OldFarmerDean

There was a sign at the entrance to Hydro saying pretty much that it isn't open til 2PM because it requires a minimum of 12 people per ride, and that there isn't enough demand before that to warrant it being open and constantly running - so if it is down to a safety measure, there's also no getting away from the fact it's down to saving money as well, as I'm sure if it was open people would understand and be happy to wait for more people; I guess with a small park like that (and not merlin) I don't mind them trying to save money as it keeps park entry down and hopefully allow them to make more investments over the years

I just keep getting annoyed that the planned concept would have been so much better than Rita as it appears to be hard to fit any other type of ride (besides launch due to minimal height being needed), and would have added another ride to gloomy woods which is dying for something! then imagine what could have become of UG land and had something else instead of Dark Forest & Thirteen; I get really annoyed about it, wish I'd never heard of the plans! a basic layout with not much height would have been acceptable on a motorbike style seating position, but as rita is, it just doesn't really do anything for me - ah well what's done is done haha! I swear I heard recently about John Wardly in an interview saying about how he had all these different ideas and plans, and merlin kept pushing him to create world firsts, as that's clearly what they want to market rather than a great solid ride (nemesis is the only example of this in the park! well and now the smiler although the whole 14 loops thing is such a gimmick)... he had plans for a Stand Up Coaster that would dive underground as one of the features, and it would be located in the katanga canyon... I think like they did with The Smiler, they have a few other places they can squeeze/fit a coaster in before they create a car park coaster akin to six flags just a lot smaller and well subsequently rubbish, and wouldn't even have a level of themeing to try and make it good!

so many places to go to in europe (let alone the rest of the world) that I've never been to... can't see myself going any time soon though heide park, gardaland, europa park, port aventura to name a few!!! that picture of the inversion beats the staffordshire knot on the smiler that was posted everywhere in my opinion!

they were only running on one train when I visited back in june... the park wasn't exactly busy and it easily had a 30min+ queue! although I did hear around that time there was a problem with the second train? they do have a lot more rows on vampire than a lot of coasters - but yes when I was there even with one train they didn't seem to be in a rush to get the ride through - kids getting on rides don't help though with not know what to do and not opening their seatbelts, and the restraints getting stuck as you have to pull them towards you - even if they did an announcement (which they don't) the kids probably wouldn't listen, so it's not all chessies fault, but so much more could be done!

yes the laser show and fireworks lasted about 10 mins on wednesday... I did enjoy it though, at times was perfectly timed with the music, just a hint of disney coming through

it is indeed a nice park... I just urge that you avoid the school holidays, and I'm guessing weekends for that matter as well - the throughput of some of the rides just can't cope with it! but sure you'll love it, I'd never been before and have wanted to go for years just to ride megafobia

those phrases didn't necessarily mean thorpe park - if I remember correctly it said about 3 different parks and gave you a list of clues?

so with saw alive to use it's original building... what film could best be put in to a scare zone if that was the case? what happened to the extended dates though - has 5th and 6th been added as extra as I didn't really take any notice, but they're only open 10-6 :/ I'm really hoping the annual pass event is on a week day....

Went to oakwood yesterday for the after dark event, and also visited the blue lagoon waterpark next door... needless to say it was a great day - oakwood has some really great rides especially Megafobia & Speed (better than Saw: The Ride!), well and drenched as well except it does exactly what it says on the tin haha, the waterpark was also enjoyable, not sure if I would make the effort to go there again, but glad I've been there, and the lazer show and fireworks was a really nice way to end the day Oakwood is a very nice park and as many people say, they lack in major attractions to be able to call themselves a theme park (not necessarily major thrill rides, but chessington a family park has several major attractions just aimed at families), but they really don't know how to run a park do they - it's understandable the rides haven't been built solely for throughput as at once I'm guessing it was a family leisure park, but none of the staff appeared to be in a rush (besides Megafobia right at the end of the day to clear the queue before the fireworks go off next to it - never seen a ride go through riders so fast haha, and was on 2 trains which was good to see) especially on what looked to be an extremely busy day with overflow carpark pretty much full as well. we queued just over an hour for one go on snake river falls, they had one person moving at a snails pace (which was replaced a few mins before our go with someone much faster), but even then there was no way near enough boats and with each queue going one at a time, and then having to wait for more boats to go up, I actually wanted to kill myself how slow it was moving. Blue Lagoon waterpark was great fun, although the 3 enclosed slides hurt your back as you could feel each joining on the slide, but the outdoor slide which allows 2 people on at a time with different pool stops on the way down really made my day, was really great and did it time and time again... the lazy river and wave pool was a bit meh though.

