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RobF

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Posts posted by RobF

  2. Vampire

    in Chessington World of Adventures

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Jack29 said:

    Does Vampire only operate 2x trains as the norm these days? I visited for the first time in years the other day and couldn't work out why with such a long queue. Years ago the spare train(s) would be parked up in the tunnel however the third was nowhere to be seen. 

    The third train was used for parts, many reasons lead to this, but 3 train vampire is no more.

  8. Tulley's Shocktober Fest Scream Park

    in UK Attractions

    Posted

    On 11/23/2022 at 12:03 PM, MattyMoo said:

    Prices confirmed for next year....

     

    316186073_460647082806236_5647138640251528173_n.jpg.3bd9e000c04c4ce16f2ce1d37dfda08d.jpg

     

    I'll still be getting a RIP Bundle because I do still think that represents value for money for us, with the food, drink and merch tokens - the main issue here is, I despise 98% of the general public who have a habit of ruining a run-through 🙃

    It would have been cheaper to buy it whilst at the event for next year though, bounce backs are the cheapest ticket option every year 

  10. Alton Towers Controversial Opinions

    in Alton Towers

    Posted

    On 11/17/2022 at 8:41 AM, Inferno said:

    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? 🤯

    RMT should have been a proper full size mine train coaster and not a mack powered coaster

  12. Colossus

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, JoshC. said:

    As I understand it, a few pieces of track are being removed, with some being totally replaced, and some being refurbished. The refurbished track will be repainted too. This is not a full retrack.

     

    Given the location of the pieces removed, it makes sense too. There's long been talk of 'sinking' of Colossus, and the inlines are particularly prone to that given the location and the fact they had to fill in the land around that and the vertical loop. Would mean that the track is put under extra stress, strain and reaches the end of its usable life quicker.

     

    I believe that there is additional recognition that more pieces of track will need such work in the future too, so expect this to be a common occurrence for the next couple of closed seasons at least. 

     

    Don't expect a full track repaint yet. Hopefully when the powers that be see how vibrant new track is and how bad the patchwork job will loo, they can green light that though.

     

    Good to see this is being done, and puts to bed any rumours of Colossus being removed any time soon. 

     

    I haven't ridden Colossus in a long time, but the inlines were never a problem for me when I did ride them. In fact, they were the least rough parts of the ride. What's it like these days?

    Whilst this helps extend the lifespan of the ride, I wonder if this will make any actual improvements to the ride experience?

     Could the sinking be an issue placing the track under extra stress as the train runs through , ultimately leading to cracking of the steel 

  16. Thorpe Park 2022

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    18 hours ago, JoshC. said:

     

    Loggers Leap closed because it required a lot of work, and the park didn't have the engineering budget at the time to carry out said work. The longer it was left, the more expensive it became to get it back up to standard (and, naturally, the more problems which arose).

     

    It is true that the water came from the lake, and this is fine and didn't break any H&S rules, and the ride still could have run today had the park wished for it to. 

     

    The issue with sterilising / cleaning / treating water is that that water cannot go back into the lake. This would mean it would have to be a closed water system. That would be extremely difficult to do with Loggers given its location and the fact it went round the lake.

     

    As I say, Loggers could have still run today if the park put the money in, but it's not related to filtering the water.

     
     

    its true the structure required a lot of work along with modern evac platforms around the entire route, but once Thorpe closed it for so long they couldn't re-open it based on cost and the water ride water rules, if it hadn't closed it would have been fine but to reopen ot build a replacement water ride on the site needs a closed water system in place that is treated. Its not practical with the area for the water not to contaminate the lakes, the water from both lifts drain to the lakes, the water is pumped from the lakes etc

  18. Tulley's Shocktober Fest Scream Park

    in UK Attractions

    Posted

    11 hours ago, MattyMoo said:

    So - my annual trip to Tulleys was last night! Have never done a Sunday before. We always purchase the VIP "RIP" bundle in advance - with fees that worked out at £97 per ticket, and included a £15 merch token and a £10 food voucher according to the website - but in true Tulleys fashion, you actually got a £20 merch token, a £10 food voucher and a £5 drinks token - so that was nice! In case you don't know, the VIP RIP ticket entitles you to unlimited fast-track all night - which, with the new maze entry system where even the paupers with a standard ticket ;) can now go through mazes multiples times (provided they queue obvs), becomes even more worthwhile.

