pluk

And the schools often all leave quite early so as long as you stay 'till the end you should get some quieter time for the last couple of hours.

I've ridden Shockwave a few times, although it was a few years ago. I actually can't even remember it though, not a single thing about it. I think that makes it worse than if I remembered it for being particularly bad.

I like them odds, who wants my pound?

With the signs removed surely that really has to be it for this season at least? I guess after that it is a question of cost and long term viability determining if repair, if even possible, is completed closed season. I'm doubtful it will live again.

I can vouch for Trough Ivy House being quite delightful. If you do stay there though be warned that Alton often close the main park gates a while after park closes so if you hang around the hotel for food and drink then go to walk back later you get routed via the staff exit, which is a fairly long dark walk after a couple of beers!

Of all weeks, on a training course all that week so can't get it off. Damn.

Staff standing on the edge of Thunderlooper platform as the train hurtles through. Wouldn't see that now I'm sure.

Does that even save money? What did it actually cost to open? They've still gotta feed those animals!

Your school will not be the only one turning up with a coach load, so pretty busy.

Banned for changing your name and confusing me.

Was in Southend the day before yesterday, this is what I saw..... So, it still ain't working. It is not quite like I thought it would be, I guessed the seats would be free swinging but they are in fact powered to rotate and have stopped in these positions. This is gonna be weird sensation!

Last time I got an AP it cost me £75 I thought that was a bit steep!

You can not improve the throughput by adding other stuff, it will only be as high as the weakest link. This would be horrific at Thorpe, it would not come close to being able to handle the numbers without being on a ride cycle so short it would be even more laughable than what Dungeons are doing with it at the mo.

(you shouldn't have to, they should n't be giving less and less for more and more!!!)

Are The Hairy Bakers actually mentally retarded, or are they just pretending?

Well this looks rather nice!

Splashdown Poole and Sandcastle Blackpool don't look bad, they don't look amazing either though. Sandcastle looks like it has changed a hell of a lot since I last went years ago. They do though seem to you standard pool with some stuff attached as best they can, but the buildings aren't really designed for it. I wish I could find some pictures of Fantaseas, but I can't find any at home (I must have some somewhere) and none seem to exist online either, which is strange. I can't even find any pictures of the outside of the building which is really bizarre as it remained standing for a decade after the pool closed down, looming large over the Dartford River Crossing and getting quite a lot of press as people complained about how ugly it looked decaying all that time in such a prominent position. While it was open though, it was something else. It was very well themed in a tropical style, no part of it ever felt like just a swimming pool. -The main flumes, which I think there were about 6 or 8 of, were accessed from a 'launch tower' which was a long way up, this meant the flumes were long and fast. At least one was dark with lighting effects in, they really were American water park standard. My favourite was a really thin blue one, the speed you could get up to in there was astonishing. -Standard lazy river winded around the whole complex. It would reroute outside in warm weather but stay inside on cold days. -'The Bermuda Triangle' was similar to Mississippi Drifter above, but was a lot rougher with the pools between the slides really fast flowing whirlpools, ropes would hang by the exit chute from each pool to grab as you went passed to haul yourself onto the next bit of slide and a few of the pools had multiple exits so you could take different routes. It was massive too, it would often take 20 minutes or so to complete and was suspended above the other areas of the park. This was always the highlight. It would often end up with far too many people in the pools, a big bundle of people and rings. Looking back it really was quite dangerous, I'm not sure they'd get away with it today. -'Kamakazi' was a near vertical slide, although not very long. The big difference with this compared to any other I've ever seen was that instead of having a flat run off to slow you it had a lip at the bottom to throw you up into the air with a fairly large landing pool to catch you bellow. Just crazy. -The main pool was huge, with gushers squirting into the pool that would knock you off your feet. Every half hour or so the waves would come for a few minutes. The end of the pool was kind of circular and shallow, so the waves would push you against the wall and round the corner, dumping you in the lazy river if you went too far. It really was a clever design. I can't explain without pictures just how good it was, I'm going to have to try and hunt some down. This is what I want to see in the UK again though, a proper water park.

Like a walk through ghost train. Could work, but would lack variety and therefore re-rideability.

There seems to be a massive lack of decent waterparks here in the UK. The only one I've ever been to here that was not basically a normal pool with a couple of flumes attached was called 'fantaseas' in Dartford. It was just amazing, a full continental style water park but mainly inside. As it closed sometime in the early 90's I don't expect anyone here to remember it, you'll have to take my word for it, it really was something else. The only other decent experience pools I've come across, although definitely not actual waterparks, are the domes at Centre Parcs. The one at Elveden especially is great fun with, the spectacularly rough and dangerous outdoor rapids the highlight. They seem to be developing these too, with this teaser released for something big and new coming soon. The problem with these though is you have to be on a (usually very expensive) holiday there to gain access. So, are there any proper water parks I'm missing out on? Could a decent sized full on water park successfully exist in the UK? I can't understand why no one has tried in the last 20 years. Surely people would visit? I know I would.

It makes lots of sense if you've got some nice expensive farcetrack tickets to sell!

I appreciate the sentiment, no one likes to see those at the bottom of the pile screwed over for the benefit of those at the top covering their behinds. But in my opinion that all becomes below the needs of the guests. If the park has structured itself wrongly to deal with situations like this, then that should be the parks problem, not the guests. In terms of guest experience, what is being done now is simply not on.

I think a little updating needs to happen, on the front page apparently The Swarm is opening soon and clicking on the attached LC12 link is the exciting update that groundwork is under way!

I'm fine with staggered openings if they are needed for cost savings, probably the most acceptable form of cutting back there is. But the way they've done this is an absolute mess. For many reasons operationally it would surely be better to have whole areas closed than pockets of stuff inactive? It will just look really really poor and in a park the size of Alton simply not work for people trying to fit it all in to be expected to go back and forth from one side of the park to another to try and hit everything while it is open. What are these good reasons? I've not seen any. Just because these business men and women have degrees and years of experience doesn't mean they won't do stupid stuff and get it wrong. From recent history they seem to make bad decisions frighteningly often, and this can go onto the list of poorly thought out stuff they've tried to inflict on their guests this season. Not the words I'd choose, but since you suggest it they do a damn fine impression of a 'retarded park manager'. I'm not sure what they weigh though.

I wouldn't think it is the parks direct choice, most visitors will not even know this has happened and I'm sure the park would rather be completely up and running. My guess would be the HSE (or whichever authority has a finger in that pie) have wanted the site kept exactly as is while they carry out their investigation, it is them who probably see that 'unit' as a whole and consider it unsafe all round until they have worked out exactly what went wrong. It may have happened in the outside queue extension, but you can bet similar a type of parts, manufacturer, designer, builder, procedures and quality will have been used throughout. Until you know which it is that has led to the accident you wait. It's for the best and I'm confident wont effect the attraction long term.