MattyMoo

I'm going on the 21st and fully expect the park to be pretty empty from past experience Last year we headed straight for the Smiler, purely because it was unreliable so wanted to make sure we got to ride it I wouldn't recommend the "short cut" from Forbidden Valley to X Sector across the gardens unless you fancy killing some time. It's very picturesque but takes some time - and energy Longest queue last year was the Smiler in the morning, at around 30 minutes - other than that, it was 5/10 minute queues for everything. I'd now probably advise heading to Nemesis and Air first as everyone is likely to head to X Sector first for The Smiler.

There's a board at the main entrance by the Otters, there's one near Wild Asia and there's an even bigger board in Market Square. There might be another near Hocus Pocus Hall but I might be wrong! Yes I thought the Tomb Blaster style queue boards need a little more information on them... I mean you'd probably guess that was the queue time, but you'd be forgiven for not realising. Also - the queue times were more like 0 minutes yesterday, not 5 - yet CWoA doesn't seem to like saying 0 minute queues

In case anyone hasn't seen - new central queue boards, plus the minimal queue time board above Tomb Blaster

I was surprised to see those signs being used. You wouldn't necessarily know they were a wait time as all they say is just a number, not even "minutes" after. I was surprised to see an old-style queue board on Scorpion Express. The new queue summary boards are very good though!

Ah - that would make sense actually. Shame but needed to avoid a repeat incident.

Just got back from Chessington after visiting with my girlfriend today... I've been before in September and thought it was dead - but it seemed even more dead today! The most people I saw congregated together was for the Madagascar LIVE! show at 4pm! All in all a very good day indeed - didn't exactly hammer the ride counts (too old for all that) but it's so nice to be able to walk round and go on anything without queuing AT ALL. Everything was walk on all day from what I saw. Staff were good to very good - very friendly though some evidently a little bored (but I don't blame them on day's like today!) We had lunch at the Chicken Shack which wasn't too shabby at all to be honest - plus they had Stowford Press on draught so that scores major brownie points - was impressed with how well stocked the bar was actually! Rides we went on: Zufari Ramases Revenge x3 Scorpion Express x2 Bubbleworks Vampire x2 Tuk Tuk Turmoil x2 Kobra Toadie's Crazy Cars x½ Lorikeet Lagoon Hocus Pocus Hall Shrimps at the Sea Life Centre Dragon's Fury Dragon Falls Tomb Blaster x2 Flying Jumbos Eclip... I mean Peeking Heights Rattlesnake x2 I think that was everything! The park certainly looks in better shape than previous years. Shame Skyway is down but that looks permanent until next year it would seem. First time on Zufari and was quite impressed - Rhinos were very close indeed, and the driver was particularly good as he decided to "accidentally" reverse back into the cave to get us wet. The ride looks far more established now plant wise than when it first opened and was really rather good all in all! The Hotel looks pretty awesome I have to say, and the Wanyama Reserve around it is well presented still with plenty of animals. As anyone on my Facebook will know - first time we went on Tomb Blaster, my gun wouldn't work at all - so 0 scored. We go again later on, and my gun works - but the laser doesn't, which makes it far more difficult! Still, just a grumble really - not fussed when there was no queue whatsoever. Scorpion Express - first time on it. It's OK but I don't like the "openness" of it now. Feels less thrilling/scary. Good effort to rejuvenate an old ride but could've been better. Got a little wet from the scorpion. Vampire and Fury seemed more fierce than I remember We had a really long go on Tuk Tuk Turmoil in the afternoon due to no queue - and due to the fact, one of the bumper cars managed to get wedged/mounted on top of another so they had to push it off - sounds worse than it is, but I'm surprised there's the force in them to do that! That said - they do seem more powerful than Dodgems I've been at at funfairs etc. Lorikeet Lagoon was great as ever, the birds were obviously hungry - one of the birds feeding from our pots was the one with only one eye, as it had been attacked by another bird! Went on Kobra for the first time (I know right? So out of the game...) and I tolerated it...! My girlfriend wanted to go on Toadie's but the op said it was closed as a car had left the track - not sure that's possible but that's what he said - we went on later, and on our go round, it stopped as the power tripped on one of the cars - so we had to walkthrough the circuit - can't say I've done that before! Have to say that Falls really looks poor with no rocks, at least they've tried to jazz it up a bit with the banner at the top before the drop but I can't wait until the ride finally gets the refurb it deserves... Now - my big bug bear for the day - was Ramases Revenge. That said - I was so pleased it was open after recent down time, but it took me 4 or 5 attempts to ride the thing. Why? The 15 guest rule. Apparently it can only operate now when at least 15 people are riding due to weighting issues. I asked a ride op late in the day, when I finally got on if this was a new thing (because I know it is, as I've ridden RR before by myself and no-one else on the entire ride!) and he said it's always been like that. Maybe since he's been there perhaps My first ride on Ramases, there were around 15 people, and after 1 cycle, ride op asked if we wanted to go round again... most people did, but a handful got off. So we then couldn't go round again, which I find crazy. We waited for a good 5/10 minutes but no passing guests wanted to ride, and by that time, the instant re-ride buzz sort of goes! Managed to get on later in the day, and had 2 rides. 2nd ride certainly seemed more spinny/forceful but I may have imagined it... anyone know the true story behind this 15 rider rule? My view is it's probably because Ramases is nearing 20 years old, so they want to make sure it's only operated as and when is worthwhile, but I may be wrong. Anyway - I managed to ride and rekindle my youth again so I was pleased! All in all - thoroughly enjoyable day and I do honestly feel the CWoA "magic" is back to an extent... it's certainly getting there. Also, kudos to the Madagascar penguins for walking over to us to make us take a photo with them Just little things like that that make all the difference. Ride op on Toadie's was a particularly friendly chap, as was the lady operating the chocolate treats stand near Ramases, and we often got asked how our day was going by staff which is nice!

