Mark9

Two months later, with the dust settled on my trip I already look back with great fondness. I've talked about the theme parks but what about the culture of California. How different is it to the humid and tourist trap that is Florida. Many UK enthusiasts don't venture past the state with all the oranges for obvious reasons. First thing is people in California are thinner then the East side. Disney World is full of ECV's, California has very few. Florida theme parking is one big bubble of tourists, California is far more about making your own way around without the aid of specially put on buses and taxis. The first thing that struck me about San Francisco is the hills and the beautiful scenery of the downtown area. It looks fantastic from afar, with the golden gate bridge a particular highlight (although Chris said it doesn't look any better the the Humber bridge; spoilsport). As is the culture we had a lot of Starbucks on the trip. It doesn't help that on every block lies a Starbucks or a Chipotle or a Starbucks. San Francisco is also incredibly hilly, we took a walk around the outer ring and some of the hills are murderous. We wandered over to the Castro, the gay area of San Fran and where history was made. Anyone interested should read up on Harvey Milk, the first gay politician elected into office and subsequently murdered a few months later. The area has an ease about it and is an excellent place to watch an Austrian drag act win Eurovision. On day three, our adventures took us over to the Golden Gate Bridge, an iconic American landmark. It is a beautiful sight to behold and even though we accidentally drove over it, I had a real appreciation for its significance. Our destination was actually the Walt Disney Museum, an essential place to visit for any Disney park or film fan. Fantastic place where you see the history of a man who changed the world we live in. From his early days creating Oswold and Mickey to designing the worlds first true theme park. This was a man ahead of his time in more ways then one. Essential viewing. And then next was Pier 39, home for a bunch of sealions who make a lot of noise and have a lot of fights. Quite smelly too. But this was where we had an American sized lunch which was impossible to finish. We gave it our best shot. And after four days of Touring this wonderful place, it was time to pack our bags and head to Magic Mountain and onto Los Angeles. Tune in next time. If you want too.

Could you stop with that, most here don't argue, we discuss the pros and cons of an idea or what is going on in the parks. I agree with your idea. I don't think 4am is a good idea as we just don't have the warm climate for it (and Thorpe doesn't have the facilities to properly accommodate it) but a 9am-midnight closure is a great idea.

It may be because of the weight of the train. Factor in majority of launch rides have shorter trains then other roller coasters, a five rowed B&M makes sense here.

Highly emotive language. First of all, Toby wasn't slated for his comment. One reply was a no and one saying don't go on a water ride if you don't want to get wet. Secondly, where is this belief that enthusiasts aren't average people? I've seen enthusiasts ride Tidal Wave in the snow (oh March 2013, I shall remember you so well) and I've seen enthusiasts refuse to ride Tidal Wave in blistering heat. There is no such thing as an average enthusiast in the same way that there is no average person. Thirdly, Tidal Wave isn't open in the winter. Your guess of 10% of the year is sunny goes against the grain of the past few seasons where from May-August has seen extraordinarily hot weather and a very busy Tidal Wave. During this time people go on Tidal Wave to get wet. They aren't riding because of the 80 foot drop or the lengthy lift hill, thats for sure. I'm not sure reducing throughput by a third for a covered boat during summer months is a good idea when Tidal wave gets 80 minute plus queues to be honest.

Current entry to Europa Park currently works out at £28.54. Just thought I'd throw a bit of price perspective in there for everyone.

Cool name, nice colours (Orange ) and whilst the layout doesn't look all that, the prospect of B&M's first proper launch coaster is pretty exciting. One to watch me thinks.

My fears aren't based on anything happening right now, more what could happen if an over confident company decides competition is irrelevant. I don't for one minute believe a Paramount Park would open and immediately unsettle a dominant Merlin but equally I wouldn't want to see our parks suffer because of being unprepared (although some would say our parks have already gone down the drain but thats a discussion for another time).

I'm certainly not Ricky, it just so happens that this discussion seems to be taking place in the Thorpe 2015 topic, thats all. That isn't what anyone here is saying at all. It's more that the company is so over confident, such is their dominance of the UK market, that they don't even see new parks remotely as a threat. So what does that say about Merlin as a whole. Will they become complacent, whats the incentive to add good new investments if people will come anyway. Will prices just rise and rise above inflation because people will return like sheep anyway. Will we see cutbacks in operations with less staff and more one train operations because, hey, people love Merlin they will come back anyway regardless of how terrible their visits may become.

So.. as a normal guest without ERT, you're gonna have a hard time riding Smiler or the Cbeebies attractions without a hefty queue then.. Or is that an attempt to manage the queues that side of the park more effectively.

Their arrogance is enough to put me off visiting for a long time. In fact their ignorance that people will come regardless of how crap the places become is a dangerous road to go down as it is, their reaction to a potential threat just concretes that fact. I want to post a far more sweary post that expresses my true feelings but I'll be told off by the powers that be. Again.

Loving the arrogance. Makes me glad I won't be renewing my annual pass any time soon.

I never brace myself on Colossus and always have a smooth enjoyable ride. I find it more seat dependant, then brace yourself at certain moments dependant.

Gee Flipper, way to blow the surprise of the B&M dive machine for 2015 next to Depth Charge.

You are fast becoming my favourite trip reporter. =)

That's fine, it's not like there's a lack of children on this planet these days :-) Surprised about g force love though, that thing is pretty universally hated.

I've always the front of every carriage fine. It's when you venture to the back that you encounter real roughness and leg room issues.

That's one hell of a queue you're in..

I doubt it. But then what is it about parks like Efteling, Liseberg and Tivoli Gardens that attract people from all across Europe and what is it stopping the Merlin trio from doing the same (ignoring the obvious such as harsh budgets, going backwards and being so damn insular). For example, Alton is up there with Tivoli as it has the fantastic garden area and despite what some may say, has the ride hardware to boot. What it doesn't have however is good transport links and an unsupportive local community who are very vocal against the park. I'm deliberately ignoring Thorpe though, it doesn't have enough in its cannon to even take down Paultons, let alone some of the giants across the pond.

I heard lobotomies could do that, particularly as Baco gives them out for free.

A family roller coaster takes up much less room then a dark ride.

It's rather apt that the Baco trains are themed as barrels because the ride is akin to being locked in a barrel and thrown down a hill. It's been mentioned that being in a certain seat at a certain time of day on a certain day of the week on a certain month of the year can give an enjoyable ride but thats not how the majority ride roller coasters. The Spanish love it but then half of them haven't woken up till gone 9pm, hence the long opening hours. I also think the Spanish mullet gives excellent protection against Baco's jerkiness and shakiness.

I'm cool with that outcome. Alton, Thorpe, Chessington and Legoland are all going backwards whilst the Pleasure Beach is getting a new lease of life of late. Good to see the classic rides can outdo the newer, bigger stuff.

That Khan trim is sacrilege to a ride that just gets tighter and tighter and more and more intense. I'm sad to see that. As for Baco, such a limit pusher that its layout is a circle of eight with a shed. Brilliant. Remains my dead last least favourite ride because there should have been another way. It's shoddy, painful, shaky, unreliable and requires you to sit in one of two seats to be in an anyway enjoyable (and even that sucks compared to other wing riders and launch coasters). Rubbish, awful, shoddy, yuck and euch.

Your expectations are completely unrealistic.

Blah blah, Thorpe are rubbish blah blah.