Mitchada04

So there was a guy who looked external working on the effects today and when he'd finished the water spray by the fire engine was working for the part between the path and fire engine. The one on the turnaround was also working.

The MTDP which runs to 2016 stated that neither of the two coasters could exceed 850 metres with one being under 40 metres tall and the other 50 metres. If it's on the MTDP they can put plans in as reserved matters like the Dodgems for example as it was on one of the proposed flat ride sites. WC16 had to be a full application though as it wasn't ever mentioned in any form that a building would be placed in The Arena (although it was earmarked for a refurb on the MTDP). Next year they'll probably put in an application for the next MTDP stating the terms they want, what coaster lengths they would like, possible flat ride places and anything else they might have in the pipeline like extensions to restaurants etc. The MTDP doesn't have to be met, nor does it have to be completed as we know the 2015 coaster on there was instantly pushed to 2016 at the earliest and now isn't happening for a good few years. They could try and push the limit to having coasters of over 1000metre and stupid height but it still has to be approved by the council. The MTDP is a rough guide on what they are thinking as possibilities for the 5/6 years. It isn't written in stone because if it was we'd have are second drop tower, a roller coaster this year and other stuff.

Well Storm Surge had an annual pass weekend which was a disaster so there was no AP day in 2012 but Swarm backwards had an AP weekend so if the ride is opening at beginning of the season I guess it'll just be an AP weekend. If not maybe something like the IAC preview thing.

This thing is just I won't even be annoyed if it's not open when I go as long as I can stare at it I want one! With this <3 PLEASEEEEEE! Don't want to wait two months The coaster may turn out meh but it'll look superb! And to think these will spin http://www.vijfzintuigen.nl/

So I could either be being promoted to a full time partial managerial role at my current job come July if I go for it, or I could start working somewhere I want to be in the future low down for now, time will see! Should hopefully be a good summer!

I still can't stand how Blackpool take trains off 30 minutes before close. Never have I seen any park do that ever! Infusion was happily running two trains with a queue just outside the station and then they spend 10 minutes taking a train off so now the queue is about 40 minutes and it's on one train. Brilliant logic. Also, staggered openings at any park annoy me, I've paid to go on the rides, why can't I go on them when I want in your opening times? Yes lots of parks are culprit to this but it bugs me, and Blackpool do this so it bugs me. Oh, and I dislike the lame "Big One can only run one train today due to the wind" yet it's a summers day so the queue is well over an hour. Why not just make all the trains fast?? Seems silly to have a slow, medium and fast train. Oh, and the Trauma Towers front looks stupid with nothing there, the massive building from the old Space Invader is pointless, operations aren't that fantastic. They stack Big One on 2 trains... how that ever ran three I don't know... Oh, and does Steeplechase even run 3 tracks anymore? Blackpool have longer hours but some rides close before the closing time and some open after opening, and it's on the seaside. Adventure Island is all rides 11-10:30 over the summer months. Food is also ridiculously overpriced and not that amazing. Never got the Blackpool hype for all these reasons

At first I thought Triotech what with the Wonder Mountain of Dragon thing at Canada's Wonderland (Yeah this thing). But that was really cheap at 10 million dollars compared to the rumoured £30 million for this dark ride. Dynamic would be amazing, they are spectacular and branching outside of Disney/Universal now so they've clearly become more affordable. Track wise, they've redone the track for Big Thunder Mountain at Paris, and Gringotts track is very different to the track that people saw from Dynamic a while back. Gringotts track. Dynamic track posted. I doubt the large track is capable of doing the trick stuff and is purely for the coaster itself (remembering a large one of these has launched coaster segments). Dynamic are very diverse, they can cater to all needs, and even if it is an SFX doesn't mean it'll be a coaster. I've heard Gringotts has one coaster section that last 5 seconds or something. Other than the trick track sections, it might be able to run trackless depending how advance it is.

