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At least the Tetley sponser fitted the ride. This is just random and such a weird choice to be honest. Dobble is a game.

Ok. Right, so you can probably tell Saw isn’t my favourite coaster. I wonder why. But there is a very good reason to ride Saw this year. Exodus construction, if you can excuse the torture from being knocked around like a shopping trolley.

Stealth has an iconic top hat element Swarm has that drop inversion Inferno is just bliss, with its volcano Colossus was the ride that put Thorpe on the map (more-so) as a major park. Saw, Erm. Sorry, I’ll just pass for now. I mean the airtime hill is quite I guess.

Did one of these in Dream Land Margate, a number of years ago. Very fun ride, but not sure how it fits in. Should probably go before it falls in the sea.

Thing is though are there any UK parks that be solidly called a two day park if you excuse breakdowns and poor operations? Thorpe to an extent may be on the better leg of this currently because nothing seems to warrant more than a long days visit currently.

I think one of the issues with Towers is definitely its sufficient lack of support/additional attractions. As main rides go, the park is fine and holds what is arguably one of the best coaster collections of any European park. However, what does Towers really have once you deduct the big 6/7 coasters? A couple of mid-scale family coasters, 2 substantial dark rides and two water rides. Oh and Beeb land. When you look at most notable European parks, they are either full of substantial attractions. Be it the numerous support/hidden wonders in Europa, the support rides at Phantasia or the fairy tale forest of Efteling. Yes. Even Thorpe & Chessington are theoretically better in this position given one has a zoo and the other has numerous (ageing) flat rides. Towers needs something to fill in these voids, but I’m not holding my breath.

So, I went back to the Parisian Disney Resort. Almost 6 years since my last visit, some things have changed whilst others have remained the same. Both parks were very lively (but not necessarily super busy) during half term week and seemed to feature a lovely atmosphere throughout. On both days Studios closed at 21:00 and the main park at 22:00, making for some excellent opening hours. Besides some refurbishments around the entrance/Disney hotel, (asbestos filled) Small World and other patches around, the park looked great. Maybe better kept than Magic Kingdom (if I’m honest). The 30th celebration show was a delight and I adore the logo, which is a masterpiece! The parade seemed the same as before as did the main nighttime show, which has grown on me from last time, but I still consider dreams better. As much as WDW is the better resort, Paris generally has the best classics, whether it be the tragic mysterious Phantom Manor, the grander arrangement of POTC or the more magnificent Big Thunder ride variant. Space Mountain needs to lose the Star Wars overlay now IMO. Studios is a strange one as some of the park feels the same, but others unrecognisable. The changes to TOT make the ride feel more unique, but still can’t decide whether I like them. Avengers Campus looks more refreshed from the former mish-mash before but feels hit and miss. I liked the Avengers coaster more than I was expecting but still miss RNRC. Webslingers is perhaps the blandest attraction done by Disney, even if the shooting element is fun. Cars Road trip was alright, but feels weird how out of the way it feels from the rest of the park. The new nighttime show was largely enjoyable eventhough I’m not the biggest superhero fan and it meant basically closing half the park an hour beforehand. In contrary to the parks feeling more alive, the Disney Village felt dead and lifeless with no atmosphere at all. The former buildings of Planet Hollywood, Ludwig’s, Cafe Mickey and more all closed and derelict. No atmosphere at all even with the remaining open units. Crowded House’s Don’t dream It’s Over playing whilst passing really summed up the sorry state of this area, which is literally being ripped away from what it once was. As much as I prefer WDW, I can’t help but have a soft spot for this resort, even after all this time. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I have a soft spot even now for DLRP because it started a whole revolution of park visiting and trips back on my first visit.

