OldFarmerDean

fast track completely passed my mind for some reason as I normally get a fast track or 2 every time I go... I will deifnitely try and get a fast track then, otherwise just leave it til the end of the day - hope it stays open all day though!

THORPE PARK ‏@THORPEPARK1h Anyone think they could take on the El Toro wooden roller coaster?! http://ow.ly/mk2nU __________________________________________________________________ why would thorpe park post this on their twitter... nothing even to do with merlin! is this research? I flipping hope so!

Going tomorrow, I've read through this forum and can't make my mind up for myself... what do you reckon the best time to try and get on the ride is? get there in the early ride time 9-10 which I don't have any access to rides then with my tickets, just queue in the middle of the day, or get there at the end of the day before they close the queues (risking that it might break down by then and be closed)? thanks.

Oblivion is now open again according to ATG... Perfect timing for me going tomorrow

Sonic Spinball is probably the most enjoyable haha, as well as TH13TEEN... but love Nemesis for the sheer thrill of it, and can't wait to try out The Smiler next week

surely something would have been submitted by now if they were planning to have a new coaster for next year... has anyone noticed there is a reasonably large area of space by apocalypse, the buffalo coaster & the lake? would that be the location for a new coaster? something I would love to see at drayton, would be to see the buffalo coaster replaced by a more up to date family coaster, with a slightly longer layout and possibly a bit more height; would also think that an Intamin ZacSpin (small design) coaster would fit perfectly at drayton manor, as it's unique to the UK, and has a pretty small footprint which is also ideal for them. If this were to be situated in the area I mentioned above, there should still be space for another family/thrilling flat or two for in the future?

I do not find Detonator thrilling or intimidating in any way, and will ride it (if there's minimal queue just to say I've been on it). I love Apocalypse at Drayton Manor, which is an Intamin, especially with the stand-up position tilting forwards like 15degrees (or something along the lines of that). Would actually love to go back to America (only been once in 2005!) to ride all the new attractions at the other parks, and especially to experience this new drop tower, looks unbelievably awesome! I've also heard that Falcons Fury is an Intamin...

do plans submitted have to be made public... I'm hoping we something soon otherwise I doubt we will see anything for thrill seekers next year!

is it not supposed to be a launch coaster (mack) over some of the lake... I heard rumours that they were eyeing up blue fire at europa park, and then stronger rumours they were actually getting a new launch coaster for 2013 but was pushed back to 2014 due to the smiler. to be perfectly honest, I can't see it being anything like blue fire, doubt it will even have any inversion, and probably a bland layout

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap8m7S-_VBM can rameses be replaced by one of these please... oh yeah and ripsaw too

I guess because it's mainly a kids park it's not too bad as it would allow two adults and two children... but it's surprising how many adults (some not with kids) go to chessington though, like me lol! went in 2009 and can't remember that being the case back then as if I remember correctly the queue moved pretty quick. Went again last year and in 2010 and I think I remember only being allowed 3 adults, but was with someone with a disabled pass so never really noticed the queue - except it was massive. This is the first time I have been out of the halloween event, and definitely wouldn't go on the halloween event again (as much as I love it) if I couldn't go with my dad who can get a disabled pass, or if ihad the money to fork out on an unlimited fastpass (if they even do one?), due to the terrible throughput of all the rides, as fun/enjoyable they may be. Sonic spinball can run 4 adults right? but it's a godsend when it's raining, just jump in the single rider queue, and within a few minutes you're on

I managed to get on vampire around lunch and queued about half an hour even though the queue was tiny, just moves painfully slow with only one train especially for a long track layout!

Vampire was running on one train today, complete joke! it never opened first thing in the morning and then broke down around 3/4 oclock, and had to leave the queue after waiting for about 15 minutes! Tomb Raider, absolutely love the theme of this ride and the laser shooting, but for starters 2 out of the 3 trains in use had at least a car or 2 shut off,and then apparently only one train is allowed round the ride at one time so you can imagine how slow the queue has been moving with 'sorry for the delay' voice overs being played every now and then, and then after about 20/30 mins queuing (starting from the steps in the indoor section!) just as we were about to get into the loading bays, the ride broke down and seen several maintenance people and people on the ride walking from where the ride is back into the station (presumably being evacuated), so had to leave the queue then... managed to get on it at the end of the day, and disappointed to find a lot of the targets not working. Zufari, we're forever trying to compare our rides with america and of course we're going to be disappointed... but I really enjoyed it with some great close ups to the animals, shame there isn't an open fast section as the whole ride is quite slow, and liked the indoor 'surprise' section. Overall a great addition to Chessington keeping in with their animal side to the park. Dragons Fury, never realised it was only allowed 3 adults max per car, anyone know why because the throughput is even worse, and even just queueing from the bottom of the steps at the station takes 5 mins or more! Everything else seemed to be running fine, and had a really great day - queues seemed to be max 5/10 mins on most rides besides dragons fury and vampire fury.

can you buy The Smiler photo frames from the shop, as you have been able to with Oblivion & Air amongst other rides?

