Coaster

The ride carriage and station leave a lot to be desired...

No it still doesn't, which is stupid. I think that all log flumes should have a baggage hold facility!

The trouble (especially with Thorpe) is that when they spend money on a ride, they do it half heartily and it gets overlooked/doesn't look and different after a month or two.

I know it was improved this year (slightly), but seeing old photos shows how good it used to be/look. For example why remove the coloured wood chips on the ground?

Please! No more stupid ride ops shouting down the PA to annoy guests...

Looks so much better in that photo, I hate how theme parks let their rides 'degrade' just because they aren't new anymore.

The station looks a bit tacky in my opinion - I know it's supposed to be part of the design but I reckon they have rushed it.

It's good that they are using both arms again I quite like Submission, I can't see why so many people hate it! If you don't like it don't ride it, simple as.

I think that when they start testing The Smiler they should put up a temporary sign both at the park entrane and outside the ride saying "The Smiler will be testing today but will NOT be open" so that people can't complain, as to be fair it would be annoying to see it running with no explanation (talking of course from the point of view of a first time visitor/somebody who doesn't know anything about rides - I would understand why ).

At one point today the queue time boards were saying The Swarm Brave It Backwards queue time 100 minutes - it was literally straight on! Not even joking!

What is attraction number 9?

Buy a new topscan my opinion!

One thing I find really frustrating with Oakwood is their lack of urgency, even in summer holidays. Speed was on one car for most of the day last year (bear in mind that means 8 people every two minutes or so) and megafobia on one. Actually when was the last time they used the green train on that?

Yes, but the average number of people in a car at a place like Alton Towers is probably 4, so that equates to 20,000 people. 1800pph minimum does not meet these needs considering that the majority of guests are trying to enter the park at a similar time (or if they aren't then they end up doing so because of the queue). On a different note (and rant ), I think that the opening times for Towers are appauling, especially for a bank holiday weekend! Thorpe and Chessie are open until 6:00pm, Blackpool Pleasure Beach until 8:00pm and then 6:00pm on Monday yet Towers still shut at 5? (Doesn't look like it will improve later in the year either judging by the website bar scarefest - 6pm in summer holidays is awful). This is not on for a theme park who consider themselves to be the UK's greatest. I don't think so! If Blackpool Pleasure Beach (which imo is a far, far better park but doesn't have the vast amount of money as Merlin parks) can open until 8pm then why the hell does towers shut at 5?! And they wonder why they aren't getting people through the gates!

Are there leg/back pokers on Drop Dead like on Nemesis Sub Terra? I hope not, they are more painful than fun in my opinion! Also what other differences are there between it and Extremis (the old dungeons drop ride)?

I agree, Moffat's episodes were good when he did the odd one here and there, but he is really bad at trying to tie a whole series together. He goes too far.

Bubbleworks is the closest thing they have, and tbh I can't see them installing a rapids ride while they still have that. (Not that I want them to get rid of it, it's a good ride!)

I am finding the new doctor who episodes very poor, only a few of them are actually good in my opinion. (I did enjoy this weeks one and next weeks one looks promising I think).

Just found this on YouTube, I think something like this would fit in at Chessington well (if they ever get a new coaster that is...) http://youtu.be/v0D_aVPYPWE

The shotguns are above your head at one point, hanging from the celing of the indoor queueline. Back in the days when you used to queue under it you would feel a blast of air if you were in the right place at the right time.

I agree with your comment about pizza pasta at Chessington, but I thought the Vampire Burger Kitchen was dire in every way.

I think this will top any Merlin park log flumes as they stand at the moment. (Well maybe not Tidal Wave!)

Yay! We were appauled when we visited in Easter and it was running clear. And it looks like it's actually red now rather than pink, judging by that photo

That's what I thought - I hope they haven't reduced the throughput.

Silly decision in my opinion, I hate this "tampering" with rides that seems to be the in thing at the moment.