Martin Doyle

Icon right now is utterly pointless to run three trains on. Endless stacking. I know many blame this on the seatbelt installed on the restraint, this however is not the issue. The issue is that the wristband/E ticket scanner is right at the boarding area to the ride. Which means guests are faffing around getting through the turnstile and being batched into their rows whilst the train in front is hitting the second launch. Icon historically when operated well is dispatching a train just as the train in front is hitting the second launch. So by the time you have got through the scanning turnstile, been sent to your row, had the gates open, placed your belongings in the loose articles area, had the restaint checked and given the all clear, the ride has two trains stacked up behind you. Which in turn takes an eternity to off load riders. Until they move the location of the turnstile, they should NOT be running it on three trains. No ifs no buts and no maybes about it.

What you just described in my book is very much a nice sensation!! 😛

I think Steel Vengeance may have something to say to that!!

Dont worry people I am sure Storm Surge will make a splashback soon!!

Professor Burps Bubbleworks is also due to open in time for the summer months you will be glad to know. Then next year Hocus Pocus Hall will return along with Beanoland

Honestly if I had a quid for every time I have said "Blue badge holders only or get your backside in the main queue", I would be able to buy the parks.

A gentle reminder that RAP is supposed to be for those who CAN NOT QUEUE. *sees the above. Honestly its ironic and hilarious at the same time.

If people still dont understand why I spell Merlin with a pound sign replacing the e, let the below image answer that question for you. You will see less pants being pulled down if you went to the Amsterdam Red Light District. Gordon Ramsay best be doing the pizza for that price.

This!! Honestly never seen a post hit the nail on the head more than this one!!

I am sure this is an UNpopular opinion but who knows Valhalla when it was in its prime was better than Chiapas today.

Honestly for those who think Blackpool is a dive (they ain't wrong in fairness), Margate makes Blackpool look like Orlando. Never been to such a depressing town in my whole life and thats coming from a fella who lives in Maidenhead for christ sake.

We will get Bouncezilla and Gamefx back if we are lucky If Loggers came back, I'd be a dutchman's uncle. They are probably waiting for it to just collapse to save on the good old demolition costs knowing them.

And we finally have some testing footage!! I personally feel of this and Velocicoaster, this looks to be the more thrilling of the two. Velocicoaster ofcourse looks to be the overall best experience when theming and all that stuff is factored in, but this certainly looks to have the thrill factor of the two with that spike,top hat and outer bank turn plus the high speed turns after the top hat and indeed between the outer bank and stall. Another terrific looking Intamin

I hear Efteling has this entrances pictures all over the guest services!!

I think the budget ended with the flat rides we was all craving being added to Alton Towers

I actually think Camelot looks in better condition. Deadly serious

It really is a shame the amount of issues Lightning Rod has had and looks set to continue to have going forward. The coaster is quite clearly a massive hit in the community and I can not wait for the day I get the chance to ride it, but there is simply no denying that it has been an absolute nightmare for Dollywood AND RMC in regards to maintenance and upkeep. Very doubtful we are going to see RMC touch launches anytime soon given that it very much looks like the launch is the issue with Lightning Rod as made apparent by the scaling back of its speed near immediately after it opened.

And the top spin...

Got sent this cracker earlier 🤣🤣 Well. I suppose we did want flat rides at Alton Towers and they gave us flat rides!! Cant see any reason to complain I suppose!!

1. Memories - regardless of any current opinion I may have on the park currently, that does NOT detract from the fact I grew up with this park and until 2019, had visited every year near enough since I was 6 years old. This naturally means many happy memories of a younger me visiting the park during the days of Wicked Witches Haunt and indeed the early 2000s when the park was firing on all cylinders with its investments of coasters and thrill rides aswell as Fright Nights during its prime years when we had the likes of Asylum and Se7en at the event which very much what started my interest in the horror event industry. Without Thorpe, I ain't sure I would have gone on to have anywhere near the level of interest in theme parks and coasters as I do now. 2. The social aspect - a theme park with several large coasters ofcourse makes for a good day out with friends (yes I actually have them. Shocker I know!!) especially when its local as well. 3. Stealth - nothing else to say really!! Just a good fun iconic coaster for the UK industry

*blows cobwebs Trains are now on track for Pantheon. So guessing that translates into expecting hype building footage of the coaster testing real soon. It has also been confirmed (well a while back actually) that this will indeed break Tarons record as the fastest multi launch coaster in the world. It's quite amazing really how forgotten this coaster has been amongst the mix of new for 2021 coasters especially compared to the other two major new intamin coasters Kondaa and Velocicoaster. This looks to be a terrific coaster for the park and looks to give them that "stand out coaster"

Maybe I am jumping the gun in what I am about to say, but so far the coaster has looked somewhat sluggish in its testing videos. Ofcourse it may well be different in warmer weather and indeed with riders onboard, but given its been testing a few weeks now, I would have expected it to start to quicken up a little by now. Still looks a solid coaster though!!

Looking great. This alongside Zadra and Hyperion could very well give the park the best "triple threat" of any European park. Excited to see what the area will look like once it's all themed up and complete and more importantly I look forward to revisiting for this as soon as our wonderful government opt to stop holding us all as hostages!!

A little update (probably been a few months but who's counting??) in relation to Rise Of The Resistance. Disney have now updated the boarding pass system for the ride. Now guests are able to reserve their space on the ride via the "My Disney Experience" app as opposed to getting to Hollywood Studios early (A potential social distancing nightmare given the amount of people who was rocking up before the 7am release) The ride now does two releases of boarding groups. One taking place at 7am and the other taking place at 1pm but with the 1pm release, guests are needed to be physically in Hollywood studios. Now, given it's a lockdown and as a result I get bored easily, I decided to see EXACTLY how quick the passes go from the time they are released. Well, a staggering 5 seconds from the moment the "join" button appears at exactly 7am (12pm our time) the boarding passes for the ride are all gone!! Yes, the park is limited capacity but even before the pandemic and Disney was at full pelt this was an issue. Now, the boarding groups has been a thing way before the pandemic started and it seems Disney have no plans to introduce a standby queue anytime soon. Personally, I would hate to be somebody who pays good money and travel hours to hopefully experience the ride just to then rely on pure luck to board the ride. On top of that, as you do not get a choice of boarding group, you then find yourself in a situation where if you are allocated a high number boarding group then you need to pray to whomever you worship that the ride does not encounter a single hitch. Which given its a highly advanced new ride is an issue. Obviously it will stay the same whilst the pandemic is still going, but I seriously do question at what point will Disney decide to bite the bullet and give it a proper standby line. If it's a case of "waiting for the popularity to die down" and then they will do so, given Flight Of Passage is still drawing obscene queues 3 years post opening, I can not see ROTR dying down anytime soon given the hype surrounding the ride itself AND the fact it appeals to the massive Star Wars fanbase. *apologies for the "ringtone" soundbar blocking the time!!

Sooner B&M take those vest restraints and burn them the better!! Absolutely wrecks practically all the coasters they feature on.