Mark9

The way I see it, Icon needs to be a success straight out of the gate or the Pleasure Beach is in real financial trouble. Hasn't it been making almost zero profit for years now? The lack of advertising is worrying too. Towers nailed it with Wicker Man but I haven't heard a peep from the Pleasure Beach so far on Icon. Thats concerning.

Back from the dead ooooh. Popped over to Venice for Gardaland and Mirabilandia over the last few days. Mainly to get the B&M but also to get in a bit of culture. Garda is a great theme park. It does suffer from Merlinism's such as effects being off or odd operations. Raptor and Oblivion ran an empty train nearly all day for some reason and only loaded them towards the end of the day. Raptor remains a great wing rider. It's definitely more unusual compared to the Swarm but has much better near miss effects such as the support on the first inversion or the destroyed platforms over the station. Oblivion the Black Hole is pretty unusual. It's a ride that would be far more effective at night as somehow entering a black hole in pure sunlight is unusual. I like this ride but I don't love it. It's my fourth dive machine and by now, I think they are the most dependable B&M ride type. Always enjoyable, aways know exactly what you are getting. I especially liked the air time in the bunny hop. Real floater air time, felt like I was out of seat for ages. It's odd that the drop is almost hidden away from the footpaths though and I'm not so sure the effects driven queueline works that well. Felt like the Smilers stage four room on acid. So yeah, I liked. (look at the joy) Gardaland itself has a lot going for it. Great dark rides (the Pirate ride is fantastic) and the work they've done on Shaman makes the ride very rideable if you get on with Vekomas. And then Mirabilandia. Katun is fantastic. I always wondered if it would remain so good seven years on but it really does. A properly fast, old school B&M with massive inversions, pops of air time throughout, intensity and speed which all come together to make the second best B&M in Europe. Nemesis still beats it but it's close. iSpeed is excellent truth be told. A forceful and fast blitz coaster that feels relentless without ever suffering from Intamin tropes like roughness and poor reliability. It's pretty lucky for this park they just happen to have two of the best rides in Europe almost by accident. Final big ride is Divertical. This things pretty horrendous and yet somehow it isn't terrible. It's soaking and the rollercoaster itself is mediocre but it is perfect in the Italian sun. Both parks had staggered opening just to note. And so concludes this mini trip report. If you can get to these two parks do it. As well as the nice weather and the great rides, Italians are so relaxed and it makes visiting their parks very enjoyable.

Looks fantastic. August can't roll around fast enough.

I live in a world where planning = hard work. Made out to be laborous and against the very face of what theme parks are about. I'm surprised at the reaction to my initial post frankly. Especially as you all make plans when visiting theme parks. A plan is literally 'I shall go and ride the Smiler and Oblivion first'. Such hard work.

Europa is becoming a bit of a lazy comparison these days. It's the best theme park in Europe, possibly the world so is there much point saying Europa do this, Europa do that when Merlin are never going to be at that level. Saying they should aim to be that also isn't ever going to happen. The UK theme park market is stagnating and whilst I love the Wicker Man and I think Icon will be excellent, its a temporary positive and I think 2019 will be back to normal. Ooh go on then. Big Thunder Mountain smoke effect as well as the water splashdown, off. Snow Whites hand which has been broken for at least a year off, half of the last room on It's a Small World not working, water effects in Adventureland off, Cheshire cat's eyes off and no water effects on Alice in Wonderlands maze, R2 D2 stuck looking one way in one room, robot covered in tarp in the next room on Star Tours, no fire on Frontierland entrance sign. This is why Merlin shouldn't do the effects thing too often because they don't have the budgets to maintain them. When someone said the fire on Swarm was still on I was taken aback.

I bet people can't wait to ride this indoor rollercoaster at midnight, it's going to make a big difference.

Out of interest does anyone have a picture of the Swarm station and the bit thats been ripped out.

