Benin

Started on one then second added around midday. Is very strange. Saw claims of overspeeding which might make sense with the new magnetic brakes and over sensitive modern day sensors. Would also explain the half filled trains. However if on the weekend they revert back to full loading it'll make little sense.

Same today it seems. Was hoping for a good number of rides on it tomorrow. Looks unlikely.

Press night tonight with spoilers abound. Looks great though. Gonna be a long week to wait.

She's back on Saturday.

The road markings outside the dodgems are... weird given they haven't changed the block paving underneath. One step forwards then jumping backwards there. See also the lovely stuff around Stealth then the half worn boxes and white lines on the floor. Det photo booth looks tacky still. Not helped by the unfinished building next to it but does belie the query of why that exists when they didn't redo the photo booth facade?

Sounds like what people were saying about London Resort. Still a massive if about Universal happening. Even if they're far more competent.

Makes trips to Towers somewhat more burdensome without Skyride. Guess we'll be hiring a mobility scooter on our visit. No Hex at the start is a shame, hopefully they can FINALLY fix the parking.

Jeez this topic completely missed the MASSIVE fire that happened at the under construction waterpark. In more positive news, the Helix music is now on Spotify. That's my listening sorted.

Same thing with Walliams World & Big Easy Boulevard. Amongst other repainting projects. Guess it's just easier rather than bother getting detailing painters.

It's somewhat frustrating that a lot of the good work done by these projects end up being primary colour painting over everything. The additions are nice, but why is the entire structure yellow?

Lady Di is riding it with Sir Capt. Tom & Baby P.

Think a lot of it comes down to blue sky concepts then those are the sort of "unimportant" aspects that get cut. Not just a Merlin thing to be fair. But does happen regularly enough.

Smiler was meant to have a viewing area too which got cut. Drop looks like nonsense in a good way.

It's certainly a choice to have your big new rides main point being the height then choosing a flat 2D style map. Probably designed just to throw on the app first. Not like Thorpe really needs a map given the size.

1998.

I bet the planning meeting for the name of the shop took FOREVER.

Tbh it was mostly my guess for that section. Loosely based off Smiler's being sectioned off by a door leading to the onload platform. Which works until you have to get back to it and the airgates are full.

Have they got a lift for disabled people somewhere on the plans? I mean, it'll end up broken and left to rot like Saw's and Inferno's but it's THERE.

But it's ART. The Det stuff looks naff. Surprised they haven't taken the chance to redo the metal fences on the platform.

Suppose it's easy to forget Drayton are getting a coaster this year. Just looks so weird. Current guessing is that will go forwards from station until the straight section by the hospitality building, before launching backwards to the lift hill, which you then stop and complete the rest of the circuit forwards. Not sure, like with Mandrill Mayhem that this is the right choice in terms of throughput. Novel I guess.

One would suggest that there's room for expansion. IOA didn't open with a massive number of attractions. Besides that, I feel that Universal are now leaning into experience park with rides as a bonus. The way in which they've pushed this "portal" entranceway (although I fear for exit policies) to make each area completely immersive shows this is at the forefront. Will be incredibly boring with the Universal and Disney fans pissing contest though.

With Captain Tom & Rocky Express.

Given that an image like this would be everywhere else right now I'm not exactly on the side of belief here.

The joke such as it is/was grated from day one. Now its just sad and probably far more off-putting to bother posting on here.

Glorious to see. Can't wait.