Welcome to the last instalment of this blog before I venture off to Belgium in June So let's head to somewhere new and prepare myself for something I'll see a few times in Belgium. Sign lies. Puddle will get my shoes wet, I'll walk into the bin which will hurt. Already looks painful. KMG=Pain in my stomach Vecoma Schwartzkopf know for pain. Let's get it over and done with. Sure is difficult to understand. And rough, so PAINWOOD This is good. Like really good! So let's find some more pain Plainfully bare wild mouse. And I don't like swinging boat things. So pain for me. Ew it's still bare. Oh, and HyperDrive which I didn't photograph as my phone would have killed itself is painful. In sense it's so slow, you crash and you can't get off the wall and it's illogical. Weirdest investment ever! But this <3 Actually really good for a small park! Just dangerous low beams which will cause pain if hit. Urm... this is horrific. Goes on for an eternity and hurts your shins. No thanks. I'll pass on this pain. Chairlift is painfully slow it makes the park feel huge! The pain of the photo stands here. This one is placed away from the bottom of the slide so you have to squint to see anyone If I tried to ride these I'd be in pain. No comment yet. Swan boats. Shame I'm competitive my legs were in pain after! That KMG again... Rattlesnake... or snake in the grass. Either way, it vibrates so much! Pain in my ass! Bambi looks too happy... because she put humans in pain! Sharp teeth=pain. OOOOO old stuff. Look at this an operating carousel! Bet that pains some members who loved a certain one at Thorpe... This was better too Good show. Benches of wood and pain so PAINWOOD. Now this. It looks stunning! So well set in a beautiful area! Lovely weather! A cobra roll (of some pain) And a pretty loop (I really like Vekoma track). But wipeout wiped me out, hurt my head and was quite intense. Didn't really enjoy it and I'm not best pleased there's a few on my roadtrip. Oh well. YEAR OF BRITAIN OUT! See you in June/July for some Belgerand goodness! (Belgium, Germany and Holland)

Saw seems to vary a LOT more than Colossus. Much like Smiler can vary (that seems a lot better this year though, think they may have had the axle grinder out over winter). Yes Colossus is rattly, bit bumpy and you can feel the wheel thump but it's really not that bad. May favourite seats are the back, I love the relentlessness of it (although I enjoyed gwazi and will no doubt love Baco) and it's no rougher than The Ultimate which is crazy but brilliant. Simple fact, don't like the roughness of it, don't ride it

I think this is the thing with rides, people like some rides more than others because everyone has different opinions on what is good. Lots of rides suffer from "omg that ride is amazing best thing ever" then you ride it and it's Oh. That's why I never try and hype rides up, I just go with an open mind. If you go thinking it'll suck you'll expect that and find all the bad things or be pleasantly surprised. Personally, I've never understood the obsession with hyper coasters. They just go up and down a lot (very general public view that) but I've never done one so I don't comment. For me, I love Kumba and Dragon Khan looks like that in ways so for me I'm looking forward to that the day I go out there.

Well look at the box with a cross in it next to the load/offload. That means it's a lift and that's the bit with the pit. Drop track right as you leave the station...?

It's not directly related to the incidents on Dragon. They happ ages ago. These metal detectors are purely trials. They did it on Rokit last week for a day and went back to not having them for a while. Universal are just seeing how it runs. If they are going to implement it permanently I'm sure they'll make it look less horrid than it does now. The park says no loose items on rides, guests lose them and complain (happens at every Park) and then want it back so staff have to get them. It's annoying and I'm sure there is reason to it.

I'll be there! But Peaj... aren't you meant to provide us with entertainment?

HUGE BUMP Right, so Universal trialled metal detectors at the entrance to HRRR last week meaning guests couldn't take ANYTHING in the queue other than themselves and clothes. Even if you had zipped pockets, phones, change, glasses with or without the strap were to be put in a locker or non rider. People thought this might be in an attempt to remove loose items from all the large coasters so they can possibly get the dragons duelling again. Well this week... Hulk got a new queue extension! With metal detectors And this guy. Ministry of Magic says no. So yeah, the test has moved onto Hulk and Dragon Challenge (no more photos of the lovely queues ) Some people think it's related to the gun incident but then surely that'd be at the entrance of the parks. This is purely a continuation of the trial Ha. Disney hate. (http://blog.touringplans.com/2015/04/10/metal-detectors-installed-universal-orlando-roller-coasters/) Oh, and the officially confirmed by Comcast CEO secret not confirmed King Kong attraction is coming along nicely

