Mark9

Peter mentioned something about themed characters in the morning rush and saying theres is the best ever.... it is.. in the Merlin parks. I hate comparing to Europa but its very hard not to. Over there you won't just see the characters during the morning rush and never see them again, they have the themed characters coming round the restraunts during breakfast saying hello to the kids. This in itself is such a small detail but then you get into the park and you see groups of themed characters all over the park. I really despise the merlin themed character thing. When I operated Sea Dragons I watched Spike and Cinder come out to that little meet and greet under Fury. They honestly stand there and if no one comes after two minutes they go.. whats the point in that. When I went to Parque Warner in Madrid, the powerpuff girls chased us through Cartoon Network village to try and hug us. It's that kind of effort which is severly lacking in our parks. Our parks have women in costumes, in Europe the actors become the character.The way I see it is our parks only care about rides and attractions in their first year. Look at the way so many Merlin rides have deterioated. It's not exactly Merlins fault, Tussauds did a lot of the damage but Merlin so far haven't really rectified the rides a hell of a lot. The rebranding has worked but what I would love to see (and this is Chessington specific) is them really going to town with what is the closest park to any European attraction by throwing money at the place. Retheme Bubbleworks, refurbish Runaway Train, retrack Safari Skyway and actually show that the park is more then just the new stuff. Because really the old stuff is what is keeping our parks alive at the moment.

Here is the post I deleted purely cause.. well I dunno just didn't feel right. Something else I've also thought of. I've had this discussion with Marc quite a lot recently. Basiclaly I've been invited to the parks a few times since I've got back and I've never had any kind of inclination to visit. Even when the boyfriend said "fancy going to Alton Towers" I immediately said no. My reasoning is just that I know it cannot live up to how European parks treat their guests. Marc said in conversation that the guests in this country don't expect amazing theming, they just go for high rides and cheap thrills. Which is fine but don't we want to be totally immersed in an experience? Don't we want our expectations to be smashed and to be taken away from the real world for 7 hours and totally enthralled? Isn't that why we really go to theme parks?You tell me.

People who, despite working at a theme park or even visit theme parks every week, decide to call forum users or other coaster enthusiasts geeks/nerds/losers/saddos/anoraks.What makes you so much better then the rest of us?

If someone put together a list of Merlin rides that need some serious TLC...........

We don't live on the forum kabz. Little alarm bells don't go off in my house whenever someone breaks the T&C's.

I don't think there is a single group of enthsuiasts that you haven't insulted

Someone, Somewhere has just lost their mind.

Maybe the Kylie 4 minute orgy will be more to your tastes..

Rant Rant Rant.

Considering Big Dippers been going since the 1930's.. you probably have nothing to worry about.

Probably a grower. Will see that all over the gay bars within seconds though.

All the coolest people are

Oh sweet Jesus.. 500 quid for Alton Towers Hotel?! I mean I love that hotel, but it really isn't worth it.

Tally ho dear boy! Let us ride up to our mansion houses and get our Thorpe Park Mania slaves to cut the hedges.You dirty commoners.

Well what about Hammer and Brush? Tidal Rave? In way Out?

So you didn't ride Boretex, Lolossus or C**tum?Thats a shame.

To be honest, I'm now just watching the series out of force of habbit. The whole series basically hangs on the finale. Moffatt has said everything in the first 11 episodes is building up to the finale, that every story has something connecting it (and more then the crack). If its a disaster I'm not sure I can really continue watching the show. Amy to me is still unlikable and the stories so far just aren't any fun. Matt Smith is awesome but I can't watch the show on the basis of a single great actor in a show that isn't really giving me enjoyment. Which is a shame as I love Doctor Who

A technique I adopted many a time.

I'd much rather be in a family friendly environment with amazing attractions then to be in a thrill seekers paradise where every ride is just there to scare you silly. Thats boring, thats not entertaining, thats repeitive and draining. Parks like Gardaland, Phantasialand, Europa Park do so well because they don't limit there target audience to an extent that others are basically told not to bother visiting. Europa Park does have thrilling rides, anyone who has ridden Eurosat, Euromir, Blue Fire and Silverstar are thrilling but more importantly, are fun.

Why oh why couldn't it have been a B&M or Mack rollercoaster.

Benin for leader at the next meet!

Yes, I'm sure Nemesis would have simply fallen apart without you at Batch gate or the main entrance. It would have caused a crack in time and space.

The Irony being that the lighting is the least of Vampires problems...

Gates? GATES?Old Vampire didn't need gates, you just used your brain and not walk out in front of a moving train.