pluk

Great day at Paultons today. I hadn’t been to the park for over 10 years, before the likes of Peppa Pig world so it was great to see how much the park has changed for the better since then. 
 
Ghostly Manor is a great addition to their lineup, fits the area perfectly and is finished to a really high standard. 
 
Seeing the coasters behind the scenes was really cool, particularly enjoyed watching Storm Chaser in the op cabin while it was being operated for the ERT. 

A little disappointed they went for a Gerst Eurofighter for their 2026 addition, but I do think it will be a great fit for the park. I think there are definitely better options out there, but think they chose this for budget reasons more than anything. 
 
Particularly disappointed that it will have OTSR’s rather than Lap Bars (the boos from the crowd were hilarious), and I do think that is a mistake. I understand their thinking, that they want it to be as accessible as possible and they feel like OTSR’s will be seen as safer by the GP, especially for their first inversion coaster. But ultimately, Lap Bars are more modern, and I think this will impact the overall guest experience and enjoyment of the coaster.
 
New water ride teased for 2027 and then the accommodation is planned for 2030+. Great to see them investing so much and I do hope the 2026 addition is a success. 
 
They made it clear they are slowly increasing the thrill level rather than big jumps, so it seems this is very much a test. They seemed to keep repeating that this is their tallest coaster ‘yet’ and ‘to date’ so will be interesting to see Paultons future.
 
 
Magma is going, they mentioned its staying in the UK so will be interesting to see what park has bought it. 
 
My understanding was that Edge will be staying where it is but just won't be part of the Vikings area.

With the recent announcement of the Universal theme park for the UK, I’ve been wondering about the prospect of other similar mega-parks opening up in this country. There was of course the proposal for the Swanscombe Peninsula theme park, but this has been kicked into the long grass.
 
Then I had an idea. Many British theme parks aren’t really themed around British culture, and with the rise in popularity of immersive experiences and living museums, I think this would be a good opportunity to trial a combined theme park and living museum attraction, that educates the British public on their country’s history through rides and experiences. I’m not expecting this to be the UK’s next thrill park, but more of a family park that appeals to all ages, consisting of a mixture of moderate rides and immersive experiences.
 
Like many theme parks, this park would be split into different lands, with each one corresponding to a period of British history. There would be a big emphasis on theming to fit in with the area’s period, with rides camouflaged or located indoors wherever possible. Some of my ideas for areas include:
 
- A Roman Britain themed area.
- A Tudor and Shakespeare themed area.
- An area themed around British myths, legends and folklore.
- An area themed to British farming, particularly in the West Country.
- An area themed to a remote Scottish fishing village at risk from the effects of global warming.
- An area themed to a Welsh mining village, in an area where the future of coal mining is uncertain.
- A peaceful “flora and fauna” area with no thrill rides, home to native British plants and wildlife.
- An area themed to Wartime Britain, with emphasis on the two world wars and global domination of the British Empire during that period.
- A science and technology area themed around British industry and inventions, celebrating the innovations of the past alongside those of today and tomorrow.
- An area themed to British pop culture from the 1960s to the 90s, with an emphasis on the arts, sport and leisure.
- The park’s hub, themed to a traditional market town in the South East of England.
- A transit system to connect park areas together. Could be a replica of the London Underground.
 
Each area would consist of:
1 rollercoaster, water or dark ride
1 flat thrill ride
2 childrens’ rides
1 immersive attraction
1 food outlet
 
So to round things up, this would essentially combine the thrilling aspects of a theme park with the educational side of museums, and the Insta-worthy appeal of immersive experiences. Do you think such an attraction would work in the UK?

So if I don't write my review tonight, I probably won't at all.
 
Equally, I am very tired and have an early start tomorrow, so forgive me if this is patchy or brief.
 
I'll preface this with my usual press night statement: I know some people will say "oh, you're opinions are biased, you have a vested interest to be positive" or "you're a Thorpe goon, of course you'll only say positive things. My review will be as honest and truthful as positive, based on my experiences. I've been at pretty much every Thorpe press event since Swarm's back in 2012. In the past, I've told managers to their faces when I think something is rubbish. I've congratulated people for successes. I've said when something has disappointed me, surprised me or just 'not been my cup of tea'. 
 
I was able to get 3 rides during the course of this evening. All of them were back row, and one of them was a night ride. I wanted to mix it up a bit - especially to get a front row experience - but it's just the way it worked. 
 
I will say I found the evening a bit frustrating, with the initial opening being a bit chaotic, although I appreciated the effort for an opening ceremony. I'm sure tomorrow will be smoother, as the set up and organisation is a bit different, but tonight was a bit clunky.
 
