Benin

Paying a £5 fee for riding in the dark is good value compared to being free at other parks?

More like they're expanding the hotel... Because you know, why improve the park?

It is the 21st century... Take your out-dated views elsewhere!

It's back this weekend for all those pondering attending... http://thorpepark.com/prices/reserve-and-ride.aspx?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=FB&utm_campaign=RnR Although the fact that Thorpe used the term "old skool" on their page makes me want to hit my head against the wall moreso...

List of open rides are: Atlantis Submarine Voyage Laser Raiders Orient Train Aero Nomad Thunder Blazer Desert Chase Scarab Bouncers Hill Train Star Wars™ Miniland Experience X Box Gaming Zone That's a big old meh... I remember riding Pirate Falls in winter several years ago...

Was it really? But was it more of a "Old McDonald's Farm, brought to you by Safeway", or Safeway logos everywhere and signs telling you why you should use them for your weekly shop?

At least the animals have found something to do in those busy days... Some PR relating to the annual baby boom Chessie always seems to have...

Plans online... http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?keyval=MRVOO7PGA8000&searchtype=PROPERTY&module=P3 Not exactly clear if it's getting the rumoured IP brand attached or just getting a massive refurb, but the big thing is the removal of the Tent and a new Marquee in place... Couple more bits of theming added as well to the existing rides, but nothing actually new ride wise being added... Still looking at the plans though... EDIT - Further reading Things to be removed are the Tent and Dung Heap, to be replaced by a new ents stage and assorted play equipment... Defenite IP to be added, but not mentioned to protect the contract... Lots of characters to be added judging by the plans... New toilets which is probably the biggest news of the plan

It's been a while since I've done a B&M variant but I think the only major difference in the restraints is that the OTSRs aren't split up... Still have the burdenous bicycle seat of burden, and unless they can get rid of that, then it'll still be uncomfortable (though nothing will be as bad as Apocalypse and the brakes of genital death)... I don't think Thorpe getting one would affect Drayton's attendance, since they've gone full on towards the family and have the draw of Thomas Land... The two of them both really more focus on the local people rather than nationwide, even if both have recently expanded their 'resort' status... There are just better options that have received high levels of praise across the board from various different manufacturers over a Stand-Up... It bemused me that Towers were looking at one for Katanga Canyon at one point recently, but I guess because of the Varney's obsessive nature towards the GIMMICK of a coaster it's too be expected...

It's popular because everyone loves Lego... That's it really...

Typical, the day after Tidal Wave reopens the weather turns crap again... Break down you stupid ride! I want the hot weather back

Needs more Polar X-Plorer (only without the crap ending)... And Robo Arms...

Well the park is a bit of a ghetto, with staff upselling you to play their games loudly, and poor looking and shoddy Ferris Wheel, crap kids coasters and rides looking run down and no theming (because it fell off), and kids falling off rides... The park pictured therefore is quite an accurate comparison to Chessie...

There's also the TOGO coasters as well, but the discussion was more on the B&M side of things so there was no need to count Shockwave (mainly because it's crap)...

To be fair, not much at Towers had a queue until Smiler opened

Same line-up as last year, odds are that Sanctuary will be pretty much the same (and was paid for last year, only reason it came back so early was due to the Smiler delays) and by the looks of things TotT and Carnival will be changing storylines... And then all the kids stuff is gonna be in Fountain Square because no one goes to the Farm...

According to the website, Terror of the Towers will contain 'vampires'... God knows how they're approaching that then... The storyline for Carnival could be interesting for a finale as well... Or it'll end up being the same as Asylum, only sans chainsaw...

I think the issue with the Dive Machines was general cost due to the wider track/trains and the need for some decent extra landscaping (this of course depends on the park, as neither Griffon or Krake have a tunnel portion)... It was never that popular a concept unfortunately, as only 7 live in the world today and Krake (the smallest) cost a princely €12 million (SheiKra and Griffon costing $13-15 million approx as a comparison)... I think it just suffered from being an exceptionally pricey concept for something so simple (although the longest gap between rides was 5 years between G5 and SheiKra)... Interestingly, there are also only 7 Stand-Ups in the world... All in America (compared to 3 Dive Machines in Asia) weirdly... And the last NEW one (I.e. not one of the relocated 2 since they just got refurbs really) was built in 1999... That's a long, long time...

It's a weird one really, because it's such a psychological barrier to guests that bars have to be pushed in towards themselves to be released (see also, Flying Fish)... So naturally, when they push the bar away from them to get out (the logical thing) and it doesn't work, they panic... Then usually a member of staff (or more recently, another guest) pushes it down for them and they live to fight another day...

Fair enough, I don't exactly come into this side of the forum often (because I don't care) and never saw it discussed... As you were...

I'm surprised I'm posting this... http://www.thorpepark.com/frightnights/

I've been on Riddlers Revenge (and Mantis and Vortex, all B&Ms) as well as the obvious Shockwave, and they are all pretty much painful to experience due to the 'seating' position... There's not much in the way of airtime on a Stand-Up, especially comparing as mentioned to Wooden/Mega Coasters, and all it does is do loops in an 'unique' position... If there's one thing Thorpe doesn't need, it's more inversions... I just really don't see the point in bringing them back because even back in the day it seems that they never really took off (unlike the WingRider concept, whilst it is pretty much a fad, it's clearly being more successful than other concepts)... As for uncomfortable Wooden coasters, yep, those exist, but a lot of the modern GCIs are glass smooth, and in a lot of cases the ricketyness of the Wooden coasters gives them a personality completely aside from the steel coasters (unless they're an Intamin plug-and-bore)... There are rough B&Ms out there, just gotta find them...

Unfortunately, this is not true, Stand-Ups are just generally uncomfortable and unenjoyable... There are so many better options than a fad that happened in the late 90s...

You don't need to go big to create a good ride...