Mitchada04

DIE SAMURAI!!! DIE. Samurai - Samurai (0) woop killed the mighty warrior. No ride is safe now (looking at you Swarm... ) Reset: Colossus (5) Detonator (5) Nemesis Inferno (5) Rumba Rapids (5) Rush (5) Saw: The Ride (5) Slammer (5) Stealth (5) The Swarm (5) Tidal Wave (5) X (5)

With the advertised price I think that's just them showing what they will be selling them for the rest of 2015 so by renewing now you are saving so much compared to if you did it later on. The email thing is something different as not everyone got this said email. Yes they should deal with that in some way, yes they should have some social media people around. But people complain every single year about something at the sale. The email was clearly wrong and Merlin will deal with that. They just take their time about it which yes isn't great but still better than nothing.

They're not saying that the renewals is in the sale though. They're saying buying a new pass outright is which a few days before the Christmas period was £169 for standard and £209 for premium. Therfore for what they are advertising as the sale is fine as it was a higher price prior to the sale period. Renewals have risen yes but they aren't part of the sale. Two different things.

Denn Deutsch ist die Sprache der awesome! Oder vielleicht ist es ein Hauch von meinen Reisen I'm nächsten Jahr ... wer weiß

The standard Thorpe pass did always let you into FN before (as did the Tussauds pass even the early Standard Merlin one) but in 2008 the park hit capacity a few times. Annual pass holders weren't happy they couldn't get in (although capacity of the parks being reached is always in the terms). Anyway, for the 2008 fireworks Merlin/Thorpe introduced the booking thing for £3 where you could book a space to guarantee entry and remove the risk (although you could still turn up and get in with your pass at no additional cost if they hadn't hit capacity). So at Thorpe it just spiralled on from there. Wasn't it in 2011/12 that it all came to light that Thorpe Park and Gardaland were no where near profitable? Who says that all these additional fees are going into the back pockets of Merlin and not to actually run the park. Just look at Stealth, that thing costs a fortune to run. FN mazes costs loads (actors aren't cheap, after all it was cheaper to run the 5 main coasters an hour than it was Saw Alive apparently). Thorpe's opening hours are the longest of any of the Merlin parks, they don't cut back on that. All annual pass holders can attend the annual pass days and previews. The £48 pass was never going to stay, that was just to get the numbers back up in a struggling park. £70 is where the Thorpe Park pass was a few years back (I think it was £78 actually) and offering a premium is fine, gives people the option. If you've spent £100 at the park this year on events then get the premium. It's a no brainer, that's the point, you're saving yourself money. Yes okay everything should be included but it's not, hasn't been for years. People have wanted a premium Thorpe pass for ages and now they offer one people kick up that the standard pass should allow you into everything. Why pick up on that now? It's been that way since 2009 from what I remember. I'm not sure how the money gets distributed throughout Merlin, I assume the RTP (Resort Theme Parks) operate under their own leaf. So all the money made (and in some of the parks cases maybe lost) is totalled together and then depending on the spend each park is getting that year distributed. Tussauds has put everyone in a false sense that investing in rides every year is awesome! Between 2000 and 2006 we saw Tidal Wave, Detonator, Vortex, Zodiac, Quantum, Eclipse to be replaced by Rush, Slammer, Samurai, and 3 major roller coasters. Business sense it was never going to work! Yes Merlin aren't perfect, nor are Thorpe. If you don't like it simple, don't visit. If you visit and just complain they'll try and sort it, maybe, but in the end you're still giving them numbers. Don't visit then they lose money, guests etc then they're more likely to act.