So anyways, the ride.
The lift hill is quick, especially in comparison to Big One. But it still feels like an eternity going up. And seeing the park beside you and how you tower over it, is really something. And when you're stood very close to it, you realise: this is tall. The drop. My god the drop. It feels like you're being thrown out to the ground at the top. You stay out of your seat during the twist, which adds to the feeling you're just going to die frankly. The non-inverting Immelmann is fab, giving a nice pop of airtime. The outerbank dive is fab. You are genuinely out of your seat the whole time, as you slowly twist upside down. Such a weird sensation, but so very cool. Quickly going into the stall, you're again left hanging (literally).  The water splash effect does have trims which does notably slow you down, but it doesn't slow you down so that you feel like you're going significantly slower. Think of it as a "gentle press on a car's brake" type of trim, rather than a "harsh car brake" trim. Towards the back, if you stick your hands out, you get a bit wet. The outer banked airtime afterwards offers some surprising ejector. After my first ride, this was actually a highlight, for how surprising it was. After multiple rides, it's not the highlight, but still definitely a highlight.  The airtime into the brakes is fine. Maybe not the strongest ended, but still a nice pop The brakes roll the train into the station very slowly For me, this is my favourite UK coaster I think. I still need time to digest, and I'd like to ride it in other rows too. I also hear the front row is a completely different beast (a lot "floatier" rather than "intense / aggressive"). But yeah, this is a fantastic ride. It doesn't feel too short, as it packs a lot in, and hitting the brakes is that sort of "omg" moment, as you process it all. Could it have had another element after the water splash, perhaps to negate the need for a trim altogether? Possibly, but it doesn't harm the ride.
 
I didn't notice a "Mack rattle" during my rides. However, I do think it has the potential to do so, and could end up riding rough in the future. That will come down to how this type of Mack ages, and what Thorpe do to look after it.
 
There is a neat little dispatch sequence as the train leaves the station:
https://twitter.com/ThorpeParkMania/status/1793709598886822387
 
Other bits:
Mack employees are naturally very happy with the result, and generally and genuinely all love it The ride warms up a lot during the day. During testing phases, it could be take 42 seconds to complete the circuit in the morning, and then drop down to 31 seconds by the afternoon / evening Operations are good on two trains. They removed one to help alleviate pressure on engineering for tomorrow. There were a few shutdowns this evening, partially due to some issues with gates, and also due to someone flying a drone around the ride. Operation on one train is slow. The plaza looks quite nice. It needs some polishing off, but it's good. The ride area, however, is definitely unfinished. It needs tidying up, planting to go in, etc. But in any case, it was always going to be a couple of years before this really looked nice. There will be an opening ceremony / shows for the first few days as a minimum. It's a nice little thing There's some boards around the ride area telling the story of Hyperia, sort of. They're nice, but the backs of them are plain and easy to see around the area, and stick out like a sore thumb https://twitter.com/ThorpeParkMania/status/1793701505725530465
 
Overall, Hyperia is a fantastic addition for Thorpe Park, and for the UK. It's exactly what the park needed. I really enjoyed it, and it's a "Top 10%" coaster for me. 
 
I'll leave you with my first ORP (me on the left):

WTF were they thinking with the BK destruction? Just as they put in a highly themed railways station coffee shop, they tear out a highly themed burger bar and turn it into generic shopping centre?
 
Spending money to make things worse is my biggest hate in Theme Parks, especially when getting funding for anything that isn't a big new thing has been neigh on impossible for decades, but with this and the teacups we have two big lumps of that here.
 
Who the hell is running this place, and can they be sunk with the Thorpe Belle?

Sigh. At least the Burger King's not been replaced by a Merlin "Burger Kitchen" - yet. Weird how Thorpe's still got that and the KFC.
 
That photo of Dobble tea cups with Angry Birds pictures stuck to the cinema wall behind it and the clinical Burger King to the right sums the park up very nicely.
 
But then you think that they've put in a brand new train themed coffee shop which probably has some of the best theming in the park at this point, so it's super inconsistent?!

First post. Go easy on me!! 
 
For me, Thorpe really need to invest heavily in the entrance to the park. It’s the first and last impression that the park makes on guests, and it’s really not great. 
 
It really needs flattening, and then a great centre piece focal point building with plaza surrounding for themed events throughout the year etc. 
 
I don’t even think this area should have rides, it should be somewhere that is pleasant on the eye, engaging and there as a conduit between the outside world to the life inside the park. 
 
