SteveJ

There is no function for a ride operator to override anything though, that is what doesn't add up. Engineers have further access to the ride's functions than operators do, but even on Manual mode most coasters wouldn't allow an override of a basic block shutdown.

It was appalling considering how it used to look. The point is that it's attention to detail.

Unless I've misinterpreted "Why repaint the Vampire entrance if it's not going to be used?!" as meaning 'why bother' when that's not what Adam meant? Anyway let's just say "yayyyee it's not going to look green and mouldy anymore" instead.

How can you be inexperienced in pressing buttons and communicating? Most operators are 18+ That's not a fair way to look at it. It is impossible and unfair to make any judgement based off some vague details about the operator. Also, it should have been impossible for anyone to override anything in any situation, like most rollercoasters. I think the situation is still more complicated than this 'news' makes out.

Because it looked awful after not being repainted for 25 years? Really, why is there a cynical response whenever something actually good happens? It isn't being used as the entrance again (much to the frustration of everyone), but the teams pushing to get all the old worn exteriors repainted are doing a great job. Be thankful that side of the job is being done.

Has this been posted yet? Thorpe Park approached Derren to do this and are using his name as the IP rather than it being one of Derren's projects. It makes me think the ride will be a vehicle for his usual show material but in the form of an attraction. "They got in touch three years ago to ask if I'd like to do something for them. It was total carte blanche, which was of course phenomenal to be asked. It's been three years of writing and creating this thing with a group of people that are just big kids. It's lovely, everyone's purely about the ultimate experience for the patrons which, for me, is totally my world. It's their biggest investment to date, which is hilarious because it's just me sat in my front room shouting ‘Let's do this!'. It's not like a rollercoaster, it's an attraction, the first of it's kind in the world, they're not saying anything about it at the moment but apparently it's going to be the future of theme park attractions." http://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/derren-brown-miracle-interview_39108.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=09nov2015 "Apparently it's going to be the future of theme park attractions." Derren sure knows his theme park attractions.

"Remember this was built on the old Black Hole site, so they obviously can't pull off anything spectacular in that space!" I think the fact they put anything quite so lengthy and bold in that relatively small space is spectacular in itself. But also very impractical, hence the world's most claustraphobic & depressing queue, the excessive concrete construction that will be a maintenance nightmare, the fact it all the infrastructure looks like it isnn't engineered to last as long as it should into the future. If they hadn't pushed so hard to get 14 loops then the whole thing would be a much simpler, more effective design. But given the silly brief that it HAD to break the record in that tiny space (purely for PR purposes, as has been pointed out the number of loops adds very little to the ride experience itself), whoever did the layout did a great job considering.

Although it was a bit odd when they bolted track in the wrong way and then unbolted it to turn it around again.

Nope, utterly wrong about dedication. The reason it is a low standard is because the people who can make a difference are given no time and a budget of 2p. Chessington has some of the most dedicated people I'm aware of who care a lot more about the park than 90% of enthusiasts actually do. It's a shame the management system doesn't offer enough opportunity, but it's been like that for years now before Merlin. Thing are improving though, so no point being pessimistic when things that have been asked for years are now starting to materialise.

"The Falls redesign was cancelled completely." -Me, years ago Also they will just go ahead and read your comments on here so there's no point pretending to not know it was cancelled.

AHHAHAHAHAHAHAH Now DON't click that link to give them more of the views they want. There's nothing worth your time.

Dunno it's probably Skyway.

The work I was mentioning was something bigger that has been going on months longer than just the first few weeks of closed season. Sorry to have to be cryptic, and also I don't know the full details so it isn't my place. Just be assured if Mr Attention-To-Detail (me) loves the change then it will be good, no need to be worried.

The person who has replied to that question is not the person making the decision, or an engineer who knows the fine details. They will be a PR/social media person whose job it is to answer questions according to the official line, they are not going to say anything beyond "essential maintenance" because that is a vague enough phrase so as not to be taken out of context or misrepresented. You've got to think independently. "Essential maintenance" seems to always be thought of as refurbishment work is going on with the ride for the whole year. I guarantee for most of next year it will be sitting there with nothing happening to it. Being told they are not allowed to run the ride because of XYZ reason can also be excused as "essential maintenance". We don't openly know the fine details of why it is closed, but taking "essential maintenance" to assume it is being "fixed" and will then reopen is just naive, and I only make a bit of a fuss about it because I think it's misleading of Thorpe Park to say this.

It doesn't confirm that the ride will re open. It just says it is currently the only ride that they can foresee will be closed next year.

It's mainly because the drop/ramp doesn't exist yet. I imagine it also needs the chance for a long winter break for once after being kept open a lot for these Christmas events in previous years. Could be good.

I'm da boss No.

You love coffee but you like Starbucks???

Your exact words were "the coasters don't have the appeal for me... It was support rides like The Flume and Hex that made it" So unless you didn't really believe what you were saying, your post as you know was stating how your main draw to Towers was namely Hex & The Flume and you care little for their major rides bar 2. Which can't be true when all the rides they're shutting were in a rubbishy state anyway. I mean, I might go and secretly enjoy broken rubbish like Duel more than "best coaster in the world" Nemesis, but I can still think objectively about where the real draw actually is. Still a great shambles to be shutting so many attractions because they're fudged and/or not as popular as the rest.

That is a totally bizarre thing to say as I'm sure you know

The animations are designed to be very simple and can be fixed by any mechanical engineer. Problem is most the parts were removed and dumped in 2006. The drop/ramp is being rebuilt.

I've no reason to believe the Zamperla thing was anything more than a myth. A small budget can go a long way, from the figure I've heard quoted it's big enough. But that doesn't matter, what matters is the improvements made and it may even surprise your pants off. Also it's actually nearly been completed already as far as I understand it.

There is no new attraction next year, it was cancelled and the budget went to improving old attractions - very positive change indeed.

Tussauds is Merlin but with new top level management. So passing blame is a bit aimless. Hey it was nice the ride lasted operating this long without investment in longevity. Look at recent history and you'll see this isn't anything that's not happened before. Loggers would never have been operating 'unsafely' but I doubt anyone actually believes it was, it's a complex situation that probably isn't localised to Loggers. Yes almost all rides at UK Tussauds parks were shockingly looked after, so again this kind of procedure isn't anything new.

So that's clearly the reason it's still able to keep going so long. Practically replacing and rebuilding everything except the trough and supports? Would that be worth it for Thorpe Park? No one would want to keep The Flume at Alton Towers going for another 30 plus years just because they've done it in Germany. It would a shame for Loggers to go as it's more established at Thorpe Park (and really fun) but if they intend to leave it for so long it will end up mothballed.