https://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=TT (may be useful. Also any apologies to fluent German speakers, Google translate still doesn't do that well but it copies nicely back into Translate) Willkommen in der letzten Reisebericht des Jahres. Hierfür haben wir nach Deutschland in London reiste. Sieht aus wie Hyde Park. Englisch Wolken. (Nicht jetzt lila und blauen Stuhl, zurück zu Erlebnisinsel) Auch das Zeichen ist in Englisch. Es ist Winterwunder dumm! Ach, mein Lieblingshotel. Alpen. Der Barkeeper ist genial! Nur in Deutschland große Schaukel Sache. XXL. Es ist grün und rot, wie Weihnachten Nachtzeit kommt in Deutschland schneller. Lieben Sie die Wolken in diesem Hübsche Lichter. Oh und es heißt Sprungschanze Fliegen Sie über Deutschland Fliegen in der Luft Was ist das? Leitungen Turm 2 Fantastische Und hier drüben ... WILDE MAUS XXL schauen, es ist die große Schaukel wieder. XXL hallo dort Luft. Sogar klingt besser in Deutsch ich werde verlassen auf einem Thriller. Auf Wiedersehen Wir sehen uns in 2015!

Yeah but even Disney have tiered passes. Some so stupid that you can't visit the parks two days in a row if you have one of the cheaper ones.

Don't know if it's been mentioned yet but it will be 10-4 opening hours. Tickets are £12.50 early bird. Four 45 minute shows of Braniac will take place each day. Premium pass holders book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brainiac-live-at-thorpe-park-resort-for-february-half-term-tickets-14955469211 Paid for tickets aren't available yet. https://www.thorpepark.com/events-experiences/events/brainiac-live/

DIE DEPTH CHARGE AND YOUR NEW SILLY RED BOATS DIE!!! Depth Charge -1 Depth Charge (0) RESET: Colossus (5) Detonator (5) Nemesis Inferno (5) Rumba Rapids (5) Rush (5) Samurai (5) Saw: The Ride (5) Slammer (5) Stealth (5) The Swarm (5) Tidal Wave (5) X (5)

Power Tower 2, I'm really sad it's going to be leaving I've ridden it every year it's been at WW! Went yesterday and had a good day. Ice skating was broken which is annoying when you've booked tickets for it so we went and saw Zippos circus instead which was good. Alpen hotel is brilliant, the bonkers ending scenes make it worth £5. Ski Jump was alright, didn't quite get all the hype about it (my opinion) Wilde Maus XXL is still wild and awesome! Starflyer was giving good long rides at the top giving a lovely view of London, Barrel Of Laughs was utterly insanse, so forceful! Thriller is still good in my eyes didn't do my shoulders in or anything and Air was as awesome as ever!

But Gwazi! was my first ever wooden coaster and I've always loved it! Yes it's a bit rattly but it never lets up, I remember the days it used to race and everything. Great ride.

DIE LOGGERS DIE! Loggers: -1 Loggers Leap (0) RESET! Colossus (5) Depth Charge (5) Detonator (5) Nemesis Inferno (5) Rumba Rapids (5) Rush (5) Samurai (5) Saw: The Ride (5) Slammer (5) Stealth (5) The Swarm (5) Tidal Wave (5) X (5) Edit:Dam you Josh :'( ignore me I'll come back when I can kill something.

DIE VORTEX DIE!! Vortex -1 Vortex (0) RESET Colossus (5) Depth Charge (5) Detonator (5) Loggers Leap (5) Nemesis Inferno (5) Rumba Rapids (5) Rush (5) Samurai (5) Saw: The Ride (5) Slammer (5) Stealth (5) The Swarm (5) Tidal Wave (5) X (5)

If they limit capacity correctly though then one train operation isn't a problem.

Stealth opened during Thrill Chill though and did so quite well. Also lasted longer in the cold than Inferno last year when it was snowing. It has 3 trains so one will already be built. And Stealth is the parks icon. Makes sense to open it if you can.

A recent study showed that lizards who have sex at a young age die younger. Scientists therefore know that all old lizards have reptile dysfunction.

