Coaster

I find the idea of buying clothes just for certain brands to be utterly pointless, especially considering the extra expense involved.

Personally I think rush is too short, you only get about 3 full swings

With regards to the 'jolt', this was posted shortly after Saw opened:
So basically, just a change in curvature of the track. This then led to higher laterally Gs at the base of the drop than, which creates the jolt so many people experience. At an educated guess, I think this could be down to the drop - it was originally meant to be a 97 degree drop, like most Eurofighters, but was instead changed to the 100 degree drop for the record, which could explain the change in curvature of the track (as the Immelmann loop was kept exactly the same, so was designed to follow a 97 degree drop, not a 100 degree one).

Valhalla, not running too bad to be fair to it, 8 boats, however they were going round mostly empty, clearly not many people were game for it in such conditions....it certainly wouldn't have been entertaining me had we not had a BPB virgin with us! All effects were working with exception of the snow, water tunnel (which I was greatfull for!) and the fire accross the final drop.
Pics!
It was rather dead!


Monorail has run its last :-(

Thrill-o-matic



Still quite

Funshine seems to be making a return!




This was once free....its now £1, and demand has dropped through the floor! If it doesn't open on a bank holiday things cant be looking too good for it!







Ash

Well, I've been thinking about it for a while now, I've been talking to a few people on the forum, and quite a lot of you know that I'm straight, but that was a lie as I was unsure of myself at the time. Seeing people come out recently who I thought were 100% straight has made me realise that I should be who I am, so that's why I'm going to say and be proud of saying I'M GAY A big thanks to those that have supported me and guided me into this decision, and I am ready for you all to know! Xx

It's absoloutley appauling to state a 60 minute queue when there isn't one to promote fastrack sales. In fact, it is downright theft.

It's absoloutley appauling to state a 60 minute queue when there isn't one to promote fastrack sales. In fact, it is downright theft.

Does the smoke in the pyramid smell like Stealth's?

Should of keped Burger King

It's absoloutley appauling to state a 60 minute queue when there isn't one to promote fastrack sales. In fact, it is downright theft.

Or back for 2014! LOL
It looked amazing this year, we really need it back

One of these would fit in at Thorpe in my opinion but it would have to look a lot less "funfairy" and not hold people upsidedown for quite as long as that!!

Open an hour and still no review? Come on people, I'm waiting!
From TPM facebook

Having been on it several times last weekend, can I just say the new boats are running a LOT faster than the old ones did. On several occasions people came off the end of the chute and stright over the carpet, into the cash beams! Either its the new boats for noones deited since christmas!
Ash

It looks just like Storm Surge did when it actually opened.
Oh and still now.

"That's Nice!"
- Mrs Brown's Boys

Am I the only one wanting A more fleshed out Story line For the Swarm Like a 30min movie in the time voyagers theater

That's all very well but it's a whole year operating in that state. Going by the Disney theory of total immersion - its not really good enough to say 'oh we'll get it done soon', the minute those rocks are taken down you're not in mystic east, you're in a utilities warehouse.
There's no reason the ride couldn't have had some major work over the close season - it could have even closed early last year (since water rides are less popular at the tail end of a season) and been back looking brand new for the start of the season.
Also, they never replaced the last bit of theming they had to tear down (the rocks on the lift hill) so its not like this is without precedent.

I can't actually believe how awful that looks. Never really realised just how close the Tomb Blaster building was behind it - or what those rocks covered up.
What I can't believe even more, is that those in charge of the park have SO little pride in it that they're happy to leave the ride looking like that just to save the money it would cost to replace them. It is a sad indication of how shoddy the UK park industry is that this kind of thing happens - to put it short, those in charge of these parks literally don't care about them beyond their money-making capability.

That'll forever be a depressing sight.

You could name every top manager from the last 25 years who have allowed the theming to get in such poor state that the only option is to tear it down.
Chessington to me is no longer able to call itself a theme park. From riding jcbs through vampire in 2001, turning bubble works into the worst retheme of any quality and now tearing down theming that lifts falls and runaway above bog standard rides. We could argue for ages about this being an order from on high and whatever but the fact is that wont being back the theming that was created 26 years ago that made Chessington different
Chessington, you are idiots.

