Benin

We've got 3/4 years of this cryptic message nonsense? Though it doesn't help when we all know the intervening years will produce nothing of note I guess...

It was also (apparently) under development for 3 years, we expect it to be completely changed in 5 months?

When you think how how Universal have essentially changed the dark ride game pretty much 3 times (Spidey and the two Potter rides) since 1999 for many, many times over the budget of this, you have to wonder how Merlin thought this would make a difference? Beyond being the world's first dark ride partially dedicated to VR of course... Was that the game changer? Cos Sub Terra did the hokey (but kinda amusing) acting part, and the live action scene isn't particularly new either... Is it the transit system that's meant to be the game changer? So many questions, yet not many answers...

The final years under Tussauds were very different to the initial Merlin years though... Least that's how I see things, amount of stuff that was done at Chessie like new ents and replaced/repainted theming in 09/10 looked like it was going in the right direction... Shame things went downhill from there...

What's the context of Thorpe not putting Fastrack on DBGT? Oh its because it's still unreliable and they don't need more complaints flooding the inbox... They could do it, but I'm not gonna commend them for not doing so because of their inability to have it open...

That wasn't a comparison though, it was a negative comment about Merlin which really didn't have any relevance to the park in question... Merlin constantly getting moaned about is not comparing them to other parks... It's, as I noted, an unnecessary jibe at them...

Ban request.

Has Lego really changed at all since Heroes Wanted? Like, stuff like Explorers Institute and Magic House went before those days, and those were the sorta stand out stuff in terms of attractions... The park is only bland because of the multiple identikit parks of them popping up seemingly everywhere... All the same attractions bar like one or two slightly different ones (Polar XPlorer, the Jungle Splash at Germany) or slightly different variations on the same one... All a bit of a shame given the potential available to Lego...

But Gruffalo IS the new investment, and the Carousel position was always stupid, hidden behind the shop and stuff... Until Merlin decide on an actual direction on the park and actually allow the infrastructure to be improved after years of neglect, a new ride isn't gonna happen... Hell even if I owned the park I'd be spending two years to put the park into an actual decent state before doing anything actually new...

Half Life 3 confirmed! http://olympialooping.com/#places

I wouldn't really expect a major investment to require evolution until several years after opening though as part of a repackaging to tackle falling numbers visiting the attraction... Especially if this turns out to be an alternative ending which should have been in operation when the ride opened...

We couldn't even last ONE post before an unnecessary Merlin jibe? The park is also getting 3 creds next year, including an Intamin water thing like DiVertical, and several other additions... Ridiculous expansion is ridiculous...

So even though money won't bring her leg back she's still going to sue the park because....... Reasons? Mean she already had compensation pay for that shiny leg of hers that many others who have lost a limb (lost a limb) would never have the chance of getting... Further attempts to become relevant because the well is running dry since the park have been charged... I've no idea what she expects to happen...

Will there be actual ghosts on the Ghost Train then?

I don't think Thorpe would open for winter, though it depends on the type of winter we get... Last year's for example would've seen a great response if the parks had been open because of the ridiculous mildness of it all... But the UK weather isn't predictable enough for it to work, but that's why you look abroad if you're that desperate for rides when our parks are closed... Years ago Legoland used to have a fab Christmas event with all the rides open... Lego and Chessie would do well to review such events, rather than their offerings these days...

Of course, thinking slightly outside the box, you could visit parks that remain open throughout the UK closed season...

Since Arrow went defunct after the Vampire refurb (due to issues with X at Six Flags who sued their asses off), I don't think that's entirely the case... Probably more to do with maintenance costs or potential issues, since it stood SBNO for an entire year... Merlin won't invest in new trains unless they can market it as something and get a ROI... Which is an ok idea for most businesses no doubt but not the best practice for a theme park... Even though happy guests are more likely to part with their cash on tat and food...

The dude looks like the guy you see at the pub on his own cos he's so ALTERNATIVE...

Hooray for the park actually investing in something good, the mediocre ride selection (bar Van Helsing and the water rides) makes it an awful place to visit... Especially when busy... The €25 unlimited Fastrack is a life saver...

Probably too many people vomming or whatever... Especially given that when the sea wind catches you it makes the spinning even more insane...

A bag room on a massive dark ride that you can actually take your bags onto (I.e. Not Sub Terra) is always a daft thing... It's a slightly unhealthy obsession of Merlin's to have bag drops on everything when it causes utter chaos by the exit (hey Swarm)...

Not every single ride needs a complex backstory or over the top theming for it to be any good though... Manta only has a story due to government regulations with that Sea World anyway...

Great to see that the second coming of UK coaster Jesus posts are already everywhere, nothing like some overhyping the next big thing to ridiculous levels that the ride won't ever be able to live up to...

They've added theming? I just assumed that's what it looked like after not being used for years...

I don't think anyone moans much about that tbh, the investments Merlin struggle with are those minor ones in between the years... Enough coasters are invested in the parks that can actually build them...