Mitchada04

This budget argument baffles me. Yeah, all the parks are clearly on tight budgets. But there is potentially a good reason behind each rumoured closure. Ripsaw, old and not worth the maintenance budget for what it is. Sub Terra, just not popular enough for how much it costs to run. Flume, needs to go, people have been saying for years it needs to go and be replaced. What's to say they won't replace it? CATCF, again. It's been said for years this needs to go, plus apparently the contract is out now on it so who knows. Driving School and Hex are rumoured to close so work on that part of the Towers can take place. We don't and probably won't know the reasoning behind any closures, but let's not jump at the budget thing. Do you really think they'd close that many rides without good reason? There are many other ways to save money if that's what you really want to do. Plus, until Towers confirm anything it was just sparked by reliable sources. You know how often Towers U-Turn stuff, some of it may be saved.

They spent £200k on Containment last year. If they need to get actors in for DBGT and IAC then they can probably push the budget to a few more at peak times for this. It saves them having to move the containers, saves the area just looking like an empty plot of land. And if they charge for it, they make a bit of extra cash. I wouldn't see this as it opening alongside DBGT. More like, we already invested in it so we'll keep it and use it more than expected. Kinda like Sanctuary I guess.

See I've always found this argument interesting and until last season wasn't sure on upcharge. But I learnt something from Scarefest. If done properly, an upcharge attraction is something you WANT to pay for! The quality of Towers mazes because they don't need to churn queues as much and the money they produce is shown in the quality of attraction, where at Thorpe you pay no extra to visit FN as a standard guest paying on the gate, and the mazes aren't that great. They're rushed and you just end up queueing ages for them. In a way, Towers you pay so much to do the mazes and don't have to queue so it's like a Fastrack but you also get a much better experience. Another argument is, Containment won't be for everyone and could have limited slots or something. Do you put the park ticket price up or leave it and make Containment an upcharge for those who want to do it. Just one of those things really, gonna have its positives and negatives.

Since it mutated, kinda like viruses. That's 2017 sorted then... CONTAINMENT! Can you complete it backwards?

Planning application shows a small cattlepen queue instead of the "timed bays" they had a FN. With IAC low throughput not really hindering the queues as much as everyone dreaded this could do about 120 an hour. Horribly low but no worse than IAC so it'd be nice if it was free. If it's paid for I really hope it's ramped up as it wasn't worth £10. Unless they make the price more reasonable. Odd move with budget cuts all over the place and actor led experiences really not being that popular. But it could have more relation to DB than we think.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train? Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey which is always just Forbidden Journey. Same with Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts being Gringotts. Isn't Derren Brown's Ghost Train on a similar note of these names? The IP tagged in front of something more ride like. It will almost definitely be referred to as Ghost Train by guests.

Would it be possible to have like each meet taking place that year listed at the beginning with the month it'll take place and possibly the provisional to give people a rough idea? Then you could a month or two before open a vote in case the provisional isn't popular, so similar to now but with provisionals listed in January for the year? Also, I feel like free fruit should be available to provide a healthier day out

Zufari was a great idea and concept in helping bring the theme park and zoo together instead of just being two separate entities. Was also a great way to use the green belt space. But it was a hugely wasted opportunity with all the budget cuts thanks to Smiler. Like many Merlin things, great idea, poor execution.

On Phantafriends Hadn't thought about this. But it seems very likely, self duelling even if unintentional like Smiler?

What Thorpe own is in the blue boundary (quite a lot). Pink is where they're allowed to develop into. They don't and won't own the other side of Monks walk. The walk is a public path, and the other side is owned by the waterski company or group. They apparently hate the park and would never sell according a friend who went there all the time

It's okay! We're getting a scheme like Towers Loving Care with this "Putting the Theme back into Theme Parks." They word it like it's a generic thing that theme parks hardly theme stuff anymore. Only really you in that case Merlin... much like how you wouldn't have to give this Towers Loving Care if you had taken more care of Towers from day one. Same here, theme wouldn't need to be put back if it hadn't slowly been ripped out. Maybe Chessington should run a "Putting new rides back into Theme Parks" scheme, then we might actually get a new ride for once.

Trains for this are arriving! And with Montu and surrounding area closed until 4th February they're really speeding along. Lots of photos at http://www.wildgravitytravels.com/cobras-curse-construction-update-1-busch-gardens-tampa/ showing the station, transfers and maintenance etc. Most of the track is up, just the vertical lift and dive under the train tracks as the finale to go.

Some clearer photos of the corkscrew exit being put in place. Once that's in it's up to the MCBR. Final helix. Fallon and F&F are progressing much faster now as well. Also talks of new slide pieces being stored at Wet'n'Wild so wouldn't be surprised if we see some slides going into Volcano Bay soon, especially if they have to build the slides into the volcano structure.

Paultons is fab. Anyway, as I'm guessing this will be deemed a big investment for the park and they seem to quite like freshening up areas, I'd love to see them work on the area with Cobra and Edge. Magma is nicely themed. Go Karts just need to go. But Cobra and Edge don't really fit in anywhere now. Cobra is a great little coaster and Edge good for the thrill seekers, but I wish they'd work on the area, retheme it or even give it a theme. Cobra's station is horrid. So yeah theming that up would be a great small investment in my eyes, maybe even add a smaller family style flat down there to make it less thrill seeker end dominant. Then a nice dark ride after thanks.