So, made my first Thorpe trip of the season today. Strange really, normally my first visit would come on Opening Weekend (as it has done for the past 8/9 years at least...), but due to uni, that didn't happen. However, a school-day visit had to happen instead, and well, I can't remember the last time I visited the park when it was so dead during open season.
Longest queue I saw advertised during the day was Inferno, at 10 minutes, and even then, it probably wasn't more than 5. Slammer opened late, but other than no breakdowns or issues that I saw. All coasters were on one train operation, and even then, some were struggling to fill up trains it seemed.
So, after collecting my Annual Pass and getting through the entrance just as the park opened, it was time to head to where everyone was heading - Swarm. The plan was to hit up thr forwards rows a couple of times, let everyone go backwards first, then go backwards later on. It worked quite well, pretty much getting through straight away, and we were on in a few minutes. It was my first ride since September and, wow, I forgot how good it was. I'll post a bit more in the Swarm thread, but all in all, still an amazing ride and the addition of the billboard is great. We then realised how quiet the park was and that the backwards queue was dead, so decided to do that. Got right-hand side, at the very back. Again, I'll go into a bit more detail in the actual Swarm thread, but I wasn't completely sold on it, and found that it was only good because Swarm is good.

Billboard of greatness, with added slogan.
I got my new refill capsule and we headed to Rush and Vortex. Both rides were dead, with only 4 of us on Vortex and Rush only being half filled. Rush was definitely shorter than before and, as much as I love the ride, the short cycle was a tad underwhelming. Vortex left me feeling a bit queasy, as the first ride in a while always does to me.
Colossus pain time followed, leaving my ears feeling painful and my head dizzy. Geniunely was rougher than any of my rides on it last season, and once again was reminded why I dislike the ride. We walked onto Saw (and I do mean literally walked on); I like the manakin in the trap in the indoor queue. As a side note, I've heard some people talk about front row queues for Saw now - well, they're not there.. Saw was as fun as ever really; really enjoyed it and I still don't see how it's rough; oh well...

I've got a new camera, so fingers crossed my photos will be of better quality now! Hopefully I can get my timings sorted out though.. XD
Went to Loggers to 'brave it tunnel-less'. Dunno what to say really. It doesn't make the experience that much worse, in honesty, but the overall experience has been affected negatively in my opinion. The tunnel as it stands now feels pointless and lacks any worth. I do like the new scattering of the bears do; specifically the one that used to be in the barrel but is now on the grassy bit at the beginning! Inferno followed. Woo, it's amazing! Loved it, and it's shot back up in my rankings. Just as a side, though, was the station music ever used at Chessington recently. When I heard it, I just couldn't help but think Wild Asia?
Lunch at the Mexican Cantina followed. It was nice and still has large portions; so much so I still can't finish the nachos... Did Rumba and wandered round Sunkern Gardens for a bit to let food go down. Seems as though some trees have been cut down round Rumba making it feel more open, which is a bit of a shame. Looks like some more plants are to be planted in SG soon as well.

Greenery at Thorpe!?

Spying on Swarm...

New barriers on the side of Stealth's launch track, presumably as a solution to all of the stuff that happened last year?
Now then, back to Swarm:

Yep, no queue outside!
Quite literally, the only queue was for the backwards rows. It was so quiet they closed the backwards queue and stopped issuing passes. Got three more goes in quick succession, meaning I've been able to try the backwards and forwards rows on both sides this season, including front left (to value the billboard of awesome in all its glory), and FINALLY got my first go with the fire working!
Couple of neagtives though:
-The Crash Pad looks awful. But, at the same time, it sorta hidden unless you go looking for it.
-AP refill capsules not being refillable everywhere. I was only able tp get them filled up at the Inferno Shop today. Bar 360, the Mexican and the hotdog place in Canada Creek all refused. Why? It seems ridiculous. Also had different staff members saying different places (some said you could do it at the BBQ, others said you couldn't) or suggesting places which weren't open. It's great that this is avaliable, but I can't see the sense in not having avaliable in all the Merlin outlets?
-Whilst 'The Noise' seems pretty good, I don't like hearing it around the park. Heard it interupt ride audio a couple of times, especially around Saw / Canada Creek.
Not big negatives really, more just niggles. So, all in all, a great day. The park is looking great and this should signal the start of a good season for them. Look forward to my next visit soon and hopefully being able to try X!

That video is good marketing - it's a shame the videos on the queueline TV's are so unconvincing and don't give off any sense of panic. They should be like this!

No, I think they are the old trains but they have just been heavily refurbished.
I like them, it's just a shame the old thorpe park logo is gone (I knew it would be, just a shame)

Very expensive but then it stops too many people from buying it which is a good thing.
What would be a better thing though is no fastrack...