectively abandoned for a year now.
 
Rocky Express is not returning. 

It still feels mental seeing this at Chessington. B&M track. At Chessington. 
 
Like wake me up I must be having a fever dream, right?

Only very likely eh?
 
Still a chance then 😉

It's just not going to happen.
 
Thorpe Park have always had history with Flying Fish - considering it was their very first rollercoaster investment, it makes perfect sense that it should be preserved for as long as possible. Rocky Express is just a generic Mack flat ride that - yes, has been around for a long time - but was never a significant investment to the park, and therefore I can't imagine anyone from the management team really caring about its fate.
 
The area by Wet Wet Wet would benefit much better from a new permanent stage setup than it would a relocation of Rocky Express, especially considering the park's intentions to keep Mardi Gras, Carnival, Oktoberfest and Fright Nights as their staple event lineup. More events means more entertainment, and at the moment the park is seriously lacking a permanent stage setup and the best place for that stage at the moment is looking to be the old Wet Wet Wet location.
 
Alternatively, unlike its other flatride partners from Old Town, Rocky Express requires a hell of a lot more operational headache to move than its counterparts Lumber Jump and Timber Tug Boat. For a start the ride is embedded in the ground unlike the other two which can just be picked up and moved. Additionally, the other two rides are essentially just one unit which makes them super easy to just pick up and relocate. Rocky Express would need to be totally dismantled into multiple different parts, relocated elsewhere, have another hole dug in the ground, rebuilt inside of the hole, add new theming etc. It just doesn't make logistical and financial sense to move it, when they can just get another brand new flat ride and install it elsewhere in the park for significantly less money.
 
More logisitical headaches moving the ride means more people that Thorpe would need to employ to get the ride moved, which brings the cost of the ride relocation up even more.
 
It's not happening. Rocky Express is dead and buried, and will very likely be demolished within the upcoming weeks/months.

Genuinely wouldn't surprise me if they put something in the end of season/here's to 2023 video to be honest, where the people who created the promo can then speculate about what it means even though they know already.

You joke, but the toilets by Slammer definitely need refurbishment! All other toilets on park have seen upgrades in the past few years (Swarm aside, but they're new and seemingly hardly ever used), so the Old Town ones could certainly do with a refresh. Especially since 2024 the area will be much busier. So certainly wouldn't mind seeing them upgraded next year..
 
Thorpe had posters on park stating their intention to have Mardi Gras, Carnival, Oktoberfest and Fright Nights as their core event line up. So it doesn't feel like there will be any new events. 
 
Given the park's continued focus, growth and success with events, it would be good to have a permanent stage area with seating set up. This allows the park's event line up to grow in quality too. The Wet Wet Wet / beach site is an obvious location. The Saw Alive pathway could work too, albeit with more work (and more expensive work at that). 
 
2023 really could do with a new ride. The last time a 'new' ride was added to the park was 2017, and that was in the form of Timber Tug and Lumber Jump. The last time a new 'ride experience' was added was 2018, with Walking Dead The Ride. In the years since, we've had events and a maze. And yes, we've got Exodus coming in 2024 (or 2025...). But the park needs something new and fresh, and just generally extra support. I don't expect it to happen, but that's what I want to happen.
 
2023 also has a big question: What do you do with Derren Brown's Ghost Train? As I understand it, the IP contract is either up, or in its final year. In terms of upkeep and technology, it feels like it's falling apart...in the case of the headsets, completely so. They could easily keep the experience the same and drop Derren from it (effectively just record a new pre show with some crazy psychology professor, and call it Professor FakeName's Ghost Train). They could drop the VR and go for in-train screens possibly, but that would be expensive. They could rip it out and put something new in. But those options get exponentially more expensive. 
Whatever happens, one thing I know for certain: if Ghost Train continues to run and operate the way it did towards the latter half of this season, it would be shambolic in my opinion.
 
In any case, here's what I think we might see happen:
-Some progress towards a permanent, custom-made event space
-Drawn out Exodus teasers
-New Fright Nights maze to replace Creek Freak
-Possible new toilets
-Generic minor improvements across the park

I'm back again! A new Merlin consultation can only mean one thing... a new version of the attendance graph updated with 2021 attendance! Here is the new graph for your viewing pleasure:

I've had a play about with the new graph, and I've managed to extrapolate some figures!
 
