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Inferno

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  1. Like
    Inferno reacted to Mattgwise in The Swarm   
    Station organ audio is back and some audio added to the lifthill too. 
     
    The most welcome change however is that the Swarm vests no longer lock at dispatch, making for a far more comfortable ride. This brings it in line with more modern B&M Wing Riders.
  2. Like
    Inferno reacted to Cal in Alton Towers General Discussion   
    A staff member told me Oblivion was meant to have a huge station overhaul for this year, including 5 lines into the station (not sure what the 5th would be for?) which would include the return of the SRQ, but was pushed back to next closed season. Hopefully that still happens for next year! 
     
    And agreed was nice to see them smashing throughputs on it for once. On Tues they were using 2/4 trains (every other train) as it had no queue, first time in years I've not had to wait on the break run! 
  3. Like
    Inferno reacted to Stuntman707 in Alton Towers General Discussion   
    Call me mad but I visited on the opening day as Nemesis is a very missed coaster. All the park updates this year justified a new annual pass for me. I didn't run to FV but I knew if I didnt go there first thing, the queues were going to be mental. Anyway, only ended up waiting 2 hours which wasn't bad for the insane popularity that day. One thing I've not experienced before is the positive energy and enthusiasm in that morning queue. The atmosphere really was electric. I'll go in depth on Nemesis on the other thread.
     
    Forbidden Valley was a nice surprise to me. I wasnt expecting such an overhaul of that whole area. The atmosphere there now is just top level. Frankly I could happily spend all day just in that area and Gloomy Wood. It feels like a different park.
     
    As I did not go last season, The Curse was also new to me. Feels like a proper ghost train again now. my favourite effect was the hall of mirrors where Emily is riding in an empty carraige in your reflection and then it turns back into your own reflection at the end. I love all the little references and easter eggs in general, such a nice nod to the parks history.
     
    Oblivion was smashing it in terms of operations. It had all 6 trains going round and not stacking for too long. The repainted hole was looking vibrant and a bit of a taster for the sparkle project to come. This did however make the station feel very worn and looking like it's in need of a modernisation itself. X-Sector felt very empty even with the end now blocked off to guests. Surely that area must be in sight of a Forbidden Valley style update.
     
    Rita was probably the worst for operations. Didn't even bother. If it was on two trains, they were stacked in the station. Thirteen was fine, nothing negative to say although it always seems to have a massive RAP queue which I find funny considering it's supposed to be for those who have issues with queueing.
     
    Thought I'd give Burger Kitchen another chance this year. My god the burgers are still awful but they are charging a premium for quality worse than a fast food chain. The burgers are literally like the frozen horse meat you get in the freezer isle. They need to get rid of that Aramark contract and bring back the fast food franchises because I'm not eating there again. It's one thing if they were running it themselves but now they are outsourcing again this is just not acceptable.
     
    They are smashing it with the merchandise, some great offerings and proper embroidered items that are going to last. When I went to Engerylandia I was rather disappointed with the lack of branded merch so Merlin in general do a great job here.
     
    Overall I had a good day. Nice to see Towers busy and as popular as ever. The new areas are a great sign of the future for Towers if they can sort out the food.
     
  4. Like
    Inferno reacted to Cal in Alton Towers General Discussion   
    I was in the area due to work so I thought it would be rude not to pop in Tuesday and Wednesday, so thought I'd share some thoughts from this season below.
     
    I didn't bother visiting with no Nemesis last year so was my first time in a couple years, meaning it was also my first time on the Curse. Was really impressed with this, couldn't comment on what effects were working/broken as I'd never been on before. Easily my favorite dark ride in the UK.
     
    Main reason for visiting was to get as many rides as possible on Nemmy. Got 5 on Tuesday, but was only open half a day so was expecting a better day on Wednesday, but with it only operating with half a train I only went on it twice. One of them I got in the queue just before 4pm, and it still took 85 mins with no fastrack/rap. 