Matt, you should go they do authentic Disney merch and stuff! I haven't left the country this year but since my trip to GYPB I have got an authentic 2015 Disney pin badge! Only authentic things here at Great Yarmouth Disney Beach

The idea is still first to ride being 15 minutes before opening. This is for hotel guests abs usually extends to AP holders but this season it's been a bit slower. If the park closes at 6 or 7 it is a 9:30 opening. If it closes at 5 or is Fright Nights it's a 10 opening (main gate opening)

Nope. I have been through to Seaworld for more days than I have to Towers (okay Seaworld is now only one day above Towers but it still counts). My first dark ride was Spiderman back in 2003, quite possibly why I expect that ride to be my favourite forever <3

Incorrect. I did it as a birthday present a year or two ago. I have a certificate somewhere which I'll try and dig out So let the game continue.

Okay then. 1) I have been to Seaworld Orlando more times than I've been to Alton Towers 2) My first theme park size dark ride (so ignoring fun fair ghost houses) was Tomb Blaster 3) I have driven an Aston Martin DBS at 150mph

I'm going to go with number 3, knowing your love for Valhalla I think you did that the second you could.

Lots of people always go on about wanting to go to the greats of Florida for Disney and Universal. More people are able to visit DLP but there's a little place in this country that makes you feel like you're at Disney or Universal. Thing is, I couldn't quite work out which company clearly secretly owns this park. Of course, it is the one and only Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach. So let me show you why I'm not sure if it's Disney or Universal. From the outskirts it doesn't look great. But hey, Universal don't theme their rides all the way around when they don't have too. And this path was cold along the beach so you wouldn't want to go there anyway. Think of it as a cast members rat run! Oh yes, Splash Metal Mountain! 3 lift hills, 3 drops in a metal mountain frame! Heck, that could even become the Universal globe on top of the structure. Cattlepen to deal with the huge crowds! And timed maintenance on off peak days so it can have full throughput for those busy summer days. Argh!!!! Watch out for Jaws in Amity! Right next to the land of Frozen! Hi there Olaf Oh my favourite the vehicles from automobile and automobile 2! It's the finale of the the FORMULE 1 between Thunder McKing and Chuck Hicks! Nice to see Universal using the old school Simpson characters again! You could learn a thing or two Orlando. There was a fun house! Probably Minion related. It's just like an inside version of Wishes or Dreams! Disney needs to use the Mulan IP more, glad to see it being used here. Truly a high quality ride by Disney Surprise! Ah Phantom Manor Frankenstein's Monster from Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue! Wacky Disney kids coaster. It's like Heimlich... or maybe it is! What's this down here Twister! Will be a sad day when it leaves Orlando but here at Great Yarmouth it keeps going strong As well as other Universal THRILL rides. Monorail to get you from one place back to that place With a Dr Seuss like tunnel. Lunch approached so we decided to take a walk from one park to find another It had a rollercoaster called Spook Express. Was in a mountain, had dark bits, basically space spook mountain! So nicely themed! And more minions! On ride photos taken by someone with a camera. True quality! Look at the little snail they had! Snails love airtime! I've no idea what Disney feed them but they love it! Clearly waiting the Puss In Boots layover for the Goose in the beanstalk. So Farm Cruise Watch out for the Pirates of the Yarmouth! Zoo Cruise. Pinocchio dark ride section with It's A Small world playing. So urm It's a small boy? Peter Pans not flying flight Evolution. Like the film as you can see. They also had a roller coaster with a flame spitting tower thing at the top (flame wasn't working) Prehistoric Twirl. So whilst you all scratch your heads wondering if Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach is Disney or Universal I'll leave you with some pictures of Roller Coaster Snail Always.