I should firstly note that I have restated a few of the previous figures following closer examination of this new graph. I apologise for my earlier error; the mistakes have been rectified in my opening post.
 
The most notable thing I discovered are the 2021 figures for each Merlin park, as well as some seemingly altered 2020 figures and the 2022 figure for Chessington.
Final 2020 Figures
Alton Towers - 968,750 (-61.3%) Legoland Windsor - 687,500 (-66.7%) Thorpe Park - 562,500 (-62.5%) Chessington - 500,000 (-69.8%) 2021 Figures
Alton Towers - 2,343,750 (+141.9%) Legoland Windsor - 1,562,500 (+127.3%) Chessington - 1,281,250 (+156.3%) Thorpe Park - 1,218,750 (+116.7%) Interestingly, Chessington also had a 2022 figure given. In 2022, the park received 1,468,750 guests, a change of +14.6% on 2021.
 
Now we have this information, we can work out... which park recovered the best from COVID in 2021?
 
There are multiple metrics by which we can establish this.
 
The first potential metric to use is the percentage increases in attendance that each park registered in 2021...
Percentage Increases
Chessington - +156.3% (1,281,250 in 2021 vs 500,000 in 2020) Alton Towers - +141.9% (2,343,750 in 2021 vs 968,750 in 2020) Legoland Windsor - +127.3% (1,562,500 in 2021 vs 687,500 in 2020) Thorpe Park - +116.7% (1,218,750 in 2021 vs 562,500 in 2020) This metric would suggest that Chessington had the strongest recovery while Thorpe Park had the weakest recovery. However, this is not a perfect metric. This is because the parks' attendance decreased by marginally different amounts in 2020; while all parks were under the same COVID restrictions, some parks were affected more than others. For instance, Chessington's percentage decrease in 2020 was nearly 70%, while Alton Towers' was barely above 60%. This is important because if a park is coming from a more diminished base compared to 2020 in the first place, then its percentage increase is bound to be higher.
 
A more reliable metric to use is the net percentage decrease from 2019 to 2021...
Net Percentage Decreases Between 2019 and 2021
Alton Towers - -6.3% (2,343,750 in 2021 vs 2,500,000 in 2019) Thorpe Park - -18.8% (1,218,750 in 2021 vs 1,500,000 in 2019) Chessington - -22.6% (1,281,250 in 2021 vs 1,656,250 in 2019) Legoland Windsor - -24.2% (1,562,500 in 2021 vs 2,062,500 in 2019) This metric would suggest that Alton Towers had by far the strongest recovery in 2021, while Legoland Windsor had the weakest. Alton Towers' recovery in 2021 was miles stronger than that of all the other parks; Alton's 2021 attendance was only 6% lower than its 2019 attendance, while Thorpe Park's was close to 20% lower, Chessington's was over 20% lower, and Legoland's was nearly 25% lower. Why this could be is anyone's guess... I'm certainly stumped by it, as every park was hit by the same COVID restrictions in 2021.
 
It should be noted that 2021 was still not an entirely COVID-free season, however, as the parks opened nearly a month late and attendance was still somewhat capped until July. With this in mind, 2022 attendance, when it is available for all parks, may be a better indicator... for what it's worth, Chessington's 2022 attendance remains approximately 11.3% lower than its 2019 attendance, so even in 2022, it has not recovered as strongly as Alton Towers managed to in 2021.
 
Finally, I should remind you that all of this data is viewable in a Google Sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T3bmW5I9gyq6AgqogFJ6xSppi8vRw-y2SWoRZPpfdzg/edit?usp=sharing
 
I hope you find this interesting! I know I certainly found it interesting to compile... I'll hopefully see you again some time soon when the 2022 attendance is made available for all parks!

Chessington Buzz update
 
Now going full steam ahead. It looks so beautiful to me. 😍

I think I've said this before.. but the point still very much stands..
Runaway Mine Train is genuinely terrifying.
WTF is with that wild downward right turn in to the tunnel? 🤯

Rita is a decent coaster, fits in well at the park and has its place. Compared to modern launch coasters / coasters with launches, it hasn't stood the test of time, but it's still good in its own right.
 
Despite needing some TLC, I really rated Duel in its current incarnation.
 