     

    Quick and efficient entry to the park as per - they now have bag searches in the queue, and I also got patted down upon entry too - must look dodgy innit! :D

     

    We got into the park at 5.20pm, with haunts due to open at 5.30pm. So lets crack on with my reviews and number of run throughs I had...

     

    COVEN OF 13: X3

    Normally my favourite maze this one. A few changes this year though - there's a smokey walk to the swamp scene and then after that there's another - pointless - walk without actors that doesn't really do anything in a corridoor. Our first run through was awful, but really because of the group in front taking photos mid-way through the swamp a number of times - despite literally being told not to use phones mere minutes before in the announcements. Also being slow as hell just meant everyone got bunched up and that kills it for that maze. Early in the evening the haze in the swamp was lacking, but this did rectify itself as the night went on. There definitely seems to be less of an outside section from what I could tell and the scares in the outside areas were not forthcoming (had some iconic moments before in the outside sections being stared out blocking the narrow paths). Great actress with a knife in the house section, and I still love the heat room bit! Had a run through effectively by myself at the end of the evening which rectified the wrong-doings of the previous 2 runs with Coven being it's former awesome self. Shout out to the witches in the swamp for now getting up and in your face, crawling on the side walls and such, really cool... and during the heat room section, I was surrounded by no fewer than 5 witches ❤️ Just a shame that this maze suffers badly when you are with a slow group or a big batch. Coven had by far the biggest queues all night - which is a little odd to me when you have newer additions. Maybe people just love that swamp still? :D And can I re-iterate - having an awful run through is EXACLY why "one shot" paid mazes should not be an £8+ price point... I knew that I could at least give Coven another chance or two throughout the evening vs. "Oh well, some numpty in front completely ruined it for me and that's £10 down the drain"

    7.5/10 (on the solo runthrough - if we'd had just the first runthrough, would be 3/10)

     

    CREEPY COTTAGE: X3

    This was actually our first maze of the night - tradition innit. Some cracking scares on the first run through - always feel the actors have to work harder on this maze. Do have a soft spot for Cottage, however, the end section (with the drapes) should go back to the white fabric from last year in my humblest of opinion - more spooky and fitting, the blue just was a bit odd and that area looked tired. Good fun, but actors seemed sparse late in the evening on this one. Wouldn't like to see Cottage go, but would be nice to have a bit of investment I think. One run was over SUPER quickly in particular. Shout out on this one to the actress with the crucifix on her head who was the perfect mix of creepy and quirky, appearing from nowhere and politely pointing me away when I accidentally ended up in actor run (I know, after ALL THESE YEARS, the shame on me!) Love the "Ring" style actress continually getting up on the ledges in one of the corridor, always looks class when you see that shadow looming at you in the distance! Loved the "there she is!" from one actress when she appeared too :D 

    6/10

     

    THE CELLLAR: X4

    This was consistent during the night - I know it's basic AF, but I love that snake still, iconic. The strobe/mesh maze at the end was and still is a good addition, with some good scares as always with numerous actresses ganging up on us. On more than one occasion, an actress on one of the bunkbeds got me completely unawares due to how dark it was - one point I was literally looking where she was and couldn't see a thing, only for her to jump out at me into my face! Just a solid maze this really.

    7/10

     

    WASTELANDS: X2

    This was pretty actor heavy but found the first runthrough suffered due to slow groups in front, meaning you end up as a conga line which just ruins it unfortunately Still an amazing area, and a very big, imposing and consistent maze. Like the "air gun" at the end being fired by an inmate, that makes a real nice change to a chainsaw. Had a go essentially by myself at 11.28pm which rectified the bad run through earlier in the night, got well and truly put upon in the centre of the jail.