I only come out to kill. Die Fish die! Flying Fish (0). Reset. Colossus (5) Depth Charge (5) Detonator (5) Loggers Leap (5) King Pig's Wild Hog Dodgems (5) Nemesis Inferno (5) Quantum (5) Rumba Rapids (5) Rush (5) Samurai (5) Saw: The Ride (5) Slammer (5) Stealth (5) The Swarm (5) Tidal Wave (5) Vortex (5) X (5)

Latest diary is up! https://paultonspark.co.uk/education/professor-blasts-diary/2014/12/566/an-amazing-discovery Could this possibly be relating to The Stinger? Would seem so. Also it would seem that the Rio Grande train might be involved in this development Stinger in the background, the house thing could be Professor Blasts place replacing the Wind in the Willows and then the train. Exciting times!

Well Stealth has a clone. Zaturn at Space World. Uses the blue throughout the whole ride with white supports. I mean it's okay but I love the way Stealth fades from the blue into the white top hat. It not only blends in with the background of a grey sky (one of the reasons it's white I believe) but shows it doesn't need a bold colour to stand out. It's a very simple ride at heart, height and speed. Doesn't try do anything fancy with it, sits at the back of the park ominously, it's just an excellent ride. They can also so easily colour it when they want too... Well if it's dark that is. Stealth is the icon of the park, the one ride you will always know if it's closed because you can't go on social media without someone complaining that it isn't open (and fair enough, I'd be gutted if it was closed on my only visit of a year). Good old Stealth.