Whilst I fully understand and get the hype surrounding Nemesis' send off, I was very non-plussed by the whole thing, and (despite it being my favourite UK coaster and my #1 for a long time) I have no strong emotions about its current closure.

Tidal Wave and storm surge have water treatment plants, Rumba and Loggers dont
 
Its a situation with a grandfathers rights clause
 
and Loggers physically couldn't had water treatment fitted due to the nature of water splash entering the lake
 
loggers was worn out and needed alot of work which is why the death knell took so long to be rung 

Storm Surge was a good investment for the park.

Coming up with some cracking posts the last couple of weeks Benin, even by your high standards. Keep it up

My Fright Night Review 2022
 
I went to Thorpe Park over a 3-day period to fully experience Fright Nights, I purchased the Fearsome Four package, but have a Merlin Platinum Pass so do not have to pay for admission. 
 
Day 1: Saturday 22nd October.
The park was fully sold out and only available for pre-bookers this day, and you could see it throughout the park. We arrived at the park for around midday and stayed all the way through till 9. Fortunately, I was with a friend who held a RAP, allowing us to skip most the 2–3 hour queues. We got on all the major roller coasters except from Colossus. In the dark we did: Stealth, Tidal Wave and Swarm. We also saw the Graduation Sucks! show and experienced Deaths Doors.
 
Day 2: Sunday 23rd October.
For the remaining 2 days, I didn't have access to a RAP. Luckily the queues were not too bad, but the weather was the opposite. We ended up leaving the resort at about 3pm when all the rides closed due to thunder and lightning. We still managed to get on a few of the biggies and TWD. 
 
Day 3: Monday 24th October.
On Monday we focused on doing the Fright Nights attractions, getting there for park opening and staying all the way through till 9pm. First, we did Trailers at about 3:30, it was a good maze, similar to last year's Trailers, but with a few more actors inside. We went on to do Creek Freak next, it is very similar to last year's maze, but with the adaption of the new Project Exodus into the script, and as usual I loved the chainsaw run at the end. We went on to do the new scare experience, The Terminal. This was a fully immersive experience, with noise cancelling headphones playing surround sound audio in pitch black, I think they could of slightly improved it by adding more live actors or effects. Finally, at around 6:30pm, we did Survival Games. The new extremely intensive scare maze did not disappoint, with live actors grabbing you and running at you, this was by far my favourite. After we had done all the paid mazes, we went on to go through some of the scare zones. The Crows of Mawkin Meadow was probably one of the better scare zones featuring a few live actors and lots of scares. 
 
Altogether my visit was extremely enjoyable and worth the journey up.

Bye Bye Apocalypse.
 

Off to Towers it goes.

Give me some of your most controversial Thorpe Park opinions.
I'll go first...
Logger's Leap was a mediocre log flume and the only reason why people miss it is because they're afraid of change.

Storm Surge was a good investment for the park.

Massive shake up time for my top 10’s
 
Coasters:
1/ Steel Vengeance 
2/ Veloci-coaster (IOA)
3/ Zadra
4/ Mako
5/ Iron Gwazi
6/ Taron 
7/ Oziris 
8/ Hyperion 
9/ Nemesis 
10/ Wodan
 
Dark Rides:
1/ Tower Of Terror (WDW HS)
2/ Rise Of The Resistance (WDW HS)
3/ Forbidden Journey 
4/ Symbolica 
5/ Amazing Adventures Of Spiderman 
6/ Pirates Of The Caribbean (DLRP)
7/ Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway 
8/ Avatar Flight Of Passage 
9/ Fata Morgana (Efteling)
10/ Dinosaur 
 
Water Rides:
1/ Chiapas 
2/ Popeye IOA 
3/ Splash Mountain 
4/ JP River Adventure 
5/ River Quest
6/ De Vlieglande Hollander
7/ Fjord Rafting 
8/ Tidal Wave
9/ Kali River Rapids
10/ Journey To Atlantis 
 
Parks:
1/ Europa Park
2/ Universal Orlando 
3/ Cedar Point
4/ Animal Kingdom
5/ Phantasialand 
6/ Energylandia 
7/ Hollywood Studios 
8/ Epcot
9/ Efteling 
10/ Alton Towers 
 
 
 

I was certain post of the year was mine too. 😔