Mitchada04

Saw shouldn't be excused. They should just be better at operating it. It's designed with 8 trains like Swarm 2, use all 8 under this full capacity principle and be efficient.

With the Fungle site, the trees behind the service road and before Monk's Walk are also coming down. Now while I don't think they can block the service road without reducing the parks overall capacity (this is why at Fireworks the capacity is limited due to the bridge not in use so only one fire escape route back in 2011) it could be moved back or be put in a tunnel for a dark ride building to go over it. Fungle site with the back bit of the service road right up to Inferno (basically BWP) is a decent size for a dark ride building! Planning wise you're more likely to get a building built on that site as 1: it's more difficult to see outside the park than if it were a tall building in the Arena and 2: it's been earmarked for development albeit a flat ride but the Arena hasn't been noted for any sort of development. A dark ride would tuck in nicely on the Fungle site, be well hidden for the building needed whereas in the Arena it'd be awfully noticeable. Just seems more logical and with trees being cut more likely. Cutting trees this late means it won't be happening next year whatever is going on on that site. And with the park pushing R'n'R more and talks of a festival on the survey and the success of Thorpe Resort Live I think The Arena will see a bit of work this winter and be used once again next year.

How about we move away from cheap flat rides that are just annoying with stupid lights and look out of place in a theme park and think of themed experiences! Afterall, how many flat rides has Merlin bought that are funfair styled (ignore the Dodgems...)? Thorpe has a fine selection of flats and I really hope that when a few go they aren't replaced by funfair rubbish, by all means get a solid flat ride from Huss or something like AirRace but nothing that comes from a fair with flashing lights all over it! I want something that can be themed, given a whole experience around it like Sub Terra around a drop tower. Fun fair rides aren't designed for theme park use, simple as. Dark rides though...

I understand that once the budget for that day has been decided it can't be suddenly changed and staffing levels means you can't always add the second train. But maybe all days should be budgeted for two trains? Merlin have enough money to fund this quite clearly as all there other parks do it! One train operation just makes all queues seem longer as well because they move slower! A 15 minute one train queue feels longer than 15 minutes 2 trains. And if it gets to the point where it's absolutely dead, take the second train off! I've seen this done on Inferno before on empty Sundays and trains were still going around half empty even with just one, that's fine. But always be budgeted for 2 trains. Even SeaWorld who are in big money problems compared to usual and were in December also were running Manta and Kraken on 2 trains although the park was empty and only open 9-5. Had a Manta train to just me and my dad at one point!

SouthParks are just going off what some guy told them on their summer tour. If we went off everything that any staff member has ever said we'd have our new B&M next year and so on. Yes there were talks over the summer about Neptune's Beach (on here for example) but since then its faded, probably because FlowRider wasn't that popular being off half the time and disappearing the other half. Even if they were doing something to the Beach, wouldn't mean they'd close Fish early as the two aren't linked! There's a wide path between them! The Big side of the beach is still very very popular in the summer with families so any new flat ride would probably go on the small side. Rumours are rumours, believe what you want, that's what makes it fun but just because it's written in a way that seems certain doesn't mean it is.

The Midway Mania capacity expansion was rumoured for the seasonally used building next to Midway Mania though long before the Backlot Tour was announced. Rumours circulating with that are for a Pixar sort of area so could include Cars and so on. Problem with Hollywood Studios is it was built in a rush against Universal, it's a tiny site and has seen little investment for a long time! In the long run I guess it will be good with the many attractions closing/rumoured to be closing but if you were to visit next year for example without Idol, Backlot Tour, and maybe Lights Action Motor show thing and Indiana Jones closed it will feel even emptier! That certainly won't help the other rides. But with Star Wars land almost a given in 5 or so years the park will probably be top notch again.

Annual pass discount won't make it much cheaper as Pizza Pasta is £11.99 or something crazy now whereas pizza hut is only £9.99.

