Lewis.

Gotta love sitting on the brake run waiting for the other train to be dispatched, legs pinned in place and cramping up like they're about to explode 🥰

I'm not totally sure that me being the gluttonous hog that I am could handle a mixture of binge eating and "Europe's most thrilling rides" these days. It could be interesting but from my experiences of some of the truly awful pop-up ones we've had in Brighton over the years I'd rather just go to Camden Market. That place is food heaven 🥰

Oh yeah I have absolutely no doubt that hell will freeze over before we ever implement something even half sensible in regards to literally anything in this country but I can dream 😂

Maybe the problem is bigger than just Thorpe, as many of you have said they really are backed into a corner. I've said for years that having some form of general, official ID card would come in handy in so many situations. You can sort of get them now but they're in no way "official" or I think accepted anywhere as actual proof. I think it would work; I have a free bus pass, if I don't have my pass I don't get on the bus for free. The same could be applied to Thorpe and any other place that offers stuff for disabled people, want the RAP? You need your disability card. Like the bus passes they could even be scanned, maybe coming up with some vague info about the persons conditions and whatnot. Surely the technology is there.

Is it only a doctors note that's required? I would have thought that asking people to present a blue badge/PIP letter would be safer and weed out people who just want to milk the system. For example I go to tons of concerts every year and most venues grant early access for people like myself with disabilities, most of them just requiring you to email them a copy of your PIP letter and you're on the list. That picture above of the queue to get the ride access pass is genuinely worrying, I'm on the fence wether or not I want to go back to Thorpe this year after already having not been since 2015 and the whole system just seems like it's being abused to the point where it would impact my day.

I wouldn't be surprised if something slightly less dramatic were the case. I'm sure they'd love to be replacing the at this point innumerable derelict attractions and investing in new ones but there's obviously some struggle with money happening alongside a lack of interest from anyone higher up. I doubt they're all sat around like "shall we get something new this year?" - "Nah CBA lol". I'm with those wishing for Merlin to just sell it off to someone else at this point. The question is, who?

Ah my bad, I haven't actually been in almost 5 years now and they definitely didn't have them on my last visit. I just assumed being Thorpe it wouldn't have changed 😂

In my case getting out isn't an issue at all but I have genuinely really struggled (with Samurai especially) a lot over the years. It may seem insignificant but straining to get up into rides can and in my case has lead to pulling several muscles and being left in discomfort for long periods of time. I suspect H&S is the reason but to me that's flawed, I'm more likely to fall flat on my face struggling to get up into a seat than simply stepping up onto something and plonking myself in. Hopefully this is something they've considered as people with invisible disabilities still too often get overlooked. It's great that they're putting in an effort with whatever it is they're doing though!

More accessibility is always good 🙂 One very simple thing that I have suggested to the park before is to get steps/small stools they can put in place as some rides like Samurai and Vortex with higher/awkwardly angled seating can be tricky to get into when you have extremely limited upper body strength. Or they could go down the Winter Wonderland route and employ burley Eastern European men that upon seeing you struggling to hoist yourself up and without any prompting will come over, lift you up and throw you into the seat 😆 (I think I enjoyed that almost as much as finally getting to experience what a Top Scan is supposed to be like)

It's going to be the latter though isn't it

I stand corrected! That is exactly the kind of naff lineup I envisioned them going for though. It doesn't surprise me that it wasn't a success 😂 I could be wrong but isn't the Eden Project just as remote? I saw a show there and there must have been around 5,000 in attendance, if not more! I feel like Thorpe could afford a better lineup if they really wanted to and could easily lay on more transport.

What was Island Beats though? I'm assuming just some vaguely famous 12-year-old playing music off their laptop? I'm talking about actual live music, established acts that people would turn out for. I've travelled all over the country seeing shows, so do many others. I think it could be a pull.

I think Thorpe would definitely benefit from some kind of amphitheatre, various places holding 'summer concert series' have been rising in popularity in recent years. Some of the best concerts I've been to have been at places like Kew Gardens, The Eden Project and so on. I can only imagine the kind of horrendous, cheap acts Thorpe would get but I think it would work for them.

I still haven't been since 2015. I've slowly gone from saying "I really need to get back to Thorpe this year" every year to "actually I'd rather explore the European parks". Walibi Holland in June confirmed - Phantasialand/Europa hopefully later in the year! Thorpe just isn't on my radar in its current state.

I visited BPB with some friends this weekend for the fireworks/rides in the dark. Two things: . I really like their new system for disabled guests, it's fair and mostly efficient. The only thing I'd change is that I think they need to have a clearer distinction between disabled access and speedy passes, and to prioritise disabled guests slightly more. A few times we were stuck waiting in a queue at the ride exits, even 10-15 minutes standing around can be difficult for me so I definitely struggled with that, especially towards the end of the evening. I don't think it helped that operations across most of the park were dreadful though tbf. The Big One was an absolute shambles with the disabled/speedy pass queue out of the station by the time we finally got onto the ride. . Does anyone else not find Infusion rough? I always go on wondering if this is the time it'll finally cave my skull in but I've never had that bad a ride on it. I really don't know what all the hysteria is about. I always really enjoy it.

