Han30

@CharlieN so sorry for your loss - it’s so hard when a pet dies that it’s hard to explain to people who don’t have any. Hoover is such a brilliant name for a cat and what a gorgeous boy he was. A lot of people think cats are independent (which is true to an extent) but they are like family members. My 2 cats are my fur babies (I call them my girls) and they’ve helped me get through some tough stuff. I’ve also lost 2 cats - one was killed by a cat fight and the other had to be put to sleep - euthanasia is a hard decision to make but we do what is best for our pets even if it means having to let them go. They are some great pics you have - when I lost my most recent cat I printed out pics of both cats I’ve lost and made a frame collage thing which helped and now they’re both on my wall (have lots of pics on my phone but it’s not the same as print outs). RIP Hoover

Ah you have a Bubbleworks one! I had one years ago but lost it - sometimes they pop up on eBay and go for at least £30 ?. Really like the look of tge new Chessie pins they have this year

Reviving a slightly old topic here. Someone should have warned me that pin badge collecting is so addictive ?. At the moment I’m not massively into parks due to recent circumstances however @Roodie and I began pin badge collecting last year -and I’ve been carrying it on (though it’s hard getting just one of each instead of 2 ?). So far I’ve only done Thorpe twice this year which has enabled me to get the recent pins and I ordered some from AT online shop. I still need to get the new CWOA ones at some point. I was wondering if Towers had new pins for Oblivion, Nemesis, Galactica, Rita or Smiler this year as there were none on the online shop - anyone know? Also I have Infusion, Revolution, Valhalla, Big One, Avalanche, Big Dipper and W&G pins from BPB but wondering if they have released an Icon pin? Anyhoo here’s a pic of my pin collection so far - as well as TP, AT, CWOA and BPB I also have a couple of pins from Phantasialand (Phanny logo and pins of each dragon minus one) plus some random pins and charity pins....I may need help ?

35?!! If I had the money and wasn’t petrified of planes I’d love to ride every single B&M. Never gonna happen so I just gawk at POVs The ones I’ve done (in order of preference) are - 1) Nemesis 2) Black Mamba 3) Oblivion 4) Baron 5) The Swarm 6) Gactica 7) Nemmy Inferno So 3 inverts, one flyer, 2 dives and a wing. The one I’ve been wanting to ride the most (since it pretty much first opened) is Incredible Hulk but I’d love to do a hyper aswell. 6 years ago I’d ridden none so I’m not doing too bad I guess

Dammit @Mark9 I’m envious of the amount of B&Ms you’ve ridden - how many in total have you done? I’ve done a whopping 7 ?

If Loggers makes a splash back I’ll eat both of my cats

Last July at MOS they were really strict with ID which I’m sure is the case for all Ministry nights. I saw a bloke who was easily mid 40s get asked for his ID. I was almost 37 when I went and got asked aswell (and I have wrinkles) ? Its not worth taking the risk as I’d be very surprised if you get in (even if you look older than your age). At the risk of sounding like an old fart, wait until you hit 18 then you’ll have no problems as long as you have ID

*rotting

@JoshuaA yup yesterday the dispatches on Swarm and Colossus were pretty slow - Colossus being the worse - the staff could have done with a rocket stuck somewhere to speed them up a bit. We were on the brake run for what felt like an eternity and I desperately needed paracetamol ? I guess at least they were on 2 trains which is good especially as the park wasn’t particularly busy

Yes - totally agree on that one - needs a good clean. Went on DBGT:ROTD:WTF yesterday for the first time this season - in the pre show the girls stood next thought Derren Brown was ACTUALLY there ? Still enjoy the VR sections and ending but man have they messed up the middle part - it just makes no sense to the story line and I miss the train/lights on a stick and seeing people’s reactions to it. I remember saying last year that I wish they had an option to skip the pre-show because once you’ve seen it a couple of times it’s kinda boring - just wondering if they could potentially use the 2 batching areas and have one for pre show and one for people to skip it - just an idea ?

