AstroDan

Admission has been £39.60 since the start of the 2011 season, and has only recently risen to £40.80. Remember, it already went up from £38.00 which it was at the end of last season. Baring in mind of course, there are no developments at AT whatsoever this year. Prior the recent rise:£39.60 = on the day price. BOGOF = £19.80pp.Now:£39.60 = on the day price (although this is dubbed a "special offer price").£40.80 = advertised on the day price. Thus BOGOF price is £20.40pp. Seems a but murky.

Alton Towers Theme Park Ticket Price is £39.60They need to make more money.They announce increases in the gate price to £40.80, but in reality keep it at £39.60 (a "special" offer).Everyone still pays £39.60. However, those using vouchers and any form of discount (£5 off etc.) have their deduction from the £40.80 price.Nobody actually pays the £40.80 price. Whatsoever.Is this even within the law? Surely it's treading damn close to it.

Price Increases:Adult ticket now £40.80 on the day. This is the second rise this season following the introduction of the £39.60 charge at the start of the season.In addition, there is an "offer" price of £39.60 if you pay on the day. This is not to be used in conjunction with ANY other offer. Guests using BOGOF / £5 off or any other discount ticket, will have to pay the full £40.80 rate.I think Alton have lost it.

I agree that the queue / external theming on both Duel and Tomb Blaster is very high quality. However, the rides themselves aren't as good as they should be - because they were never originally intended to be interactive, and Tussauds just through lasers everywhere. I look forward to seeing shots of the ride itself.

Maus au Chocolat - now openPhantasialand's new-for-2011 interactive dark ride opened today. It's called Maus au Chocolat.It sounds excellent, and having just viewed a translated mini review of the ride - this could be Europe's best interactive dark ride. It seems to be along the lines of Toy Story Midway Mania, which can be found at a couple of Disney parks worldwide - including Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando.There are some images - as you would expect the queue and ride theming looks superb, but Phantasialand would do no other - here:Maus au Chocolat Images/Review

It depends, as I said. Although I generally dispair at the industry in the UK compared to in Europe (due to the fact that Merlin have stifled competition), I don't think it's always a general rule. I prefer Alton Towers to PortAventura and Heide-Park, for example - but then I look at Phantasialand and Europa-Park and Alton Towers starts to pale.That said I think pretty much any park in Europe (even second-tier) beats the pants off ours in terms of entertainment! Did you see Heide's two shows? Far better than anything at our parks and Heide's entertainment was very limited for German standards, yet it still beat ours...!

Merlin just adding more and more and more and more and more and more half arsed attractions.Whoopie doo. They ought to sort out some of the rotting rollercoasters in several of their theme parks before spending money on new things, really.

Sorry, I didn't mean to criticize your own choices, I was just a little baffled by the idea. I suppose if there wasn't much else to do, then go for it.Loving the rest of the TR (apart from the fact it takes an age for the images to buffer!)

To be honest, and I don't mean this in a bad way, why on earth would you visit Hamburg and go to a Sea Life centre? They're pretty generic and there are loads in this country. Not least, you'd have had to pay the 50% entry rate?

Thank you for continuuing to share. Very odd about a technical problem during the show in the Globe Theatre, I haven't heard of that one before!

Great report, your findings are pretty much indentical to mine. Although, Rasender Roland is a Vekoma Junior Coaster, not one of their Mine Trains! And some of their Mine Trains are epic (I.e. Colorado Adventure at Phantasialand!). I don't expect to agree with your KRAKE findings, though. Novgorod is a top 10 coaster for me.

I would totally agree that for the park, the guests clearly were lapping it up. I am just a picky enthusiast. You could say the same about many rides, another example would be Air at AT. Krake was "decent enough" although that very judgement shows that it's infact just shy of the true top tier found at many European parks, however Merlin simply don't 100% their rides - they tend to do just about what is needed without going any further (see Atlantis at LLW).Also - I do feel a comparison with Novgorod is justified. Krake could reasonably be assumed to be Heide Parks "reponse" to Hansa-Park, and both are the latest new developments in each park and both are a thrill focus. Given their proximity, they are in direct competition. I believe the public in the region will indeed compare both.

Rita is fine, it was just closed for a short while.Th13teen no idea. The ride is broken!

Intamin are on site - and have been for several days. With exception to an hour or two, it's now been unavailable for around 5 days! Rita has had some minor glitches. It's a shame, because both rides have been very reliable so far this season.

I once felt quite ill on Euro Mir, but it's one of my faves. One of those special "only at EP" kind of rides, much like Eurosat, too. I must say riding Euro Mir in the Winter, at night, with the lights and Jingle Mir soundtrack is amazing...!

Yes, I think with Blue Fire it is a grower. At first, you will probably find it either underwhelming or lacking in force (even though the fact it isn not a G intense coaster is well documented). It's also the parks (and Mack's!) first foray into such a coaster. I really love it though, top 10 coaster for sure.As for the rest of the park, it's never been and I doubt ever will be "about the thrills". This is a family park through and through, I think of it as a giant and much better version of Chessington. Great ride count for the first day!

I think it will be safe to say that the 2013 development at Alton will be their biggest since Air. I just hope the package is complete, unlike Air.It will have a gimmick, the rumours flowing around could make for something truly special. But I don't hold my breath these days... I hope they suprise us all!

I believe it IS going to be done for 2012. It was only not done this year as the TUV (German H&S) refused permission for the mouth at the last moment.

I am clamouring to read more!Big hearts to EP <3

Oh I would, too. But Novgorod. My my. I presume you didn't nip to Hansa on your trip?

I am not sure whether you rode the same ride as me, but I found barely any airtime on the bunny hop and found the drop nowhere near as intense as either Oblivion nor Sheikra.I found the whole thing average. By no means is it a bad ride, but it was typical modern, bland B&M in my eyes. I am just glad that on my visit the queue didn't top 40 minutes.It was all about Novgorod up the road.Still, at least some people rate it highly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHsa7HN71dQHotel Bell Rock.

As I said though, Oblivion is world famous. It was also a world first and one of the most iconic rides in the country. Rumba is one of the shoddiest Intamin Rapids I have ever been on. Due to this, the Fanta on Oblivion is by far worse than any dressing down of Rumba.

I would also say that Sonic Spinball is the least reliable ride in the park this season. Pretty frustrating.

Sorry, but I can't see the masses on TowersTimes "going on about a 4D like it's a god given fact". It's a rumour, yes - but one of many. However, Alton Towers will want to "beat" Thorpe Park, yes. Whether they do or not, is another matter. All we can be sure of is that Alton's ride will be an innovative, probable world-first ride.Not being able to build tall has never prevented them building great rides before, either.