Depends when the lease ends. I know BK signed another 10 year agreement before Merlin came in but don't know about Pizza Hut or KFC other than I think their lease ends at the same time to which Merlin will most likely not offer them another one and make it in house.

You can see Storm Surge from Inferno but they don't cover that up and that is worse to look at than the EX10 signs. It's just not necessary, people generically aren't going to be thinking going up Inferno's lift "why does it have Ex10 on it?" If anything they'll just be like "Oh look that's one of the mazes for that Fright Nights thing."

The first night is probably the quietest. Same amount as darkness as the first Saturday as clocks don't go back until the Sunday and now with 8pm opening win win. It's not an inset day for local schools on the 24th. Other best day is probably Sunday 2nd as Thorpe is quite nice on the last Sunday too.

It was on 2 trains (maybe not straight away at 9:30) but it was. Triathlon happened this morning. Lake looked cold (and disease infested), don't envy the participants.

Apart from this year we've always been over the summer holidays and it's busy but not bad, 15 minutes on Rage with all 3 trains operating and almost no stacking. They will very swiftly add more trains on that if needed. Other than Rage (and maybe the stairs up to the water slides) the rides don't even have queue lines that can hold more than 10 minutes (on the flats usually just a ride cycle) so it's never busy. And if it is a busy day they'll be open till 10:30pm. Try and see how many times you can ride Time Machine in a day that's a good challenge, it's such an amazing ride and to think it was built in-house is amazing and terrifying at the same time the forces that ride places on you is insane! What's even more worrying is it has a control panel to adjust speeds and stuff, it just isn't allowed to be changed from its usual settings or the staff member who changes it will get fired (well that's what the sign in the control box said).

Coasters are prizes each company has a FB page/group that theme parks join, then the company (e.g. GCI) says for example "we will be building 3 woodies in the UK before 2018, *tag UK parks* first three to respond yes will get them." Then in the comments section: Merlin: "on behalf of all our parks, no." Blackpool: "pfft new woodies no thanks" Flamingo Land: "as long as we can advertise it as a Zamperla, yes" GCI: "brill, 2 left guys hurry up!" Drayton: "fine why not. We're in!" GCI: "we'll make sure it's Thomas themed for you" Drayton: "legends!" Oakwood: "oooo yes please our storage is getting nice and cramped could do with some more." GCI: "that's it they're all gone! Flamingo Land, Drayton Manor and Oakwood you will be contacted shortly about delivery dates" And that's how the process of roller coaster sales goes in modern day

It was the 6000. As the site was limited to that and that's what they used last year and it worked.

Welcome to the theatre. Please take your seats, the show is about to begin! This will definitely be the Big One. Orchestra ready! Water effects ready! It's time to... Immerse your senses in the biggest spectacular of all time! The 4D experience with a Blackpool Tower Post Show! It's a small world from up here. Only the most realistic effects are used within this show. Quick the bad guys have arrived! (sorry I didn't have time to finish this set off) Vikings are bad guys with a hatred for pirates. A fight scene so early on you ask? The ending won't be that good so it's okay. Take to your horses And ride away like brave cowards. Watch out for the flying dog though! NOT SHAUN Dora has finished exploring though and finally saves the day! And all is calm in Lancashire Town Play once more. Too quiet for Wallace and Gromit... Streak away! And no, this isn't a family friendly play. Because we have the biggest big one Impossible speed effects being used But don't worry, we have lights Waltzer Pleasure! Sorry about the lack of intervals. The show loses speed if it takes a break. Like it's just trying to fill time The interval would be boring anyway. Would definitely try and kill you. Time for the sparkling dazzling all glitzing finale! Tadah. Here comes the staff bus to take all the alcoholics who wrote this beautiful production home. BYE! Come back next year or we'll come get you...

(Theme Park Collective) At least they're doing something to it more than just add a door.

If any rides open early then wow! Lucky you Me and Josh found this when we went in July, basically just go around the zoo. That'll take you to 9:50 if you're slow. Then pick a ride and queue outside of it.

