Marhelorpe

Don't know why, but launch coasters always provide the greatest faces for me. Even though there might be 7 years between them, not much has changed!
 
Stealth in 2006 (left seat):

 
Furius Baco in 2013:

Normally I'd make a big speech about irresponsible people ruining it for others and do they not realise they could get a ride permanently closed if their actions cause the owners to deem the ride unsafe etc. But as it's Storm Surge...

Two headlines on that actual page...
 
11 TRUTHS ABOUT SEX WITH YOUR HOUSEMATE
8 LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT MALE ORGASMS
 
Suggestive indeed, on the site of a family paper. Where's the petition? BAN THIS FILTH!
 
Also liked the (presumably) misprint...
 
 
So outraged he decided to wear one then! 

Perhaps he was just bitter at not being able to ride something himself, and took it out on the park.
Strongly suggest he stays out of London this weekend, cos he'll be more than offended at some of the t-shirts on display there.

hopefully SAW will close and never re-open

Humans are selfish creatures. Whilst the world continues to shrink it is only when something that affects your little sphere of existence that you become moved. I saw the boat capsize this lunch time and it slipped off me, sliding past my field of concern like butter in a pan. Then, shortly after 2pm I received a text. A text that, at the time, I belittled and passed off as someone having a prank. But I sat in my office for the rest of the afternoon, unable to work, unable to tear my eyes from the forums and news feeds. Gradually feeling sicker and sicker.Every moment came with it a dawning realisation. Initially I had foolishly wished that I was on the car and could witness an evac from a valleyed position, then I heard that there was a collision of 2 trains and I started to regret my wish. I could very well have been on park today, if not for a last minute change to Thursday. That could have been me sitting on Smiler. Suddenly it all hit home and I felt beyond sick. I sat pale and unable to not watch more. I walked home as an air ambulance flew overhead, landing at North Staffs, and I thought, I hope your going to be ok to the person sat on board, I walked past a lady who was crying. it was probably unrelated but that along with every sad face I saw on my walk home filled me with sorrow beyond words.
So that's why I am writing this couple of paragraphs, to say that my heart goes out to everyone involved:
To the people on the ride, who were unlucky enough to be on the car when this happened.
To the other guests at the park who are now on their way homes feeling lucky to be alive.
To the friends and families of anyone who was on park today. (I had 4 worried texts making sure I wasn't at alton)
To the staff who worked on Smiler today who will, no doubt, need as many friends as they have tonight.
To the staff working throughout the park, from ride hosts to management who will, I am sure, all shed a tear sometime tonight.
To the staff who work at any theme park who will be silently glad that it wasn't their park and feel guilty for that thought.
And even to every one of the 'fan-boys' and 'fan-girls' who sat like I did, from shortly after 2pm in shock.

A photo from 'Theme Park Xtreme's' Facebook showing the colour...
 

5 more years of this misery?
*looks at emigration*

SUCH A REPETITIVE TOPIC SURELY THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE TO TALK ABOUT WITH VAMPIRE
 
Oh, no there isn't 

Coaster dude, take off those employee glasses for a second, look beyond all the corporate rubbish they fill your heads with during training and inductions and start to look at the bigger picture. One train operation, endless budget cutting, cheaper additions to the park has an effect. We've already seen what a bad year has done to Thorpe in 2012 (change of target audience, Rushed additions backed up by IP's, a park completely lost in what its identity is) or what ten years of neglect did to Chessington (Near death of a young girl, rides closed and tonnes of theming removed). 
 
Merlin do have some excellent stuff, their rollercoasters for instance are pretty impressive, the way the Smiler was advertised was genius and I do still believe The Swarm is far better and deserves more credit then it currently gets. But's it's completely wrecked by some of the poor decisions made in an office somewhere with the way the parks are run and how information is communicated down to the guests. 
 
My final note is ten years ago, Tesco was top of the tree, dominating everything around it. And now look at it. It's very easy to get big headed at the top but pride normally comes before a fall.

What? This thing is getting luke warm reviews, horrific queues and dire throughputs?
What a... surprise?

Here's my video from the new maze. 

That didn't stop them from putting Storm Surge in. 

It broke. 

It's about continuity of a theme or a brand. Trust me, far more people notice than you realise. Because you've got sod all to do in a queue rather than notice these details. And it's the lack of details and care which instantly affects the VFM feeling.
 
Dislike thorpe workers who back the park to the tilt. It looks shoddy, end of.

Filming for either the advert or Ant and Dec intro to the attraction is happening today:
 

 
ALRIGHT, IT'S A WORLD FIRST, WE GET IT.

There is no denying that IAC is a known brand and one which is watched by a lot of people. That said, it isn't really a brand of quality or depth.
 
The question here is... did Thorpe Park feel that IAC was something THEY wanted for THEIR park... or was it more that they will take what they can get? I can't imagine the Thorpe Park development team sat down a couple of years ago 'now yes, let me think - we won't have much money in 2015 so let's just get a cheap jungle maze in themed around IAC'. Doubtful.
 
What happened to the days of unique attractions which are designed by the in house teams at Merlin? Or are the Thorpe Park marketing department just not capable of delivery any more?
 
The THORPE PARK name should be a brand big enough in itself to warrant a guests visit - not a fairly cheap/trashy ITV TV show.

Especially on Flying Fish. Very poor work Thorpe.

I've cracked it

Imagine the lulz when it's a rethemed Carousel...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qTbGgectpY
 
An official video from Paramount outlining and clarifying details about the resort and what we can expect when it opens
 
2020 can't come quick enough

I'll just leave this here. This never fails to make me laugh, every time I see it 

A headless monk who is disappointed that he cannot haunt Storm Surge?