Charlesberg

Similarly to you I’ve always found the back to be smoother, and the inside seats to be smoother as well.
 
Front row outside seat is just god awful these days. But I guess it fits the theme better than it ever has before 😂

This is very random and will probably not be of too much interest to many people but I had to mention it somewhere.
 
If Exodus does happen go down the mountain theme (which makes the most sense in my opinion), I recon certain excerpts from Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony could work pretty well in the soundtrack for the ride as that piece is all about scaling a mountain and is very programmatic in places. Also the piece is of music is out of copyright so it would be relatively easy to pull off, similarly to why Towers use In the Hall of the Mountain King.
 
Random post over, I will return to lurking in the background looking at posts and barely ever saying anything 😊

I find it amusing how they’ve given up on the whole pretending the ride is a secret campaign (where everyone already knew what a ride was going to be anyway) and have instead just plonked the full coaster straight on the map.
 
Doesn’t seem very Merlin to me. But neither does Thorpe Park getting a new coaster so I’m not complaining 🙂

You've had some fun silly posts, but there comes a point when you cross a line and it just reads like a spam bot. This is the point.
 
Let's stop the overt obtuseness now please.

This list is probably fairly similar to my previous list, that’s mainly because up until a recent trip to Plopsaland I hadn’t been to an abroad theme park since 2017. Uni, music (my other main passion in life) and covid have just got in the way too much but I am very slowly trying to push my way back into going to abroad parks. I’m still annoyed my 3 day trip to PA with onsite accommodation and unlimited express passes got cancelled 2 years ago.
 
Anyway, back to the list! It’s a bit of a rough list considering that I haven’t ridden many of the coasters on here for years. Any coaster on here from the US I rode in 2016 which makes up over half the list.
 
Top 15 Roller Coasters:
1. Kingda Ka
Probably because my expectations were lowered slightly, but this properly blew me away! That launch has some insane power but also lasts forever! Then when you start going up the tower that also seems to never end! Before anyone comments, I’m aware everyone usually tends to prefer Dragster but I never got to ride that (and who knows how that’s going to ride now…) but I imagine I probably would’ve loved that even more! But in general, when I think of good memories from my life, riding this coaster is one of the best memories I have!
 
2. Shambhala
I haven’t ridden this since 2014 so the placement of this is very rough, but I remember been amazed by it throughout. All the times I rode it in 2012 and 2014 I was completely blown away and the on ride DVD from 2012 looks like I’m having a religious experience! This is a coaster I’m dying to get back on at some point though, it’ll probably change places but I’m fairly certain it’ll stay in my top 5!
 
3. El Toro
Definitely the most intense and craziest coaster I’ve ever been on! I had bruises from the airtime it was that mad! And I must not forget about that first drop in the back row! That drop felt like it had a hydraulic launch on it! I’m aware placing it below Kingda Ka is controversial but whilst it is objectively a better ride, the overall experience of Kingda Ka just stays with me a bit more.
 
4. The Ride to Happiness
I only managed to get two rides in on this, one at the very start of the day then one later on in the day after almost 3hrs worth of queuing (it broke down after we waited around 1hr, got to the station and they made us leave the queue for it to reopen 30 mins later, we then queued another 1hr 10mins for the exact same thing to happen but this time we were stubborn and stayed, it then opened 40 mins later so we got our second ride!). The first it was running a bit slow so it disappointed me a little but was still a great ride. However by the second ride it had noticeably warmed up and now I understood the hype, definitely an all round amazing experience with the theme, soundtrack and out of control sensation. I do really really need to get more rides though so I’ll try and go back again next year!
 
5. Nitro
Having ridden Mako earlier that year, to me it felt almost the same but just slightly better. Solid airtime, good length but then that helix into the mid course was a pleasant surprise! You get halfway round it and you’re like “oh sh**, I can’t lift my arms”. I did only get one ride though so my judgement probably isn’t the best.
 
