Mark9

Or good weather and half term?Lets be honest here, one capacity day during a zoo doesn't mean anything for the upcoming season. It's rarely as nice in February as it was today so it's a bit early to say the park is going to have a good season..

Agree with the theory. All rides are kind of dispersed around park so like Air not open with Nemmy and Th13teen not open with Rita. Hope it works, makes sense to spread people around during ert.

Having operated Fury for three and a half seasons.. I still got lost reading your post Outfit.

I'm talking about the times when it ran 8 cars and it was allowed 4 adults in a car though. Fury's estimated throughput was 900 which is impossible.Besides, you can still get 4 people in a car, the staff have to work damn hard but I had times up there when all cars were going out with 4 people...

- You're right Spinball isn't terrible. It does lack a certain something though.-Yeah well it's going to be popular, having the widest target audience, the first ride you see as you enter the park and the lowest throughput rollercoaster. Naturally It's going to be darn popular.- 750 throughput isn't likely. Fury with the same amount can just about reach 650 and with the amount of stacking on Spinball in the break run...

As you've both essentially asked the same question, I'll answer both at the same time...It won't be crazily busy but because at the moment we don't know the approximate weather for March, we don't know if Storm Surge will be open on time and we don't know yet how popular Storm Surge will be with guests, our guess is exactly the same as yours is. I'd say day after open day will be the emptiest to be honest but that guess is based on nothing...

Tangled - 7/10Whilst not a return to the Disney renaissance of the 90's, this was a great film with some genuinely funny moments such as the frying pan humour and Maximum the horse. Maybe I'm to old... but some of the plotting was signposted to easily on. For instance the old woman somehow able to find Rapunzel where-ever she went or Eugene being freed from the prison. it also lacked that Disney sparkle; the magical ending was pretty much scene for scene the same as Pokemon the first movie ie, if everyone cries our central character can live again.The Lion King - 10/10Pure beauty from start to finish. The story of the circle of life is timeless and the messages that eminate through the visuals are sublime. Simba is a wonderful character and Scar marks another Disney trademark that the evil characters are the more enjoyable to watch.Beauty and the Beast - 10/10A nice Valentines day present, another Disney stunner. Beauty and the Beast features my favourite animated movie scene, with Belle and the Beast dancing majestically in the ball room to the song 'Beauty and the Beast.' Beautiful story telling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zb64y6Nvs0&feature=player_embedded

I LOVE the whine. It's gorgeous. It's this kind of ride which makes me realise how sad I am.

Thats adorable!!!

Hmm.In other news, rumours are afoot that Port Aventura may add a B&M in the 2012 season. If true thats Thorpe, Parc Asterix and Port Aventura adding B&M's.B&M, back with a bang.

It just looks amazing. I can't wait for some proper detailed pictures of the train though, so far we're just getting glimpses. Last time I was this excited about a new ride was Black Mamba actually..

That was posted from the past. I'm a time traveller don't you know.

Thing is Sheepie, you know me and you know that I know all that. And I'm not saying throw lots of attractions at it because it would make a dreary, ride filled hole. What I would like to understand is why Chessington is the one being shafted again. The management need time to come to grips with the basics, fine. What exactly have they been up since 2008. Why is no one pointing out the obvious that there are some rides there that need serious TLC. Wild Asia only adds to the fire, it looks fantastic. You only have to walk 5 minutes to see the wreck of a ride that Runaway and Skyway have become. You talk about the infastructure, fine. I'll argue that the park should not be even thinking about new attractions until it brings Skyway, Runaway, Vampire and the Bubbleworks up to scratch and in line with Wild Asia. I don't think simple repaints are the answer either here..

I'd like Harry from McFly to also survive please.Sounds good, especially as parking is included. WOO!

Benin is riding a flying Pig. Your arguement is invalid.

BEEP, BEEP BEEPAH HA, HOLD ON TIGHT TINY TRUCKERS, CAUSE HERE WE GO, AHOOO

I thought they hated him what with the CHEATING SCANDAL from a few months back. The media just love to flick back and forth.

Blimey

I take all that on board obviously. But the thing is the park is now relying on a 25 year old infrastructure. The theme park and the zoo, well ones been there for ages anyway and the zoo since the 1920's so the only recent addition is the hotel which Merlin didn't play any part of.I know that throwing money at a place and hoping it sticks is not the solution, however why would throwing money in making Runaway train and Safari Skyway look 100% better be a problem. Unless Runaway is about to get the chop of course. At which point I wonder, Chessington has been under Merlin control since 2007, whilst yeah there's a transition period, why hasn't something happened yet to all the rides at Chessington that are really starting to look delapidated. It may give Chessington a chance to breathe. It's competing with so much at the moment under the Merlin umbrella, so whilst Alton and Thorpe seem to be on this investment plan, Legoland getting a hotel and improvements and new rides every year, Gardaland and Heide with new Beemers, Chessington really does look like the poor relation. It probably would struglly with new owners. But at the moment the park is going on with one major ride at 21 years old, its second in command almost 10 years old and then what.. Kobra? Rattlesnake? IMHO it really needs a decent level of investment; and I'm not talking more new restaraunts either.

I think this is the most appropriate place. I'd actually like to see Chessington be sold off from the Merlin group and be completely independant, family owned. It's just my feeling of course but being part of a huge family of parks, competing with Legoland, Thorpe, Alton, Heide, Gardaland and all the little subsidaries can't be easy and every single year Chessie comes off as one of the poor cousins. Whilst the other parks get large rides and additions, Chessington gets a retheme and a cheap disko ride and is considered its "large investment year."Small parks such as Paultons, Drayton Manor, Flamingoland and Lightwater Valley prove it can be done, that you can be successful without being part of a brand. Chessington for me is at a point where it's older rides are looking well past their sell by dates. When the park opens next month Skyway will still have the old faded 90's look on its trains, the Runaway rocks will still look like they are falling apart and the Bubbleworks will look even more shambolic.