th13teen

Although it seems high...A Concert costs £50 - £70 per ticket...and in effect that is what Thorpe Park is (in some odd sense) I am not surprised...but I must admit if I was having to pay with no Annual Pass, I would be tempted to pay a little bit more and have a holiday abroad and enjoy Port Aventura or something like that!...However I do not feel this will discourage most guests...A lot of people can no longer afford abroad holidays the way they used to, and in fact Day trips are becoming far more popular...and thus it is still cheaper than going on a full holiday...something that is within sensible price range. At the moment at least Merlin are not pricing themselves out...but could be on the cusp unless Minimum Wages are increased to counter balance this.

I will point out, the mind set of an Enthusiast is a totally different mindset to that of an average guest. I have gone to these parks with a large variety of guests (many not my friends, I have just tagged a lift most of the time) - It is a usual issue of conflicting opinions...from where they want to eat and what they want to do. An average guest will not only see the park in a different light to an enthusiast but will also do things differently to an enthusiast. I have already stated that it WONT ever happen, however its not justified for almost every idea to be shot down instantly (by many in my opinion - many a time have ideas from anyone other than the 'big wigs' ever got apporval). I appreciate its a forum and everyone is allowed to have their opinions, and whilst I don't argue with your comments I have to disagree, especially with the 'counter punches'. Your comment justifies the Boat...most average guests would never ever dream of going on such a ride with snow, or anything remotely cold. The 10% was an exaggeration from the moment I wrote that, and in fact was referring to the weather in terms of rain and the 'British Summer' HA. HA. HA. So on that Bombshell as Jeremy Clarkson was say...I think Tidal Wave is a great ride, however I never get to go on it because my group never wants to go on it for all sorts of reasons...however when I do I enjoy it. I wish the fireball could be put back in place, especially considering The Swarm works. Finally does Tidal Wave ever use the old queue line, closest to the Dodgems (and the little shack/house) or is this totally used as a Fastrack queue now? So if we can now move away from this agree to disagree argument lets get back to the realities of Tidal Wave.

Yeah I noticed they are selling Fastrack once again at the Entrance...its just silly...totally not fair!

Detonator simply goes up and down... Trust me there are many people who HATE getting wet, but actually enjoy the ride (as long as they stay dry) But Thorpe Park won't do anything like this anyway...its been good for 10 years why would they change it now!? And in reality it is still a lot of fun going down a large slide in a big capsule...for those who don't want to get very wet.

REALLY???? I have never seen it that length!? Wow...Well I rode it the other day with no queue so clearly I had a better day with the queues...but wow now that is a long wait!!

You know what Toby...whilst everyone else has slated your thoughts about a covered boat...that really would work...as you say the British Weather is very unpredictable, and many a time in the winter there is literally NO QUEUE for it and I am sure people would live to ride (what is in effect then a large water slide without the fear of getting wet). There are many many many many people who refuse to go on the ride simply because they will get too wet, leaving a normal group dissapointed as one or two wish to go on whilst the rest do not. I actually really like this idea...going against the general consensus but hay, most on here are not what the 'average' guest actually want...whilst although they would be defunct in Summer (which is literally 10% worth of the Theme Park Season) they would be excellent for times like Fright Night and early March. I agree there could be a split in the queue...I would probably suggest only one boat that is covered and the other two or one open. It would be a good trial at little expense...Thorpe could even have a Fastrack option 'wet' or 'dry' Tidal Wave. Just think how many more people would go on if they knew they could stay dry...I know you guys are saying..."Don't go on a wet ride, blah blah blah"...A LOT of people like water rides...but hate getting wet...(I know its hard for some of you to understand) but its true!!! It gives the opportunity for the little child who wants to go on the BIG WATER RIDE with parents who really do not want to get wet...its an excellent compromise!

It would be great if they used this video/audio around the park at Thorpe Park Fright Nights...it would really suit the park nicely...I bet if it was Lionsgate they really would with the new film out...but I don't think it is...But it really would work well with the Entrance Screens and Queueline screens, plus the sirens...it would be fantastic as part of a Terror Zone or Horror Maze!!!

It really is painfully slow to load, however lets be honest the queue is never very long no matter what - no more than about 20 - 30 minuets, so either way its not a long ride to wait for. I think the main reason is something to do with the air compression, even in its early days it took forever to actually do a full cycle and round again...they are clearly waiting for something...its not a case of staff being lazy, clearly they are waiting for something...and thus makes the need to batch during the ride defunct as guests will still be waiting. In reality however I wish I knew the actual reason...I totally love Slammer, my complete Flat Ride, the best in the Business, in my opinion...it is just so imposing, great feeling of free fall when going the right way...also it has a lovely sound of a ride with the air compression and wind as it spins, and the whirls...it really is a hidden gem in my opinion...I know many people hate it with a passion for all sorts of reasons, and I can totally understand that too! The thing I feel most sad about this ride is its clear neglect firstly as it has been out of action for a year and was clearly showing its age mixed with a long closed season, but secondly as a ride itself, you see the queue that is never used anymore, and you look at the ride and think...this really should be one of THE rides in the park...but its not...such a shame.