6. Mako
Unlike Nitro, I got loads of rides in and there’s no other description I can really give other than pure fun! Similar positives to nitro as well as a good soundtrack going up the lift hill and a memorable ending. And this never had a queue when I was there so 16 year old me was in my element back then!
 
7. Manta
Pretzel loop, enough said! But yeah this coaster was probably the biggest surprise of my Florida trip back in 2016! This and mako and interchangeable! You can clearly tell B&M flyers have come a heck of a long way since Air!
 
8. Cheetah Hunt
Let me explain! I only got one ride but it was in the back row and I was riding with a close friend at the time. We were just going crazy and having a laugh the whole way round and since it’s a long time we were enjoying that laugh for a while. So whilst the coaster might’ve been worse than I remember, the one ride experience I had on it was amazing and all I can remember was an extremely fun long ride with some good speed!
 
9. Taron
Also let me explain! Whilst this is probably a far far better coaster than Cheetah Hunt, I also only got one ride on it. It was in the middle row and the person I was with didn’t really like me and was a bit annoyed I’d made him wait 90 mins for it. So again it all came down to the experience as the atmosphere was a bit tense. But it was still a fab coaster and that 2nd launch is hard to top! I do really need to go back at some point, with friends that don’t hate me and not in the middle row!
 
10. Sheikra
Being a huge fan of Oblivion’s drop, this ride for me just takes it a huge step further with the addition of an actual layout after the drop! The Immelmann is fab then the drop off the mid-course into the tunnel then splashdown makes for a great finale! Despite the small number of elements, as a result of the sheer size and reasonable length of the coaster I didn’t really notice that so to me it was a fantastic coaster and one of my favourites in Florida!
 
11. Anubis: The Ride
Out of the few Gerstlauers I’ve down (Saw, Smiler, Rage and this) this definitely stood out as the best to me! Partly because it was perfectly smooth to my surprise but it also packed a punch like no other coaster I’d done before! Aside from that dead spot after the mid-course, every single element delivered and was taken at great speed! And that launch is definitely one of the best I’ve done! This ride is telling me I need to get on some more (good) European Gerstlauers!
 
12. Montu
For me this felt like an invert that was long and had more packed in and as a result is my favourite invert I’ve ridden! It has the intensity and whip of most of the other inverts I’ve ridden but then lasts double the time so of course I’m going to rank this higher!
 
13. Icon
For what Icon lacks in intensity, the stuff it does have isn’t very common in the UK! It’s a long ride, has lap bars (I know Sik has them too, but they’re not nearly as comfortable) and has plenty of good airtime moments! It’s just one of those rides I feel relaxed but excited when I ride it, it’s also very re-rideable. Then Enso (as a single rider) adds the intensity the ride lacks, though it is a bit too expensive so I won’t factor that into the placement on the list. But personally I adore this coaster and consider it my favourite in the UK! I just wish other coasters in the UK could be long (and comfortable!) rides!
 
14. OzIris
I haven’t ridden this since 2013 but this felt very similar to Montu but had some standout moments. The first drop not having a pre-drop really makes it rather amazing in the back! And the water feature is really cool as well! A very solid 2nd place B&M invert for me and arguably has better elements than Montu! But Montu’s length does give it the edge in my opinion.
 
15. Rock 'N' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (WDW)
The theming really makes this ride for me! Whilst the coaster itself is probably rather average, the storyline of the ride and the experience of being in a runaway limousine with Aerosmith songs blasting out loud was fantastic! And I didn’t find that rough at all so I was just smiling the whole way round! Never got to ride the Paris version but it looks like they might’ve butchered it now…

A few come to mind for me:
 
10 or 11 on Rage (one of two numbers, I can’t remember).
 
10 or 11 on Appocalypse (also one of the two).
 
10 on Stealth, I basically spent the whole afternoon doing that since it was roughly a 20 minute queue every time.

9 on Saw during a staff ride, was probably not a good idea.
 
8 on Abismo, there was no queue and I actually really liked that ride! Just don’t push the bar down too far and you’re fine!

Quick update, maths at uni has been so much better than civil engineering.
 
