Flipper

I hate people who purposely go out of their way to belittle others on a daily basis. Great example of this on the page before. Maybe some people don't work, I guess that gives them the ability to keep bragging that they visit worldwide parks on a weekly basis; when to be frank, nobody gives a sh*t.

Benin, I'd love your input on how hosts should magically batch Swarm, because all they can logically do is free-flow it to both sides until it's more or less full, then fill up each side in turn which in its own right leaves one side running shorter while the other fills up; otherwise everybody goes to the left. If you have a magic solution then please do post it, I'm sure the park would love your input on such a matter.

I'd dare to point out that I believe an application was submitted to Runnymeade BC to expand Pizza Hut's building yet again, although it throughout referred to it as Pizza Hut

I have a lot of respect for Graw;s post, just saying. I think the perspective of the mazes is a case of each to their own. With Fright Nights I felt that you have to know the brand to understand the maze. Cabin did absolutely nothing for me; and whilst I can appreciate that MBV has the potential to be terrifying, I felt myself questioning what was going on more than anything else; whereas Studio 13 was far my favourite. But then I am in the minority that side with Graw whom prefer the Sanctuary to TOTT at Alton, and that I think is helped by the group you're in. But I preferred it last year and the same this year, TOTT only is good for it's ending to me. This year has proven very popular for Fright Nights at Thorpe, and if what I've heard is true, then next year they need to push it a bit more as the final run with Lionsgate. These mazes will be back (maybe not Studio, but the rest) and they've proven that it's got the people in. But when you reflect on Scarefest for overall experience with regards to theming, and dare I say the superior yet Howl'o'ween at Chessington for decoration and atmosphere, Thorpe needs to ramp it up a bit more. I still question as to how SAW and Blair Witch get such lengthy queues, unless its solely popularity, as surely out of the mazes they must be the highest for throughputs? SAW Alive seems to chomp through people as intended, and Blair Witch seems to be a fair sized group every 30-45 seconds when I went through it. I also can't help but question, ten years of SAW (as a film franchise) why the park didn't make an effort with that, surely SAW is easy to create Fright Night ambience with, some roaming pig heads in the plaza would do the trick, but to say this year marks the film's anniversary and nothing was really done to tie this in at the park surprises me. I thought Lionsgate would have pushed something...

This is a lie. In 2012 when I worked on SAW and it shutdown with a car just vertical on the bottom of the lift and another by the TVs. I was stood talking to guests on the cars when a girl by the TVs very bluntly moaned after about five minutes that she felt obliged to get a free cup of tea, so the engineer walked off and made her one. #JustSaying

Just want to throw it out there, Studio 13 probably has 11 'rooms' without you realising, if you consider the corridor (1), reception (2), make-up (3) *forgotten everything in between* Motel (4), end corridor (5). Also the end corridor is definitely blood splattered And also I think it's down to personal opinion. Like I said earlier (admittedly never having been in Asylum) I didn't understand the fuss over Cabin as, whilst I wasn't leading my group, we had no real interaction from actors and that we did just didn't do anything for me. Whereas Studio seemed very heavy in comparison, and to be frank I didn't know a thing about the ending so I pushed kids out the way and was the first out the door

Break down is the wrong term, a temporary stop (E-Stop) is more exact. Basically a happy-handed guest, or someone having a medical issue within can cause an E-Stop to be hit by the talented folk inside, thus causing a temporary delay and evacuation of the maze to ensure everyone involved both guests and acting crew are safe.

So I visited on Friday, and experienced my first ever Fright Night mazes *whoop whoop* For me I think I'd have to say Studio 13 was my favourite by far. I mean, I never did the Asylum, but I loved the touch of all the past 'Director's creations' (mazes) in posters at the start; and the whole set up of the maze was just incredibly clever in my opinion in comparison to the others. Having spoke to people who've been other nights though, it sounds like everyone's experience has greatly differed? Because to me, some of the features used (like the reception, WOW!) were incredible! After that I'd have to side with Blair Witch just for the grabbing and the general attitude of the actors; it really felt immersive. Sadly I don't hold any strong opinion on the rest: I didn't understand My Bloody Valentine as our batched group got split so I was one of two who went ahead at the tunnel, and the second half actors just didn't seem interested in us; but then I don't know the IP either which doesn't help. CITW I don't know either, and my friend led our group and seemed to have no issue navigating it. We too had 'group cling on' syndrome, where a group of young girls bumped into us and stuck with us, so the actors were more interested in them than us, with us walking past many many actors with no interaction. Like, I'm a wimp with mazes; but CITW didn't make me flinch. SAW was my first of the night and having heard so much about it and being a big SAW fan it left me disappointed as it seemed rooms were not functioning, such as the electricity room being just a grunting actor in a cage (no floor effect?) the pendulum room having no pendulum, and the final room being a stationary carousel of guns that did nothing. The actors were delivering the scares, no question asked, to the rest of the group; and there was some incredible actors playing to the SAW concept of screaming for help and the such, and great interaction between the Pig and a victim in the freezer; but thats unfortunately all I can praise. I'd love to go again and have another round on the mazes, to see how they develop as actors adjust their tactics and characters. Park was very quiet though with maze queues roughly 30 mins max on the night. And what secret control room in Cabin? I feel like I've missed out now...