I realised the entrance video that Thorpe Park now have would be perfect for this music I have found...and before you question it, Tussuads used this piece of music with their promotional video many years ago. It really does work for this video, especially if Thorpe Park were after the Young Adults crowd (I know with the new marketing director they are not) but anyway, watch the video, mute the sound and play the music...It really does work! In my Opinion anyway! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6bF0F9HDlM

Most guests don't wish to spend a huge amount of money on one ride...Most will happily ride The Smiler once in ERT then head off to other areas of the park (when it opens at 10am)...Sorry but it's clear this is the logic Alton are employing, like it or not. Remember most on here are Enthusiasts, not the average 'Normal' guest. For most have never been to Alton or come very rarely...most guests will be rushing to go on ALL the main rides, not just the Smiler. It will also regulate the queue for the morning anyway, with it opening from 9am the queue has a time to move before it gets jammed of general admittance guests. To justify my argument, I see very few re-ride Nemesis or Air even on fairly quiet days. It simply aids the queue. I do however believe that Alton should stagger the opening of the park, I would much rather see the current line up (that we are discussing at the moment, including the Smiler) then at 9:30 they open Rita, Th13teen, etc, then at 10AM the full park is opened, to allow the area to flow...Aaand now I await the backlash as to why this idea is totally idiotic...LOL haha

Trust me...most normal people...normal guests visit ONCE a year IF that, so they are not going to re ride, they are going to try and get on as many rides as possible.

Stop worrying about people who moan about Rita, wait for the front and you will be fine (towards the back it can be rough), The Smiler certainly is rough because it throws you around 14 inversions...that's inevitable. But in reality none of them are what I would actually class as 'rough'.

Ladies and Gentlemen...the element here is to allow ERT guests to enjoy Cbeebies and The Smiler within that hour and then head off into other areas of the park, thus relinquishing them from adding to the potential queues that these attractions will inevitability face. So understand this is in all helping you, whilst although other guests will have to wait, the queue will be considerably less than previously because most ERT guests will have been on the ride (few will in reality re-ride the attractions)

Thanks Fred, and yeah I understand most don't think its unfair, however I do. Simple examples will be the latest guy who pretended to be Disabled to get 'Free Fast Track' and many times you hear, especially in a school, Uni or Work environment..."We need to take X because he/she has a disabled pass, we can all get on the rides quicker", to me that's just abuse of the system...especially when its one person with the disability. In my head all it screams out to me is I NEED TO TAKE MY DISABLED MATE because its cheaper than buying a Fast Track. But clearly as has been seen in the past I am in the minority of opinion...I understand its an awkward/delicate discussion. I certainly want everyone to have a good time...but the main gripe I have is many people get Disabled passes, and it does regularly in my opinion slow the queue down...many times you see Nemesis or Colossus running with a whole 1-2 rows entirely for Disabled and Co...not forgetting the already joined Fast Track earlier in the main queue. However, I certainly take everyone's point on...and perhaps I would recommend being more strict with what you are allowed to go on...after all...at the moment they are being treated like Fast Track at the moment...not a Disabled pass. Unless we get to the stage where Thorpe Park are using the system they have been trialing for everyone, I don't think I will ever think its a very fair system...this is not to say however I would talk about a Disabled person in the way they did on the Inbetweeners on Nemesis Inferno haha

Must give my compliments to a staff member called David on the Storm in a Teacups ride yesterday, very very energetic and actually making something of his job. I would have gone to Customer Services to compliment it, but I didn't get round to it in the end. Park currently looks good with its screens, although many area's still not great attention to them. This was the first time I have ever been with a member in my group who is officially 'Disabled', now what I can say is that it was fantastic for my group because we were able to get on everything. During my trip at least 3 times staff didn't even write anything down to indicate a queue time (so we could immediately go on another ride and increase the queue time for others) and many other times the queue times put down were 15 minuets as opposed to the 45 - 60 minuet queue...sorry...what? This system really should have been stopped ages ago, and in fact many times the Disabled pass got us on quicker than if we had just had Fast Track tickets!! This is simply not acceptable, this combined with Fast Track, it is little wonder queues reach incredible levels. Do not get me wrong we had a great day and would have been less enjoyable without such a system, but the amount of unfairness...nothing more so than arriving at the Colossus exit, and people already waiting in the batching bays forced to wait ANOTHER train because WE got priority...the shame and embarrassment! Therefore to rectify these issues, I suggest restrict the number of friends per disabled down to just 1 (2 in exceptional circumstances), (if the others wish to join the same ride there should be an option for a reduced price fast track, or carer pass). Staff should stringently use queue times and make sure they all have pens (many times they didn't and thus let us straight on the ride). Disabled must fairly wait there turn and should not literally cut in front of those waiting to get on the next train...staff should block a batching bay and then allow Disabled and guests on the ride. This may sound unfair when a disabled person may want their group on the ride, but at the end of the day we had a group of 7 and only 4 of us could go on at a time anyway with our guest, so really its not a problem, if guests have a problem with this a Fastrack system is by far more sensible. It is simply not fair on the main queue...especially I do not understand why someone with a minor disability (in my opinion) can have up to 3 others with them, cutting all the queue...to me that does not equal out. This needs to change...and once again I am not being biased, I am not discriminating against Disabled people, I just want a fairer system.