Thorpe's project names have always been interesting, and using WC16 (assuming it is used on park like LC12 was) is just going to get the instant toilet joke. "LOL Thorpe are opening 16 new toilets as a major thing" etc. I think it's safe to say the WC stands for Whitechapel. Whether this relates to the TV show or not we've no idea yet. Yes Thorpe now have an ITV link, but Whitechapel (as great as a few series were) was axed by ITV after its 4th series back in 2013. So not only is it a dying IP, you could quite easily say this one is DEAD. So let's assume that's not happening, because as stupid as Merlin are I don't think they're that bad when it comes to getting IP's (would ITV even let them, surely they'd rather Thorpe to use something current like Broadchurch or a nice little car ride around Downtown Abbey!) So let's work with the Whitechapel idea. Everyone jumps to Jack the Ripper but Merlin already do that hugely at the London Dungeon (not saying that'd stop them but still). Now the 3rd and 4th series of the TV show created a previous serial killer which was then copied (for those who don't know the show, it was all about copycat killers in the Whitechapel of today). Maybe Thorpe could create some past (dark secrets maybe?) about this old abandoned warehouse that had previously been hidden away (landscape is changing) which was once the Thorpe Depot and a killer or something was on the loose back in 1950 or something. Then the ride could be about either that in itself or a modern day copycat killer. All very family friendly obviously. Regards to an SFX coaster thing from Dynamic. They are more than a coaster. You could probably get one with minimal coaster elements, they're about the trick track, screen interaction etc of which you could fit a decent number of trick track sections. From what I've heard of Gringotts that has one small coaster element to it and the rest is trick track interaction and that's an SFX essentially. Varney has said it'll be a game changer. For a ride to be a game changer it has to be noticed by the top dogs. Disney and Universal (arguably the leaders of dark rides) have to look at it and go "ooooo we want one" or gotta keep an eye out for those and so on. Oh and the building shrinking a bit, from the looks of the original plans I think the edge of the building they've shrunk might have just held a bit of indoor queue, maybe a room like Smiler's or something of the sorts so I don't think it'll have changed the ride.

For a few years now Towers has been subject to a mind marmalising force known as the Ministry of Joy and I think it's only time I reveal some of the hidden secrets after we persuaded a few Smile Assistants we want to help correct others. To do so we had to receive a grand tour of the correctional device. Be warned, what you see and read today is top secret and may correct you just by looking at it. It is your own choice to continue reading this... Before embarking upon the process we decided to analyse the mysterious goings on by the Ministry. Maybe if we could work out their ways we'd be able to avoid correction. However, it is very difficult to understand this mess. Some advocates were being corrected as we watched on. As we approached we were already being told to join them. We knew from the start, trying to find out how they correct people without being corrected would be difficult. Here is a vehicle to make you smiling advocates. Did you know, on Smiler they are called vehicles, Oblivion are shuttles, Air are crafts and the other coasters are trains. Random. It was time to reach the top and try and understand the mess. It seems to completely correct you it has two halves... must be two rides. Crazy. We were informed by the Smile Assistant Matt that this large tree in the middle is the height tree for X-Sector. Back in 1998 when the lord of Darkness was trying to force people to look down, the Ministry of Joy had to make the tree taller so put more ground under it. By doing so they could build Oblivion. However, in 2011/12 a storm threatened the trees existence so they chained it down because without it they may have had to close Oblivion and wouldn't have been able to build the correctional device that is Smiler. It is also 1 metre taller than Oblivion. Low and behold the device itself! In the background you can see Enterprise but originally that was meant to leave instead of Submission. Engineering got £10,000 to get Submission back to having its two arm working together which the Ministry couldn't wait for! However, some management people decided it hurt too many people and wasn't making them Smile so they got rid of it and spent the £10,000 on Enterprise. Under the twisted track is the queueing pen. It is made up of 6 areas, area 1 the Optical procedure room, area 2 the one outside that, area 3 has the shop alongside area 4, area 5 being the back corner and area 6 the new extension up to the toilets. Now, there are 3-5 ways of fully optimising the queue but you are meant to do it in order so 6-5-4-3-2-1 as much as possible so people can work out the queue time. Smile Assistant Dave told us of this time he made it do like 6-5-2-3-1-4 or something crazy and no one could work out the queue time... it has also never been replicated as no one can work out how he did it. In total there are as many as 20 possible queue line possibilities in some form. Here we see the first lift... the secrets lie within the tunnel. For the geeks. These arrows help you to know where correction is... not like you have a choice though. This door <3 There used to be a set of stairs here. The door is in the baggage room and it was meant for Smile Assistants to use in case a vehicle stopped on the brake run before the first lift. However, some staff took the fun too far and were opening it going boo, knocking on it and so on. So, they moved the metal staircase around the corner to which it now leads to nowhere and the door is permanently locked. The first of 14. So elegant. (I fear I'm starting to be corrected...) Ah the glass floor. Smile Assistant Matt told us it works better with the lights on and was meant to help correction. But, due to delays on the Swiss side of things the whole tunnel was rushed to completion. It was originally meant to continue the Optical Procedure but this never happened. They'd love it to get completed but don't think it ever will. Here is where you leave the station. If you wave at the Smile Op and they wave back at you with their foot, that is because upon dispatch they have to hold two buttons down for 5 seconds before Correction can begin. And you all thought they were just being weird (yeah they are). We then went into the pit. Yes, it is mainly made of concrete. And track. And muddy arrows. Confusing. The reason parts of the supports go into the concrete and others like this tiny one are encased in footers is because the support wasn't long enough (due to the groundwork issues) so instead of waiting for new pieces they used the materials they had (a lot of concrete obviously). The Marmaliser. It was all starting to get too much!!! So we went for a walk. We came across this chained up tree. On the walk a witch stopped us and said "You will either get corrected or for every geek who comes to visit this tree Nemesis will slowly be destroyed." I couldn't let this happen! So 7 goes later followed by a further 4... We were corrected. And Nemesis keeps going strong! So remember one thing guys, Smile. Always.

