Zappomatic

Have The Swarm's fire and water effects been seen at all this year? Noticed the fire engine playing a recorded explosion sound every time a train was about to drop, which I don't remember being there before. On a more positive note this ride was really flying last night - I don't get people who say the ride lacks force.

Anyone else think that the fake burning smell in the station smells/tastes a bit like blackcurrant throat sweets?

Always thought calling it a BBQ was a bit cheeky as most stuff was just baked in an oven - saw some pretty gross, grey looking curled up burgers on trays last year. It appears the Pulled Meat Co. and Peckish have both disappeared too. Shame to have a reduced selection of food available - I miss Roast & Relish! Would also like to see a Smokehouse (as at Chessington) or a rotisserie type place.

I really do wonder why they don't just replace it, it smells of damp inside and is visibly wonky.

Just a heads up that British Airways have some cheap off-season deals for PortAventura at the moment: flights from Heathrow to Barcelona including luggage, and 3 nights half board at the Hotel PortAventura with park access and 1 day Ferrari Land ticket for £245 based on 2 sharing or £229 based on 4, departing 1 October. Adding a day adds about £60. I've managed to book so that I fly out to Barcelona on the Friday before and stay 3 nights before heading to PortAventura for 3 nights there, total cost £385 per person (plus €8.80 train fare to get from Barcelona to PortAventura, and €16 coach from PortAventura to Barcelona airport).

With those modifications they'll actually have to bother parking the boats like at Alton Towers rather than expecting people to climb over the seat backs!

Last night the old version of the Colossus music seemed to be playing in the Colossus shop.

Rode Colossus last night (walked straight in to an empty station and went for the front row - very confusing!) and I'm guessing I had the train that's been out of action because it felt unusually smooth. New wheels, maybe?

Last year whilst in the queue for Big Top I was telling a friend how freakishly terrifying Miss Frog was so it was hilarious to see her in the maze!

The group in the video seem really annoying! Wouldn't want a room next to those guys. And what's with the matching caps?

DONT CLOWNS OPEN INSIDE

I wonder why Rumba Rapids seems to have so many staff around it when the much longer Congo River Rapids at Alton Towers doesn't?

They were working when I visited the weekend before last.

Why is it in an American accent?

It's only been in circulation since I uploaded it in 2002!

I've now got this picture in my head of the queue line absolutely flooded with pants...

I seem to remember the audio around the queue line/entrance area was originally a selections of screams, grunting, sinister laughing, chains and various flogging noises?

The one near inferno was originally a Costa. For one season you had Costa here and Nero in the Dome - unusual to have two competing brands in the same park!

Nothing like having a total stranger wedged between your legs!

Sounds like they'll just be selling Costa coffee instead of whatever they were selling before, rather than going all-out Costa. I seem to remember Alton Towers doing this for a while. I can remember when the Mexican place near Nemesis Inferno was a Costa (which later became Caffe Nero) and for a time it coexisted with the Caffe Nero in the dome.

Wrong park... http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/police-uncover-legoland-windsor-cannabis-farm-a3460616.html

You could say that in a way, the admission price still is just over £20 given only a complete moron would pay full gate price. I suspect back in 1990, splashing two for one vouchers everywhere as marketing wasn't really a thing, and prices have been inflated to take these into account.

Could it be that the theming on Rumba Rapids has been taken down as it's easier to re-paint it that way?

More Chessington on TV, this time it's Wish You Were Here:

Just noticed some lights on scaffolding - preparation for some kind of summer late night openings or fireworks perhaps?