It was good. Overused effects, but still great...however I can only see one direction this will be going...a pointless '4D' Experience with the '4D' dwindling to non existence within 2 years, by which time most seats won't work. They better keep it to its current standard.

I just cannot agree...Rita is by no means smooth but its damn smoother than Furius Baco that is just fast...nothing to it...really nothing to it. I must be different, Baco just feels fast at the launch, not acceleration like Stealth, I much prefer Stealth, Furius just feels like its rips you apart in 2.5 seconds, rather than Stealth's glide into the launch.

Trust me...Shambhalla is smooth, and in fact far too smooth, you cannot even hear it as it goes round unless you are right under the track, Furius Baco is just rough...but each to their own, because I love Stampida, so that contradicts everything I say about roughness...but I love a Wooden Roller Coaster!

Furius Baco is awful...Its rough, poorly designed, dull and it's only attraction is its stupid speed...however unlike a comfortable 60MPH Rita, 84MPH is too fast with no hill to nullify the speed, and instead just takes corners at 80MPH with a rough wing rider design. Concept is excellent, but the whole thing in hindsight should have been rethought. Its not comfortable, the Queueline is just...well...switchback's on a mega scale...as well as loud because of its echo inducing indoor queue section. Its also a shame almost all effects no longer work in the Pre Show, not forgetting the clear area just in front of the Pre Show area which was originally meant to be themed as part of the scientists house, but instead just concrete and metal...mmm...almost goes hand in hand with Merlin's shipping container attractions!

I am obviosuly the only one who thinks Thorpe Park at least for Halloween should remain an Adult Park, it should not cater for families, that's what Chessington is for! Provide me with a package that will satisfy me, if I want to be mildly scared I should go to Chessington or Legoland!

7 Days isn't overkill, the idea is to give you flexibility to go up in the morning or the evening as and when you like, rather than commiting to 2/3 days intensive. We stay at a hotel next door to the Hotel Caribe, Vil. La. Romana. Excellent hotel! Does this mean I could buy the Express Pass Ultimate, keep the wristband on my hand for my holiday and everytime I went in I could have got Express Pass!? If that's the case I would have done this!!!