Went on this yesterday not expecting much and having not watched TWD I thought I’d not “get it” - was pleasantly surprised at how they have changed it from X (which I always found quite boring) - only rode it once so didn’t notice everything but enjoyed it - only part I disliked were the really dark bits in the corridors with those horrible plastic flaps - I could barely see where I was going. We had 2 actors at the exit who weren’t very scary but then I’ve done several Fright Nights. One of them reached out to my nieces face and she accidentally gave him a hi-five ?

Really not liking the new Nemmy Inferno music - I’m not the most observant of people but my niece picked up on it straight away and said “where’s the cool music gone” ?

Well said Mr Planenut! It’s important to take things at a pace you are comfortable with - an example of this in my case is that having conquered my fears of the big coasters at Thorpe, it took me 3 years of visiting regularly before I felt able to do both Slammer and Zodiac. What helped me massively was my friend @Flipper who was so supportive (he also got me on Samurai for the first time and Swarm backwards). And as I’ve said before, I was 32 before I conquered my fears so there’s no rush to get out there and face your fears until you are ready - I personally wish I’d done it sooner because in the past I’ve spent so much time being the bag holder!

It’s a shame that you weren’t able to get on some of the rides BUT don’t be disheartened about it. Years ago I was about to go on Vampire and had a panic attack so just walked out of the station. I remember following the construction of Colossus then when it opened I stood for 2 hours waiting for my older sister and her boyfriend to ride it! My first big coaster was Space Mountain (back in 2000)and I think the only reason I went on it was because I couldn’t see the track layout. But in all honesty, coasters look a lot more terrifying than they are in reality. Oblivion looks very intimidating and when I first went to Towers back in 2013, I had done the other coasters fine yet I cried going up the lifthill on Oblivion. I ended up loving it so much - I know it’s easy to say and harder to put into practice but worst case scenario, you go on a coaster and hate it - it’s all over with so quickly you can just say “yup I’ve done it but never again” - since I conquered my fear of rides 5 years ago, there has only been one coaster (out of a fair few) that ive ridden and hated and that was Wild Mouse at BPB. But I’m glad I got to experience it even though I was pooping myself! Youll get there - and I bet that once you take that step (as hard as it is) you will wish you’d done it sooner - the thoughts that go through your head are far worse than what you experience on a coaster but it is difficult to face any fear. I personally am petrified of flying - never been in a plane in my almost 38 years on this planet - I have so many scenarios go through my head just thinking of it. You’ve done Wicker Man so you’re doing better than my younger sister who literally has a panic attack on log flumes and the only coaster she has ridden is Scorpion Express (when it was Runaway Mine Train)!

I was just wondering how you got on - don’t be too hard on yourself - you can face your fear but you have to do it when you’re ready

You can do it! Think positive and just go for it - trust me - Nemesis is worth facing your fear

Ah - well to be honest, for me I find flat rides a lot scarier than coasters. I flat out refuse to do Detonator ever again and I’m not a massive fan of Rush and Vortex either. I know it’s not easy but you might have to just grit your teeth and go for it. When I took my niece on her first upside down coaster (Pinfari ?), she freaked out going up the lift hill so I just stayed calm, got her to sing and scream and it worked. Stealth used to scare the ? out of me until my 20ish ride on it and the only thing that helped was screaming/swearing on the way up - not very ladylike but it worked. Inferno is a great one to start with - it’s the first one I did at Thorpe and the same with my niece. I remember being scared of the vertical loop going up the lift hill on my first go thinking “sh£&& that’s high” but you really don’t notice it - as in it feels a lot different to how you would expect it to. If you are concerned about motion sickness I can highly recommend cinarazine (Stugeron) - without that stuff I would be so unwell on rides. Obviously you are anxious but if you can get hold of some, Rescue Remedy is really good.. I’ve probably repeated myself from older posts but I’m too lazy to go back and check ? so apologies. Finally go with someone who understands your fear and will reassure you but not bully you or pressurise you to do something if you’re not ready. If someone had told me 6 years ago that I’d ride all the coasters at Thorpe, Towers and BPB (plus Efteling and Phantasialand) I would have laughed in their face but I’m glad I took the plunge - it’s just that first step to overcome then I’m sure you’ll be hooked

Definitely worth thinking about - if it wasn’t for the guys on here I would never have got over my fear of big rides. Did you manage to do Rameses?