I'm all for them making the RAP harder to obtain, someone like me who has a genuine need for it has nothing to worry about. I haven't been to Thorpe since 2015 so the current system is new to me. From what I gather I can send them a photocopy of my blue badge or PIP/DLA letter and I'll be able to pick up some kind of card on the day? I'm hoping to visit sometime in September! As for limiting the number of carers allowed - I always thought 3 was a good number. It was slightly frustrating for the people I went to Pleasure Beach with last year having to take it in turns riding with me. We actually missed out a large chunk of the park because we were zipping back and forth between rides so that everybody could get on what they wanted. We tried to sync up for The Big One with two friends queuing up and letting us know when they were in the station but the ride OPs wouldn't/couldn't be bothered to get us on the same train and we ended up getting on several trains before our friends. I don't think it's unreasonable to want to do things in a small group like that but any more I feel would be pushing it.

All hail Flalossus!

All hail Flalossus!

I don't know why but the fact this is actually happening really tickles me. If I had put money on the next large scale coaster to be built in the UK I would never in a million years have gone with Intamin - 10 Inversions, at Flamingo Land of all places. I was certain this was simply a rumour started by some daft 12-year-old that everyone was for no reason other than having nothing better to discuss indulging in. I quite liked the place when I went in 2016 but left thinking it would take a large one for them to tempt me back, so count me in!

OLD TOWN As much as I’d love “the next big thing” to happen at Thorpe I really feel like adding a substantial family attraction should be their top priority at the moment. So I’m going with the obvious Old Town overhaul… with a lot of the rides telling a story of how Old Town is now run down and neglected due to the logging company closing down at the hands of the corrupt, money grabbing people (cough, cough) running the town and the residents retaliation in trying to save their beloved town by themselves. Notable theming elements would include the CCR train abandoned and derailed somewhere but also lots of flower beds, painted buildings that still look slightly derelict - lots of little things suggesting the residents of Old Town have taken it upon themselves to make the place look nice again. Loggers Leap: The Legend of Diamond Creek Long after the logging company closed down the residents of Old Town, facing ruin set off on an adventure to look for the never seen before diamond creek. On the journey you will encounter bears, rogue hunters and a strange cave filled with a mysterious gas that will make you “hallucinate” a musical number featuring animatronic animals, all camp as tits and totally out of place. You eventually end up falling down a “waterfall” into diamond creek itself, the end curves surrounded by rocks and all sorts of colourful diamonds and jewels and whatnot. Cows & Aliens One of those Gerstlauer things - similar to Firechaser Express (or perhaps go to Intamin as I'm assuming Merlin wouldn't consider Gerst these days). Using the wooded area beside loggers and meandering over to the Slammer site along the old train track where the reverse/switch happens and the train launches backwards along through the old train station site. The ride being themed to a cow farm that you guessed it - is home to a lot of alien activity! You could even have it so that the cows and aliens have started making babies (imagine the cute little alien cow babies) - and the residents of Old Town are now selling the “super healthy alien cow milk”, with some sort of weird milkshake parlour (think Shakeaway - lots of crazy options) kind of messed up I know but I’m trying to be original ? + show Rocky some love, actually make an effort to incorporate the newer kiddie rides into the Old Town theme and also possibly do the same for Samurai. Also add a Vegetarian and Vegan diner, specialising in fake meats. Vegetarianism/Veganism is a massively growing trend at the moment and meat free options have made tons of progress in terms of quality in recent years so it could do very well. As for the "next big thing", Vekoma gets my vote. Whatever they want to build, give them a maximum height to work with and let them go mad ? (P.S haven't read this thread in years so sorry of I'm stealing anyone elses ideas - everything I've written to me seems like pretty obvious things to go for so I wouldn't be surprised if someone already has!)

All that lovely new concrete will come in handy for some live scare actors and barbed wire! ?

Thanks! I go to concerts alone sometimes when I can't find anyone to drag along and they often end up being my favourites so I'm hoping the same will apply here! Travelling around The Netherlands is an absolute doddle so no concerns there. I've done Winter Wonderland alone a couple of times purely to ride Olympia Looping over and over and never felt out of place but feel like it might be a different story in an actual theme park. I've wanted to visit Walibi Holland ever since I started playing RCT2 as a kid so I absolutely feel like going alone would be better than not going at all!

I'm thinking of heading over to Walibi solo in October. I'm visiting a friend who lives in The Hague and have a day where I'll be alone so I'm thinking of taking it as an opportunity to jump on a train there and get on my first RMC! (My friend is too tall/too built for Rugby for rides -according to him- so it'll be my only chance during the trip!) I've never been to a theme park solo which is the only thing making me unsure! Has anyone done a solo trip before? The temptation is very high!

IAC is staying alongside an RMC themed to Dec downing a bottle of Jack Daniels and going drink driving through the jungle/Pinewood Studios, though Merlin only gave the park a budget of £50 so they've just got an old wacky worm and put some nice fencing from B&Q around the area hoping nobody will notice. You heard it here first! #worldsfirsthybridwackyworm

I remember once during a visit in 2005 that I took with my family, some company was handing out these free yoghurt drinks at the entrance (Genius marketing there - hard to think this was pre Merlin) and as a result my brother was sick whilst we were riding X. For many on that hot August day I imagine the rides theming included a strong smell of strawberry/sick. Hope this helps!