    Got back on Sub Terra for the first time in yearssss, same as I remember nothing special but nice to have a filler attraction back, something towers really lack.
     
    The park in general looks really fresh. Oblivion in particular looking really good. Could tell the Smiler has had some touch ups but still looking pretty poor in some places. Towers always seem pretty consistent on the effects and audio front. Audio everywhere was sounding great, didn't notice any broken/distorted speakers. A lot of their speakers are still bose too which I prefer. 
     
    Operationally wise, pretty poor. The staff were all doing a great job with what they had, but every major coaster bar Nemesis has started the season on reduced capacity. This isn't just due to it being a weekday as well, as I've heard it was the same on the weekend.
    Rita - 1 train
    Thirteen - 2 trains (3rd train currently in pieces under the lift hill) 
    Oblivion - 4 trains 1 station. No complaints here, team were smashing it and it didn't have a queue. 
    Smiler - 3 trains
    Wickerman - 2 trains
    Galactica - 2 trains 1 station
    Nemmy - 2 trains Tuesday, till around 20 mins before closing 1 train. Opened on Weds on half a train and remained like that all day.
     
    Few other points;
     
    - Never been the biggest fan of Wickerman but I was really enjoying it this trip. It was absolutely flying round in the rain on Wednesday, the back row and front row rides I had are the best I've ever had on it. 6 years on its still looking like a brand new ride, solid edition to their lineup and nice they're looking after it.
    - Same goes for Smiler, never been the biggest fan but no matter where I was sat was riding really smooth and really enjoyed it. Single rider queue on it is lovely too.
    - Pleasantly surprised to see roaming actors at Nemesis, Curse and Wickerman on an offpeak weekday. They do add to the areas, and I wish Thorpe had this approach rather than the cringe we get there. Would prefer a few actors at Swarm and Saw than the 'thrill makers' 
    - Love the fact the park opens early, believe the entrance opens at 9. On Wednesday I got in just after 9:30, went straight to dark forest. By just after 10, I had done 2 rides on Rita and and Thirteen thanks to them both opening early.
     
    - Galactica really doesn't fit in with Forbidden Valley anymore and is looking in a state. The track looks pretty terrible, half the TVs off, projector off in the station. Just looks like they've given up with it, so hopefully a re-theme coming with the new flat next year.
    - 4pm close. In my opinion if queues are anything more than 10 minutes, especially a park the size of Towers, it should never close at 4. 5pm minimum.
    - As someone who really likes flats, there really isn't a lot to do apart from going coaster to coaster. It seems they're going to address this though, I do hope there is more coming than the 1 they've already put plans in for.
  5. Like
    Inferno reacted to Benin in Alton Towers General Discussion   
    The distinct lack of filler rides was far more telling yesterday with 3 big coasters down (Thirteen, Galactica and Wickerman) for a considerable time. Fortunately Nemmie was on full capacity but the park need far more than the one they're getting next year. There's at least 2 spots free in X-Sector, and could definitely fit more elsewhere with some ingenuity. 
     
    Meant lots of 50 minute plus queues across the board for the majority of the day (exacerbated by many school trips mind). Which severely limited our choices of ride due to the 4pm close. Granted we did spend a fair chunk of time in CBeebies Land though. I'll probably contact the park regarding not being able to combine RAP with Parent Swap as it is very much a killer to our day if we don't have 2 RAP users in the group currently.
     
    Also a lack of decent eateries needs to be addressed. Not asking for much but there are so many Burgers & Hot Dogs across the park but few alternatives. Especially if you want a sit down inside. The prices are obscene too. Not visiting Pizza Pasta whilst it's £21 per person (plus baby isn't big on pizza. She's strange).
     
    Alty Mans is fab. Dark and creepy as. Couple of iffy effects here and there but on the whole is a fantastic refurb. Between that and Nemmie the future could be bright. Does mean other areas look awful comparatively though. 
     
