Coaster

How can people be judging the billboard yet, we haven't even seen it?! A badly edited image does not represent in any way what it will actually look like, it just provides us with a representation of the sort of shape it will be etc.
I hope it will look good and I'm sure it will, they could even have mist coming through the gap but that's probably not going to happen considering we already have mist under the plane wing.

I think that we need to actually see the billboard before we can fully judge how it looks and whether it should/shouldn't have been installed.

Wow never thought id see the day people moan when the park are ADDING MORE theming to what is already the best themed ride in the park...

regarding the two existing top spins... over the past few years every time I have been on ripsaw it has been rubbish, like the first go on rameses revenge, but the second part of the ride (which I think is a really good idea) is great fun, and just really wished alton towers ran ripsaw on a better setting,

^ Thanks for the plug
But they originated from this website. http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2013/02/19/in-pictures-london-dungeon/
It really is looking fantastic. After standing outside County Hall a couple of days ago, the dungeon does fit in so well with its new location.
The atmosphere is great, the music was playing quite loud and resulted in a lot of interest from the crowds walking past.
Having also seen the television advert, it was essentially an animation showing off the sets and characters. Extremis also appears at the end.

These have just been posted on Roller coaster Xtreme Facebook.
I'm impressed with all the small details of theming

These have just been posted on Roller coaster Xtreme Facebook.
I'm impressed with all the small details of theming

These have just been posted on Roller coaster Xtreme Facebook.
I'm impressed with all the small details of theming

http://www.deadredart.com/mrsbrown.jpg

The Smiler

Tues 26th Feb is the date...
http://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/events/default.aspx?story=60 Here's the link you need to press to reserve your space. I am going between the 1pm and 2pm "show".

I only thought that it was Merlin pass holders only because of the post two above mine that you obviously didn't read.
Read before posting.

Tidal Wave's went because of Stealth's construction severing the gas line... There is no evidence currently to suggest it will just get turned off on Swarm...
Swarm's fireball is a great bit of theming when it works, it should maybe not go off every train (mainly as when it doesn't catch light, the area stinks), it's definitely one for non-riders (who are just as important for encapsulating in the overall area experience)...

No because ripsaw is run on rubbish cycles and would be run on even worse ones at thorpe! Just compare ripsaws cycles(rubbish) to ones on rameses revenge(good)!
Rameses revenge:

Ripsaw:

At least on rameses you always get a soaking aswell and most times you'll get a double soaking! Rameses always goes around twice due to short queues and you always get the spin cycle. But with ripsaw it is popular so you barely ever get a good, long cycle! That's why I'm glad we have rameses at chessington because it isn't very popular there and peaks at 20/30 min queues!

I really hope they keep the old Music and have all the Televisions on and create a good atmosphere

They have done a good job of making it fit in with the existing bridge, I'll give them that. But...
The entrance and bridge have been derided for years for being inadequate, drab and hardly a fitting gateway to a magical place, which I think I'm right in saying Thorpe have made no secret of their desire to improve and upgrade at some time. Then instead of using this is a opportunity to actually carry out those improvements they 'theme' more stuff to the same horrid and outdated scheme. Hilarious.

I agree about the volume, it's either too loud or too quiet.
Alot of those announcements didn't exist with the old Vampire, the music was allowed to play without being talked over every 10 seconds. A great soundtrack like The Vampire's deserves to be heard

Also, when was the last time all the torches in the station actually flickered like they're supposed to? I bet they haven't done so for about 10 years.
So much atmosphere lost...

All the engineers have to do is turn down the volume of the PA against the music...
It's not even a case of ride staff loving the sound of their own voice (although it is an issue at times) but it's not their fault it's so bloody loud...
It is a big problem though...

You know what I prefer?
No sponsorship.

I'd say the staff that actually gave a toss. I remember when I platformed with you on Vampire back in '08, there was no messing around and the parks team leaders joined in to keep the queue-line down and to get those trains out as quickly as possible. Now its gone completely the other way with the staff being more concerned with talking loudly through the PA or twiddling their thumbs and still not working hard enough to stop stacking in the break run.

But it's part of good ol' thorpey's history =(

It would be great to see a complete refurbishment of Vampire.
The original entrance could be used, completley new queueline, abdab removed (sorry but he's falling apart, poor guy ) and the gravestones around the queue could be put back in/new ones made.
The station could also do with a minor overhaul, nothing major but just a spruce up - oh, and turn up the theme music and turn down the ride operator's voice!

Meanwhile in cat land....

Do we think anything will be done with SAW Alive for the 2013 season? Or is it going to be left there SBNO again? Looks pretty poor (as a guest) if you ask me - especially with Fungle Safari and Pirates 4D sitting there derelict too!

The trees in front of the toilets next to the second drop have since been removed completely, judging by recent photographs. (not those actually on the path)

In other news, I read elsewhere that work has been carried out near The Vampire and that there are 'further changes to come', which for me suggests that the old gateway entrance may be put back in use this year. If true, this would be the best thing Chessington have done for the last X years.
It's quite believable, since they would simply need to install a fence reconnecting the gateway with the main queueline, then create a division behind the arch so that fastrack goes left and others go right.
It would greatly improve the guest experience. A purple bar does not create any kind of impression on guests.