Benin

First Towers visit of the year yesterday...Was great weather once again (probably meaning summer will be dire), and arriving later than planned it was straight to Nemesis for a quick go. Like Inferno, she's running very well and it's a reminder of how good the ride is even at 18 years...Then it was Sub Terra time, which I have reviewed already, it was enjoyable and what-not. Though I think I would prefer to ride it with unsuspecting guests rather than enthusiasts, kinda like Hex in a way...Air was running well also, though I don't see the point in the on ride DVDs, not like Raptor or the others were it films the entire ride of you...Duel looks great (Aside from the finale and lack of pillar monster)... Lots of light changes and fewer targets throughout have made a world of difference to the amount of visible fire exits and hydraulic pistons and bars, which can only be a good thing. Still got nearly 65k mind :PElsewhere, not much else to really report. Ice Age has been put in with some guile actually and isn't dreadful, Sea-Life has the rays back, and the park just looks nice in sunny days...Hex broke down meaning I didn't ride it and Oblivion's 30 minute () queue that was reaching the point where fastrack begins to run alongside meant I didn't bother...Good day overall though...Ride CountNemesis - 1Sub Terra - 3Air - 1Duel - 2Rapids - 1Mine Train - 1Sharkbait Reef - 1Charlie - 1Ice Age - 1Thirteen - 1

Excellent addition to the park, just like Raptor was an excellent addition to Gardaland...Just is a solid fun re-rideable ride and I loved my first ride (not the 9th though, but that was due to the constant exposure to hangtime)...

Yeah it's ok... Some of the effects are slightly out of time, but it's alright actually...Not sommat I'd do on every visit, but, least it makes that building's attraction actually viable for me, rather than past residents...

So yeah, back to my earlier thing...So the shed works actually, and the queue is quite cool with the Aqualite tvs once again being a source of entertainment (bulk order much?), it semi sets the scene for inside but maybe not enough, maybe some further work on this might help remove the confusion of why we're going into the building in the first place...And the staff were good, with the yelling and interaction working rather well... Some of the staff look properly terrifying in the gear (especially when they were all stood outside during a breakdown, most guests were just scared of talking to them, brilliant)...People probably know what happens already, but with the added effects the scene is changed somewhat, and really helps the feeling of fear rise, potentially too much in some cases as I saw a few terrified runs for the exit lift and in the exit corridor, so it fulfills that point reasonably well in a way...Overall I really did enjoy it and came off with a smile on my face everytime I rode it (3 to be precise)... It's not brilliant but it's not god awful either as many enthusiasts seem to be proclaiming... It's fun, gives the Nemesis brand more leeway in the area, and I'm sure after it's been tweaked to it's best then maybe it'll find a place to be admired... Just like that little dark ride that sit within the Towers themselves... Disliked at first, but then after a few changes, it becomes loved...7/10

I've just made a mess over my hotel booking email...

Defo didn't bash my head today...She's still fab

Beyond hope of saving?I doubt that when I saw people getting seriously scared and attempting to run out of the ride chamber...Guess I'm just lucky really... I enjoyed it, and I'll review it fully later...

It's not only young teens who like Thirteen, some adults DO enjoy it...I would imagine the same would be for this... I'll find out myself tomorrow...

Booked in for July...Excitement times!

Found a video of the Miniature Wonderland place me and Nicky visited in Hamburg last year, conveys the thing better than photos ever could...

Ahem...Det's ORIGINAL soundtrack was ORIGINAL... Last year's was stolen off Heide Park's Scream (also a drop tower)...Both are awesome, but I'm glad the old music is back and louder than ever on the rather epic new Bose speakers...

The Instrumental

Not a patch on Flying Fish though...

THEMING IS COMPLETE AND IT LOOKS AWESOME! Also, here's the complete soundtrack for the ride!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_osdJloIx4&feature=player_embedded#!

:oBetter than Swarm?

BEST FENCE EVER!Also, blates an Aquatrax...

Aren't those supports such designed because there's a Rapids underneath?And WHY are we giving love to Shockwave?

Swarm and Saw have a sales point?Colossus' seemed to have changed to a shop, but no idea on that one as it was shut... No idea what it could be... Maybe it might be a queueline shop?

Wild Eagle looks fast from that POV...Dollywood

I get the feeling this will suffer from a "IT'S NOT WHAT I IMAGINED IT TO BE" situation, where enthusiasts built it up to be something else...I remain open to it... Although how anyone could say a 7 minute overall experience is short is beyond me...

I meant to say to you yesterday that I thought it was almost as bad as Sequioa Adventure...Imo

Colossus was indeed running fast...Unfortunately, it's also stupidly rough as well, meaning that any possible enjoyment is completely sucked out...Some things never change...

9 times yesterday, including the front and back on both sides...It's fab, and surprisingly intense through the final inline, it's perfect for Thorpe because it's one of two rides at the park I get off and want to go on again, especially after the first time...So first time was a 60-90 minute queue due to one train operation. However after a 20 minute odd shutdown the second train appeared and halved the queue greatly, very quickly moving although I would NOT want to go over to the other side of the island's queue. Especially as you get so close to get on only to have to vanish off to a hidden cattlepen... Ew...Went front row first time (as there was no queue) and they had no tickets. Fail. However after some communication between staff (or very lacking) we were allowed through and told the batcher we were for the front, and we were on...Getting up to the top and realising the drop's style is so different and amazing. I much prefer being flipped over on the right than the left, however both are good. It certainly builds and keeps the speed more than Raptor did, as seen by the difference in the speed the final inlines are taken at the end. The headrush through the final inline as well is brilliant (although after essentially 8 times in a row, is too much for me)...As for the area, it's nicely themed although looks unfinished due to the mass of dirt at the other end. Next 3 years needs to hurry up in that respect. But overall it does the job well. The instrumental version of the YMAS song was actually pretty good and fitted well, and the news program showed a great amount of effort had been put into it, especially as it was (I think) around a 30 minute loop. So long enough to avoid boredom.Easily the best ride in the park, even with Inferno running the best I've ever ridden it. But I need to have a think before I put it in the top 10. However it most definitely gets a 9/10...Better than Raptor? I think Raptor's overall package might give it the edge. But Swarm is more intense in ways. The rides are hard to judge in comparison because they both do well what the other one doesn't. But they are both brilliant rides and I hope the Wing-Rider becomes an extremely popular type. Because that's 2 for 2 on great rides.

Swarm really shows how bad the rest of the park is...Went to ride Saw, it broke, Slammer died, Colossus broke for a while, Inferno on one train (which was a result of it having problems apparently), Stealth broke when we joined the queue as well...Bleh, least Inferno was running brilliantly <3 And of course Swarm <3 B&M superiority ftw!

Went on it yesterday to be surprised by the presence of new restraints...Shame they don't do anything at all to help the ride. It's still absolutely awful and it's a joke how they expect people to get in and out of the back row. I had to go through the gap between the front seats to actually get out...Intamin ¬¬