Mark9

Are you saying we should leave because we don't just praise everything Thorpe does? I literally called Quantum a god tier ride the other day. What more do you want from me?

I don't think broken, worn out rides is a good selling point for a brand though.

The humour never ends at Thorpe Park HQ does it.

People who call Nemesis Inferno, Nemesis. IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE ONE WORD, CALL IT INFERNO.

I feel like I can reply to this now (because I'm going to talk about the much loved Disney brand here as it seems oddly relevant). The reason I am okay with IP's is because in general, Merlin don't actually do a bad job with this. Gruffalo, Peppa Pig World at Garda and Heide, Cbeebies land, How to train your dragon to name but a few are high quality rides/areas and IMO are good*. I'm going to couple that with the fact that Merlin are still very much about originality. Look at The Wicker Man or The Swarm and I'll thrown in the recent refurbishments of Runaway Train into Scorpion Express and Dragon Falls into Tiger Rock as examples of where Merlin actually on the whole get things pretty right when it comes to rides and attractions. *Thorpe is the exception, here is an example of absolute disaster but then the original attractions like Derren Brown also get this disastrously wrong. Now the reason I bring up Disney is because the CEO recently came in for a bit of stick for a certain quote. Now Disney fans got themselves into a right rut about the apparent Expedition Everest put down implied here for Bob Iger and I got a bit annoyed too. The idea that Toy Story Land or Frozen Ever After has the same integrity, narrative strength and artistry as a ride as thought out and cared for as Everest is almost insulting. But here's the thing, I understand the perspective. What I dislike about modern Disney is that the days of Phantom Manor or Mystic Manor seem to be over. IP's are all we get. So far, Merlin aren't doing this and seem to be adding IP's where its relevant or where an improvement can be seen. TLDR, IP's shouldn't be feared or seen as death of originality in theme parks.

Impressive that a ride not at Thorpe Park won the Thorpe Park ride game. (I'll be a retiring pensioner and I will still point out when people say Nemesis instead of Nemesis Inferno)

Because you're the minority and the majority enjoy Inferno more than the others.

I mean, its literally the most pointless comparison to make.

Mr Creek, why not jut go if it angers you that much. That's what I do and it does the world of good. We've seen the difference that new restraint systems can do to Vekoma SLC's and most Vekoma loopers so yes, a new restraint system could make a difference and are we saying that intamin, the company that are the ultimate in trying things outside the box and doing something daring, aren't able to adapt a train style to fit Colossus's track. This is small fry compared to the flash in the pan, one time rides that were Furius Baco or Tornado at Bakken train systems. Colossus isn't that bad at all. Reality is it is something people moan about and Colossus remains one of Thorpes busiest rides despite newer and better things being there 17 years on. This is all down to the cumbersome trains and outdated ride system.

RIP in peace Nemesis Inferno.

pa-dah. Top ten new rollercoasters of 2018. 1. Steel Vengeance 2. Gatekeeper 3. Flug Der Damon 4. Behemoth 5. Karnan 6. Raptor 7. Icon 8. Wicker Man 9. Magnum XL 10. Maverick Top five new parks of 2018 1. Cedar Point 2. Canadas Wonderland 3. Hansa Park 4. Heide Park 5. Six Flags Great America Top five UK rollercoasters 1. Nemesis 2. Icon 3. The Smiler 4. The Wicker Man 5. Nemesis Inferno Top five moments 1. Meeting the former CEO at Disneyland Paris at Disney Fandaze. 2. Being pleasantly in awe of Wicker Man and the achievement of Towers. 3. Icon living well up to expectations in being a fantastic rollercoaster and exactly what Backpool needed. 4. Finally conquering all the B&M's in Europe (Before Fenix and Valykira opened, grr). 5. After so long, getting to Cedar Point and it being a park with too many fantastic rollercoasters.

Florida Disney parks, Disneyland Paris and Europa Park are my only real definite so far. Potentially Efteling, Toverland and Walibi Holland although that depends on wedding financing. In the Uk, only definites are Alton and Blackpool. Right now, Thorpe doesn't deserve my time and I wouldn't mind going back to Chessington.

Nemesis is my favourite rollercoaster so I'll naturally say its the best invert. Rides like Katun, Raptor, Monster, Oz'Iris and the original Batman come very close though. The only bad invert is Montu which is garbage. If you want to talk about disappointing, tell me how you feel during the second half where it just ambles back and forth doing nothing at all. Even Silver Bullet is more interesting. COME AT ME BRO.

Pleasure Beach has to face reality that Blackpool is a dying seaside town, in fact the whole leisure industry of the North has to face up the issues it will continue to face, especially with so much uncertainty surrounding Brexit for example (especially if the estimates of damaged local economies comes true). I think the Pleasure Beach itself is making the right steps, in fact, I'd say its making essential steps to continue its own survival. It can't absorb losses like the Merlin parks and it certainly can't have the wide hours it has done previously. Icon is a funny one because it is clearly loved by most enthusiasts and the visitors on both my trips really enjoyed it. Maybe it will be a bit like the Swarm in which it seems unappreciated and have no effect on visitor numbers but is actually well loved by park guests. And to me, that's far more important then flash in the pan successes with no redeeming features.

I'd personally say the rollercoasters at Efteling have more personality than any other park in Europe. Perfectly tailored to the family audience, full of whimsy and quirkiness. Baron is a painfully average dive machine but everything that surrounds it elevates it to one of my favourite coasters. Yes it doesn't have the big coasters but a lot of big coaster parks are completely soulless, lacking any magic or enthusiasm or anything that resembles pride.

I'll believe that when I see it.

Never a greater post on this forum.

Interestingly enough, Thorpe did a Colossus post the other day and every single comment complained about the head banging. It's an interesting thing that the park will invest in failures like Love Island Nights, I'm a Celeb and VR on Derren Brown, but a proven winner like new Colossus trains will never see the light of day. It shows you that the drive and ambition is completely misplaced within the company as a whole.

Anyone remember the TPM meet where some members rode Tidal Wave in the snow. That was a great day.

People who overlook out-dated social practises just to ride rollercoasters =/

Thorpe Park X1 Alton Towers X3 Blackpool X2 Drayton X1 DLP X12 Gardaland X1 Miribilandia X1 Heide Park X2 Hansa Park X1 Liseberg X2 Cedar Point X2 Six Flags Great America X1 Canadas Wonderland X1

I won't hide my sexuality to ride a few rollercoasters. Being flogged, imprisoned, tortured or murdered just to ride Flying Aces isn't worth it in anybody's book.

Disagreed. They actually harm no one (apart from the people stupid enough to stay in them) and if there is a market for them, then that's what's being tapped into. They're literally on the same level as something like the Tipi village at Europa Park.

Can I jump on the slag off Alton Towers new pods bandwagon too?

Same as everyone else really. Helix, I'd forgotten how incredible that ride was. Blew me away. The sheer force of pacing on the thing is extraordinary and the launches get completely overshadowed by inversion after air time hill after inversion after air time hill after inversion. Its such a tour de force for Mack, just an amazing ride and the second best ride in Europe. Valkyria, I get the feeling I'm suffering from dive machine fatigue as I wasn't as blown away by this as others but it is a good ride and one of the longer dive machines out there. Definitely better then Krake and Oblivion the Black Hole.