MattyMoo

Forecast is 5 degrees centigrade from 7pm tonight, then down to 4 degrees centigrade - is that touch and go for ride shutdowns? I suppose when you factor in the wind chill from being on an island and the surrounding lake? EDIT: I see that the limit is 5 degrees, so I'm sure Thorpe have a contingency plan in for tonight and will not be selling Fast-tracks for fear of a repeat performance of yesterday.

As already said - if the forecast is going to be cold and the park is going to be busy, shouldn't someone, somewhere, decide they probably shouldn't be selling £80 fast-tracks or whatever they cost, for fear of guests being a bit displeased when they find that the bit of paper they've just purchased is now worthless because no coasters are open? Is that not asking too much? Is that not what "management" are supposed to do? Yes, guests might not like the fact you can't buy fast-tracks, but why not tell them are unavailable due to a technical reason or something, or heck, just be honest. Allegations on Twitter (unverified of course), that you could still buy Fast-tracks even though the rides were shut. PS. I know it's also a moot point, but the parking is also a massive kick in the teeth for guests, you've had the day from hell, now you've got to pay £15 to escape at the barrier, £10 if you want to queue and £8 if you can battle with 4G/Wifi which is over-stretched due to lots of users being in one space. (I speak from experience there, it was like playing the lottery trying to secure my £8 parking ticket on the 13th ) PPS. I still like Stealth & Swarm, and DBGTROTD is good when it all works.

The feedback tonight just screams profit first, guest satisfaction second. The shocking thing is, they weren't even at capacity tonight, as quoted by Thorpe Park themselves. I appreciate that rides can't operate under certain temperatures, but one would probably consider not selling fast tracks if the forecast is for low temperatures, no? And that to one side - how difficult is it to have enough milk on site to make coffee?! I really do despair. I saw a tweet saying they queued 40 minutes for doughnuts, and had to queue 30 minutes to pay for car parking ?

Well Thorpe looks like a barrel of laughs tonight judging by Twitter and the queue times app ?

Do you mean in Chinese in Canada Creek/Old Town? That wasn't there last year for sure! I remember it though.

Always been an Android fan - it frustrates me how locked down the Apple OS is, for example - you plug an Android phone into a PC, and you can see the entire folder structure etc. Plug in an iPhone, all you can see are selected folders (Photos etc.).

At least you can't see through the fences #bringbackplastic

Fair play to Thorpe's engineering ladz for sorting the Swarm so quick, I tip my hat to you kind sirs and ladies.

It's been too long since that Cheryl GIF ?

I would be INCREDIBLY surprised if Slammer is removed over closed season, similarly I forsee no announcements regarding Loggers Leap either during closed season. Agree that something needs to be done with "Old Town" but realistically this is unlikely to happen until the whole area is redeveloped for something - I can only see "the next big thing" being located in this area, meaning Loggers, Timber Tug, Rocky Express, Lumber Jump and possibly extending to SBNO Slammer all removed for redevelopment - I'm sure the two kids flats could move somewhere else on park quite easily though, they don't exactly take much space. But yes - I expect this area to remain untouched for 2019 to be honest. But Thorpe, please prove me wrong Would also like to see the park smartened up (also plz fix the broken panel on the entrance screen plaza, ta) - I would love to see the DBGTROTD posters repaired (and then covered with something to prevent vandalism) as they did help sort of explain the hotch-potch of a "story line" on the ride. Fright Night wise - reduce the line up and know exactly what you are planning on having attraction wise months in advance, not weeks before the first event, because believe me it shows. I'm not quite sure how they are going to "market" 2019 as The Year Of The Walking Dead with Added Last Minute Love Island didn't really seem particularly cohesive...

Call me old fashioned but I always thought it's a good idea confirming you have the staff structure and quantity in place before trying to have the highest number of actor led attractions at a Fright Nights ever... they are still advertising for FN staff now ? (appreciate this is the "summer update" mind you)

He went to Tulley's press night but the vlog for that had nowhere near the amount of detail Vs Fright Nights Press Night. To be fair to him though he didn't say Vulcan Peak was good or sick... However one of his mates said "at least it's another attraction" which isn't a viewpoint I'd share personally.