I always get that feeling as you walk into Alton towers with the lake in front of you and the towers in the distance, something I don’t think is felt at Thorpe, and whilst the lake etc can’t be replicated I’m sure an equally well designed centrepiece and plaza area of the park would help take people on a similar mindset journey as they enter and exit the park. 

WTF were they thinking with the BK destruction? Just as they put in a highly themed railways station coffee shop, they tear out a highly themed burger bar and turn it into generic shopping centre?
 
Spending money to make things worse is my biggest hate in Theme Parks, especially when getting funding for anything that isn't a big new thing has been neigh on impossible for decades, but with this and the teacups we have two big lumps of that here.
 
Who the hell is running this place, and can they be sunk with the Thorpe Belle?

WTF were they thinking with the BK destruction? Just as they put in a highly themed railways station coffee shop, they tear out a highly themed burger bar and turn it into generic shopping centre?
 
Spending money to make things worse is my biggest hate in Theme Parks, especially when getting funding for anything that isn't a big new thing has been neigh on impossible for decades, but with this and the teacups we have two big lumps of that here.
 
Who the hell is running this place, and can they be sunk with the Thorpe Belle?

WTF were they thinking with the BK destruction? Just as they put in a highly themed railways station coffee shop, they tear out a highly themed burger bar and turn it into generic shopping centre?
 
Spending money to make things worse is my biggest hate in Theme Parks, especially when getting funding for anything that isn't a big new thing has been neigh on impossible for decades, but with this and the teacups we have two big lumps of that here.
 
Who the hell is running this place, and can they be sunk with the Thorpe Belle?

WTF were they thinking with the BK destruction? Just as they put in a highly themed railways station coffee shop, they tear out a highly themed burger bar and turn it into generic shopping centre?
 
Spending money to make things worse is my biggest hate in Theme Parks, especially when getting funding for anything that isn't a big new thing has been neigh on impossible for decades, but with this and the teacups we have two big lumps of that here.
 
Who the hell is running this place, and can they be sunk with the Thorpe Belle?

Photos from inside the renovated Burger King. Unfortunately, it’s removed all of amity’s old theming and turned it into a service station looking place. 
 
Yes the old interior was old, worn. But they’ve retrofitted a standard BK inside an old themed area.
 
The Ben and Jerrys outlet was stage one of loosing the themed buildings for amity. This is the next….

Haha, yeah true. They'd have had to chav it up a bit "yo yo yo ho ho, this is a mother funkin hold up you sons of biscuits. You've got da black spot, innit blud"

Nicked from Facebook - now THERE'S a view we've never seen before!

There’s a better POV online
 
 

So, I went back to the Parisian Disney Resort. 
 
Almost 6 years since my last visit, some things have changed whilst others have remained the same. 
 
Both parks were very lively (but not necessarily super busy) during half term week and seemed to feature a lovely atmosphere throughout. On both days Studios closed at 21:00 and the main park at 22:00, making for some excellent opening hours.
 
Besides some refurbishments around the entrance/Disney hotel, (asbestos filled) Small World and other patches around, the park looked great. Maybe better kept than Magic Kingdom (if I’m honest). The 30th celebration show was a delight and I adore the logo, which is a masterpiece! The parade seemed the same as before as did the main nighttime show, which has grown on me from last time, but I still consider dreams better. 
 
As much as WDW is the better resort, Paris generally has the best classics, whether it be the tragic mysterious Phantom Manor, the grander arrangement of POTC or the more magnificent Big Thunder ride variant. Space Mountain needs to lose the Star Wars overlay now IMO. 
 
Studios is a strange one as some of the park feels the same, but others unrecognisable. The changes to TOT make the ride feel more unique, but still can’t decide whether I like them. Avengers Campus looks more refreshed from the former mish-mash before but feels hit and miss. I liked the Avengers coaster more than I was expecting but still miss RNRC. Webslingers is perhaps the blandest attraction done by Disney, even if the shooting element is fun. Cars Road trip was alright, but feels weird how out of the way it feels from the rest of the park. 
 
The new nighttime show was largely enjoyable eventhough I’m not the biggest superhero fan and it meant basically closing half the park an hour beforehand. 
 
In contrary to the parks feeling more alive, the Disney Village felt dead and lifeless with no atmosphere at all. The former buildings of Planet Hollywood, Ludwig’s, Cafe Mickey and more all closed and derelict. No atmosphere at all even with the remaining open units. Crowded House’s  Don’t dream It’s Over playing whilst passing really summed up the sorry state of this area, which is literally being ripped away from what it once was. 
 
As much as I prefer WDW, I can’t help but have a soft spot for this resort, even after all this time. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I have a soft spot even now for DLRP because it started a whole revolution of park visiting and trips back on my first visit. 
 