Saw the ride great? A ride that struggles to get 950pph when Swarm will easily get over 1000pph.

But it will work at FN on the mazes. The park rarely sees more guests at FN than the last week of August where R'n'R was in use also. And if it's only on the mazes and not the coasters then people will have high capacity rides to queue for as well as the flats so it won't horribly affect the flats like so many people worry about. It will work as long as there's no standby queue. The one thing people complained about at FN was queueing for the mazes (and it's not just Fastracks fault, mazes generally have low capacities yet are as popular if not more so at FN than the coasters). I'd much rather queue 60 minutes for Inferno then go to a maze and get on that without queueing then another 60 or something for another coaster while queueing virtually for a maze. R'n'R is a decent system hardware wise, it updates exceedingly quickly to breakdowns, higher throughputs being achieved and so on. I'm all for it if it means I don't have to queue 2 hours physically for a maze! I also think enforcing R'n'R will be easier on the mazes than coasters as they can just build the queues without standby in mind

Amazing weekend with amazing people Best meet yet (helped by the lack of queueing out of a car park entrance after park close cough Towers and some stuff to do at night like piers). Was really nice to do a variety of things and have so many newbies at Blackpool So many highlights it's hard to pick a few so I'll pick the worst bits: leaving, Jack calling Valhalla mundane and Revolution- hate that ride! Massive thanks to Jack, Darce, both Matts and Alex 1 (although only for a short time it counts) for keeping me awake on the road and entertained, we only nearly died once which is pretty good going

I wasn't joking about the Pizza Hut extension. Planning application went online today.

Pizza Hut extension.

Lets take a revised look at this then. 1. Nemesis: It's not moving. Yet. 2. Manta: Manta and Hulk are two I'm never sure on which one I prefer so this time round Manta can take it! 3. Hulk: Adore this ride. Was one of my first major accomplishments and it's abroad. 4: The Mummy: Dark ride coaster bliss. 5: Everest: Must be the highest rated Vekoma in the world. 6: Kumba: I think it should be ahead of Montu majority of the time, depends how both of them are being trimmed. 7: Montu: It's good. 8: White Lightning: Must have forgotten about this last year. It's brilliant! 9: Swarm/Inferno: Depends which one is running best. Stealth is sometimes in the mix too. 10: The Ultimate: Yeah I'm quite shocked too but it's amazingly relentless and just terrifying fun! Non Coasters 1. Spiderman: This will probably never change (I'd put this as my favourite ride of all time, well ahead of Nemesis). 2. Tower of Terror: Again, won't move probably. 3: Forbidden Journey: I don't like getting soaked so this can go above Dudley. 4. Dudley: It's great. 5. Valhalla: How I forgot this last time and ended up with Slammer in the top 10 I don't know. 6. Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island: Now it's closed I'm tempted to make it number 1. 7: Transformers: Didn't enjoy it as much as Spiderman. 8. Duel/Hex: Love them both. 9. E.T. It's fun and happy! 10. Time Machine: CRAZY!

On Swarm they can pretty much send it the second it's ready as the lift hill adjusts its speed to the other train so it doesn't have to stop at the top. And it does make operations better! The other train is at the top of the lift nearly when the train comes into the station giving them less time to load that one if they want to send it quick again so in the long run it's much better! If people are getting on quickly and it's ready to go you might as well dispatch it, not much point in waiting around.

Midweek is always better to go as less people take time off work. Also, the Monday and Tuesday pre book price is cheaper than Wednesday to Friday in half term showing that they predict less guests on those days. Of course it is all weather dependant but if you are unfortunate and have to go over half term (as Altitude is, not everyone can coincide with quieter days) it will be one of the better days to go to. On another note, last Sunday is amazing! We went on the 3rd of November last year and it was brilliant! The first Saturday is probably only going to be slightly busier than a standard Saturday. Probably.