Matt 236

So I finally got to visit Thorpe Park after the removal of the carousel

Here's a new video I made [just before I joined you guys at the meet] as part of a new series of me reacting to different things at theme parks. Full meet movie should be made by next week, enjoy!

I think Phantasia just went on to my 'absolutely positively' must do visit list! This thing is still a good year or so off completion too! You wouldn't see towers do anything like this (Awaits quoting of a fanboy accusing me of merlin bashing)

Thanks, this is very helpful, will make things now for these visits much easier.

Hi all, I'm planning on taking some friends to Thorpe Park & Legoland, and am planning to use the family and friends discount through the Merlin pass. However, I was wondering how many people maximum you are allowed to use it for as I'm planning to bring two people with me (neither of which are pass holders).

As very much everyone is aware, I will (hopefully) be making my first ever trip to a Disney park one month from today, a time even this far off I'm absolutely buzzing for. However, still being a 'Disney park virgin' for the time being, I though I would conjure up a series of rides, places and attractions ive been on that I believe the closest 'present' experiences I've had to the authentic disney rides I shall be riding, whether the result of this is fairly close or just a complete joke in comparison. All in all, this list is just a bit of fun at the end of the day. 1/ Big Thunder Mountain- Runaway Mine Train Alton Towers Plus Inferno's volcano for the theming 2/ It's A SmallWorld- Bubbleworks Chessington 3/ Phantom Manor- Duel Alton Towers Probably the closest accuracy in the list 4/ Pirates Of The Caribbean- Pirate Falls Treasure Quest Legolañd Windsor Apparently it's not a pirates life for me. 5/ Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast- Laser Raiders Legoland Windsor 6/ Autopia- Grand Prix Blackpool Mark9 will appreciate this one 7/ Pinoccio's Daring Journey- Pinoccio Tivoli World Slightly more accurate 8/ Snow Whte's Scary Adventures- Alice In Wonderland Blackpool Only one I could think of places I've visited 9/ Peter Pan's Flight- Fireball Adventure Island Southend Yes, very accurate. Really, I couldn't think of anything in terms of suspended dark rides I've done, so this had to do. 10/ Indiana Jones Le Temple De Peril- Turbo Brighton Pier Ok,I'm didn't actually ride this, but I saw it. I think it's pretty accurate at least in the layout though. 11/ Storybook canal boats- Fairy Tale Brook Legoland Windsor 12/ Star Tours- Angry Birds 4D Thorpe Park Since I'm yet to do a simulator, this is the closest I could find. Maybe I have hit a new low. Now for the Studios rides 13/ Tower Of Terror- Hex Alton Towers More so on experience than hardware. 14/Crush's Coaster- Sonic Spinball Alton Towers Couldn't find anything exact so this will have to do. 15/ Rock an Roller Coaster- X Thorpe Park The only comparison it could ever be. 16/ Ratatouiee- Wallace & Gromit Blackpool Pleasure Beach http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Wallace_%26_Gromit's_Thrill-O-Matic.JPG 17/RC Racer- Kobra 18/ Dumbo- Flying Jumbos 19/ Slinky dog- Knights Quest 20/ Tram Tour- Orient Expedition p 21/ Space a Mountain is again X due to lack of dark rides, but it will be closed when I go. One Month to go now!!!!!!!!!!! I shall be reviewing the place for real when I finally visit. I don't own the photos.

It was more so so aimed as celebratory over accuracy, but it's been 'corrected'

As long as this falls on one the days I can do, I shall be there!!!!!! Looking forward to this meet!

That just looks amazing!!!!!!! And to see their doing so much for what is clearly a low investment year. This place looks like it wipes the floor with Alton Towers (in the present day). Think I know where I want to try and visit next year.

Hmmmm, I wonder what the theme for this ride could be? The dark light circle shape, could be an indication on the ride theme, it seems to be a possible zoom in of a larger object of something fairly prominent. I've got it, Top Gear!!!!!!!!!!

Looks great, but must admit they could've decorated the ride's entrance better as it looks a little meh.

Bah, I know I'm going to miss Ant & Dec! the problems of having 80% of deadlines of second year uni within 2 weeks.

Whilst it's good they've u-turned this petty staggered openings to what they should always be, still think it's disapointing we're seeing only 5pm park closings over the weekend, should be at least 6pm.

I've always been a very big fan of the Swarm (maybe more than JoshC), but there's another ride I'm really getting a soft spot for currently. DEPTH CHARGE. OK, to done it's just low'ish capacity 4 lane water slide, but to me it's more than. It's a Thirpe classic which is great fun for park guests of all ages, an all round attraction, gives you some great views of the park (Swarm & Stealth) and doesn't get you too wet either. It may be nearly 25 years old, but still runs well and is one of the few surviving RMC additions which on top of that is definitely the best upkept one too (excluding anything rethemed). Some say it doesn't fit in with the new park, but I think it does. What with the famiky market thing and Island like no other tag line and it goes very well with the shark theme too.

Sadly Merlin seem to reflecting the typical image of the majority of wealthy people. Rich,powerful and greedy (corporate tyrants). If Towers were owned by anyone else (but with the same imagineering team), they could do great wonders.

I went on Inferno yesterday and the most was definitely working. The volcano mister was working very well and there was a fair amount of most in the tunnel too (I've seen it run with more but it was definitely working).

And the best part is, quite a lot of the action was caught on video (which a Creaky member will edit together in the next week or so).

Another fantastic TPM meet. They all just seem to get bigger and better! Despite arriving nearly 3 hours late, had a great day and was nice seeing everyone again, plus lots of new faces (over 25 attended the Peaj of the day). Inferno pizza was very good except the slightly slow service. The plates were fine. The spooning game was even more competitive than last time (maybe too competitive) as lots of pushing, pulling etc happened, got a bit violent at times, but the end result was worthwhile (I didn't partake this year due to lateness). Highlights for me also included 3 rides in a row on Swam without leaving my seat & depth charge race with Peaj, Adam & Phill. Despite vortex, Detty & Slammer being down plus no Caroulsel and 1 train Colossus, had a great day and cant wait til Cheessington meet (which I hope I can make).

I might miss the spooning, but will be there til the end of the end

Has featured in one of my vlogs

When Paramount opens, I hope Merlin fail epically (unless they learn from their mistakes). Towers is going down hill fast Thorpe is still in the centre of its normal issues (though lots of cheeky price picks now) Chessington seems to be between a rock and a hard place. Legoland seem to be the only one doing the right decisions this year, increasing driving & boating schools capacity (with a refresh) and retheming the town area (which was dated) plus diggers getting replaced by a disko coaster potentially smoke gat other things.

That's an achievement for Merlin nowadays.

As far as I'm aware, the four current (for now) rides set to leave are Blade, Flume, Ripsaw and Spinball. Blade as we know will be going this year (due to SW8 and other things) and I wouldn't be surprised if this will be Ripsaw's last season either (SW8 will be in forbidden valley after all). Spinball going seems to be rumoured every year. It's very likely it's going to happen, but with the two above rides still present, I think Spinball will be going 2017/2018. The flume will probably be the last of these to go as though it's around 35 years old and (to some) a long boring ride with drops, it's still a fairly popular ride (with families) at the resort and still obtains a high throughput (around 1200). This will likely go after 2018 to either make way for a more modern log ride or SW9 (maybe SW9 won't be coaster after all with Thorpe's next ride to be a dark ride).