Stuntman707

this project has turned out to be one questionable decision after the other to be honest - don't get me wrong - I absolutely cannot wait to ride - but everything from the station building, planned landscaping, lack of a viewing platform, queueline etc has been pretty disapponting thus far.
 
I also personally find thorpe's generous (putting that lightly) overuse of the gold colour super tacky. if it was used as a highlight colour against a black station, it would look so much more elegant. also a little confused by the black and gold colourscheme of the station, queue etc but the actual coaster itself is white and gold? wouldn't a white and gold station have fit the aesthetic better than a black and gold one..?

The Big One by far. The way it whips round to the right is always a bit terrifying. But Hyperia could take the best first drop. 

Call me mad but I visited on the opening day as Nemesis is a very missed coaster. All the park updates this year justified a new annual pass for me. I didn't run to FV but I knew if I didnt go there first thing, the queues were going to be mental. Anyway, only ended up waiting 2 hours which wasn't bad for the insane popularity that day. One thing I've not experienced before is the positive energy and enthusiasm in that morning queue. The atmosphere really was electric. I'll go in depth on Nemesis on the other thread.
 
Forbidden Valley was a nice surprise to me. I wasnt expecting such an overhaul of that whole area. The atmosphere there now is just top level. Frankly I could happily spend all day just in that area and Gloomy Wood. It feels like a different park.
 
As I did not go last season, The Curse was also new to me. Feels like a proper ghost train again now. my favourite effect was the hall of mirrors where Emily is riding in an empty carraige in your reflection and then it turns back into your own reflection at the end. I love all the little references and easter eggs in general, such a nice nod to the parks history.
 
Oblivion was smashing it in terms of operations. It had all 6 trains going round and not stacking for too long. The repainted hole was looking vibrant and a bit of a taster for the sparkle project to come. This did however make the station feel very worn and looking like it's in need of a modernisation itself. X-Sector felt very empty even with the end now blocked off to guests. Surely that area must be in sight of a Forbidden Valley style update.
 
Rita was probably the worst for operations. Didn't even bother. If it was on two trains, they were stacked in the station. Thirteen was fine, nothing negative to say although it always seems to have a massive RAP queue which I find funny considering it's supposed to be for those who have issues with queueing.
 
Thought I'd give Burger Kitchen another chance this year. My god the burgers are still awful but they are charging a premium for quality worse than a fast food chain. The burgers are literally like the frozen horse meat you get in the freezer isle. They need to get rid of that Aramark contract and bring back the fast food franchises because I'm not eating there again. It's one thing if they were running it themselves but now they are outsourcing again this is just not acceptable.
 
They are smashing it with the merchandise, some great offerings and proper embroidered items that are going to last. When I went to Engerylandia I was rather disappointed with the lack of branded merch so Merlin in general do a great job here.
 
Overall I had a good day. Nice to see Towers busy and as popular as ever. The new areas are a great sign of the future for Towers if they can sort out the food.
 

There’s a new website that Universal has made for this project - https://universalukproject.co.uk/

This potential new theme park has been confirmed by officials at Universal to the local press. https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/breaking-news-universal-studios-confirm-they-are-planning-a-theme-park-in-bedford-borough/?fbclid=IwAR2JMdC9eWlveZy8ooDXDpdm2Z_4ezS8HC2zLlaozOqm5_JHD7ATcBBznsk#

Here’s some Google maps screenshots of the land Universal has acquired, including a large brownfield site, lakes and a train station on its doorstep.
 

 

 

 

It looks like there is potential for a UK Universal attraction. 
 
Taken from Attraction Source:
Universal have registered the domain names “universalstudiosgreatbritain.com” & “universalgreatbritain.com” using the same registrar as their other park website domains around the world In September.
 
Comcast, the owner of Universal, recently acquired a construction and development company on 31st August called Cloud Wing UK Limited. Cloud Wing UK was itself already the parent company of two UK subsidiaries, Kempston Hardwick Developments Ltd and SC Collection Ltd, meaning Comcast indirectly acquired these companies and their assets.
 
From Theme Park Stop's article (linked below):
"With the acquisition of Cloud Wing, Comcast also received its land  assets, which include a 240 acre (95 hectare) section of a parcel of  land in Bedford, England.
Known as the “Kempston Hardwick New Settlement,” this former brickworks land is currently described as for agricultural uses, but has had multiple stalled proposals for future commercial use over the years."
 
So where is the land that Universal have acquired?
South west of Bedford, England, in a place called Kempston Hardwick - this is centrally located with a high catchment area, close links to the M1 motorway, and its own train station across the road from the land. Below is a Google Maps aerial view of the area, and absolute confirmation that the land has indeed been purchased by Universal's subsidiary.
Explore the area on Google Maps -
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0947821,-0.4994712,4133m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
 
Still early days but exciting times - I have more faith in this actually happening than the London Resort. It would definitely bring competition to Merlin if it’s themed to the same standards of their other parks.