 

Not sure whether you meant no jokes of the crude kind, or no jokes about it being the perfect spot for Rocky Express. 
 
In any case, good call. 

Why are people obsessed with this Emily Alton thing like she was ever anything more than a queueline gag?
 
Merlin haven't got the best track record in refurbishments, but setting the expectations to some weird story that never existed because of a pun (repossessed clearly referencing to ghosts in general) is going to result in some disappointment when it's not THEIR vision when it opens.
 
Original didn't have a storyline, I doubt the refurb will have much of one. And if it does it'll no doubt feel forced in by a hammer (much like the attempts of adding 'story' to Tomb Blaster).
 
Much like with most of these ideas, the park are far better off redesigning from the ground up rather than attempting some weird nostalgia attempt with modern stuff.

I'm sure it'll go well with the return of Terror Tomb next year.
 
Maybe they'll bring Toyland Tours back too.

Long Post Incoming.
 
The council have released a document explaining their reasoning as to why the committee should approve the application.
 

 
It is a rollercoaster of a document, the council talks about how the application is inappropriate for the location it is in. (I will get back to this at the end of the post)
 

 
The most interesting part of this document is the fact that the council acknowledges that “The timings for the responses from the Environment Agency have largely dictated the timescales for determination of this planning application”. 

 
This extract basically says that the EA take 8-12 weeks to respond. We are fed up with waiting and they recognise Thorpe need to open it in 2024 in order to recover from covid. I am glad the council recognise this fact
 

 
This highlights that even if the EA do respond. The first objection will not be overcome; so eitherway they will have to go to the Secretary of State.
 
The council do not think that it increases the flood risk and the EAs claim does not have substance.

As discussed earlier, the development is not appropriate for the area it is built in, so they have to assess it for very special circumstances where they can build in a green belt area
 
These are the reasons why thorpe have to build in this green belt area (the council reviews each one in detail in the document and weighs each one up)
 

 
They believe that the development outweighs any harm.
 

 
The council recognises that it is a theme park and in order to expand they need to build on the land which is already existing as part of the themepark.
 
 

They recommend to the committee that the application is approved under the following conditions (pretty standard, included for reference)
 

plus any conditions the EA have…
 
 
OVERALL:
Glad to see the council recognising that they need to invest more and build more as a themepark and that they recognise that a theme park will always expand on its land and they put certain issues behind them.
 
Now the SOS will have to review the application (most likely) as I’m sure there are a quite a few applications like this, I think it will definitely go to the office of the Secretary of State and there will be a dedicated team for these issues. Looking for a December approval? Who knows, glad to see 2024 the council want it open by.
 
When it does get referred to the SOS, there is a way to view the application status for the public, previous small cases have taken from 6 months to over a year to approve
 

So, there's a new document on the planning application, from the Environment Agency. Basically outlines their current objections to the Project Exodus planning application. 
 
I'm no expert on these things. However, there's a nice summary on CoasterForce from member Hixee (also not an expert, but helped put it in plain and simple terms). I'm going to copy it here as it's a good read:
 
 
 
I'm also going to copy over my additions to this post, from my understandings of things going on.
 
As I understand it, this was bought up previously as a concern. The response from the park (or, more specifically, planning representatives of the park...but just saying "the park" is easier) was that they had a pre-existing agreement that Thorpe can build in these "wrong type" of flood zones, as long as it's done sparingly. The trouble is, this is an opinion from 11 years, and not a hard and fast agreement.

To my knowledge, the coaster does - minimally - go into the 'wrong type' of flood zone. However, I have not got access to the detailed maps, this is again just from my understanding of the documents. It could be that the park believe they aren't in the wrong type at all.

It is stated that the only way this objection can be resolved is showing the development is not in this wrong type of flood zone. If the park can't do that, then there is grounds is reject the application.

HOWEVER, it is down to the council to decide if they uphold that objection and reject it. It is not a guarantee it will be rejected. And if it is not rejected, that is a matter for the council and EA to discuss and deal with, not the park themselves.

Equally, as I've said, I believe the coaster does minimally go into this wrong type of flood zone. As such, it could be possible that minor alterations can be made so it doesn't go into this flood zone (be that changes to the support structure, or to the layout itself). This is something I'll touch on a bit more later.
 
I believe the idea here is that the park are leaning on their most recent Mid Term Development Plan (MTDP), which was submitted in 2010, and gave an outline for the park's development strategy between 2010-2016. In (over)-simple terms, they're trying to say "All of the parameters are the same now as they were then, so we have everything submitted, look there". But that might not be enough.

