Matt 236

I’ve had three different trips to this place in the last year at Christmas, spring and summer, and certainly didn’t get bored at all. Europa as a destination reminds me that a great theme park can carry as much escapism as a lavish city break. Whether it’s the stunning rides, the lovely scenery or even the food. This place strongly delivers to levels so many other parks never will. Voltron is a ride that left me unsure to begin with, but after multiple re-rides has made me adore the thing. Mack produckt as some may say. I’m rather mixed about the changes in Austria. The flume has benefited the strongest from the change in landscape, but Alpen by far has suffered the most. I miss the mine, but creating something new made sense, especially since the original eighties charm and azure would’ve been impossible to replicate. Blue fire, Wodan & Silverstar are all coasters I adore and the new Batavia dark ride is top-tier. Must not leave it four years for my next return visit, even if my pass has finished.

Wild Asia isn’t the first area that comes to mind, when it comes to redevelopment. However there’s no denying there needs to be some work done and building a major coaster/indoor ride there makes a lot of sense. However monkey swinger’s likely demise makes me rather sad. Mexicana and the Children’s Zoo area redevelopment seems very predictable, especially given the need for a coaster for young families and Scorpion seemingly being kaput. The plans are relatively exciting, but when the rest of the park comprises an ageing flume/dark ride, suspended coaster, kids rides and cheap (new) flat rides, more needs to be done really.

A very random and interesting investment, if I ever did see one. Was under the guise the park’s investment would be on the stagnant side for the coming years. Given TT2’s problems, but couldn’t be more worse there. TT2 still isn’t out the woodwork to be fair.

Merlin always seem to this vicious cycle thing of going through investments followed by cuts, the latter seems to be coming into effect once again. I think it’s really disappointing that the parks right now are increasing less able to offer a full product offering, whether it’s been closed/mothballed rides or just not running them on low peak days. Thorpes cuts may be less noticeable, but they are certainly there. At Towers I wouldn’t be surprised if both Skyride and Hex are still closed in 2025.

1/ A great group can make an average park day a great one I started attending meets on this forum in early 2013 and have had the privilege of attending meet ups at parks around and beyond the U.K. Though some better than others, a great group of enthusiasts on trips can really make a mid-tier visit a great one. Whether it’s game about asking what people’s chosen coaster is, fun banter and excitement or any other reason. The thorpe park ministry of sound nights were certainly a crazy time indeed. 2/ There are different types of park enthusiasts The depths of this could honestly be endless, but you have so many different factions on this area. The ones who know literally everything about rides, the ones who just ride coasters, the ones who are more about the experience or those that are there mainly for the social element. In large meet-ups such as the European Coaster Club etc., you are naturally going to get others such as the other halves are just the plus one but ok to be there. 3/ Every enthusiast has different expectations and opinions To one person Efteling will be the most magical theme park in the world, to another it will be the most mundane thing to exist. To one person Hyperia will be the best coaster in the country (if not the world). To another it will be an underwhelming experience. Every enthusiast has a different opinion about rides, parks, expectations and everything else and can say I know some from different circles with similar opinions of the above. At the end of the day, being an enthusiast would be a more boring place if we all shared the same opinions there. 4/ A return park can visit can hit different, in the best and worst ways Parks and people, sometimes we visit parks 6-8 years ago and find ourselves absolutely amazed and blown away by these places, only sometimes to have a more recent visit and whilst still pleasant, those same wow factors from that previous visit seem missing. I think this is often down to a number of factors, that wow factor from that first visit has just worn off, you are not the person you were when you went before or the park has declined somewhat. The last 5-10 years have certainly been unkind to the park industry. Contrary to that, I’ve also revisited a number of parks and have felt feelings nothing short of joy. Walking through Europa’s entrance one bright sunny day, forgetting just how mesmerising Phantom Manor is or the amazement of everything random and wonderful in Energylandia. Feelings and emotions can be a strange thing. 5/ Your expectations change over time we change through our whole lives, so naturally our expectations to being an enthusiast can and will too. Ten years ago, I was that enthusiastic desperate to travel to as many parks in the whole and do everything physically possible, whilst perhaps trying to vlog like one of those famous YouTubers. I physically wanted to do everything in a park. Over the years I’ve gone through phases of wanting to visit places based on their coasters, dark rides and even landscaping. But today, I like to value a well rounded park. I would rather value a handful of decent rides than lapping one until I’m tired and nauseous. As more and more parks gradually get ticked off our lists, through time it becomes more valuable with who you visit these parks with, rather than where you go. Some enthusiasts who you can call your mates.

