Matt 236

It really frustrates me how Tomb Blaster is being handled badly these days, with the air vents being open and effects broken again, it really detracts the experience of the ride and it was just a year ago when they fixed all the ride up back to its former glory and now it sounds like they're ruining that.

Doesn't look too bad this attraction wise, the mystery of Hocus Pocus Hall sounds very interesting. I do feel its disappointing that the park still closes at 7 giving you just over an half for night rides whilst earlier days in October close at just 5pm which is too early in my opinion.

Football, it's British Rocky Express or Sea Storm

Royal Blue. Air or The Swarm?

Yeah especially as X is questionably the best dark coaster we have now and the fact excluding Astrostorm which is the relocated Space Invader ride, the last uk dark coaster built was 14 years ago and that was that strange coaster at Gullivers.

Thanks for these amazingly awesome pics Pluk. It's amazing to see how Chessington has changed in all these years how back in the early 90's how there wasn't near as much vegetation near Transylvania, the fresher looking rides which now look quite old and worn (ahem Skyway) and the shocking scale of animal closures which would surely not be allowed now. Looking back now, the zoo has certainly improved interns of animal upkeep and experience whilst the rides haven't so much which s a shame.

To my knowledge, all the currently existing dark ride coasters X/ Thorpe Park Astrostorm/ Brean leisure park Raptor/ LWV Cheese Factory/ Gullivers MK Plus Clone Zone at Milkyway which seems quite bizarre. Don't think there are any other uk dark coasters now as Black Hole and Thunder mountain closed in 2005. The uk could do with another major new dark coaster as only X and Astro are really the only big ones and I doubt they're a patch on other dark coasters in the world.

From what I've seen, the park has a rather good woodie coaster and a few okay supporting rides. That family star coaster looks rather lacklustre in my opinion.

Advertising 2 closed rides as open and bypassing a major new attraction, not great management from Chessie and even though it probably isn't all their fault I do think they should've checked the editing as they could well get a few disappointed/angry guests the next coming days.

I'm rather impressed with Thorpe's attitude this year on how they're marketing and managing the park this year by all these small things they're doing to help guests stay happy. This is perhaps the happiest I've been with Thorpe since 2006.

Hi all, I've thought of this new game called Movie/Tv star TPM game. The game will work in a similar way to the banning game but instead of a member saying the last one to post is banned for a specific reason will instead post a TV or film character name and/or photo that they believe the above member reminds them of. These could vary from Gandalf in Lord of the Rings to Shrek from, well Shrek. Here goes.

I would love to take part in this quiz. Thursday evenings are probably best for me.

And make Runaway Train run backwards too and that will be another major change for the ride next year.

I could work, but would involve lots of work and might complicate the queue system which the staff seem to already struggle with just 2 trains as it is (they need three again).

The ride has had a lot of efforts made within it and I strongly hope it will remain at Thorpe for some time. This is ride I love for the sensation of it feeling unsafe and fast at the same time.

As Han said, they were probably putting Zufari as main priority of the work. Another thing that comes to mind is that the theming on falls & RT has been in a dire state for at least the seven years I've been going and it questions me as to whether these closures may have been a last minute occurrence which perhaps they were condemned unsafe just before the 2013 season. Fury's throughput isn't that brilliant either as I think it used to be 700/800 but nowadays it's closer to 500 which for a primary coaster is rather disappointing. Vampire used to take around 900 on 3 train op which was probably quite good with queues when it was (don't I rode it on 3 trains) but now it around 600 as it only has just 2 which could be even less with apparent slow operations. The only rides I think that have high throughputs there are Falls, Tomb Blaster, Buccaneer and Zufari (which is sadly ruined with the photo queue and pre show to be a good throughput one). Chessington needs more big rides that take 900 pph and Vampire's 3rd train to comeback, the park in my view is the worst Merlin park for throughputs at the mo.

Fighting over queues on the ride, how stupid. It's a themepark, don't people know to expect queues at these places especially during peak season. Some people get too far these days and its guests like those that ruin enjoyment for everyone. At least the park banned them permanently and they seemed to control the issue quite well.

I was thinking, because the Swarm queue is so awful (especially in the station) with the front and back row mess ups, but would it be better that instead of having the two separate queues they just make forwards and backwards one queue and when it reaches the baggage area, a staff member asks if you want to go forwards or backwards and then allocates you to the designated choice. Just an idea.

Sadly I never got too experience the old Chessington as my visit was 2006 but from what I've heard and seen, here's the strong points of each, New Chessington / Wild Asia (nicely themed area and better than clowns (which scare some children)) Zufari safari attraction Dragons Fury & Rattlesnake coasters, Old Chessington/ 5th dimension looked original Vampire looked better then someday ran better too, Railway Better looking older rides

I have ridden witches haunt once and remember it being a creepy and dark house with lots of scenes passing as well as going up and down the building. The one thing I remember is the scary entrance with those path lanterns and eerie entrance sign. I don't remember much of the ride but recall enjoying it even if it was a little scary. It's a great shame the ride was burnt down as it would likely still be at the park today, although probably tomb blaster with ghosts.

Loggers (for the double drop) Pringles or walkers crisps

Tidal wave Swarm Colossus (although perhaps very impressively styled)

In my opinion, Merlin are good but not great. They do very well in advertising and PR stunts as well as general investment. They have installed some rather good rides such as Smiler, Swarm and Zufari but also some bad ones too such as Storm Surge and the now closed Time Voyagers. There up keep on rides is not the best as there are several attractionss that do need some TLC including Colossus, the flume and in theory, half of Chessington's primary and secondary rides.

I have not been on a wooden coaster yet in my life and feel ashamed of it.

That was a great trip and the drinking story is pretty much correct of my encounters during the night. I had one rough hangover the next day.