Coaster

A Fastrack queue for Truckers is beyond stupidity.

Was that over a long course of time or just on one day? Just because they were working when you went, doesn't mean they work all the time and I have had lots of visits this year when there have been barely any effects working at all around the ride.

That's a good idea, but going by most other effects at Thorpe I don't think it is worth them installing an effects based dark ride as they won't work after a few months. Just look at The Swarm.

It was a different (and much better) magic carpet I think.

Inferno is a quality ride in the evening when it's running well, easily the most solid coaster at Thorpe in my opinion.

The Hunger Games rumour has been around for quite a long time now. Could be a possibility.

I don't think they want to use the beach again, I remember hearing somewhere that it destroys the floor and they have just repainted it. S13 could probably fit in the marquee, and there's probably room somewhere for the MBV containers, maybe around the back of Inferno (but not in the way of Blair Witch)?

I would be happy with the same lineup as last year to be honest, especially when you consider than next year they'll have to completely overhaul the lineup (as the sponsorship runs out after this year - I think?) However, I've said this a million times but I'll say it again: THEY NEED PARKWIDE THEMING THIS YEAR. A Halloween event is not a Halloween event if the park doesn't have the right atmosphere - with the audio they play, parkwide theming would complete the scary feel.

If "guest feedback" really is the cause, the only thing I can think of is that maybe the removal of the cyclone/slide improves throughput?

The line "we are covered from an all day dining point of view" says it all really - they don't care about being honest to guests, just covering their backs. They are very poor opening times to be honest, lots of people would eat just before park close (well, they might if they tried opening past 5pm) and the all day dining offer suddenly looks a lot less attractive.

I have been stuck on rides in torrential rain before, it is a rare occasion but it happens and I don't see it worth keeping a ride closed just in case of a breakdown, which is an unlikely event.Furthermore, it's not because it looks "nice" on a queue times website, it's because I think that if a ride can run in the rain them it should be open. Do Thorpe offer free return tickets when people are on a ride breakdown then? As unless the rain caused the breakdown, I don't see why the fact that it was running in the rain makes a difference, the public take the risk of being on a breakdown when they get on a ride so the same applies in the rain IMO.

Was it any worse than a bump on a ghost train style ride/going back into the station on a log flume?

Good to see them extending opening hours when busy, 8pm close is respectable.

Would there not have been an H&S report published? Or is it unlikely that we will find out what happened?

Closing rides because they have a problem/thunder is different, I can understand that but I think that closing them due to guest discomfort is ridiculous. Simple solution, put a sign up warning guests that they may experience discomfort during rain and keep the rides open whenever possible.

I don't have any time for the excuse of closing rides "for the comfort of guests" during rain - if it is safe and able to operate then it should be open, and people can make a decision on whether or not they want to go on it.

Pre-shows for a coaster that's already been running for nearly 13 years? Unnecessary IMO, I'd rather they finished off the area (unless they are doing that as well).

I think the biggest deciding factor towards the ride re-opening will be whether they can fully understand what happened and be sure that it won't happen again, as if they don't manage to find out exactly what happened and why then I can't see it reopening. I do hope it reopens as it's a good coaster.

There are lots of ways to get the crowds back, running the park competently comes to mind.I know that AT isn't as bad as some parks but the point I'm getting at is, if they have to rely on lifetime Fastrack to get people in then they have a problem.

Yeah I agree that keeping it open is better than closing it completely, but are they letting guests know that they are queuing for an incomplete attraction?Hopefully they get it fixed soon, as it is a shame to see a new attraction already not functioning the way it should, whether Thorpe are at fault or not.

Hopefully they're getting a brand new Topscan. I doubt it though.

What is the point in building an experience attraction if the final section is closed off just months after opening? Could've spent that money on their existing problems rather than creating more...

This is exactly why I don't have time for the excuses Thorpe give out for closures or to a lesser extent one train operation most of the time - they have been awful with reliability for as long as I can remember visiting, yet they still haven't got themselves to a state where they are running acceptably.Rides not opening until 11 during summer holidays is dire, especially when they aren't advertised as staggered openings. In my opinion, they would benefit hugely from taking a year away from getting a new attraction and spending some money on their existing rides instead, as there are clearly some underlying issues at the park.

If you saw Valhalla with the lights on you would understand why they keep it so dark.It is a great ride but they spent the money on huge effects rather than the basics of a dark ride, resulting in unreliable effects (I doubt even the biggest parks would be able to keep all the effects running all the time tbh) and most of the theming being missed due to having to keep it so dark to prevent spoiling the illusion. I highly doubt that Thorpe will bring in a ride with so many expensive effects (both to buy and to run), and hopefully they'll choose a more reliable ride system too!

What an awful way to treat guests. If a ride is running one train then Fastrack should not be sold at all, let alone mass oversold to use one train operation as a way of selling more.Merlin are in a bad position at the moment and they need to be encouraging guests to come back, leaving them standing in slow moving queues due to one train running whilst watching paid queue jumpers go on first is not going to give people a reason to come back.