Benin

Work has BEGUN!

There's a massive issue with the whole 'park doesn't make money so we wont invest in it' train of thought, as it causes massive stagnation and continues the trend... Actual investment in a park can completely change it and cause an influx of revenue (I.e. Thorpe)... And families spend more than other groups... Because kids... If Chessie got more investment and some ability to build quality things rather than average, it would be in a better situation... That simple...

Thorpe could also have economic learning based off Fastrack sales... "If we run one train on all coasters for the first 60 minutes, how many Fastracks can we sell at the entrances of these rides?"

So much this... Why they don't have it open anymore for ERT (or indeed, during or AFTER the day) is beyond me, as most guests don't know it even exists...

As said, for everytime it's run smoothly, there's other times it's run like crap... Or alternatively, it's put onto a ride which deals with it crap, like Air... And of course there's the issue with guests who try and use it and want to sit together (cos they're STUPID)...

You mean the staff car park? Coach park? There is no room and they probably when building the car parks were told they could only put it in that area... So that's where it is... Towers is certainly a place that demonstrates the evolution of a park over time, where they had to design things along with the park's own evolution... It is simply not possible for them to have car park space of the size required to be at the park's entrance (hence the rumours of the second entrance by Valley, but I find that idea silly really)... The Monorail is a lovely way of entering the park, if they could improve the throughput of it on busier days it would be a lot better (and prevent queues to the toilets, which are rather off-putting and result in walking)...

Fun (possibly not that true) Fact - Zufari has more airtime than Tonnerre de Zeus, and only a (possibly broken) seatbelt to hold you in! It is a big flaw in the ride though... Disney's has NO minimum height limit, and it has been a major sticking point for guests (especially as you can't SEE the animals well without going on it)...

Always owned it but I think it was Green Belt land, and they managed to wangle it so they could build on it but could only have animal based stuff there... Hence it made the most sense for Zufari...

Especially when half of that is Zufari... Bugger all has been invested in Chessie for years, simple as... Problem is most of any budget going into it would be required for fixing the place up, hence in days of needing to attract people being placed at the door of new attractions over the state of the park, it's hard for that to happen... Zufari also had it's budget slashed from like £10 million...

So basically they infilled supports as they went along with completed sections... Wait, does that mean they KNEW what they were doing?

Yet they still advertise it as being a 'perk'... Not sure what to make of it really...

Yeah, I'm also adding Port Aventura, Bagatelle/Bellewaerde and Plopsaland to the damn near confirmed trips for this season... Then hopefully somewhere in October... Hopefully Madrid...

Well I'm disgusted, surely the park should've had some on-ride footage of Smiler by NOW? These half-arsed jobs are so typical of Merlin... Let alone the fact they could've filmed a GOOD Eurofighter...

What a good show

Nah, it's more describing what the change of number below is measuring in my eyes... As in "The current carriage rotation is 245 degrees"... That, and I'm really hoping they don't go and mess it up with a stupid gimmicky track section is doesn't need... A rotating tunnel (a la Duel/Hex) or numerous bits around the inline are potential candidates for such a thing as one involves going upside down and the other will have the 'effect' of doing so...

But it's NOT called 'rotation carriage', as that video has the screens lined up incorrectly, so the bottom side of rotation was on the top... That's my point...

It's actually carriage rotation that's mentioned either side of the degree number, so it doesn't necessarily point towards a 'carriage that will rotate'...

Picture evidence from TowersStreet... EDIT - Towers Guide with an another one with probably imagery... EDIT EDIT - There's also a video (ATG, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151364713136050) which confirms a 'DISORIENTATOR' element, which will probably be the indoor inline with added effects (I hope, an extra silly element would potentially detract from the experience)... EDIT EDIT EDIT - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151364779916050&set=vb.168150643216122&type=3&permPage=1

I've found that dragging people on against their will is a good method (to which Holly, Nicky and a few other people throughout my life shall attest)... Alternatively, a build-up technique to the bigger rides is a decent idea...

And theme parks don't have months of being packed solid between the hours of 9-6 (possibly longer at late notice)? I think it's more a lot of people here are comparing the role of ride host to the wrong things... It's an unique role as it features so many different aspects (guest interaction, safety, throughput focus, etc) which when a park is at full capacity of guests angry as they keep having to queue for rides and what-not, it's not a role for the light-hearted... What mentality? Some of us are stating that ride staff work excessively hard for long extended periods of time over the March-November season... Closing a park at 11pm would not be beneficial to those younger staff members (as mentioned, UK parks hire a LOAD of young seasonals) if they have to hang around in an area which isn't the easiest to travel to (I doubt many buses run after 11pm, or trains) car aside... Having experienced Chessie at high numbers (18k odd a few times), it's near as damn akin to Christmas shopping busyness... And lasts for two months as well...

Clearly you have never worked in a theme park environment... I'm sure if you actually did a couple of shifts (let's say you start at 2 for the evening shift) for a typical 8 hour day at any park during busy season and had to stay behind until gone 1am you wouldn't say the same thing... The staff's well-being would come into any decision based on work hours... That's pretty simple management right there... And the theme park industry is a very different kettle of fish to the other job roles you listed... Indeed, how is sitting in a call centre comparable? And of course shops and petrol stations are always packed at 11pm in the evening with staff rushed off their feet... Restaurants are really the only similar place of work for having to speed around everywhere (and is more likely a more difficult job than theme park lackey), but it also still has quiet hours (dinner rush is what, 6-9 on average? So even for a late opening restaurant, not that many remain busy at 11pm)... But as I said, it's quite clear you've not worked on rides, otherwise you would give a crap about the staff...

A thought occurs, the stupidly high fencing surround the ride and the area, do we reckon it's because of the infamous Tomb Blaster fall? Just an explanation behind it then (not that it makes ANY sense)...