So glad I made the switch 😄

Coasters I like more than most:
Kingda Ka
Was a massive surprise to me and was my favourite ride at the park when I went there in 2016. It’s still currently at my number 2 spot, though my number 1 I haven’t ridden since 2014 and isn’t nearly as fresh in my memory so this is kinda my number 1 coaster in a way. It’s definitely the most impactful coaster I’ve ridden!
 
The Big One
Specifically in the 2nd and 3rd to back row (elsewhere I think it’s kinda ok). It just feels like it’s speeding like crazy around the course in those seats. And the long ride time with this speed is just amazing! I’ve said it before on this forum but in those seats, it’s my favourite coaster in the UK.

Spinball Whizzer
This ride just brings me so much joy! It takes its elements with some pretty good speed and is pretty intense, more intense than many “thrill” coasters I’ve ridden. it’s also got a nice upbeat theme which is nice for a change when every other major coaster has a darker theme. Weirdly I rank this fairly high up amongst the coasters at Towers, honestly I’d probably take it over Th13teen, Rita, Oblivion and Galactica.
 
Coasters I like less than most:
Nemesis Inferno
This ride is kinda a hit or miss with me. Some days I’ll get a highly forceful old school B&M invert experience, other days it just feels a tad forceless and on those specific rides (which is probably about 50% of the time) it feels the weakest out of the 5 coasters to me. But I don’t hate the ride, far from it, I still try and ride it every time I go! I do love giving it the nickname Nemesis Inferior though 😆
 
Nemesis
Yeah I know, another Nemesis on this list. Now I do think it is an amazing ride and I’ve enjoyed every ride I’ve had on it and unlike Nemesis Inferno, it’s always a hit. I just simply don’t quite like it as much as many other enthusiasts but I do appreciate and respect the ride massively.
 
Kumba
I found this ride fairly rough when I rode it in 2016, though the only 3 times I rode it were all in the back so that probably affects my opinion drastically. But even looking past that, it felt like any other B&M sit-down I’ve ridden. I thought Kraken was far superior in many ways.

You know Thorpe have reached a new low when they’re making fun of their decline…

I was on park yesterday and controversially I actually quite like the new audio for the Swarm.
 
Honestly the old audio was pretty monotone and ngl after 8 years of hearing it on end I’d had enough of it. The variety in the new audio and having the queue audio be completely different to the station really adds to it imo.
 
Also I loved the cheeky use of Dies Ire in the station audio (classical music nerds will know).

Find it funny how @Charlesberg called it by it's project name, Blue Harvest, originally. Much better than Monster imo. But the branding looks cool...
 

On a highly positive note, Monster at Gröna Lund will feature the classic standard B&M invert trains!

 
Either Gröna Lund are smart or B&M realised no one likes their new trains (or some other reason someone will definitely point out 😂).

On a highly positive note, Monster at Gröna Lund will feature the classic standard B&M invert trains!

 
Either Gröna Lund are smart or B&M realised no one likes their new trains (or some other reason someone will definitely point out 😂).

On a highly positive note, Monster at Gröna Lund will feature the classic standard B&M invert trains!

 
Either Gröna Lund are smart or B&M realised no one likes their new trains (or some other reason someone will definitely point out 😂).

Yeah I get your point, some rules have been messed with here and inferno should still technically be in.
 
But let’s be honest, the game is nowhere near as fun now as it was 5 years ago when different rides would win each year (ahh the good old days 😊). The sense of mystery of whose gonna win is gone which has ruined it imo 😓
 
At least it’s not as bad as Millie winning number 1 coaster 7 years in a row 😂

Offer less and charge more!
That is the Merlin way!