    It was great to have Nemesis back. Had a good day overall but that was the only coaster we did due to the limited capacity and queues. There's still a lot of work to be done.
  6. Like
    Inferno reacted to Mark9 in Nemesis   
    That's pretty much all the eye does. It's given life by the claws around the eye moving up and down like its in anger. There was already some dead pixels so hopefully its an easyish fix.
     
    I was very excited for the return of Nemesis and I'm very happy that it's already running incredibly well, pretty much picking up where the old OG left off. I was concerned it might run slow but it isn't. I think it's a success and the energy around Nemesis was electrifying. Managed 6 rides including a front row and a back row and I'm happy. 
  7. Like
    Inferno reacted to Cornflakes in Nemesis   
    Have some in-depth thoughts about Nemesis Reborn and the new Forbidden Valley, entirely about the new theming, as you all know the ride itself is excellent - It’s Nemesis!

    Been looking forward to this a lot, but had some reservations regarding Forbidden Valley and its theming, I do think it’s a real shame that Forbidden Valley has lost its Post Apocalyptic, Mad Max-y vibe, but what’s been done with the new theme is - regardless of personal taste - very impressive.

    Almost every major set piece moves, every set piece has sound, the station and shop have their own small show sequences, the theming is dynamic in a way that Merlin hasn’t really attempted before. The area makes you feel like you’re in a bombastic monster movie, if old Forbidden Valley was about exploring where an event had happened, New is about seeing it, hearing it, and feeling it happen. This whole project feels like Merlin’s first step into the modern era of theme parks, if this is the new quality bar for Merlin there’s a lot to be excited about.

    Towers' continual commitment to street theatre helps the area shine as well. I’m not under the illusion there will be this many characters out all the time, but knowing you’ll see at least one of them is a lot of fun and helps the area feel alive. I’m particularly fond of the Mushroom Cloud Tour Guide, hope you find your bus king!

    This isn’t to say everything’s perfect of course, the “school perimeter” fencing is ugly and the gun in the queue line screams “We tried to move the old one but it fell apart, so we threw this together” But what’s wrong is pretty minor and fixable, after seeing the tweaks Alton Manor got last year I wouldn’t be surprised if we *actually* saw this stuff worked on.

    But yeah, really impressed with it all, Forbidden Valley truly feels like it belongs to Nemesis again. I’m looking forward to spending more time in the area throughout the year and seeing how it evolves over the coming years, they cooked!
  8. Like
    Inferno reacted to JoshC. in Hyperia - New for 2024   
    You'll have to forgive a bit of a link dump, but during a BTS tour I got to see a bit more of Hyperia and some fun facts...
     
    https://twitter.com/ThorpeParkMania/status/1766791884666544449?t=c96RATcXM8UrrzRA8-7ObA&s=19
     
    Some views of the site.
    SRQ is confirmed. 
     
    The ride will be complete in the next day or two, weather dependent, with trains arriving on site this week.
     
    The exterior of the station building is complete. It was heavily suggested there will be some cool dispatch sequence in the station. 
     
    https://twitter.com/ThorpeParkMania/status/1766797980240109858?t=0xMAcaISYwT5khd0YDG80Q&s=19
     
    No on board audio
     
    https://twitter.com/ThorpeParkMania/status/1766874159068455258?t=PDHRqEdLGuNipTVLBcEG_w&s=19
     
    Hyperia is easily seen across the whole resort.
     
    There will be a backstory to the ride. Not clear whether it's just a short piece they've written to appease geeks, or whether it will be conveyed in the area / queue line. It's fairly basic. I can't share what it is sadly, but yeah, it's a simple story. The ride doesn't need it anyways. 
     
    In terms of the viewing area. This was planned but has been cut because it was later realised that it would require a lot of fencing which would ultimately distract from the whole area and the view.
     
    The ride's camera point will either be at the bottom of the first drop or prior to the splash effect.
     