I have just returned from Port Aventura for 10 days (7 day ticket) I have many complaints this year, however I will first mention the positives, we visited during the week in Which the park transitioned from a 10 - 20:00 closing time, to the White Night 'Noche Blana' 10:00 - 04:00, and then 10:00 - 00:00. So I had a good feel for the variety on offer and got to experience White Night and Fiesta Aventura. Angkor was a fun ride, however it is nonetheless simply a large Battle Galleons. I will simply exemplify previous comments, I have been an avid fan of Port Aventura for years and have gone almost every year, however this was possibly one of my worst experiences, (this is not to say I did not have a fantastic time about 75% of the time). My first major issue is the continued problem with the Spanish to know anything called 'Customer Service', generally they lack the basic concepts of a simple smile and acknowledgement (this is a gross exaggeration of Stereotype). Numerous times throughout my visit I had blunt staff, who did little but point and not even offer me eye contact. This is something I at least expect when I am paying over 4 Euro's for a Coco Cola. Nevertheless there was a significant minority that were helpful and offered the basic level of service I expect. Now our most popular topic on this forum...Queue Jumpers and Express Passes (I feel they belong in the same category because they are both ruining 70% of the customer's day). Where do I begin...Queue Jumpers, I acknowledged one sign at the entrance stating no queue jumping however beyond this, there are no signs to warn queue jumpers, nor would that matter because staff do not enforce this. And as has been stated on here, Spanish School Children especially like to jump the queue's to join their friends, irrelevant whether there are only 2 in the line and there are 10 of their 'mates'. I would put most of the queue jumping issues down to the layout of the queue line, the most prominent ones are Dragon Khan with its rectangle 100 meter hurdle fences, and Furius Baco with its amazing ability to cut a queue by 3 hours divided by one single metal bar easy enough for an 8 year old to climb over. I can agree with all when everyone's day is ruined no thanks to these...(I cannot use the words)...however numerous times my group failed to stop Queue Jumpers, and the staff do nothing to stop it even when you inform them. I did complain to Customer Services over this major issue, combined with the lack of enforcing a no smoking policy in queue lines, which really grinds my gears. As for Express Passes - well, all I can say is that if you are there for only 1 - 2 days, they are the greatest value for money ticket you could possibly ever buy if you come during peak season (10:00 - 00:00). I realised they are far more attractive than the UK Theme Park Fastpass offerings, because for only 25 Euro's you can skip the queues and for an extra 5 Euro's on top you can ride the top 3 Roller Coasters in the front row as well! That's 30 Euro's to get on everything...that's 50 Euro's per person including your entry ticket to get on everything and some more! No wonder it is so popular...ah...there is the problem...Now, do they limit this Express Pass System...NO, NO, NO...NO! Are queue times increased by double if not by three....YES! Numerous times coasters had full trains of Express Pass, with a notable incident with Furius Baco with 4 full trains of Express Pass without letting a single main queue get on...that is not fair, that is unprofessional, and just disrespectful...I did complain to customer service...guess what I got One Express Pass for Shambhala...defeats the object of my complaint...but hay, if you can't beat them you may as well join them! My main issue with Express Pass was, I did not see the value in spending extra for Express Pass when I had bought a 7 day ticket, and I was not able to use it over the 7 days...or at least I did not think I could do that. Therefore I had to stand in the long queues, however I in the end chose to do all of the shows and did the rides as and when they were under 90 minuets (albeit it could have been 45 minuets without Express Pass hogging most of the trains). The solution for Port Aventura for this simple problem, either restrict sales...but they will never ever do this because its a licence to print money, the only other option is to introduce time slots for the rides, too many times too many Express Passer's wished to use their Pass at the same time on one single ride causing major issues in the queue for the regular guests. So I strongly suggest Time Slots. One issue on my first day was the weather, Spanish Thunderstorm...obviously shut the rides until the storm was over, however I was amazed to see almost all rides shut 45 minuets after the rain had stopped and the sun had come out...if someone could explain to me why they did not operate way after any rain or wind please tell me! If you wish to do Angkor remember with Express Pass it runs at the capacity of Sonic Spinball. Fiestaventura - was a poor display, it has not changed in about 4 years, and where others have progressed Port Aventura has simply kept it the same. Generation Forever was simply spectacular however - worth every moment, what a show, worth going to watch! If you wish to know about White Night, you can either have a normal ticket for the whole day (normal gate price, or with your multi day ticket, etc), or buy an evening ticket from 8PM and rides run until 04:00 in the morning! There were a few incidents with my group which caused tensions and upsets, however once in the park, the event itself is fantastic and well worth a visit. The park does not shut and reopen it simply stays open for the whole day and evening. It was a Brazilian Theme so there were parades of Dancers and Brazillian Drummers entertaining the busy crowds. They even raided Generation Forevever for a performance. There was a live stage, and a foam party/Disco area in China. It really was a fun evening. However my negatives included, the lack of security presence beyond the entrance...too much Cannabis and my major niggle was at the entrance...I had entered earlier in the day, and had my hand stamped (my partner had not she stayed at the hotel), however when I returned, the crowds to get in was incredible (they were holding them back because they had 8PM Evening tickets, we did not, we had 7 day tickets) Long story short, we got turned away from both entrances, were told to go to customer services, I refused, and explained through the language barrier, that caused major tensions with my group and they should really reassess this procedure in the future.

I meant the parent swap method, as in waiting fairly for a ride. And fine if Disabled need more than 1 person for evacuation, but really no more is needed. However I have strong opinions about this, probably because I have been burnt badly by past experiences, and I am simply fed up of the system combined with an awful Fastrack partnership. However please don't think I am discriminating, if anything I am trying to be fairer for everyone (that's my personal opinion, so please don't argue).

I cannot justify 3 Carers to 1 disabled person...Unless a very specific medical condition. That is simply as abusive as overselling fastrack. 1 Disabled, 1 Carer. Am I the only one who has thought why doesn't disabled work like parent swap, one or two members of the disabled party goes and queues, and when they are at the front the Disabled and Guests can ride together?

Excuse me...this just heightens the farce of the so called Disabled Entrance!? There is nothing more infuriating...take Fastrack to one side, but the 'Disabled' guests absolutely anger me to boiling point, Yes there are some who I feel justifiably should get access, but most are just 'carers' (in reality just taken the whole family on the ride with them) or worse still the ones that 'can't queue' such as this guy, when most in reality could! This may sound harsh, but unfortunatly its very very true, you go to Port Aventura, etc, and you see the DISABLED, and they really are disabled and you think fair enough. At Port Aventura I do not see a whole group for one disabled person.