List is subject to everything. Mostly finance and time off work. Uk wise, will probably visit most/all Merlin parks. Chessington is a must and Thorpe park is imminent no doubt. Might visit Paultons and maybe Blackpool as well. In terms of abroad, got Disneyland Paris coming up later this month and a trip to Liseberg probably too. Hoping to get the Madrid parks done for that new Batman coaster and also visit Stockholm & Finland too, to mop out the parks there. Energylandia will probably resurface some point in the year along with Phantasialand for winter perhaps. Belgium, Garda and Heide are longshots but we shall see. Might do some more non-park trips too. Nothing long haul this year I expect.

Urgggh. We know not much about this silly retheme. All we know is that it will be spooky themed and it will probably be better than Derren Beowns Ghost Train. Need I say more.right.

They certainly should.

Yeah, well the thing with the Dungeon is where exactly is it actually part of? Dark Forest? David Williams? The outer edge of the universe? It’s any ones guess really given it’s just there in part of its own misshapen area. CATCF was part of Cloud Cuckoo, until its fated post-Smiler mothballing. I don’t see anything happening to the driving school, not with three substantial investment plans underway in the next few years, but I could be wrong. And if anything happens before 2025 maybe they’ll just close and mothball it, like they did in 2016. The David Williams area just wasn’t really thought up well and feels very half-baked.

I think it’ll be a good few years before we see anything substantial happen to this area and even then, I’m not holding my breath. Problem is that each rehash of the area just seems to have been done on the cheap without adding anything original and if anything eradicating further charm from the place. Cloud Cuckoo wasn’t perfect, but at least it felt more consistent than what we have now. A stringy Williams area next door to an upcharge dark Dungeon with a bit of Cloud Cuckoo residue stuck on the side.

Not gonna lie, training it to the park is not as straight forward as some places such as Efteling and Phantasialand. But it is doable if you know what you’re doing and don’t go on the express. You can get a bus to Basel railway station and then get connecting trains to Offenbach, then Ringsheim. Then get the park shuttle bus from there. But that may have changed from when I did it a few years ago.

I’ve only ever stayed off-site, but there are plenty of options throughout the village of Rust. Ranging from hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses. Most of which are 15 minutes or less walking distance from the park. Sites like booking.com and Expedia are worth looking at. M with tickets they usually sell them as one or two day tickets.

I guess the difference between the first two is that at least worthy replacements are on the way for those. Now back to The Ultimate. I experienced the attraction twice in 2019 in my first (and probably last) visit to the place. It was a unique ride, in both pacing and location but certainly not with its faults. It was rough, bumpy and what must’ve been the world’s slowest lift hills. The park was almost deserted then (bar a few school trips). Its demise and planned demolition is no surprise at all, because it was seemingly reaching the end of its serviceable life without a substantial hardware upgrade, which could’ve happened I guess. Had funds been there. Covid like many things maybe fastracked this by a few years. A new woodlands development is certainly an inferior replacement.

Either that or part of Derren replacement.

It’s definitely a creek massacre. I look forward to watching things progress.

I guess you could say it’s no longer the future of theme parks.

I’m pretty sure one of those names didn’t derive from a coaster in another park. Interesting names for sure.

Why does that funny promo image remind me of something? 🤔

Most of the above is agreeable. I absolutely adored my numerous rides on Iron Gwazi last October and the ride definitely packed a punch. It definitely isn’t a Steve beater, but is somewhat level pegging with Zadra in many respects. Although that ride may still have it by a fingernail. It might be number three on my RMCs and Florida coasters, but it sure is a stunning ride. And no doubt a hundred times better than its previous carnation.

Things I might like to see: More dramatic dispatch sequence- lights change, theme music, nemesis voice return of the red waterfall, through revised system to stop the leaking problem train lights homage to the original track That is all. No silly pre-show because that would just ruin the throughput and not really add to the experience.

Well, who knows what the park is going to replace it with? Could be a small round ride, could be another coaster. Could be a B&M for all we know. But ones thing for sure, it won’t be an ageing flat ride from a Merlin park or Drayton.

Yeah, I don’t think it’s coming back.

And there you have it folks. The future of theme parks!