You never know though...

So the rectangle next to load/offload. I'm guessing that's the train carriage. What if we get on that first, something happens, our mind is played with, VR etc then we get off on the opposite side and continue on our journey that has now gone wrong. What's the dark secret? Why are our minds wanted? Explains why we've only heard about the carriage if it's the first thing and that Derren doesn't want to reveal what happens once you get in it. Then you go on the experience, walking round, transit system etc. What is that dome section in the red shed going to be? Is it going to be like an underground line? Is a train going to hurtle towards you? So many questions! Then, back onto the carriage to arrive back at Thorpe and question what just happened. Derren has played with your mind, now buy the merch!

All depends how complete the inside is and how testing goes. I assume they will be waiting till February because by then they'll have an idea how long it'll take to fix any issues found in testing.

More track rising. Speedy air time hill before MCBR Station and maintenance bays being worked on. Journey To Atlantis is currently receiving annual maintenance. This usually takes at most 2 weeks but this year it is down for around a month. With Manby now as CEO of the parks, hopefully he's realised how much work the dark ride segment needs and all the effects will be freshened up and in working order. Regarding future attractions. A rapids would have been a great thing to tie in with Mako, shark has destroyed a ship, you could essentially base it off of shipwreck rapids in San Diego. A rapids would also work great in Orlando because it's hot so regularly, and is a possible way to develop the Mako area in the future (especially if they don't end up reusing the Nautilus theatre on a regular basis). Nothing regarding the dark ride has actually come about for Orlando, and it is rumoured that San Antonio will get the coaster, San Diego the dark ride and Orlando something else. Orlando needs to be careful not to compete with Disney and Uni unless it can succeed. If they think their best route is to build coasters, flats, etc with animal exhibits linked in then that's the way they should go. Especially as so many locals go to SeaWorld compared to Disney and Uni, whereas with tourists it's the other way round. SeaWorld also recently opened this store. Apparently, some of the wooden planks used are from Gwazi! Little Easter egg for you.

Yes. But if it's a personal issue involving another member which this clearly is then it should be raised to the team. They're not superheroes. They won't have time to read through all these threads. If it's something you want to be addressed go directly to them, if not don't make a nightly affair of it.

Again, something that if it bothers you you should be bringing up with the team, not in here. Plus, this person saying that is basically saying we can stay civil with no contact. Thus taking your advice of ignoring your posts. Until you brought this all back up again.

Yes maybe you shouldn't have been spoken to the way you were yesterday. But it was in a chat outside of the site (involving members but that's like all the Skype drama) that happened yesterday. The member in question said to PM them to continue the chat to stop it over spilling into the main chat. By dragging this onto the forums 2 nights in a row you are doing nothing to help yourself. It makes it seem like you're seeking attention (and if you want to speak to the team then just do it they're a great bunch they shouldn't have to trawl through this to see if it needs to be done) and continuing to moan about an issue that is yesterdays news. Can you not stand not having the last word? Deal with the issue behind the scenes, it shouldn't affect the forum.

Ryan was referring to the last time you said you were leaving the forum etc made a big fuss over it with a blog post and so on but then came back about a week later and deleted the stuff saying you were leaving.

Derren Logo. FN one. They're different

Derren just did an interview on ITV London News. Talked a bit about the attraction, his tour etc. One thing he mentioned, something along the lines of "I've been there from day one and have built this thing up from the ground, it's my project alongside Merlin, not just my face being slapped on it." I don't doubt he has been there at most of the meetings, design consultations and thrown many ideas around and out. This doesn't scream Thorpe are making a ride themed to this thing but this thing isn't involved, it seems a lot more like how JK Rowling was involved with the Wizardring World at Universal. We have still only be shown one direct thing of what the entire experience will entail, this train element. There's still a transit system that we know nothing about and so on. I for one wouldn't want to know much more in case it does ruin the experience. If Derren wants us to be surprised when we ride it, and he thinks that will give the best effect then let's go with that! I know Merlin don't have a great track record, have derailed many times etc. But I think they realise this needs to work. A roller coaster is a roller coaster, with or without theming it can be good. Sub Terra wasn't overly expensive. This thing needs to succeed, no two ways about it. If it flops then budgets will be slashed horribly. We all know Merlin Magic Making has some great talent, and Derren and his team are hugely talented, so if money etc hasn't gotten in the way which it doesn't seem to have done then we are surely onto something special? It will be a spectacular showman type ride as that's how Derren is. Theatre. Taking it many beloved British dark rides were designed by someone with huge theatre background does that not give a little faith? Technology is advancing, he has said it has advanced since starting on the project causing changes, updates etc. We're getting an original story. Heck, by the sound of it there could be a few stories going on depending how you view the attraction. I am wary, but at the same time it could be one of the greatest accomplishments in theme parks today. I'll let you know my verdict in the summer.

It's not a VR experience because it isn't the whole attraction. It is at most 1/4 of the attraction the VR section. There is a lot more going on on this 13 minute experience.