Earlier this year I sarcastically explained why Nemesis is king of coasters. This time round I'm going to explain (in a serious-ish way) why Spiderman is my favourite dark ride of all time. (As always these are my opinions, if you do comment at the bottom explaining why you disagree I will hunt you down and get revenge oh and there might be some spoilers on the ride experience, you've been warned) Islands of Adventure, the park that made Disney have an E-ticket attraction ready to be deployed at each of their parks in case of its success. Okay, this didn't happen in 1999, IoA didn't pull in the guests it was expected too. But it was still a huge leap in the theme park industry with some excellent attractions (especially for 1999). Most notably, Spiderman. Hidden behind a façade is a ride building that brought to light a new style of dark ride. Simulators were a thing, pyrotechnics were a thing, 3D screens were a thing, but no one had combined these together in one show building until 1999. 3 years of development, a range of companies working together to create a masterpiece. Spiderman was born. A ride of this calibre is still thought of as an amazing technological design today. Just last year I rode Transformers for the first time and thought "wow!" the 4K screens, perfect 3D animation and flow is just flawless. So to have a ride like this 15 years ago shows just how advanced it was and still is. Maybe I'll never be able to change my opinion because of the fact it has been that awesome for so many years. I was only 2 when this ride was built, the industry hadn't even built a 10 looping roller coaster. But Forbidden Journey is a masterpiece is many ways, a huge dark ride that is technologically amazing and immersive. What is it that Spiderman has over the new boy on the block? Maybe it's because I was a huge Spiderman fan as a kid. I first rode it when I was 5. I thought I was in the action, it was actually happening! It instantly became the ride I wanted to ride again and again, work out how it works, it sparked my interest in rides. Every time I've been to Florida since I've learnt more about how the ride works, the technology, what to expect etc. but it still delivers. When I went to Florida last year I gave Transformers and Forbidden Journey the chance. I knew the basics of the ride system, that Transformers was like Spiderman and FJ was just pure awesome, but nothing more. I went on those two rides like I did with Spiderman many years before, curious as to what was inside. Both of them are great rides, but neither of them had the same affect as Spiderman. I rate FJ second only to Spiderman and Transformers 4th, just not 1st. Spiderman sits their firmly and is unlikely to ever be toppled. Some people would say I never want Spiderman to be beaten. Nope, if a ride can beat the enjoyment and thrill I get from Spiderman everytime I ride it then it will go first. Let's move onto the ride itself. The queue, it's the Daily Bugle! You're in the offices!!! (see this is my Spiderman love as a kid coming through). So naturally I geek out in it. But, FJ's queue is much more impressive. It's filled with technology, it's a tour of Hogwarts in a queue that never stops moving! Transformer's queue is a walk through the N.E.S.T facility, buttons to press and stuff. I'll admit, the Spiderman queue needs modernising (or at least some painting!) They updated the whole ride to include 4K screens and update the animation, it was closed for 2/3 months so the fact they didn't do anything with the queue is annoying. So nowadays I take a point from Spiderman because of this, but the ride claws it back fantastically! Anyone who has been on Spiderman and Transformers will know they both use the same system from Oceaneering with Dynamic working on the switch tracks. Both use the Universal patented "squinching" technique for the 3D. But they both offer different ride experiences. Transformers is stunning, somewhere in that ride you go up a lift to the second floor and then back down. I didn't know this before I rode it and still can't quite work out where it happens it's that well done. The action seems more fast paced, the simulated speed in that ride is sublime! This is where it loses to Spiderman though. The story is very fast in Transformers, action packed and disorientating. It relies so heavily on screens that the transition between screens is essentially another screen. There are not external effects, transitions without screens are just simple tunnels or something. This is where Spiderman triumphs! Spiderman is a ride heavily relying upon screens. No doubt about it. Some people dislike this in a ride but I think Spiderman does balance it quite well. Transition between screens adds to the story, you see the Statue of Liberty head that all the bad guys have stolen, you have a truck flash it's lights at you (with Stan Lee in the driving seat). Since the 4K update, in some of the scenes it's difficult to work out where the screen begins and ends. Electro's lab is the best at this. When you enter you see his lab panel at the back which at first looks so realistic like a set. the transition between scenes also utilises the "scoop" vehicles abilities brilliantly. One part you spin through a tunnel (because Oceaneering made awesome vehicles that can spin 360 degrees, vibrate, tilt, do basically anything). It's just a wonderful experience, with fire. One lovely fireball. Must go off every 20 seconds or so but Universal aren't worried about the gas bill. I think the finale scene on this ride is my favourite from any ride as well, the falling. It's unbelievable!!! Seriously feels like you're falling 400ft (actually it's only 6ft but this just shows how great the vehicles work with the screens to enhance their capabilities). I think the difference is, Spiderman is a fun action packed adventure. It gives you time to absorb the story whilst continuously developing it. Transformers is non stop, but it is so fast I lost track of who had the allspark at some points! So Spiderman, a ride of pure fun, adventure, excitement, thrill, just brilliant! I want a ride to beat it for the pure fact I want their to be another ride out their that provides (for me) the same enjoyment I get from riding Spiderman many times. Oh, it is also the one dark ride I will ride when it's dark outside (even with a walk on Hulk just metres away and I adore Hulk as a ride). If Thorpe create even a smaller scale version of a ride like Spiderman that uses screens, excellent transitions, effects and a storyline that can incorporate many characters and the sense of elevation change and just. Actually, no. Only do that if you're going to go all out on it. Oh, it's also very pretty at night. And to put it in perspective, I put this ride above any coasters I've ridden as well (because dark rides can be more thrilling than coasters). Any comments are welcome and I'm happy to discuss opinions Thanks for reading a very wordy, quite serious report (it's okay I'm going to WW soon, a classic me style report will be on its way...)

It's a business. I've had some epic rides on Air, some that I think are well worth the £6 (yes you can ride it for £3 at some random places it goes to but I like the whole atmosphere as well personal opinion) and those have been at quiet times. Winter Wonderland themselves advise you go at quiet times. What more can they do? They stagger entry, they are out to make money. Same old argument of while people are willing to pay that much for that little they'll charge that much. I doubt the ride operators are given free control with how they operate the rides at peak times, they're probably told by management to only run for a certain timed cycle to reduce queue times. You give everyone a 6 minute cycle and you're going to be raking up hour queues on rides that have been plonked on a piece of grass without any consideration as to holding a substantial queue due to lack of space. Don't like the way they run it, don't go. I'm sure they won't mind. 2.5 million people went last year alone.