Basically same as the normal ride game but for ex attractions, I've obviously missed some so feel free to add them in
 
Trappers Trail (5)
Dino Bumper Boats(5)
Mrs hippos fungle safari/ drive in the country (5)
Chief rangers Carousel (5)
Magic Mill/ tropical travels (5)
Wicked witches Haunt/ Phantom Phantasia (5)
Dare Devil Drivers (5)
Viking Rowers (5)
Bronko Bikes (5)
Canada Creek Railway(5)
Treasure Island train)5)
Loggers Leap(5)
Galgary stampede(5) 
Hudson river Rafters (5)
Eclipse (5)
Crazy golf(5)
Farm (5)
water buses (5)
The Farm (5)
Roller Rink (5)
Space station Zero (5)
cine 180 (5)
Octopus garden (5)
carousel Kingdom (5) 
Slammer (5)

I think the walking dead is better than X on a first time ride (and in its own right it’s a good ride), but X was much more re-rideable and worked much better as a casual ride for fun with mates.

Quick update, maths at uni has been so much better than civil engineering.
 
So glad I made the switch 😄

Didn’t realise there was a topic on this so I may as well attempt to sort of revive it.
 
After having done 1st year Civil and Structural Engineering at Leeds, I decided it wasn’t the right course for me. This is because I wasn’t particularly enjoying it, I was really struggling to take in information during lectures (whilst did attend every lecture, it wouldn’t have made a difference if decided to bunk off most of them instead) and I didn’t take to it naturally unlike many other students who naturally enjoyed it and could take to it very well. I did manage to get 65% which was a huge shock (in a good way) that was mainly due to some insane cramming and was also dragged up by getting 85% in the maths module.
 
So instead I will be switching to Mathematics and repeating first year whilst still staying at Leeds because it’s an amazing city (and the music society is brilliant). Maths has always been my strongest subject, a subject I personally found easy (whilst still enjoyable at A Level) and have always been intrigued with as it gets more advanced. The maths lectures during first year engineering were also the only lectures I genuinely enjoyed so I’m pretty confident I will enjoy studying it a lot more than engineering.
 
So yeah... time to do first year for the second time!

I also agree that Maths is a very transferable degree to have (also possibly biased there), and you have lots of options careers wise. You can go into all sorts like finance, technology, research/academia, and physics/engineering (I know of someone who works for mclaren who did a Maths BSc).
 
Of course degree level maths does get a lot harder than A-Level, but its much more fun and varied as well.
 
Good luck!

Wooo, more Maths people on the forum!
 
I'm completely biased of course, but it's great to study it at uni. If it's your thing (which it sounds like it is), it can be really fun, and there's loads of different things to explore.  (If you ever need any help, just give me a shout!)
 
I started my PhD in maths in January, and I'm spending this week at a German uni studying some really fun maths too. Now if Brexit were to happen this week, would I be able to make a claim about being a UK student studying abroad and cling onto EU citizenship somehow..?  🤔

Didn’t realise there was a topic on this so I may as well attempt to sort of revive it.
 
After having done 1st year Civil and Structural Engineering at Leeds, I decided it wasn’t the right course for me. This is because I wasn’t particularly enjoying it, I was really struggling to take in information during lectures (whilst did attend every lecture, it wouldn’t have made a difference if decided to bunk off most of them instead) and I didn’t take to it naturally unlike many other students who naturally enjoyed it and could take to it very well. I did manage to get 65% which was a huge shock (in a good way) that was mainly due to some insane cramming and was also dragged up by getting 85% in the maths module.
 
So instead I will be switching to Mathematics and repeating first year whilst still staying at Leeds because it’s an amazing city (and the music society is brilliant). Maths has always been my strongest subject, a subject I personally found easy (whilst still enjoyable at A Level) and have always been intrigued with as it gets more advanced. The maths lectures during first year engineering were also the only lectures I genuinely enjoyed so I’m pretty confident I will enjoy studying it a lot more than engineering.
 
So yeah... time to do first year for the second time!

RMC Colossus confirmed... 

Last Friday after my last exam for 1st year at uni I decided to buy a switch and hop on the odyssey bandwagon (well almost 2 years late!).
 
Much like everyone else here, I’m absolutely loving the game! I cannot decided whether I prefer this or Galaxy (which was my favourite video game of all time).
 
I’m so glad they went back to the non-linear formula because whilst 3D land and world were good games in their own right, they just weren’t true 3D Mario games so odyssey was a smart move!