    7.5/10 (thanks to second solo run - 5/10 based on first run)

     

    ELECTRICK CIRCUS: X3

    Always liked the Twisted Clowns - not the glasses so much - but it was in need of a refresh, and my god has it got one. Still keeping the fun, silly, scares of before, but now with animatronics, and some true "is that or isn't that a person" moments - particular highlight was the actor with the mask (a la the dolls in Trailers) - spooky as hell. Just really mixes the evening up a bit this maze, something very different, quite intense at times - love the see through actor runs so they can see you coming even whilst waiting in the pre-maze announcement. Great refresh, and an ummmm interesting photo opportunity at the end! That trommel tunnel properly gets me queasy too, bleugh! :D 

    8/10

     

    HELLEMENTS: X1

    Be wrong not to give this a go, but nothing really has changed. Chainsaw finale that makes no real sense. Kudos to the actor right at the start hearing me saying "We're descending to hell" and then holding down the rope meaning I ended up crawling along. Other than that - can't really say much on it at all. Hooded mazes aren't scary to me and I think the hoods should go and then do the whole fire & ice malarky "in real life"

    2/10 

     

    CHOP SHOP: X3

    I'm saying it - Chop Shop needs change. Whilst of course you are going to dodge a chainsaw (again - must point out an actress here remembering me from a previous run and then cornering me so I couldn't escape "I remember youuuuuu!" great stuff) - it needs more. Maybe make it multi-route (Hey, bad wood/good wood works for Creek!) I'm not sure what other than freeflow/multi route but it can become processional and if there's an actor deficit, the ending can be weak - in fact, whilst I remember - we found most endings quite weak last night to be fair (even Doom Town - review next). Some great interactions with actors though in the first section "Do you like my dress, it's pretty ain't it, like you" - and then asking "you in a rush to get somewhere boy, you're moving real fast" - yes m80, I want another run on Coven innit!

    5/10

     

    HAUNTED HAYRIDE: X1

    This ride is pure Tulleys. Simple, well executed, consistent, funny, tongue in cheek. It just works. Some new scenes/characters for this year, plus some classics too. Good moment where the hillbilly girl (the brother and sister: "Me and my brother are like cheese and ham... we're In Bread" - asked about my mate's pistol, and I said he's firing blanks - and she said - holding back the laughs - "that's what I was about to say about my brother" 😁 Sorry for ruining the gag, didn't mean to!

    8/10

     

    THE ISLAND: X1

    Fair play to Joshua on here for calling me out on our run, that caught me by surprise - well done for getting Thorpe Park Mania in amongst your noises and chatterings, ha! The starting scenes here were good with a number of actors (except that expanse of mud with nothing in it, wtf?) - but this is maze is loooong. I still think it has a lot of potential, and other than Joshua - the two female actors in the room with the wooden blocks in that they stand on (for want of a better description) were great, blocking us off and swiping at us, and splitting up a group. The ship section is just dead and don't know why they don't do... something with it? It definitely wanes in the middle a bit. There wasn't the pointless chainsaw ending as far as I recall which is probably a good thing because I don't know how that fits in anyway :D Maybe next year I'll have a banger of a run on this - I just think it's too long and too much of a time-eater vs. the payoff.

    4.5/10

     

    DOOM TOWN: X5

    Ok, Ok, Ok - let's just cut straight to the chase here. This is brilliant. Nearly perfect. So much so, it makes everything else look so inferior. Take a bow Tulleys for creating this, because it's absolutely superb. It's got real life road that runs through (from the outside entrance), complete with traffic lights and road signs - and it's genius how you end up criss-crossing this to go in and out of shops and whatnot - through the central area, and you'd be forgiven for thinking it's free flow, but due to well hidden and cleverly disguised seemingly abandoned items, you do go through a particular route - shopping trolleys, bins and such are cleverly laid out to mark the route, but blend in as scenery perfectly. The central area is what really makes this attraction so clever, because actors can interact with you multiple times during a run. I doubt they'll end up seeing this, but there was a tall chap in the outside area who eyeballed me many times on our runs, and then effectively followed me as I went through, which was utterly fantastic.