Alton Towers tries to cater for everyone - younger children, families and thrill seekers, and have a mix of rides to go down well with a whole family of younger children, older children, teenagers and adults, that's the only merlin park in that area... I like how Merlin have Legoland for younger families, Chessington for families in general with a few moderately thrilling rides, and Thorpe Park being aimed at Thrill Seekers (teenagers/adults). I like how it is and wouldn't wish it to change really, but I understand Thorpe Parks need to open up their target market to appeal in some way to families again, as it never stopped families with older children short of 1.4m, and then feeling the need to complain there isn't enough at Thorpe Park for them! But for Thorpe to attract as many visitors as possible, they need to open up to families to some extent, like with the retheme of X with a lower height restriction, and dare I say it storm surge; they do have other rides which appeal to families too like rapids, log flume, flying fish... but would expect them to add a ride or two more family orientated over the coming years, although they do have things like time voyagers and CCR which they got rid of, but I think that will soon change! I hope I sort have made my opinion clear haha...

aren't they completely refurbishing the ride though, keeping the same theme? it was left to get in a such a bad state, same with dragon falls, if I'm correct in saying that the themeing was affecting the H&S of the ride as well... and since merlin have took over, they have waited too long to do anything about it until it's had to be completely removed, but on the other hand nice to see the whole park getting some attention with the £5million refurb, and hope to see the runaway train back better than before (although I won't keep my hopes up on that one too much), as well as dragon falls getting a retheme for next year!

Well Vortex is pretty similar to Maelstrom, just facing inwards, so don't see why you can't do that. I would personally stay away from Zodiac as it is one of the rides that do make me feel ill after going on. although motion sickness mainly seems to be going backwards, as my friend suffers with it... so I wouldn't recommend you do The Swarm backwards. Samurai goes forwards and backwards, in my opinion it's worth you giving it a try (if it's open!) as it runs on a fairly slow setting, so doesn't 'chuck' you around like the fairground versions, and it is indeed a very good ride. Slammer is a great ride, but doesn't last very long (3 rotations forwards & 3 backwards), so it's probably worth giving it a try. The best thing to do is leave these few rides towards the end of the day anyway, just in case...

it didn't seem to be taking that long, a minute or 2 max I suppose, but it was (presumably) manually moved back up, to come back down to try again... must have been so annoying stuck on it like that, better off they keep it closed until they can sort it then.

Colossus had it's own music, and sounded normal pitch... so did rush, and I think zodiac also. Vortex was playing 'the Noise' as well as the area around depth charge. Rest of the park seemed as normal.

on a non-technical point... Colossus was stopped for around 25-30 mins today, due to someone being sick (was stood outside the station so couldn't actually see), but could see staff with (mouth) masks on (not sure what they're called haha), and they even got the fire hose from the exit out, presumably to wash it down! must have been bad, to take almost half hour to sort out; they said on the announcement it was more than usual... a lot!

never really like X No Way Out... but having been on X today, really enjoyed it, the lighting was really cool, and going forwards made it a lot better, especially without the dropping backwards on brake sections... instead went pretty much straight through/up apart from the 3rd one which we just stopped for a few seconds. the music did sound a bit on the quieter side when on the ride, but was still good; I think the music is loud though because you can hear it when queuing next to it going into the Colossus station, just appears quiet with the noise of the ride I'm guessing. I would have happily gone on it again (whereas before would have refused to go on it again, after once was bad enough!), and I feel it is a great improvement and gives the ride the new lease of life it needed! Queues today for it seemed to stay around 30/35 mins... although walked straight on it in the morning.

finally got to thorpe park today for the year... did the swarm on the back row (right) and front row (right). backwards was definitely a weird feeling, but as other said the near misses become pretty pointless, but the first drop backwards is spectacular! really enjoyed it and would happily go on again, but my friend who I was with didn't go on it, so didn't want to buy a fast track or queue to go on by myself again. managed to get on the front row (right), well having been on it several times last year, but the new near miss, the billboard, is crazy, really did feel like a head (and leg) chopper! such a good addition to the ride!

The park opened at 9.30am today. Parking was £4 even though the new sign says £5... and agree with you, the car park is awful, my little toyota aygo sunk into the pebbles or whatever it is, and had to reverse it out (luckily the car was gone behind me) at the end of the day!

Vortex was closed up to about lunchtime(ish) today... and then opened, and appeared to be working fine for the rest of the day.

Yup, Samurai was closed all day... was watching it for a while, and it really couldn't park in line at the end of the ride before the arm is lowered back down!