The price of a Blackpool Platinum Pass in 2025

Well, I probably should wait until Drayton’s new coaster opens. However there’s just too many top 10’s to update at this point in time. Right. Top 10 UK Roller coasters: 1/ Hyperia 2/ Nemesis (Reborn) 3/ Wickerman 4/ Icon 5/ Nemesis Inferno 6/ Swarm 7/ PMBO 8/ Stealth 9/ Big Dipper 10/ Mandrill Mayhem Top 10 Mack Roller Coasters: 1/ Hyperia 2/ Voltron Navera EP 3/ Blue Fire 4/ Ride To Happiness 5/ Icon 6/ Helix 7/ Euromir 8/ Slinky Dog Dash 9/ Trace Du Hourra-Asterix 10/ Poseidon- Europa, Top 10 overall Roller Coasters: 1/ Steel Vengeance 2/ Veloci-coaster 3/ Zadra 4/ Toutatis 5/ Mako 6/ Hyperia 7/ Iron Gwazi 8/ Nemesis Reborn 9/ Voltron Navera 10/ Wodan Honourable Mentions: Taron, Hyperion, Millenium Force, The Beast, Maverick & Oziris

Having done the ride in the front, back and middle, it is without a doubt a stunning ride. Operations seemed very good yesterday. It’s a shame the splashdown looks messy at the moment, but hopefully this is something that can be sorted sometime. The moments of floater, ejector and hang time on this ride are simply immense IMO.

Must be something substantial for this to be happening. Not ideal to be closed during the peak of the school holidays, let alone as one of the park’s main attractions and flagship water ride. Chessington really haven’t had the best of seasons this year, then again it’s perhaps been a since they have.

Face It Alone was honestly one of the best things that existed at Fright Nights, it’s a shame it had to stop. The early carnations were the best IMO. A choice of whatever maze you wanted and some cheeky champers within a lively atmosphere with the director and other actors. The ceremonial style they did in latter years certainly gave it more of a showcase element and the element of chance, however not getting to choose your maze was a little disappointing. I did the event at least once in 2014,2015 & 2016. I experienced Cabin In The Woods, Saw Alive (twice) and The Big Top on these events.

Great write up, I remember frequently reading many of the park forums back in the day, before deciding to join up myself. it does feel strange how different the theme park enthusiast world now is. Definitely more controlled and refine to say the least. Not to mention many of the additional park sites have closed and disappeared now also. Times do change.

Wow, did that old comment age well!

Let’s hope they can find/order a replacement part. Detonator in my eyes is amongst the best drop towers out there and large ones have become a bit of a dying breed in the UK especially since the loss of Apocalypse. At 23 she still packs a punch.

Either a coaster or a new water ride in my books. RMC is the top choice here, especially as it would be at or the near the parks 50th. Failing that, something like Toutatis or Veloci-coaster could also work. Wouldn’t mind seeing a modern flume/rapids or water coaster too, as this could work. There are three areas they could put this new development, on the unused island, where the beach & depth charge is or where Rumba is. Might be fitting if they chose a water based attraction.

I just about managed one ride on Hyperia today for the first time. It’s a stunning coaster with amazing views, fast snappy elements combining what must be the finest moments of airtime and hangtime in the U.K. at least. Most likely my favourite U.K. coaster, but on the worldwide map it’s a bit of a blur right now. Sadly 20 minutes after this experience, the ride broke down at the top with the queues eventually cleared. The ride tested throughout the afternoon but never reopened. I strongly enjoyed my go on this attraction but really hope they can sort the ride’s reliability out pronto, because it seems like a mess at present. Hyperia is one of the hottest new additions to the park in its 45 year history and they must strike the iron while it’s hot!