    One final thing. The early thoughts for Hyperia were coming together in April 2020. The ride was approved by the old Merlin exec (ie Nick Varney, etc). This means that Hyperia is a sort of hybrid of Merlin philosophies, old and new. Had it been a 'new Merlin' project, it's possible that things might have been a bit different, with more theming / styling present.
  9. Like
    Inferno reacted to JoshC. in Sparkle Project   
    I went on the BTS tour of the park today. Great tour it should be said; it was headed up by Russ, who is a fantastic speaker.
     
    I did mean to ask about the screen, but honestly forgot. It does seem like it won't be fixed for start of season (I believe the park said this in the passholder group a few weeks back too). A real shame. Hopefully they can hide the dead pixels with whatever they put on the screen.
     
    Okay, now time for some updates. Everything is still a Work in Progress it should be stressed
     
    Toilets
    Loo enthusiasts rejoice. All the toilets have received some love.

    Swarm toilets. The walls have been painted green (originally white), and no more foot pedal sinks
     


    Megastore toilets are nicely themed
     
    Tidal Wave

    The rebuilt bridge, with the original Pier 13 style.
    The fire effect is proving very tricky to implement, but is being planned still
     
    Big Easy Boulevard



     
    Stealth




     
    Colossus

    The park have released that the entrance is a bit flat, and so are looking to add more colour/depth to it, although this will happen mid-season.

    The shop front looks nice.
     
    In terms of the rest of the repaint, and indeed a Sparkle Project continuation, the park hope to do that either next closed season, or the closed season after. The park want to do it regardless, and recognise they need to keep up appearances - literally - now that they've started to do this. Personally, I hope it happens next closed season, as it does look a little jarring in places.
     
    The park is looking lovely though, with the Hyperia area coming along and looking smart. There's other small updates too, such as KFC getting refitted and other new food places. Some parts of the park are still a bit tired looking / haven't really been touched. Rumba/Inferno is the big example I would say. And the Sparkling up does highlight how tatty some parts of that area, and the likes of Swarm and Saw, look. I do wonder if this means that, come opening, some enthusiasts will focus too much on those and not the fab stuff that we've seen heavily documented and shouted out about.
     
    But yes, it's clear to see the park have put time, effort and money into things this winter, and they're taking strides in the right direction. I'm excited to see what will happen and hope their plans pay off!
  10. Like
    Inferno reacted to Benin in Liseberg   
    Jeez this topic completely missed the MASSIVE fire that happened at the under construction waterpark.
     
    In more positive news, the Helix music is now on Spotify. That's my listening sorted.
  11. Like
    Inferno reacted to tactic in Sparkle Project   
    No way they're staying with that screen for the start of the season. Just doesn't make sense to pay all that money to refresh the rest of the enterance and most of the park but leave the dodgy screen. 
     
    Hopefully the new video/graphic is playing on it just to test how it will look when the new screen arrives....
  12. Like
    Inferno got a reaction from coasterverse in Hyperia - New for 2024   
    I wonder if you’ll still be able to see the splashdown?
    if not, it makes you wonder what’s the point of that, since splashdowns really are better for onlookers than for riders.
  13. Haha
    Inferno reacted to JoshC. in Rocky Express   
    Where's the stupid post guy when you need him? Nowhere to be seen? I'll fill in...
     
    Ding dong, the Express is dead
    Which Express?
    The Rocky Express.
  14. Haha
    Inferno reacted to MattyMoo in Thorpe Park 2024 Map   
    My biggest gripe is they haven't pointlessly renamed Vibes bar again, what on earth are they thinking?
     
    Interesting that Detty says about a "finale" - some sort of fireworks related effect perhaps or reading too much into it?
  15. Thanks
    Inferno reacted to Coaster in Merlin Entertainments   
    Don't worry, I'm not back, just briefly returning to the forum to highlight what I feel is a very important talking point.
     
    In a recent government report, Merlin Entertainments have been listed as a company who have not paid minimum wage.  The company failed to pay minimum to 1,100 employees, equating to £43,000.
     
    Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-500-companies-named-for-not-paying-minimum-wage
     
    Ride Rater have published a further breakdown of all the available info:
     
    https://riderater.co.uk/11561/merlin-entertainments-failed-to-pay-minimum-wage/
     
    Flamingo Land are also named here for failing to pay 4 workers the minimum, following a previous report from Blackpool Pleasure Beach who had failed to pay 12 workers the minimum.
     
    In 2018, the CEO of Merlin Entertainments took home a salary of £1,493,000.  In contrast, the £43,000 owed to 1,100 employees would have still left £1,450,000 for the CEO.  Staff rely on being paid at least the legal minimum to live off, to pay their bills.  It's shameful that this has been allowed to happen.
     
    Source: https://www.erieri.com/executive/salary/nick-varney-8ydw
     
    I feel that as enthusiasts/people with an interest in theme parks, we have to pay attention to this and demand better for the staff who make our hobby possible.
  16. Sad
    Inferno reacted to JoshC. in Hyperia - New for 2024   
    Interesting one that.
     
    It's on the load side, but away from the entrance to the station, and too far in to be part of a front row queue, or where staff would stand during dispatch.
     
    My best guest at the moment would be a storage room, either for computers which might control AV in the station or for staff uniform, if they decide to have themed/styled uniforms for the ride. Could also be used to store evac equipment, etc.
     
    Or they're forward thinking, and they'll put the computers that run the VR in there when they chuck compulsory headsets on in Year 3 😉
  17. Like
    Inferno reacted to JohnnyRocket in Big Easy Boulevard - New for 2024   
    I think Detonator looks alright to be honest, it's always just been a tarted up temporary funfair ride at the end of the day. Once the whole area's done, it'll be the most cohesive that part of the park has ever been, it spent a lot of its time being a mashup of pirates and 1950s America, then the dodgy Angry Birds IP plastered over it slap bang in the middle of Amity Cove.
     
     
  18. Like
    Inferno reacted to JoshC. in Hyperia - New for 2024   
    The park have recently announced that this year's Mardi Gras event will be taking place from 29th March to 14th April, as opposed to in May. They also currently have an early bird ticket offer, where if you book for a visit before 25th April by the start of March, your entrance ticket costs £29.
     
    I'd say both of those show that it won't open in April (as it's the park's way of getting people to visit).
     
    May still feels possible. I'd say track will completed by mid-March. Given there's already been a lot of electrical work, 2 months for testing, landscaping, styling (which has also already started) feels plausible.
     
    So yeah, I'm saying mid-to-late May is likely the aim at the moment.
  19. Like
    Inferno reacted to Mattgwise in Sparkle Project   
    Courtesy of the Thorpe Park Annual Pass group linked above are a few shots... 
     




  20. Like
    Inferno reacted to Benin in Drayton Manor   
    Suppose it's easy to forget Drayton are getting a coaster this year. 
     
     
    Just looks so weird. Current guessing is that will go forwards from station until the straight section by the hospitality building, before launching backwards to the lift hill, which you then stop and complete the rest of the circuit forwards.
     
    Not sure, like with Mandrill Mayhem that this is the right choice in terms of throughput. Novel I guess.
     
  21. Like
    Inferno reacted to MattyMoo in Black Mirror Labyrinth   
    Something is missing from the app...

  22. Haha
    Inferno got a reaction from JoshC. in Queue enthusiasts   
    Only if they do ride access pass 💅
  23. Haha
    Inferno reacted to MattyMoo in Sparkle Project   
    Sparkle Project update here, courtesy of Jack Silkstone's Twitter - lovely to see an easter egg of a mini replica of the Swarm station being installed outside Tidal Wave 🤩

  24. Like
    Inferno reacted to Exodus Matt in The fate of Swinging Seashells   
    I heard it was going to Chessington as a new addition next to Sea Storm, with the name Shiver Me Timbertug. 
  25. Like
    Inferno reacted to Mattgwise in Sparkle Project   
    The look has grown on me, we are always so judgemental before works complete haha! 
     
    Lots of work in the Nemesis Inferno shop including removal of the slide! Some queue TLC too. 
     
     
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