Was this at Stealth? ?

That was a lovely post @alexander - it’s taken me until now to reply so apologies. Adams funeral was a lovely service but very emotional, as funerals are. I think I’m still in shock with the speed that everything happened. I struggle daily but I guess that’s to be expected. Right now I have little interest in theme parks - this time last year, Adam and I were planning our trip to Blackpool and talking about going to Phantasialand and Efteling (been meaning to make a blog about our Euro trio but it’s too hard at the moment). I’ve visited just one park this year and that was because my niece wanted to go - and that was emotional. We had talked about going back to some of the places we visited last year and it hurts that he isn’t able to do that, that he’s gone and that his kids and his family have lost a brilliant person so young I’m not sure how active I’ll be on the forums in the foreseeable future but I just want to thank people again for their donations, people who have left lovely messages and the community in general because I know Adam enjoyed attending the meets and chatting to you guys. Special thanks to @he who shall not be named who has been a brilliant friend throughout everything. Cancer is such an evil illness and hospices and charities do so much. I lost my mum to cancer in 2011 and now Adam so I’m thinking of ways to fundraise for MacMillan or Cancer Research - any ideas would be great. I considered sky diving but I have a fear of heights....and planes.....and falling ?. I did look into abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower but that things massive.

@ChessingtonSam I have a huge fear of heights but will go on pretty much any coaster - I won’t however go on the London Eye again. With coasters you actually don’t really notice the height much and you are only at the highest point for a few seconds. I did Rameses Revenge before I conquered my fear of big coasters so might be a good start - but honestly the best thing (which I know isn’t easy) is to just do it. It was the guys here at TPM that helped me get over my fear of big rides - even holding my hand! My niece was absolutely terrified when I took her to Thorpe for the first time but started her off on Inferno which I think is a good starting point - it took a couple of visits but now she goes on all the coasters without holding on and is a mini geek. Would you ever consider going to a TPM meet? No one would pressurise you to go on anything but you’d have support there from people who’ve ridden the coasters countless times which might put your mind at ease. You can conquer your fears - I did it at 32 years of age and used to be terrified of pretty much any ride - I’d be the one holding the bags and waiting for my sister to come off the big rides

A little bit! Got some more pins on Saturday - Roodie and I started collecting them last year and Gawd it’s both addictive and expensive Need to put them on a lanyard which is a nightmare as my OCD takes over as I try to have a lanyard with pins for each park....I now have a few too many TP ones so need to rearrange my others. Yeah I need help. My sister got the Monopoly which looks good but I can’t play that game as it gives me severe anger issues. I didn’t properly look at the other merch except the Top Trumps which I might get at some point. Does DBGT shop have any new interesting stuff? Didn’t go in there on Saturday to have a look

Matt that is a beautifully written post - Roodie never realised how well liked he was - he had low self confidence which I think he disguised with humour - when he was in hospital I showed him the lovely things that you kind people had said and I know he was touched by the donations that people made. It is hard now knowing he won’t get a chance to make some memories with his 2 boys and it’s heart breaking that they have lost their father. But the donations made will go directly to his boys. He was a lovely guy and would do anything for anyone and was completely selfless - he handled his diagnosis with both dignity and bravery and I feel privileged to have got to know him well. 39 is such a young age to pass away. I wish I was able to write such a lovely post as Matt has but emotions take over and make it difficult but I want to thank you all who met him - he really enjoyed the meets and getting to know people and just having a nice time with people who have similar interests. He felt accepted very early on within the community which is what it’s all about. Xx

Unbelievably sad ?

Hi all - it saddens me to say this but Adam (Roodie) has passed away - thank you to those who have donated via the just giving page - hopefully this money will go to his 2 boys and their mum to help at this difficult time x