OldFarmerDean

I can't seem to find on their website as it's not main season yet... But just wondering if anyone would be able to tell me the opening times from last year, like is it 10am, or do they open later on quiet days like BPB.

just planned to go off in June... along with Flamingoland - two new parks for me, can't wait so hope I enjoy the ultimate aha!

I'm not too keen on rough/bumpy rides... but as long as if the restraints/seats are comfyish, as on the back row of Grand National I was in agony... but would love to experience the ride as it's so unique and I love the look of the second half of the ride winding through the trees!

When you say throw you around... how would it compare with Big Dipper at BPB for example?

Gone pretty mainstream, but I like it!

I'm hoping to / planning to visit sometime this year when I visit flamingoland, just wondering if it's worth staying the extra night to visit this park as well... are raptor and the ultimate really that good?

I doubt they just removed submission for the sake of it, to save money etc. Mid way through the closed season... There must have been an unexpected issue that is beyond repaid.

looks like chessington may have to stay open til 5, and thorpe will stay open til 5 anyway... so looking at it a win, win for the mistake?

I think the actual length of the cycle will stay the same... But last season it spent a really long to try and get to maximum height (which wasn't very high) and then would slowly end the cycle - this season sounds like it will reach its maximum height much quicker to give a longer section in the middle where you're at max height

it's weird how as far as I'm aware all signs of the name 'waterfront hotel' has been removed and says 'on-site hotel' so could we be seeing this shark theme implemented ready for the opening season... I would have expected it more for 2015 if they were as it's probably taken enough effort to change swap the crash pads over to their own ones.

Sometimes it may ask you to type in your pass number, otherwise you show the pass when you go to collect the wristband for entry... Try going through the booking to see if it asks for the pass number.

They clearly didn't want to refurb it, but had no choice as it was left in such a bad state which they realised with rattlesnake too and gave it some work last year before it was too late... In no way am I sticking up for Merlin, but at least they are doing something with it rather than removing the ride for it not to be replaced by anything or just leaving it bare like flying fish, none of us will be happy if we compare scorpion express to the mine train, but at least some effort is being put in!

Madame Tussauds meets London Dungeons... just Shrekified?

I think that was just an idea someone had... a good one at that! I'm visiting end of april... I'm gonna hold judgement until I ride it then - but this is merlin so I shall not be getting my hopes up! at least the ride will be open unlike the whole of last year!

time for the UK to get one... THORPE PARK!!!!!

Should we really care that much what the ride structures look like (hopefully it has good themeing though), or what records it's apparently breaking... as long as if it's a good ride, I doubt I'll ever ride it, but it sure looks to give a good ride experience!

Well the ride status page has been updated to show Scorpion Express which doesn't say reopening in March, just 2014, as well as Rameses Revenge saying currently closed... So not sure how excited people should be for going at the beginning of the season :/ Also the ride section has been updated... Scorpion Express - brand new ride experience for 2014 Location: Mexicana Scorpion Express is a fun ride for all the family and brave young adventurers can experience their first rollercoaster thrill. Watch out for surprises at every turn, with unstable mines guarded by the giant Scorpion anything could happen – try not to get too close!

Well with regards to the the Perk Pack I received an email today from Merlin pretty much saying... Apparently due to severe weather not everyone has received their perk packs in time for February half term, but ensure that everyone will have received them by March in time for the start of the theme park season... if they can't wait and only if planning on using them this half term then there are limited numbers available at the attractions, but best to wait til main season when the perk pack offers best value for money! So another words they haven't got round to sorting the packs out as I doubt anyone has received them yet, and saying there are some available at the attractions this week, but only if you're going to use it, so how can they prove that, and what if you get one will they still send another one to your address as apparently they're stuck in the post due to sever weather - doesn't add up really! and again making it sound like a good thing it's delayed as you get better savings by waiting til main season, which is true but what if people wanted them now even if they aren't going to use them yet - I hate waiting!

Funnily enough the new promenade area doesn't look too bad... And the pleasure beach is probably the nicest area in Blackpool as it looked really nice last year in comparison to my visit in 2008! I'm actually planning to visit Blackpool this year - not really bothered how much of a 'shambles' people consider the place to be, I have never done the dungeons, tower, Sea life or madame Tussaud's up there so going to make use of my pass, as well as can't wait to go to sandcastle water park again as they have some new slides since I've been in 2008, and hopefully visit the pleasure beach again as the big one was closed last year due to high winds! Admittedly it's not the nicest of places, but I live near bath and people think its posh, when in reality you go there and there are so many homeless people, and people who appear to be on a lower income it's shocking!

The best one I've been on was an extreme down Plymouth for the fair at the national firework competition... I'm sure it lifted at a higher angle than others, and went backwards as well!?

I love them... Funderworld (Bristol), and Bristol Balloon Fiesta!

Never been at the beginning of the season before to any theme park... so just wondering how busy Thorpe Park normally is at the beginning of their season as I will be visiting Friday 21st March, and just wondering whether to expect it to be busy or not? Any help would be appreciated.

I seen a pic on towers times

Tree felling due to disease? I hope it's a sign though for SW8... And I hope Alton continue to utilise space within the park for new rides rather than straight away expanding into the car park by air etc. Leaving the car park will leave them with such a great potential for a whole new area and entrance rather than building a ride and fitting things in with it at a later date. I think the flume should be removed in the next few years (well that's inevitable, and replaced by a new flume ride as well as a solid family coaster built around each other with the pirate theme if they're sticking with mutiny bay, the rides could be planned and designed together but built a year after the other so they can save money designing it together and possibly sharing supports etc. And have a new ride to advertise for two seperate years!

The only ride that I can recall breaking down on at Thorpe Park is Detonator in Fright Nights last year... I had one go, and as there was barely a queue stupidly decided to go on again, only to lift about a foot off the ground and then come to a halt, and was probably stuck there for no more than 5 minutes until they got the engineers to manually release us so we moved at a snails pace back down - they offered us to go back at the front of the queue while they tested it, but there was no way I was taking the chance of that happening again, I was panicking getting clausterphobic (I used to be fine a few years ago but getting worse now, especially Colossus which is a shame as it's one of my favourite rides on front row)... This type of thing is going to be the end of my theme park obsession :S At Alton Towers I recall being stuck on Oblivions lift hill for about 5-10 minutes when I was younger... And more recently stuck on Duel for a good 10 minutes with the guns still working aha, my worst breakdown being stuck on ripsaw tilting forwards for about 10 minutes until they manually got us back to the ground (think it's something to do with someone too large going on and their restraints lock but the system doesn't like it and then decides to emergency stop midway through the ride - happened to my dad the same day and they were stuck nearly upside down!) As ripsaws restraints aren't the comfiest definitely don't want to experience that again, and last year on their firework event had a rollback on the runaway train rolling backwards into the tunnel before going again about a minute later.