IPs really vary. Spiderman at IOA is both an amazing Dark ride technologically speaking and as an IP it is one that will never really die out. Kids will always know about Spiderman. Merlin's tendencies in IPs are buying ones that are nearing the end of their lives presumably because they are so much cheaper. Let's use Smiler for this. Smiler (minus it's delays and technical faults in its first year) is Merlin's perfect investment. The marketing was completely new for a ride in the UK and that very simple but eye catching logo was plastered everywhere with little explanation to begin with. Now it's an IP in its own right with the merchandise being everywhere. You don't just see Smiler jumpers at other theme parks, I've seen a few around where I live when people are shopping etc. It is so well known not just because its got 14 loops but because it is a brand. Cost Merlin hardly anything to produce so more money could be spent on the ride and it's probably made a huge return. If Smiler had been an IP coaster it'd have had a larger bill and would probably have had the same draw so in that sense wouldn't have made much more of a return. All this talk about convincing people to go ride the dark ride, no matter what the theme Merlin's marketing will create something that makes most people want to go see what the hype is about. And lots of people (normal punters included) know about dark rides because of Florida and they are the future in my eyes due to the endless possibilities. Dark rides are expensive, £30 million sounds a lot but if they're going for a large IP you can imagine that won't come cheap and if they go for an old IP they'll just end up spending millions retheming it in a few years. Merlin should take a risk and create an amazing story, a unique brand with a logo that works well and sells. Oh and as for hyper coasters, some of my friends have seen pictures of hyper coasters and go "Oh so it just goes up and down lots of times. No loops or anything?" So whilst they may be good coasters at heart they seemingly just do one thing repetitively in many of the general publics eyes.

A £30 million dark ride can last just as long as a coaster! Just look at some of the Disney classics that are now icons like Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion etc.. This country needs a decent dark ride so the people of England can see their potential and how they can be better than coasters as they offer such a different experience! People want fully immersive rides then dark rides are the answer. Thorpe doesn't need another large scale coaster for a few more years, they've got a solid set and grew that set in the space of 10 years! Towers have one more large coaster than Thorpe and did it over 20 years, that's why everyone feels Thorpe should always get new coasters because we're used to it that way. I look forward to Merlin creating something with a huge budget that isn't a coaster as it's something we haven't seen them do. And marketing wise I hope it's similar to Smiler in getting the brand out their. Please be a unique theme created by Merlin then they can get it out to the work like Smiler. Creativity can work!