having that for fast track only though defeats the object of having the system with virtual queueing, as it will only be fast track and you book it for a certain slot - like in the fast track booths? unless being able to queue virtually means you can get on other/more rides which is seen as a benefit/perk which would need to be paid for?

so if it was on the main 5 rollercoasters... while you're in the virtual queue you can physically queue for another ride and get on it in the time that you would have been stood physically queuing for the coaster. if that's the case it would only be on the main rides, I really like the idea... and providing there is a more accurate way of providing the queue times for the other rides, as it's vital you make sure you get to your time slot for the virtual queue!

extended fright night dates, not opening times... it was already confirmed to TPM that the mazes would be open til 10, and the rides would stay open til at least 9, and would stay open til 10 if there was enough demand, as they don't want to have everything open if it's not busy enough - good on them

I need to know what the extended dates are to be as I am currently planning a trip for the week before and this is the depending factor what days we go, as we want to go halloween events at thorpe and chessington while avoiding the half term week and weekends

I would be happy with any inversions at all... let alone 2 or 3

I actually loved that walkthrough at chessington... I found parts more jumpy/scary (not gory though obviously) than the mazes in thorpe due to it being a walk through and being told a story and getting into it, and the slightest thing made the whole group jump! I'm not sure if something of that style is suited to thorpe though as it seems they are pushing families away for this event, and wouldn't want to invite families in if there is going to roaming actors in the evening/night etc. - chessington is for families that time of year, not thorpe! although possibly have an evident less scary maze to get older (when I say older, I mean young adults and adults haha) people who may be scared to go in and get a feel what they are like?

and summer nights........ I'm unsure as to who it is either!

that website lists last years mazes if that's what you're thinking that they are claiming exactly the same mazes for this year? 'There will be new live action horror mazes open till 10pm in 2013, the details of these will be revealed soon but last year's lineup was:'

texas giant and iron rattler are refurbishments with new track to allow for overbanked turns to be added etc. by RMC... but I love the look of Outlaw Run and apparently it's smooth, a wooden coaster is something thorpe is crying out for (as well as an airtime machine but let's be honest they may not have the footprint to allow for such high rides, and I'm not too fussed about them, but if it included a cheeky inversion on the other hand), and something like outlaw run is perfect, as you summed it up perfectly as well 'I really don't want that gimmick on a woodie' but it's something that will probably appeal to people and the general public - I'm sold already haha!

I have never been on any other type of lap bar coaster that includes inversions... but please do not go by g-force, as much as I want to love the ride, I absolutely HATE the waist/hip restraints - I come off crushed and not able to breathe!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KqDI599wvE Outlaw Run... they also do refurbishments of wooden coasters like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGKbhydunoE iron rattler.

yeah not sure if it's possible with space (as it's over a lake and by another ride), I would also love to see a RMC woodie with an inversion or 2 intertwining with loggers leap, would be great in with the trees etc. (like outlaw run), and wouldn't need a lot (besides name) to fit in with the themeing of the area in my opinion. I like how outlaw run isn't compact and can be spread over a larger area, whereas with wooden rollercoasters they like to keep the track togther to try and create less individual length of supports under the track (hence having a lot of track side by side etc.), and would work perfect going around the outside of the lake where the loggers leap / rocky express train track is!

too much time and general public will lose interest...

that's great with thorpe as rides always seem to be down haha

it would mean fast track would become less effective... but I'm guessing with how many reserve and ride virtual tickets have been registered they have an idea of how long the queue will be and you will have to wait that length before your ticket to ride is allocated for? but in theory it may allow you to get on more rides in the day due to not spending that time queueing...

I think people are reading far too much into the font/logos etc. unless these have held important clues in the past - but the whole idea of changing the logo is to give the feel of a rebrand of fright nights and may not necessarily represent how it's changing.