I like to think I try and give a balanced view other than Merlin is the devil incarnate etc. etc. I mean I still tell people who haven't been to Thorpe before that DBGTROTD is a good experience, provided it all works. That's balanced right? ? My FN review from Press Night I still stand by. (Containment and Blair Witch being very high quality stuff, Containment in particular) To get back on topic: as I understand Gruffalo has been very well received, I haven't ridden yet but they've done a good job from POVs etc and to partially quote Merlin I would much rather they did something with Hocus Pocus than nothing. Similarly, I think to be fair what has been done to X is pretty good considering what they were working with, essentially a family coaster. What I had an issue with is Thorpe's ridiculous PR machine as always, meaning people thought WD The Ride was something brand new and not a refurb. Chessington's PR department are at least open about these things, being clear from the off that Bubbleworks was a retheme and Hocus Pocus too. As soon as you hYpE things up to such ridiculous - false - expectations a la 15 out of the 10 on the scare scale, you to stand to fail and disappoint. And also, Vulcan Peak. Sorry, that's never going to not amuse me... ?

I'm genuinely - pleasantly - shocked to hear this Samurai news! Maybe they should move Ramases Revenge to Thorpe too, finally, so it can be back to it's best

Same here really. As to when that will be mind you... expect to see clearance start in 2 years from now?

Would they consider a Star Shape (a la Danter's Air) to replace Samurai one day do you think? Would be unique to have one permanently... I really do think Thorpe could do with some more flats (that aren't Lumber Jump or Timber Tug )

This is why our Lord Sanbrooke was not invited to FN Press Night - he tells it like is bruv, he called Vulcan out as the worst halloween attraction ever #notimmersive. Just to throw some positivity into the mix - as much as Big Top Showtime is an insult to the iconic Big Top, the kids who were in the Dome when the clowns did their thing did seem to be having a cracking time on Saturday, and I did like the atmosphere. Just don't pee on our mini doughnuts by referring to it as Big Top plz. As I said after press night and has been said now so many times, general consensus is that it totally is quantity over quantity. The cheapness of dividing fences between P15 and Zombie Hunt woods, the black fabric "walls" in (what should be a prestigious IP maze) on Do Or Die - not good enough. Interesting thing is too, as soon as the mazes open at 3pm and 6pm, the biggest queues I've seen at those times are Saw Alive & Blair Witch respectively. And then later on, the biggest queue is at Guest Services after everyone has been on Vulcan Peak

They are leaving Rumba Rapids empty of water for 2019, adding a rope to the side and re-opening it as a year-wide "Vulcan Peak II" due to the resounding success of the groundbreaking, immersive maze "Vulcan Peak". Source: Lord Sanbrooke

I see from Facebook that today is "that" particular day where people Travel from far and wide to Thorpe Park & Alton Towers... #prayfortheannualpassholders EDIT: my fave tweet thus far is someone asking why there are so many people in high heels on park today ?

Whilst being in the 20 minute advertised queue that was actually 50 minutes for Stealth yesterday, we spotted Swarm got evacuated, with a train partially up the lift hill. The ride then remained closed all day, and the train didn't move from that position either... In other news - they have now painted the metal RSJs brown in the station roof so they look vaguely more like wood ? EDIT: Didn't realise they'd been brown since May ooops!

Glad my humour doesn't go to waste.

I was only going for the meet up yesterday, didn't expect to go on much - but that security queue really needs sorting somehow. We picked up tickets and joined the queue at 11.30. We didn't get into the park until 1pm, absolutely shocking. During the day, we got on Stealth (front row as this was quicker than using the main queue lolz), Detonator, Rush and Platform 15 in 5 hours. Longest queue I saw for a ride all day was 130 mins for DBGTROTD, and maze wise Saw Alive and Do Or Die peaked at 120 mins. Wonder what the queues will be like in a few weeks time?

This queue is incredible, in a bad way. We're gonna get a drink when we come in and will see where you are.

Queuing to get in through security. I reckon we'll be in in about 30 mins

Tidal Wave was going round happily on Thursday - I'm guessing the cost attributed to running Rumba must be purely a staff thing? It's clear they haven't got enough staff/actors to cover Fright Nights from missing elements on Thursday, so that would make sense...