MikeyT

Ha! Back when I was slim

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It means a lot. Like I said it's not often I get times like that but what I do I just need to get it out of my system. I feel like Mikey again today.Nice to know there are decent people in the world still

So it's not too often that I need to rant about things. Things have built up reccently though and it feels right to just waffle on because I'm pretty good at that when I want to be.Just for the record, I'm not one of these people that have a negative attitude on life and are over dramatic about everything, in fact, I'm a pretty positive person a lot of the time, but can have rare moments when I get really down and literally just cry until everything just loses meaning.My problems feel pathetic when I look at how some people in this world are living and the things they have to deal with, however I can't help how I feel and you just have to go through the motions and deal with things in the best way you can.I really haven't got a lot going for me right now, everything just seems like a right joke, I feel like a complete failure at everything. I probably sound horrible but the worst culprit for making me feel this way is my mum. I'm living at home as I can't afford anything else, but my mum is a really negative person, she makes me feel bad about myself. There's a whole backstory there but basically over the past few years I've been suffering with depression and she always used to give me grief for it and make things worse. I've learned to deal with it now and as I said I'm a really positive person most of the time.I'm being chucked out if I can't continue to pay rent to my mum, which at this rate I can't because I'm unemployed. Got about a month left. I'll literally have nowhere to go, actually, literally, nowhere. Gonna be interesting that one.Like most people I have family problems, I haven't seen my dad's side of the family for 4 years now. It's all my fault as well; I could easily put a stop to it and things would improve, I guess I'm too emarrassed, ashamed, guilty and scared to do anything about it. I miss my brother and sister so much. Apprently my brother still cries about me, my sister can no longer remember me, Every Christmas I get a parcel from them with a picture of them, and it's like... they're aliens... I don't even recognise them. It could be anybody in those pictures.It's not as if I don't have anything to look forward to. I have loads in the next couple of months. The future is what keeps me going I suppose. I want to go back to college in September which is exciting and a pretty new concept for me. I've got such a good feeling about this year, it's going to be great, and I know it's going to have low points, but that is just going to make me appreciate those brilliant, amazing high moments even more. I have great friends who are so supportive but I don't like to tell them when things get bad because I don't want to let them down. So I'm gonna ride this year out, one week, one day at a time.If you got to the end of this then thank you for reading, I'm sorry for the long post, but I don't do it too often. Take care everyone.

Marc was being ironic/ sarcastic.

Yep that's right. The owlery is going to be a calm and peaceful area to escape from the noise of the rest of the area.

Maybe some of these positions will rise once Theme Park review have their Europe trip this year.

I agree with you that Alton create attractions suitable for families, and every family has thrillseeekers... they're making sure there are attractions for everyone. Tower of Terror and Expedition Everest are two of the most thrilling rides I have been on yet they're both considered family rides.I think the ride will fit in with the other psychologically thrilling rides such as Oblivion and Hex.

Things are really coming along in the Wizarding World. Much scaffolding has been removed from some of the facades around the area, including the Owlery, The Three Broomsticks Restaurant and in general Hogsmeade is truely taking shape. There is also an outrageous amount of detailing going on to ensure that not one part of the show building will be visible to guests on opening day.Outrageous attention to detail here as the creative people are adding moss and dirt to the rock facade to give them more drama.Across the water stands the temporary bridge and beyond is the Three Broomsticks Restaurant, and some of Hogsmeade. The snow on the roof is currently being repainted as the creative team weren't happy with the original result.Pictures taken by Mookie of Orlando United. Reccent photo updates can be found from this page and onwards.

I just had such an odd moment when I realized the little jingle to say my DVD has finished burning was the ride end jingle for Carousel at Thorpe.Pah!

I think it'll be one of those rides that appeal to a lot of people; thrillseekers will love it, yet it won't be too intense for other members of the family.I'm kind of in two minds really, you could argue the way it's being marketted isn't family friendly at all, quite the opposite, yet you look at the supposed height restriction of 1.2m and that hints to the ride not being unsuitable to younger members of the family.Though I suppose height restrictions and ride intensity don't always go hand in hand.

It's all down to a matter of opinion I suppose. I do have to agree with what is themed at Thorpe, it's themed quite well. Tidal Wave in particular is brilliant, although the ride was built when Tussauds were actually good, before they gave us the likes of Rita, Spinball, Slammer, Stealth. In terms of rides pretty much being plonked down with little to no landscaping.Saw has so much potential to be brilliantly themed, and to an extent it is, but I feel it's let down by some of the effects inside- plastic looking crossbows/ sirynges that blow air at you (when they even work). Even saying that, Saw is probably the best themed ride to come out of the ex Tussaud parks in 10 years.What I think does let the park down is the struggle to keep special effects and smaller details maintained. There are fantastic little gems all over the park that no longer work and I think that's the main reason why people tend to slag off the themeing.

Haha yeah I'm kind of the same as you Thorpeparkjunkie. Give me any roller coaster and I'm fine, flat rides though, are a different story.I always tend to get nervous on Samurai and Slammer, Rush though, I find wonderful and a truely exhilarating experience.

I would hope Chessington have a plan with the Vampire situation. A lot of the ride is built on green belt land and quite frankly it'll be a miracle to get anything else built there once it's removed.One thing on Chessington's side now I guess is the new technology with rides becoming very quiet and you can do some very clever things with sound technology these days. Hopefully with some clever planning they may stand a chance of putting another fantastic family attraction there once Vampire has finished serving the park.