Benin

>Hates the park and vows never to return >Wants to use priority passes so WILL return You either stop going completely, or return, stop dancing from one side to the other, because it makes you look a right ejit...

You can't say you're never going to visit but still say that "I'll only go for Stealth and ensure they get no money from me", something which is presumably quite difficult without owning a MAP to avoid park entry or parking fees...

Here's a version from the park itself: I'm not that sure on it, the idea is still fab though... Then I'm not particularly fond of what version 2 is like these days compared to what I saw back in Feb...

I don't think the lack of IP has anything to do with the developing side of things, as the Shanghai Disney is getting a Tron themed coaster and a few other bits and bobs alongside it with IPs... I think the more important thing is that Disney have always had IPs as part and parcel of their parks, Fantasyland being the main one, whilst their other areas have been for want of a word 'diluted' by more and more IPs (mainly Pixar based things really) they've had a consistent history of using them... Indeed, going to a Disney park and seeing no Disney IPs at all would be relatively daft in a way (see the changes Epcot received over the years to include the characters)... They've even been using ones that were originally not Disney in Star Wars and Indiana, whereas some of their original concepts have become IPs in their own right in the modern world (Space Mountain/Big Thunder/Haunted Mansion/Pirates/etc)... It's the same thing for places like Universal, who have always tended to use their own IPs within their parks...

Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Manor say hi...

Also, Efteling wanted to get the station building up before any serious frost turned up, something Garda don't really need to worry over... In other news, the third version of Aquanura premiered today, which seemingly involved remixes of ride themes from DJ Tiesto... I hope they have a video like before, because it sounds amazing...

I really hope the music used at the end of the video is going to be the ride's theme, so lush <3

I've always found that the shorter ones are better than the likes of SheiKra and Griffon... All personal opinion, but the Dive Machines work better when the focus is solely on the drop, something that Oblivion and Krake do very well...

Probably counting all the French/Swiss visitors that pop over the border for the place... Hence Arthur being termed as a 'gift' to them when it was being built... Interesting the amount of expansion space Gardaland actually has, even for a second gate (which would be a first for Merlin)... Legoland Italy anyone?

I'm lost here, where is the confirmation that it's called Oblivion? It's used as a turn of phrase in the video, but beyond that? Not a lot else that actually 100% confirms the name as of yet...

#firstgoonproblems Why would anyone on walk on Nemesis be waiting for the front when there's an empty back row?

There's no reason why an IP such as Divergent could be used, indeed, it would be more logical to use an unfinished story IP at the potential height of popularity (though I'm sure Divergent did badly at the box office)... It will be an IP though, because Merlin's vision of an USP for a dark ride won't relate to having ridiculous quality...

It's never too far to travel for Nemesis...

http://www.gardaland2015.it/en/operation-orange/excavation-elliptical-structure New video, ridiculous backstory continues to be ridiculous...

Building is on-going...

One train operation is ALWAYS a problem, no matter the park...

Just be reminded of this, now if they really wanted a world class dark ride...

This pretty much sums up the issue with Merlin's operations though, very happy to appeal to those willing to spend the money, yet for the majority of guests? Well you didn't buy Fastrack so it's your own fault... And are people really saying that just because a Thorpe Annual Pass was cheap, anyone who purchased one can't be considered a loyal customer? Daft comment to make, as holding an Annual Pass for any park 90% of the time will make you a loyal customer (I'm discounting those who purchase passes in order to save money on holidays and the like, hell I currently own a German MAP and a DLP pass for those exact reasons, and I once held a Six Flags pass), because you live locally and plan to visit often... That in itself defines loyalty, returning to a park as a regular visitor over other parks locally and globally... Thorpe stated that early pricing will be £12.50 too... Assuming £15 for the entire day, why is this sounding like value for money? Oh yeah, because the entire park is considered to be nearly £50...

Yep vertical lift, same design as Smiler's one but 200ft and could potentially have things happening on the way up (Fluch has some random animatronic talk to you on it's vertical lift hill)...

Towers don't charge for MAP holders... At least, not yet... But still, kinda inexcusable given that this event probably won't require the same level of crowd control as Fright Nights... Merlin's execution methods are once again slightly baffling, especially towards the loyal customers...

Speculation that every news outlet in the UK seems to be reporting it, and the park owners have their own press release stating the deal has happened? "Speculation"...

Looks unlikely that the Beeb will be letting Merlin have their paws on anymore IPs... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11284388/BBC-to-open-theme-park-to-exploit-Doctor-Who-and-Top-Gear-brands.html In actual terms (rather than the Telegraph's incorrect assumption of the park being BBC in its entirity), Paramount Park have got BBC on board to use some of their IPs... So we might just see a Dr Who themed ride in the end... Press Release from Paramount as below:

Website got a refresh: https://www.altontowers.com/ It's a bit awful...

I assume that'll be a room feature, since it's very bland...

One would assume that if they're not running every ride the park will have a reduced capacity, sure many of us here know how Thorpe can be when rides are closed and the park has the usual amount of people in there...