It'll be called Big Bird.

No but I do have copies of the private listed and removed TPF videos just for prosperity.

You know what else doesn’t belong at a premium theme park? Aramark. If they’re going to outsource food again and increase prices, at least bring back the brands; KFC, McDonald’s / Burger King. Or for something different; Wendy’s, Popeyes, Taco Bell.
I remember the Old El Paso place near the flume always did banging fajitas. (with MAP discount)
Thorpe at least are keeping the brands and I don’t mind paying for Burger King because I know what I’m going to get and it’s a treat. 
A basic burger served with bland mushy fries is just not something I’m going to buy at a theme park let alone pay a premium for it.

I like it! I agree that having it weathered is by far the better option. If they'd have kept it looking brand spankin' new, it would look even stranger against the rest of the Victorian building. I think it looks great to be honest (in a "its an old abandoned train station" kind of way).

It looks nice in isolation in an "abandoned train station" vibe, which seems to be the theme/story.
 
I'm still concerned how it will look in a wider context when you look at it integrated with the brick warehouse. Whilst I understand why they're showing close ups of the work, I think it's also telling that they're not showing wider pictures.

HOLD THE PRESS!!!
Did you say a container was removed?
Quick, get the Thorpe marketing account to give us such an illustrious update.
WAIT - He's already done it;
 
 

HOLD THE PRESS!!!
Did you say a container was removed?
Quick, get the Thorpe marketing account to give us such an illustrious update.
WAIT - He's already done it;
 
 

I predict a patch of dirt will replace Containment for the 2023 season. Maybe will have some puddles if we're lucky too. Still can't be worse than the chlamydia pill bots in the planned trips and reports section.

Moved discussion of Ghost Train to it's own thread: 
 
This thread has now been condemned to the past, and will forever be here now exclusively for conversation on Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon - Venture into the Tunnel: The Secret of the Coughing Person Who Doesn't Have Covid But Makes You Wonder if they Do

It would be interesting to make the attraction backwards where you enter the tube station first and finish with the floating illusion with more of a paranormal universe theme. Don’t know if this is technically possible. It would be a shame to lose such a great illusion.

Interesting to see behind the scenes by Thorpe’s marketing account. Not sure what to make of the re-theme with the amount being ripped out. I guess only time will tell on how impressive the new show rooms will be.  
 
No wonder the train would overheat & VR glitch out with all that hardware that was packed under the seats! I am looking forward to some more physical effects and the train feeling more immersive. We’ll see how scary it is on a scale of Tomb Blaster to Terror Tomb.

I will not be contempt until I see JK SLKSTN in a neon Thorpe branded T-shirt riding a wrecking ball into Loggers Leap shouting “EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS…” 1000 times.
I hope Shane Sandwich gets first dibs on the obsolete signage. 

I will not be contempt until I see JK SLKSTN in a neon Thorpe branded T-shirt riding a wrecking ball into Loggers Leap shouting “EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS…” 1000 times.
I hope Shane Sandwich gets first dibs on the obsolete signage. 

I will not be contempt until I see JK SLKSTN in a neon Thorpe branded T-shirt riding a wrecking ball into Loggers Leap shouting “EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS…” 1000 times.
I hope Shane Sandwich gets first dibs on the obsolete signage. 

I will not be contempt until I see JK SLKSTN in a neon Thorpe branded T-shirt riding a wrecking ball into Loggers Leap shouting “EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS…” 1000 times.
I hope Shane Sandwich gets first dibs on the obsolete signage. 

I will not be contempt until I see JK SLKSTN in a neon Thorpe branded T-shirt riding a wrecking ball into Loggers Leap shouting “EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS EXODUS…” 1000 times.
I hope Shane Sandwich gets first dibs on the obsolete signage. 

It was never going to last being based on quickly outdated technology. I said many times nothing beats real visceral effects. It would be much better with AR using screens for the train windows instead of VR headsets. I appreciate they did try to blur reality with ROTD but AR could have been done in real-time. 
 
It concerns me Europa Park are still invested in VR. It’s always been a gimmick, too expensive for home use and underwhelming as a up-sell experience for commercial use.
 
Thankfully 2023/24 is the start of a new boom of British theme park investment and I feel the most optimistic I’ve been for years; Valhalla, Jumanji, Exodus, Haunted House, Coaster corner Dark ride?, Nemesis retheme, a new CEO at Merlin.
Theres a lot to look forward to now.

He says "You're stuck in a mechanical device that will crush further into you as you go round. The twisted metal is desinged to give you concussion around the unnecessarily tight elements. If you make it to the end, trust me you're gonna need paracetamol."