Flipper
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Posts posted by Flipper
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Then where's the path Ricky? And since when was there a huge hedge?That's not a concept, they've just HDR'd the photo.... They do it on all their photos, makes em look stupid tbh
Agreed. I can't even fit my feet into Colossus easily anymore. A week ago I went front row, and found it bearable (still rough compared to SAW) and then yesterday I did second row and found it unbearable. I know SAW's rough, but at least SAW is bearable. Colossus is just, pain, pain, and more pain. I can't even enjoy the ride because its so rough; its only good side in my eyes is it's presence in the park. Such a shame, because it is an amazing concept. Just wish it was B&M tbh. Although in fairness, it could be worse. Could be made by Vekoma or GerslauerWent on it yesterday to be surprised by the presence of new restraints...Shame they don't do anything at all to help the ride. It's still absolutely awful and it's a joke how they expect people to get in and out of the back row. I had to go through the gap between the front seats to actually get out...Intamin ¬¬
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At least it can park in one attempt #awkward
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Yes on the basis the Pizza Hut Buffet makes more money whilst its open than any other pizza hut in the same timeArn't they trying to gradually remove all the fast food chains like KFC and Burger King and replace them with their own merlin brands?If so I can't see the need for a new food outlet.
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Go Merlin just posted this on Facebook, I hadn't seen it before.Nice concept, shame about the ride
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I knew they didn't use Cycles 7 or 8 like they did at Chessie since it moved, but it doesn't do 5 or 6 anymore (and last year it could do cycle 5)That is what they've been doing since it moved to Thorpe from Chessington.
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A member of staff told me the other day it cannot run on cycles five or six (the highest Thorpe ever used) anymore due to causing the ride to E-Stop; not sure how reliable that is, but I'd say pretty reliable since she works on the ride. Shame thoughAs I found on a crazy cycle at the end of last season, Samurai is still more than capable of being amazing and run properly. I've since been told they don't run it properly purely to keep the stresses and therefore maintenance costs down.If that's the case I think the ride is perfectly fine and does not need replacing, as if they did replace it they'd run it just as his one anyway for the same cost reasons. Unless Mondial make a super strong version for park use? In which case buy! Because as it is on one of the 'normal' cycles it's not really worth bothering with.
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In fairness, very similar :PCheers for clearing that up.I do question though, how much longer the current Samurai will last; its popularity is as strong as ever, but as a ride, it's starting to show its age in my opinion. If it did go, I'd be emotional if it wasn't replaced with a new Mondial Top Scan.What are other people's opinions on Samurai's life left / future?
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If he comes in at 48in then you'll have no trouble, but try the test seats outside the rides to avoid disappointment. The slow moving queues... well, if it's midweek lately there hasn't been any. The most queues have been lately is about ten minutes; I wouldn't faff with the fast track. But yeah, May, midweek, schools are in here in the UK, should be very quiet...Thanks for your responses guys. Really appreciated. We are going through the week. Dominick, Where do you get the 2 4 1 vouchers from? Any other tips? What are the slow moving queues? Really hanging out for stealth and swarm. We have superman the escape here in Oz which is like a mini stealth but my partner was bigger at the time and not able to ride. It would be a shame for him to miss out again so he measured his torso and he comes in at 48" :-)
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As it currently stands I won't be able to join you as I *think* I'm in work on Friday, but come say hi all the same, and if I get chance as I leave, I'll come say hello to you all at SWARM
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Just found this online, is this Samurai (as in, our Samurai, when at Chessie?) amazes me how non-fairgroundy it looks compared to Samurai now with the standard Mondial Top Scan fences
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Don't diss. There were some "happy" songs like Spice Girls added into the PA system of some rides last year to keep staff motivated towards the end of the season.... most of them haven't been taken off yet thoughIt was most probably Spice Girls or Steps, its been happening alot recently
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I was told it was open this weekend, and it wasn't. Looked like a divvy telling people it was then being told it wasn'tStrange saw alive isn't open until 24th...
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Me and Luke noticed the strobe light dummy; it was a very good addition for as long as it works; but it is just so randomly placed. Fingers crossed a sign of more things to comeWent in there today, loved how much darker it seemed and also noticed the strobe light dummy thing, Wasn't very busy though! Had a whole train to me and my mate!
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Rush should be back by next weekend (but don't take my word for it, we were expecting it back today just like SAW: Alive was expected and didn't happen). They've done a lot of maintenance on the swings themselves, and they we're still in the process of putting the whole ride back together yesterday. The restraints are most likely in good condition and will be cleaned up with a bit of desguard before the ride returns to operationRush was being worked on today, it had no restraints fitted at the start of the day; but then by about 11am, 4 or 5 lap bars were fitted on swing A. The cable entrance covers on the towers were also not yet fitted and it looks like some of the metal from the crown piece isn't fitted either. Something also to note is that the restraints and headrests which were being fitted were NOT new ones, they were clearly old ones because they were faded with marks all over them still.
