Mark9

TPM's first cloning experiment worked then I take it.

That isn't what I'm asking Jamie. It's awful in spite of better rides being around. The fact that it isn't even the best Maurer spinner in the country let alone Winjas Fear and Force, Tarantula or Salama means I crave a better rollercoaster that much more.

Would you still keep it a far better ride could replace it? You may like it but you have to admit it is a real challenge to get on it without a ridiculous queuing time.

Every park that has a Maurer spinner always sees that ride with the longest queue. The appeal of the attraction is so broad and because everyone can ride it, it suffers.

Wouldn't need to limit the places for a Saw ERT either, it wouldn't exactly be a sell out event, just Luke and Peaj going round and round. 1 CAR OPERATION! I can only echo what others have said. It was a very enjoyable meet. Sure I only turned up halfway through the day but even then I could tell how TPM meets have grown up since my last meet. Everyone was very sociable, welcoming and I had some great coaster chats with people I've never met properly before. And all thanks to Thorpe Park for laying on Inferno for us. It was riding incredibly well for us. It must has have been very good as I don't remember riding it six times. Fallible short term memory clearly. The walk around was interesting to, getting up and close with a ride that I've been very familiar with over the last ten years. So thanks Thorpe Park and thanks to Marc for getting TPM these exclusive ERT sessions.

God I love Alton Towers for that picture you linked to Ricky. As for the topic itself. My opinion on Spinball has always been dead low because it doesn't belong in a theme park that attracts the people that Thorpe, Alton, Lego and Chessie do (Die Fury, Die). I'd say it is a funfair ride at best and that's where it belongs. Both Alton and Thorpe could do far better then that awful little ride and its in the family coaster bracket. It's called Juvelen.

How would someone know a ride isn't intense before they get to the park and try it for themselves? The only thing I can guess is word of mouth. Besides the gimmick as we are calling it wasn't a last minute decision that the park decided to do on a whim. What was last minute is the way that it was implemented into the queuing system which clearly was rushed through with no logical thought.

My heart bleeds...

You mean like the Swarm which despite being well liked by enthusiasts and the GP who rode it, was not enough to stop a 10% drop in attendance and its gimmick of backwards seats has done nothing to reverse the decline in attendance figures. Rides like The Smiler, Stealth and Saw are proving that what attracts people to UK parks is heights, IP's or record breakers. If thats what the public want then that is what Merlin will give them.

Thanks to Ian on Towers Street Any ideas why Samurai is now sideways? Getting in on the Swarm Backwards hype train maybe?

I'd like to disagree with you and say that a quality ride will shine through but the Swarm proves that the public only care about something that the park can sell to them, a packaged ride with high loops and shiz. A shame because what Thorpe could do if they got onto a ride like Wodan or Tonnerre de Zeus

On all three of my visits with the Smiler, I've left it till last for major coasters and it has always worked. Sure I've queued 2 hours each time for the Smiler (I don't believe in fastrack and as a general rule, ride rides with my friends), but I'd rather queue that time for the new ride then queue an hour a piece for a disappointing ride on Rita and Thirteen.

I never came out to my parents. If straight kids don't need to tell their parents then why should I have to tell them what I am. I can understand why some people feel the need but for me personally, I don't see why I should have to.

http://mark2262.wordpress.com/2013/06/24/smile-always/ Surrender yourself to my review of the Smiler.

The beginning of the school holidays are the sweet period as lots of families fly off in the first week of August. Towards the end of the holidays, the queue times really go up and they don't really go down over the course of the day.

Shambhala by a country mile. Smiler or Saw.

Not sure what rollercoasters you mean. Stealth, Inferno, Swarm and Colossus can only run a maximum of two trains, X can run four trains and Saw can run a maximum of eight cars.

The best part about your game here is that the most useful rides in the game are X, Loggers Leap, Rumba, Slammer, Vortex and Detonator. I like the irony in that some of the more unliked rides at Thorpe are the ones that will win you the game.

What about poor Enterprise? That's been down for three weeks now. At some points yesterday only one arm of Submission was moving and at other times, Smiler was the only alive thing in X Sector.

Banned because I have the power to do so.

Oblivion's still closed. B&M officially worse then Gerstlauer. I hate you B&M and your high throughput, crowd pleasing rides.

It does look horrific but at least they've repainted the supports ey.

Possibly true. Fury runs a lot faster in hot weather and yesterday was scorching.

No order as I get round to the parks as and when I have funds and sometimes language barrier will play a part. So erm.. Disneyland and California Adventure (2014 hopefully) Disneyland Tokyo and Disneysea Cedar Point Efteling Liseberg (2014 hopefully) Six Flags Great America Heide Park Dollywood Kings Dominion Hershey Park That turned out to be more American based then I thought it would.

Saw that yesterday, completely brilliant. Never underestimate a British comedian