Coaster

Can we get this man a drink? For realising the sheer terror those hairy, winged atrocities inflict on innocent people like us.
Moths are the devil.

Seeing as this is a rant topic, I'm gonna rant!
I hate moths. No not hate, DESPISE.
And my parents think I am stupid and too old to be scared of moths so they just get annoyed with me and, most of the time, won't remove them.
It really hacks me off, everyone has their fear and that is mine. (As well as spiders, daddy longlegs and... Yeah, basically all bugs).
And we go on holiday camping every year, in a frame tent. It's hell. I love camping, but the bugs are awful. And slugs.

You seem to be forgetting that Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a family owned business that doesn't have the vast amount of money that a merlin owned company has.Actually, since the refurb (this year especially) all effects have been working most of the time - the fire arch and on the water worked 12 out of 12 rides I had on it at Easter.
Anyway, comparing a simple swinging axe and light (which wouldn't take much to fix) to the multitude of complicated spectacular effects used on Valhalla is silly.

^ Because a theme park with that much reputation (and money) should maintain their effects!

You seem to be forgetting that Blackpool Pleasure Beach is a family owned business that doesn't have the vast amount of money that a merlin owned company has.Actually, since the refurb (this year especially) all effects have been working most of the time - the fire arch and on the water worked 12 out of 12 rides I had on it at Easter.
Anyway, comparing a simple swinging axe and light (which wouldn't take much to fix) to the multitude of complicated spectacular effects used on Valhalla is silly.

^ Because a theme park with that much reputation (and money) should maintain their effects!

^ Because a theme park with that much reputation (and money) should maintain their effects!

Brean Leisure Park is a brilliant place located in Somerset, with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool (with waterslides), a brilliant crazy golf course (and huge proper golf course, although we didn't do this) and most importantly Fun City - home to Astro Storm (which was formerly Space Invader at Blackpool Pleasure Beach )

Fun City has two brilliant dark rides - which is great for an amusement park which in reality isn't massive (although does have quite a few quality rides).

TERROR CASTLE is probably the scariest ghost train I have ever been on, and I have been on a lot. It is a constant array of loud noises, strobe lighting, scenes of horror (very gory) and fast downward slopes both indoors and outdoors. Things come at you from every angle, left right and celing, often at the same time!

ASTRO STORM is absolutely fantastic! I really liked Space Invader 2 (never rode the original) but it is so much better here! The ride is taken in almost total darkness, but there are a multitude of effects, aliens and more that light up as you whizz past them. There is a massive air cannon at one stage that genuinely makes you jump and the ride actually has a really good storyline (and Theme music!)
The best thing about it that wasn't present last year (or at Blackpool) is that it actually runs with intent now! Whilst the trim brakes still slow the car down, they have been reduced a lot this year so that you actually feel a fair amount of force on the drops and final spiral section. The shuttles were also running faster this year, I think the wheels had been replaced or something.
Plus throughput isn't a problem at Fun City, because it never has a very long queue (and is usually near to walk on).

Staff at Fun City are generally pleased to see you reriding the rides, although I didn't stay on, I walked round each time.

RIDECOUNT: (Over two days, one daytime wristband 10:30am - 5pm and one evening wristband 5pm - 9:30pm)
Astro Storm x51
Terror Castle x32
Magic Mouse x11
Shockwave x7 (Quite efficiently run for a Pinfari - shame about the roughness ) Throughput I believe is 940pph
Wild Water x3 (Honestly this thing got us soaked! And it's just a standard off the shelf model. Other's of these don't get you that wet!)
Disco Fever x3 (Funniest ride ever!)
Dodgems x1
Wipeout x1 (KMG Afterburner, run well)
Xtreme x1 (Good but they leave it on for far too long! Closest I'll ever come to experiencing Spin Doctor )
Waltzer x1
Hellraiser x1
Sizzler x1

I would reccomend this park (and leisure park as a whole) to anyone, Fun City is a brilliant amusement park with two brilliant dark rides (and for the record, Astro Storm is much, much better than X) and a selection of other great rides and it's just generally great fun.

Thank you for reading, comments and questions are very welcome

Oakwood have officially announced their partnership with the Great Ormond Street Hospital, and part of the £21 entry ticket price will go to them, and the park will be used for GOSH day trips, it seems a themepark has a heart for once and it's not all for profit, which makes me feels warm inside.

This is going to sound very random, but does anyone have the ambient audio that is played around the the Experiment 10 (or arena) area during fright nights? would be good to have for a project I am working on....
In my opinion, after visiting the awesome parks in America over easter, having rides play theme music is really a much better choice than chart music, however given the crash pad being where it is, having the upbeat, well known chart music would probably add to the whole experience of staying there....

Meanwhile at alton towers...

A very interesting article here by TowersTimes which explains one of the set backs for the project, and how the HSE was involved with dealing with errors made during the groundworks process.
HSE report: http://www.hse.gov.uk/notices/notices/Notice_details.asp?SF=CN&SV=304321528
http://old.towerstimes.co.uk/news/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1369595511&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1,10,11&
EDIT:
This did make me laugh... hahaha oh dear!

I'd actually love to see an interactive shooter, but themed around THE SWARM, so your basically fighting back!

Given the fact it's been widely publicised that The Smiler "will not be open" tomorrow, I was unsurprised to receive this:
To receive it just 16 hours before the prize was due to be claimed is cutting things a little fine though...!

They did say that was an option I think, but not a certainty. With what is going on up North I think one thing we can rule out is it being a gerstlauer!

"Opens May 2013" should be rewritten as "May open 2013"

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

I wouldnt be surprised

Don't they know Hydro (drenched) is taller?? It's not even tallest in the UK let alone the world, what stupid stupid claims!

Lack of money, lack of interest, lack of good experienced engineers, same as last year wh en I worked there!

A nice little video here showing some mounted on-ride shots and the legend himself, John Wardley.

^ The posters were clinical and hospital like though, saying things like "a smile a day keeps the doctor away". The station should recreate the good atmosphere that the sanctuary queueline had in my opinion, which was clinical and there were well themed posters.

2013, potentially Chessie's worst year since Vampire being Sbno.

For those new to Legoland and the Fairy Tale Brook, I think the changes will be well welcomed.
However, for someone who has grown up with the ride like me, I feel slightly saddened by this new version. I am thrilled to see so much attention given to the ride but what with the lack of original music etc, and the oddly placed models, it is just doesn't cut the cake for me.
Shame.
EDIT: The effects on the other hand, top notch!