This might also relate in part to something discussed previously, about there being concerns about the buildings associated with the development being below the design flood level. The reason for the design being like this is because they are keeping one building, and making all other buildings the same level as that one. As they have not had issues with flooding in that area before, they don't see any resulting issues happening here.
 
This one seems to have come out of the blue (in that this hadn't been bought up before as far as I know). However, I see this objection has concerns about the infilling process. Thorpe did a LOT of infilling in the 00s/early 10s, and that took a lot of work and discussion to get approved, and included a lot of back-and-forth (more than we're seeing now). This development would be the first time they've done it since then, and I expect that the process has changed, etc. This might not be something the park are fully prepared for.
 
 
 
I think it's fair to say the original application didn't include enough information, regardless of anything. It's also fair to say that this should be expected, given the required infilling. And I believe the park did plan for this - hence the early submission, and the plan for construction to start this autumn, So I don't think the situation of this back-and-forth is unexpected by the park, or a surprise to them.
 
A rethink of the plans could be on the cards. Maybe a redesign of the support structure, or a slight tweak of the layout. Whilst those things take time and money (and by no means are easy!), they could keep the core of Exodus the same. But then again, a major rethink could still be possible.
 
I don't know how long this process could take. If they do have to rethink / redesign the ride, I guess it means a whole new application has to be submitted. Whilst it would be a formality for many of the parties who have already stated they have no objections, this still takes a lot of time and effort. And at that point, you then have to wonder when the ride could be ready. Exodus might not end up cancelled, but could it end up opening later in 2024? Or in 2025? And how much of a knock on effect would that have to the rest of the park's mid-to-long-term planning, and perhaps even Merlin as a whole?
 

Timber Tug Boat has now docked into Chessington. It’s going to imminently be renamed Trawler Trouble. The Ship with its new name and livery is expected to sail again within the next month.
 
Trawler Trouble  looks extremely immersive and follows Disney Standards. It’s hard to believe only 6 months ago it was a ride that resembled that of a Traveling Funfair. I knew that Timber Tug Boat was in for a full scale refit rather than a rename to Trawler Trouble. Chessington is the best Themed Park in England. I have always said that Chessington reminds me of the Disney Parks.

Image from Chessington Buzz

That free food for Lorikeets will last until they're all too fat to fly.
 
Again.

I went on Tuesday and had a fantastic day. I'm so biased towards Chessington though. I completely wear the rose tinted glasses. There's clearly issues across the park but sometimes, just sitting back and enjoying the day means more.
 
+ Four laps on Scorpion. Why did I love it so much?! I have no idea
+ Mexicana looks great with all the new little props in the area
+ I love Grufflalo so much. It stands tall with Wallace and Gromit and Hex as one of the best dark rides in the country
+ Dragons Fury now sits in the under-rated category. What a fantastic rollercoaster
+ Great to see the investment in the park. New rides, more announcements on rides, new music.
+ Croc Drop is fine but doesn't spin anymore. 
+ Bought loads of merchandise because it was the original 1987 logo. Shameless
+ Free food for the Lorikeets now. 
- Blue Barnacle was almost as good Black Buccaneer. Surprised how high it went actually.
 
 
- Very few boats on Tiger Rock. Park needs to invest in new boats now, it's going to be awful in Summer
- Tomb Blaster was rough. I don't like the new story or the guns it uses.
- Queue boards inaccuracy. Said 40 for Fury, was on the stairs, Said 40 at Vampire, was 5 minutes. 
- Lots of the Zoo area closed for refurbishment. Pirates Cove was very loud from construction.
- Maybe its my Disney exposure, but how thin are the queues. Vampire can only be walked single file for examples. it's so tiny!
 
 

It's just an advantage of the work I do, and I didn't do anything that anyone else in the same situation wouldn't have done, but I got to properly save a life tonight. I would guess that seconds later I wouldn't have been able to. It's a pretty good feeling when it happens like that.
The only down side is I should be going to sleep about now, but it's left me a bit too buzzing.
EDIT I hope this doesn't sound a bit show offy or big headed, that's not how it's intended, but I rarely talk about work to people outside of work for that very reason, so it feels kind of nice to share in a slightly anonymous way here. It's not the first time it's happened and it won't be the last, but occasionally it hits me how unusual some of the situations I find myself in are to most people.
Oh, and go and do first aid if you don't know it already. You never know when you could find yourself able to help someone.

Today I did this...
http://www.yourthurrock.com/2014/04/12/arrests-after-jewellers-hit-at-lakeside-and-south-ockendon/
Sometimes my job makes me feel good! But tired, just got in from a night shift