With Smiler's application though they didn't have to specify certain things. Colours, styles etc weren't required to satisfy the council, they only had to put in the application due to the size of the building and certain high points. That's why they could get away with showing the ride to only have 8 loops in the plans to keep the secret a secret a little longer. Different situation with Thorpe, if they've said the building will look like that then it will look run down, it will use the colours and types of metals they've submitted to the council. That will be one of the conditions "the development shall not take place unless in complete accordance with the following approved plans....." which will include the buildings styles, theme, colours etc. So it will look like or very very similar to the plans if it is approved. Hunger Games is an odd one, yes Merlin have the link at Thorpe with Lionsgate (but there's always rumours circulating that Lionsgate aren't happy blah blah blah) but Lionsgate or someone want to build a Hunger Games theme park, or a few attractions, or one of those touring things like Marvel are doing across USA. So Hunger Games won't be cheap at all! It's not a dead IP, and won't be for a while so whilst I think Thorpe would love Hunger Games would Merlin pay that much for it? Saw's IP was expensive enough and that wasn't even a huge huge IP in comparison to that of Hunger Games. Lionsgate won't let them or anyone have it cheaply. And if this project is large budget like the circulating £30 million I sure as hell hope they don't blow loads of that on an IP. Ride system/hardware and theming thanks. The Hobbit IP as well, I doubt Universal couldn't afford it, they have quite a bit of money. If they wanted it that much they'd get it, after all they have Harry Potter which must have cost an absolute fortune! Rumours did start about Middle Earth replacing Toon Lagoon but I think other projects popped up (Diagon Alley, King Kong, water park and whatever else is up their sleeves hopefully How To Train Your Dragon) so they just killed/shelved it. Who knows.

Film of the year has to be Guardians! Just everything about that film was brilliant! Chris Pratt was excellent as Starlord, was just ace! TV show: Since last December when I first saw Modern Family in Florida I have been hooked by it. It's odd having watched all the series in a short space of time, they've all grown up so quickly! Sporting moment: Hamilton vs Roseberg all year was a great thing to watch and Hamilton deservedly came out on top! Just a shame Roseberg couldn't have raced him to the end. Also really sad about Buttons dad in the summer but great to see Button still going strong and hopefully having a seat next to Alonso next year. Now that'll be a team! Personal moment: Oh I've had so many this year! Passing my driving test has to be up there but gaining so many great friends and memories has been brilliant also. I'm going to have to say though getting a truly amazing best friend has been the best moment for me

Thing is, Merlin literally took it apart in Florida, shipped it over and rebuilt it. It had the same structure in Florida, same slow lift, but it just seemed to work better out there (maybe because Cypress was a quaint little park, not trying to top Disney). No this doesn't give them the excuse to have just left it (it worked at Cypress because it was surrounded by trees so the structure was less obtrusive) but it did lure guests in (arguably more than Swarm did as 2012 numbers were down on 2011 although that is down to other factors). But still, the public like it, yes they could have done a lot better... But they didn't. Was never a particularly pretty ride in the first place. I just always find it odd, it would have fitted well into Legoland with bold colours and stuff. Plus, until Chima battle galleons thing opened there wasn't a water ride bar the Wave Surfer, no water rides at a park in Florida? Yet in England we have water effects on every single ride at Legoland. Merlin logic for you. Loading was still slow in Florida too. Oh and you do get a lovely view of Swarm and Stealth. And they even painted the Mega Store. So it's not all bad. There were worse possible locations too...

I'm just going to do it. CRC -1 Chief Rangers Carousel (0) Let's move on. Colossus (5) Depth Charge (5) Detonator (5) Flying Fish (5) Loggers Leap (5)King Pig's Wild Hog Dodgems (5) Nemesis Inferno (5) Quantum (5) Rocky Express (5) Rumba Rapids (5) Rush (5) Samurai (5) Saw: The Ride (5) Slammer (5) Stealth (5) Storm In A Teacup (5) The Swarm (5) Tidal Wave (5) Vortex (5) X (5) All reset. Slammer FTW!!!