Benin

The double up into the MCBR is just perfection. Was consistently busiest ride when it wasn't breaking down (40 mins average queues) . Though I did get a rollback on the turntable launch section on my final ride so can't complain. Certainly the intensity and relentless nature of it can be its downfall for many as well, but still had people waiting for it all day long. RAP system at Europa wouldn't last 5 minutes at a Merlin park. Just needed an Access Card then up the relevant queue with the only requirement being you wait that ride's queue time before riding that ride again. So you can literally ride Wodan & Blue Fire for example one after the other. Least a good number of the attractions are step-free, with Widan and Euro-Mir being the main offenders. Such a good park, even if the food is still a bit meh. Once they've binned Euro-Mir there won't really be any really weak links in the line-up. Though didnt do Bobsleigh sooooo.

Voltron is really REALLY good. Relentless in pacing and doesn't let up aside from the turntable and final brakes. A good variety of elements as well keeps things interesting and the airtime I don't think gets mentioned much. And if people think it's rough then they clearly don't know what a rough ride is. Blue Fire walked so Voltron could run. Straight into my top 3.

Until the plans are officially up and online anything is hearsay. Don't think anything has been submitted publicly yet given hasn't been 100 influencer videos going through the exact plans with a fine toothcomb. Eurostar is a different thing all together too. And requires a lot more to get through the system comparatively.

Eurostar extension would probably be finished before HS2 too. All pie in the sky stuff though until the official plans are in.

Colossus being closed would improve my visit 😉

Would imagine the height with open trains (comparatively) really does intimidate a number of guests to not bother riding it.

The restaurant formerly known as Woodcutters was £19 for a burger. Prior to discount of course but still. £19! We jogged on and went to the slightly cheaper Burger Kitchen. The quality has dropped and the prices increased. As you mentioned though off peak is even worse (especially at Legoland) for having food options actually open. Options for proper sit down indoor meals are more and more limited too. People are now wise to it and its telling that many outlets are quiet even with MAP discounts. Though MAP holders are notoriously stingy these days.

The push for digital only ORPs. That said they're still about and have 2 physical ones that I've purchased since 2023. Can I change it to things you now see all the time? Because vloggers. And (especially at Towers) cosplayers are just everywhere. Saw someone last weekend in full Phalanx get up complete with name badge and box with fake egg of Nemesis creature in it. It’s weird to me.

Inspiration taken from Paultons' motorway services entrance.

Doesn’t help when its the only event the park has or has ever been popular/good at.

Sounds like the discourse over Nemmie Rebs atm. Saturday didn’t feel much in the way of roughness at all. Way people go on about it makes it sound like riding an old school Vekoma.

IP removal on Saw would be an interesting dilemma for them.

[/benderlaughingharder.gif] The quiet years were always the years that visits were made because of the groups. The rides were always second. Plus the stagnation of the UK in comparison to mainland Europe on top of often cheap access to those parks makes them far more exciting than heading to a Merlin park with a hope of a good visit rather than an expectation.

No Mystic Manor is probably the most upsetting thing to read there.

It was a huge balls up from the staff at the time. But like with many things, the safety procedures weren't entirely up to snuff and the way it which the park was being run arguably led to the mistake being made. It changed the course of the park and Merlin a LOT. Sadly it caused a major hit for the industry that it has struggled to recover from (mostly as, in my opinion, Merlin went into damage control mode rather than focusing on getting the parks to a level of quality again). Combine that with the general state of the world in those 10 years and its no wonder we're sat here begging for Universal.