Stuntman707

I would like to see a big Mack coaster at a Merlin park. I like their new experimental track switching stations being able to run different types of car on the same track. Merlin do prefer B&M though which is very good and silky smooth, but very expensive. Then the next Merlin would most likely choose would be a Gerstlauer which we all know how smooth they are, ugh! I get headaches just thinking about Saw. All that unused flat land North of Swarm island would be perfect to expand into. It's quite bare for attractions around Swarm island too. I've heard rumours about a permanent hotel (No containers!) being built in the near future too which would definately rule out any new rollercoasters if that happens.

I don't see what people don't like about IMA Score. Their music is well produced, I don't see how that's a bad thing. The ride tracks all sound different and unique to me. I'm a huge fan of the Smiler theme, from the first time I heard it, I was blown away and it fits the ride perfectly. It's the best one they have made to date in my opinion. DBGT is very good too. I also have a recording of the pretty chilled music they were playing around Thorpe at the end of the day. It's like slow tempo Chillstep. Apologies about the voice recordings at the end. IMA_Thorpe_Endofday.m4a

The opening weekend was unacceptable. If I had bought a digipass, I would have complained about all the rides apart from Stealth not having any ride photos available. Also if I had paid extra for fast-track on Colossus, I would have complained about having to wait a further 45 mins. People come to the park from far away buying entry and paying more for extras which the park completely failed to deliver on at the weekend. What annoyed me was that it wasn't as busy as fright nights but the queues were still terrible. I understand that there will be a lot of trainees at the start of the season but I had expected all of the maintenance to have been done by now over the closed period. Even though it was frustrating, I was completely fine with the security checks on everyone at the weekend considering there had just been a major terrorist attack meters away from their London attractions. I imagine they decided to step up security on short notice.

Is it strange that whenever I see Rise of the Demon, I think of this song Rise, like a demon!

I do like all of the current soundtracks for each rollercoaster across the park. I wouldn't want any of them to change. I don't mind the music for the areas of the park being changed however. Also it would be nice if they fixed / upgraded the speakers constantly cutting out around Inferno. I'm sure they could hide some Bose acoustic wave cannons in the bushes! (Or disguise them as drainpipes) I really can't fault IMAscore though, I've liked everything ive heard from them. The Smiler soundtrack they did was amazing, always great to hear the full-length version while in X-Sector. Thorpe is giving out a great island vibe this year with the new entrance facelift and music.

The burnt tree stumps on Rumba don't look great, like they've had a fire or something. I know its supposed to be volcano theming which also explains the rumbling noises and red lit waterfall. Also the new Donut Factory music is definately not annoying in any way. Can imagine the staff will feel like this in Novemeber:

I disagree that the ride is a flawed concept. It is a unique experience when it works, it's just been executed so poorly. Everyone I know and those I've overheard are all saying that the last VR section was the weakest part of the ride. If they have addressed this and fixed the reliability issues, it will be a very good and positively received experience.

It is really fantastic to see Alton Towers fully refurbishing Hex paying attention to every detail and most importantly, the experience. (Unlike Duel ). This actually makes me want to go this year just to ride the new Hex (And see Nemesis with her completed paintwork). For all the negativity I see against Merlin, I am very happy with the progress they are making in refreshing an aged and worn Alton Towers.

It is reassuring to see new footage being made for the VR. Hopeful they have actually listened to everyone's feedback that the last scenes were rubbish.The sign is nice, I like the metalwork and the layered red background shadowed by the text. The rivets make it look a bit like a boiler case. It would hae been easy to do a printed plastic sign but it is nice to have a proper one. I do appreciate extra details like this.

Go on then, I'll go! I've not been to Chessington yet. I'll go for the meal too.

I reckon I'm about 90% sure that it will just be a scare maze added onto the end and new VR footage knowing Merlin. If it's anything more than this, I will be somewhat impressed. The one thing they have to fix is the reliability, last season was an absolute joke. They better have sorted out all of the technical problems by now. It concerns me a little that the opening date is 'Comming Soon' which we all know this really means 'Delayed'. All they need are something like this for £170 each to keep their multi-million pound attractions pcs from overheating; http://www.corsair.com/en-gb/~/media/C599D732B56044B7A9F0E34C549ED7D8.ashx?w=780 Liquid cooling is really simple now and affordable. Why the hell can't they have sufficient pc cooling critical for the VR working when even I can afford liquid cooling on my pc? So Merlin, get some GPU adapters and slap on some of these H115i's, you'll have no VR problems then. http://www.corsair.com/en-gb/hydro-series-h115i-280mm-extreme-performance-liquid-cpu-cooler

Just wondering who will be going to the Thorpe Park preview day on the 19th of March? Me and Mer managed to get tickets so we will be going. I'm looking forward to going a week before the official start of the season. Can't open soon enough now! Annual Pass days are always nice and quiet so hopefully we will be getting plenty of rides in ahead of the opening meet. If you were fast enough to get tickets, we'll maybe see you around!

I'm going

Totally agree. VR on rollercoasters is so fast that before you have time to take it all in, the ride has finished. Kind of feels like a VR demo. When I tried it out the motion didn't sync properly with my headset so I was moving in different directions to the VR. I felt really motion sick at the end. I'd rather have a new experience built around VR than a retrofit, but hey it's cheaper to do that and pretend it's a new ride. (Quite literally with Galactica's Vekoma Track adverts )

VR definitely allows for new types / genres of rides which is very exciting. I'm really not sold on it being retrofitted to rollercoasters though. I just don't think you can make a compelling VR show on a ride that only lasts a few minutes at most. The hardware and graphics will eventually improve. You can tell that VR in general has just emerged from the experimental testing phase and has yet to mature. The technology just isn't polished enough to make a convincing ride with yet. Theme parks are all about taking people into different worlds and suspending reality which I believe VR will certainly do very well in the near future. Theme Parks are always looking for unique experiences to thrill and entice people through the gates. New technologies allow for new experiences such as Linear Induction Motors, Hydraulic Winch launch systems, Eddy current brakes, Mack's new Linear / Rotary track loading stations for rides, Gerstlauer's vertical lift hill and magnetic anti-rollback fins, Intamin's free-falling rollercoaster etc. VR is just another technology element like these.

I have a bad feeling Loggers won't reopen. Maybe they might try to retrofit VR to one of the main rollercoasters. I know Mack Rides now has a smaller company called VR Coaster which specialises on retrofitting rollercoasters with VR. Can't be any worse than Figment Productions.

Yes, I should be able to go!

What would be good is to have another live bit after the warehouse which is Victorian themed to tie in more with the suspended train illusion.

Done the preview event on Monday night and it was good!

I was hoping there would have been some AR or synced VR with the staff. Not quite knowing who's real and who's not. That's what I expected when they talked about blurring the lines between fiction and reality.

The story line is so weak. I heard several people saying the same thing. They would have been happy with the ride if they had left through the tunnel in the live bit and never did the second VR section as the effects were poor and it made no sense to them. Reliability really needs improving though, it is unacceptable how unreliable it is.

I want to do the fright nights meet, I just need to confirm if I'm free. If I am, I will be going!

Sounds awesome, I'd definately go to this! I maybe able to do this depending on when the payments due.

The fire effect definately makes this ride awesome. I could hear it going off from Stealth.

I have mixed love / hate feelings for Sore the ride. The theming is great but the coaster is so rough. It always seems to attract all the small children though. What's up with that?