Thanks for the updates Is Skyway just too old to operate safely now I guess? It does look seriously tired... Good to see RR being tested, I hope it's OK for Tuesday as it's the most thrilling ride there - and a trip without RR is just wrong! As I understand from Twitter, on Saturday the ride stopped at the top leaving a full load of guests stuck temporarily, who were let down safely - and was closed since then.

Hardly anyone even knows it's there or how to get to it...! I see Tomb Blaster and Ramases seem to be open again. I shall report back how dead the park is when we go on Tuesday!

Tomb Blaster showing as being unavailable today - as well as Ramases again. Not that I'm getting worried that they'll be closed for my visit this coming Tuesday you understand....

Thanks for that post Gimble... and welcome to TPM. I noted Ramases was down today - is it anything serious? I loved the original RMT and I love Ramases too - I'd hate to see Ramases disappear, she'll be 20 next year!

Just keeping an eye on Chessington's availability as we are heading there on Tuesday next week - Ramases showing as unavailable today, just some work being done or something major? Hope she's available this time next week. Tomb Blaster showing as closed too today!

I'm off to Chessie two weeks today - just out of interest, does anyone know what the flip is up with Safari Skyway, out of interest?

Maybe they just fancied cutting the grass?

I'm looking forward to seeing the Smiler again now my annual trip to AT is planned for 21st October. Will give it more than 1 ride this year too I think Can't wait to be greeted by that twisted mess of track again - station aside, it does look impressive and imposing!

Yep we went the first week of Scarefest last year, and with the exception of the Smiler which had a bit of a queue first thing, it was so dead! We're going this year on October 21st I personally wouldn't recommend buying any Fastrack whatsoever, but then I hate it with the fire of a thousand suns

And 2nd Detty Tower confirmed.

Do you mind, that's Merlin's finest themeing you're talking about

They'd even gone to the effort of weighting down some of the crisp packets to stop them blowing away (so someone could come and pick them up)...

I love a good bit of new queue board action

Going back to the grammar complaints - "would of" incorrectly used in place of "would have" (or could of/could have) seems to be the new your/you're that grinds my gears That, and the fact when I went down to Southsea beach yesterday evening for a little swim, the fact that rubbish was just left on the beach when there are bins within eyesight. Picked it up like a good citizen. People make me sick...

New vending machines... in a shipping container? So beautiful.

Prefer these to Thorpe's - but even that said, Thorpe's new ones are miles and above better than the previous scrolling LED versions

There's no doubt about it, you will get wet!

EXCLUSIVE: 2015 will see Rumba rethemed as Rusty Rapids, with numerous shipping containers and rusty metal scattered around the ride, and the dark section rethemed to a warehouse - who knows what rusty theming lies within! Dare you brave the orange waters of Rusty Rapids?

I'm sure everyone knows but Stealth station has a little countdown timer presumably as a target for quick dispatch. Any reason why Stealth has this but no other ride does? Or is it just that Stealth has the only visible timer (Saw has one too thinking about it, but that's partially for theming reasons and normally isn't synced right anyway...!)