It ticks me off when people decide to randomly dig up the past, for unexplainable reasons which actually have no benefit for anyone. It's like they're trying to drive wedges between people as if it will bring a positive outcome for the person who's stirring; but actually, all it does is make them look like a complete tool

Swarm's throughput can be greatly affected by a multitude of factors, such as people standing in the exit; guests being 'polite' and waiting for people to walk off the train before they go through the gate etc. For example, the Swarm could send say 45 trains in an hour, which is 1,200 roughly if you allow for single seats to be empty. But that could mean you send those 45 trains every minute for ages, and then something causes a slow dispatch that takes a few minutes, or you could consistently send trains every minute and a half or quicker, for example* It doesn't matter when they get dispatched, or how they get dispatched; it just simply means X number of trains makes Y as a throughput. As someone rightly said beforehand, in theory the best dispatch time is when the train hits the end of the final running brake before it turns towards the transfer/station, that way the train will never go on tick over, and they will never stack or stop; therefore meaning your turnover time is at it's maximum without stacking trains. And as long as the train doesn't stack, it doesn't matter when you send the one before, if that makes sense?

Apparently it was the 1 millionth from the literal first car in testing, and not with riders; so technically the 1 millionth hasn't been hit yet, well it might have now. IDK how many test cars were sent

Last night was apparently over a thousand, so, yeah, I think when you consider the entire park opens from 10am til 5pm for 8,000 guests, skeleton staff, minimum ride capacity, and only three hours for a thousand doesn't seem so bad?

I agree with toofpikk's last point. That aside I also agree with Turtle when he says rough doesn't make intense. The Ultimate, is not intense, it's a fun throw-you-around ride, like Gold Rusher at SFMM. Batman is a prime example of intensity and smoothness; although I disagree a little on Tatsu, I just find it too uncomfortable to ride due to the pretzel loop. This aside though, on the philosophy of rough=intense, some users clearly love Vekoma SLC's

When I did Summer Nights I just booked through the main website and not Eventbrite so I would assume the same option will come about later.

Lets just clear a few things up, The Asylum wasn't even meant to allegedly exist last year with no replacement; so while people would like to see a new maze, and rumours say a new maze, Thorpe are almost being too quiet to suggest such a thing. I mean surely there'd be some kind of hint with the branding even without naming it? Asylum wasn't exactly 'well placed' - when you consider it's makeshift queue lines just spread all over the pathway creating a fair reduction to the pathway width, as well as obviously clearing space for its exit run-off; in comparison to the mazes over the years being in the Arena, X pyramid, etc. etc. so in retrospective terms it was actually quite badly located. With regards to the building being developed for a new attraction, well, yeah it's possible but the building also holds Fastrack sales and Inferno's shop with Asylum crammed around the back of it, so it's not likely; and even if it is for future development, its not looking likely to be for 2015.

I completely respect that, because I'm 5ft 7, and slim; but then I'm the opposite to you. I've only ever ridden Viper once because I found it far too rough back in 2013; Colossus is the one I'd happily avoid like the plague, and the Smiler I find is most of the time an unplesant experience on the second half, but yet I'll ride it once a day just because I don't visit Towers often.

And while we're at it lets build the Woodie!

Depth Charge and *something* in Lost City is now open til 9pm during August for Hotel Guests. I've heard it's Zodiac, but then I saw Rush running late, so not sure what's on offer.

Summer Nights compromises as SAW, Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, Stealth, Swarm; X, Storm Surge, Dodgems, Flying Fish, Tidal Wave; Teacups, and the Beach with light entertainment such as beach volleyball and the Tidal Wave Stage DJ. Although as mentioned on odd nights additional rides have been added over in Lost City, but this usually seems to happen on a Saturday.

I feel the same as JoshC. I'm not Stealth's biggest fan, but I too personally prefer the airtime on SAW. I've ridden rides in the UK and in California, and SAW still remains one of my favourites. No, it's not smooth. Lets not make excuses. Some cars are worse, and for a ride of it's age, it shouldn't be rough. Yes, you can see everyone's heads jolt on the drop, but sorry have you watched people on Colossus? Do you see some of the negative comments about Colossus on there? For me, SAW is rough but not rough enough to make it unpleasant for most of the time. There's no excuse for the jolt, but at the same time groups of three naturally filter to the far side of the cars, thus, when it's going round, there's always more weight passing over the right rail (in direction of travel) than the left, so all in all; the jolt that shouldn't be has probably be hindered by weight. I fail to understand how people can claim SAW is short, or lacking in air time; but each to their own I guess. I would have said SAW is filled with airtime, and I've never failed to obtain some even when the ride is running slow. One final point: have you SAW-slaters ever tried, bracing yourself? Put your head back, hold on; and it seems to resolve the rough whip in the final inversion - the undeniable whip which I do love, but each to their own. It's like Marc told me to not brace on Colossus, and instead hold my hands up and 'flow with the ride' - it killed my arm muscles, but I didn't bash my head around, so I think there's a nact to each ride. As a side note though, I'm preferring Inferno this year over SAW, Inferno's just been amazing <3

Just because so far there hasn't been someone checking wristbands at a ride entrance doesn't mean they aren't doing it; rides staff are checking bands of riders as they board the coasters etc. and when it comes to 7/7 changeover, we'll have to wait and see won't we? Because my guess is a welcome host will be present to check bands

Turtle, that audio, it's just, ohhhhhhh....

X2 is incredible though I'd have to say a KMG Tango is probably the wackiest thing for me, since I don't find X2 wacky. But Tango's are wacky in a, sickly, painful, come-back-Samurai-all-is-forgiven kind of way.

I'd love someone to show me where on the proposed planning applications a roller coaster was mentioned, or even hinted at... Dark rides, yes they work too. And I value everyones point but I think people are making a fuss out of very little as it stands.

Not as far as I'm aware, but it's worth highlighting that it's Picsolve who set their prices and not Merlin; as Picsolve have upped their prices on all of their locations... even Paultons and Blackpool.