    Queue line in the graveyard is brilliant, going through a church with pews, was class - then, as I remember, there's the toilets, into a nightclub, and then there's a newsagents, Blockbuster, a cinema, a pub, a Chinese takeaway, a grocers - with real rotten fruit, you walk through a bus, a hairdressers.... there's SO much content and theming built in to such a comparatively small footprint vs. other attractions, it's top notch. Some particular interactions that I loved, other than the guy in the central area, was a zombie in the centre holding a bin lid over my head because it was raining (love that), the hairdressers making us sit down in the chairs, the cinema attendants pointing to "Small" on the popcorn menu then pointing to me, same attendants using popcorn buckets as hats in the rain, the guy in the newsagents with magazines, one of which was one from the 90s of an adult nature, getting very excited by it, the landlord in the pub reaching through the pile of chairs to grab at you as you go through, the zombies playing the fruit machine cos I told them it was going to payout, zombie in the pub offering me his drink... honestly, so much interaction and again it's something so different to anything else at Tulleys. The whole area is superb, only minor niggle is the strobe/mist finale which falls a little flat, and maybe something else needs to be in the "disco" section - more lights/theming maybe? - otherwise this would be perfect. What I will say is, even on a run through with "numpties" one time, the maze still worked well because of that central section that you criss-cross. There are references to horror films all the way through - we were chatting to one of the creators at the start on our first run through and he was most pleased with what they'd achieved - and quite rightly so. One would assume they won't be adding a new haunt for 2023, but who knows?

    9.5/10

     

    TOTAL RUNTHROUGHS: 26

    Cost per maze (taking off merch, food and drink benefits): £2.38 👀

    (£10 food voucher got us a hog roast roll and a can of Coke - the vendor strictly speaking didn't have to give us the coke but he always does!) - £5 drinks voucher got us 2 pints of Coke (fair play for doing that too, barstaff!) and the £20 merch vouchers were used for 2x mugs and then we had £10 left still of the £40, which they were happy to let us spend, so added a fiver to get a Tulleys scent candle!)

     

    Good evening last night all in all - however, I will say that the new queuing system does mean the main queues were notably bigger at times - and this was a Sunday - with even Creepy Cottage having a 30+ minute main queue at one point. VIP/Fasttrack queues were either literally walk on or 2-5 people in front all night, which I think helps maintain the value of said upcharges. At only one point did a maze have a VIP queue that was too big, and that was Electrick Circus. As per above, I was a bit gutted at my poor run throughs on a couple of mazes, but having the VIP means that you do get that chance to re-do a maze very quickly and rectify. Another decent year for Tulleys in my humble opinion, and as above - Doom Town is brilliant, absolute next level - so glad I didn't read any spoilers before hand as it made the first run through even better! Goes without saying - roaming actors were great last night as always (love the spooky twins just appearing in a completely empty covered area where we having food, didn't even spot them and was only aware of the appearance when we heard a very cutesy "Hello" from behind us!... it's all that that makes Tulleys what it is. 

    Glad you had a good time overall, I likely loaded you onto your Hayride trailer yesterday! 

  19. The Future Of Vampire

    in Chessington World of Adventures

    Posted

    21 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said:

    @Matt N hopefully Vampires possible retrack is years away. I’m sure Chessington are working on a plan for when the time comes to rebuild Vampire. Chessington know how beloved Vampire is,so I doubt they’d remove it. Vampire was the UK’s first ever suspended Rollercoaster after all.

    Didn’t nemesis pip the post ?

  23. The lost future of Wicked Witches Haunt

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Enterprise was purchased of the fair circuit shortly after the fire and was directly by the dome/vortex.  It wasn't advertised as a new ride until Zodiac was launched in 2001. Vortex was obviously also very late delivery (summer 2001) which may have been due to a last minute order ?


    Mr Rabbits did reopen after the fire, so it’s questionable if its removal was due to the fire, or just market changes

     

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