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Yes its an early close, yes they should have cut ERT instead, and yes it's a burden to everyone; but it's an hour and I still vow it will not have an impact on a majority of guests. They won't drop gate figures, they will stay fairly steady - people like to moan on Facebook; but that is a handful out of the millions that go a year!Anybody stopped and considered, like Sheepie and myself and a few others have said; operational budgets have been cut. Thorpe cut SAW: Alive and Time Voyagers, and edited their opening times (admittedly better than Towers but still cut hours) because of it. Towers were very cunning and said they'd shut Enterprise and Submission (they claimed for SW7 development, truth was for the budget cut burden) but everyone moaned. So now they've cut a lot of park hours - Towers had an appalling season last year, and thus have had the worst cut, clearly. What would you rather, no Submission and Enterprise, or an hour off your day? Think about it before you all moan, they are not doing it because they're trying to maximise profit, they are doing it for a reason; and they tried to keep people happy over the SBNO rides in X-Sector and now they have little choice but to cut it an hour. Keep moaning, they'll change it again probably with these petitions and the other crap people are trying. Stick the hour back on, then what? Drop the Fireworks event? Cut Scarefest back more? Close the Monorail? They aren't doing it for kicks, it's for a reason. Yes it sucks, but its for ONE YEAR to pull Merlin out of the recession they had in 2011. So for once, as Enthusiasts, shrug it off and try to support the company, because they're trying to do what they can now, to keep steady for investments in the future. Nobody wants to see Towers go like Pleasure Beach do they? Be reasonable, but lack investment for years. Not Merlin's strategy.
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So you all argue it's not possible to have a satisfactory day out with or without ERT on a six hour day?So how the fudge can you claim an hour makes a difference?!If your going to Towers, you'll make the judgement on the day based upon the opening times. If you don't use a voucher, most people buy online and get the ERT, and if you do use a voucher, £20 for a six hour day is pretty reasonable, considering your longest queue would be fifteen minutes...Only enthusiasts seem to moan to the extreme. I guarantee now, people will still go, and nobody will complain about their visit and say "They didn't have enough time" because it's a bloody hour! It makes such a small impact it's ridiculous.Argue this amongst yourself. Because in fairness, I'm trying to look at it from an unbiased viewpoint and some of your excuses are quite poor. Towers is a national RESORT - if people are going to make journeys from 3am from Scotland, lets not beat around the bush, there's a minority of day trippers. And for a lot of England residents, Thorpe, Chessington, LegoLand are all national. Not to the same kind of gate figures - Towers is the most popular - but they still attract custom from all over the UK, so AstroDan your argument is biased.
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You asked it honestly and I will reply honestly: it wouldn't bother me.I have an annual pass so if Thorpe shut at 4pm I wouldn't mind too much; and if I was paying, I'd probably either go on a busier but later opening day, or on a 4pm close because it'd be quiet.The point is, you can do one on everything quite easily on a outlined day for 4pm close; I've done it. And with the ERT also, it makes it the equivalent as Thorpe's 10am-5pm opening; so would you rather it be 10am-5pm with no ERT, or 10am-4pm with ERT? :LThere is the odd person claiming everyone moaning is pathetic, but I am sure if Thorpe announced they were closing at 4:00pm on 65 days of the year (it's 65, I have counted) - then you wouldn't be too happy at that.
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Having done left and right I definitely prefer the right; but thats simply down to the interaction with the helicopter lake more than anything else.In regards to other comments mentioned on page one, there is no SRQ on Swarm, and I think disabled access is only on the right hand side, but I may be incorrect. I didn't actually notice a disabled access queue, so it could be either side via the exit
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You'd be surprised. I'm guessing by your remark you haven't seen Merlin's Theme Park attendance figures for 2011? Towers fell on attendance more than any other UK park; and its quite clear cuts have been made throughout Merlin Theme Parks. Time voyagers gone, SAW: Alive only on peak days, reduced park time by one hour (oh my god, how will we live, one hour even though with ERT which 90% of guests can get makes its opening time the same as Thorpe's).If I'm not mistaken Chessie stayed steady and Lego saw a slight increase. Thorpe and Towers definitely saw a decrease of some size in guest figures.You make it sound like the park is in dire financial problems.
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http://www.kerrang.com/blog/2012/03/you_me_at_six_join_forces_with.htmlThe track is called "The Swarm" then
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Thats what I meant when I said cut, sorry :PAnd I like AIR too, oh and it's nice to know I wasn't losing it thinking it was on a snails pace last Sunday! I find because of my size that when I go through the Lie-to-Fly it can give me a nice little pull, but last Sunday it was struggling through it. Was such a shame because AIR "is" a good ride if you allow it to be what it was designed for: a ride to stimulate flight.The idea behind Air's theme is quite good actually, and suits the ride pretty well as it is not along the lines of Nemesis, and it allows it to have it's own relative identity within the park...Unfortunately, the budget dying due to the ride system rather than anything being cut, meant that it didn't get brought out as well, hence the concrete tunnel of bright lights we have today...I like Air, seem to be one of the few enthusiasts at times that actually does... Though I never knew it could go even slower than normal until Sunday
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I have to agree it doesn't fit, but I also agree no more abandoned themes. It would have been fantastic to see the Theme finished; but I can't see that happening anytime soon, especially as there's been no effort after ten years...The only time I could see AIR perhaps get some work done, is when/if they expand round the side of it to make a Hotel-connection path or place a new Coaster there as behind AIR was outlined as a potential site, wasn't it? But yeah, maybe when that day comes, AIR could become the start of a new area and theming would be finished. *keeps dreaming*
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Don't forget the SAW queue-line charades. Billy Puppet FTW