All those rides and you managed to get to Towers for Nemesis! Impressive. Thorpe does seem a little bit quieter then usual this year, whilst Towers has been pretty rammed the last two weeks. Maybe its the effect of having no 'new' rides this year or maybe Thorpes operations are better at the moment.

They don't care what the ride used to be. Merlin don't care if we just moan about it etc or if it used to be a fantastic futuristic dark ride with a robot entering a TV set or an explorer trying to steal an ancient jewel or a quest to defeat an ancient curse. It never had a soul, it never had a legacy. It went from unpopular 80's kitsch to unpopular (but beloved by some) Egypt narrative to a relatively popular shoot em up. I think its wrong (if its true) that they are letting Tomb Blaster fall to ruin to prove a point but to be honest I don't think there is a master plan at work. I think there is quite literally no money for Tomb so they are keeping a dying ride running at zero cost as a dying ride is better then no ride at all. It's not how theme parks should be run but then if people were that incensed by this they'd stop visiting.

Lets face it, if you hate the first inversion on the Smiler, you've not much choice in the other 13 inversions, you'd have to do them if you're already on the ride. Nemesis is intense but its one of the greatest highs you can have in the UK, the adrenaline rush it gives you is almost addictive. It is more intense then Fury and Wicker Man which are more family orientated but don't let that dissuade you. Nemesis is sublime and you will love it once you conquer it.

No one wonders. Every review on this ride has mentioned how the effects will be off/broken soon.

I get your point. You don't have to actually plan each day in minute detail though, I'm saying, actually take a logical way through the park. I still maintain its absurd people are only managing two rides though. They are just to using their time well IMO.

Don't ever go to a Disney park my friend. Going to any Disney World park involves planning where you are going to eat 6 months in advance, what fast passes you want to book 3 months in advance which means knowing what parks you are going to be doing 6 months before you get to them. Besides, the people who don't go a particular way around a theme park, like the ones you describe, aren't exactly having fun with their 2 rides are they. A little planning goes a long way.

-> Don't queue for the monorail, walk to the entrance. Save 20 minutes -> Buy tickets online, print ticket out at home. Save 30 minutes -> Don't head to the new ride straight away. Instead hit Oblivion, The Smiler, Rita, Thirteen. Save 3 hours and ten minutes ->Head to Wicker Man later on when the queue is likely to be lower. You haven't then only got on two rides, you've managed to hit at least four of the major rollercoasters, probably got on Nemesis just as it opens, saving a 35 minute queue and have probably managed to get in Duel, Rapids and the Mine Train because you didn't just head to the new thing, remembered its still going to be there 6 hours later after you've entered the park and woah and betide, managed to get on more then two rides, haven't had to go on Twitter to moan at the Towers team and had a much better day because you haven't been following the crowds all day. Time saved, 4 hours and 35 minutes. This is how Mega-Lite should have gone around the theme park that day.

I don't know why but I find the people who moan on twitter at Towers really funny. Some of them I understand, but the ones that only get on two rides in 6/7 hours really crack me up. Literally, what were you doing with your day.

I've got a kitchen sink handy if they need that too.

The Terror Tomb music. I haven't heard it for 18 years and yet hearing it on that video, takes me right back. From the old Rameses Revenge design, to Action Man, to riding the Skyway. That was the Chessington I fell in love with.

And yet I started my post with a compliment.

It’s a shame you’ve gone from one of the most interesting trip reporters on this forum to someone who just wants to throw shade at others.

Welcome to a bit of self congratulation. I'm going to be 30 in two months and this birthday represents 20 years of being into rollercoasters and theme parks. Instead of getting smashed and wondering where my life went wrong like a lot of thirty year olds normally do, I'll be out celebrating at Heide Park and finishing my B&M collection (before Fenix and Valkyire open, those rascals). Everyone loves lists right, so I decided to put together my top 100 rollercoasters and talk about them in a sentence or two. I hit 250 last year at Walygator and am currently on 253. Unfortunately this was a little too early to include Oblivion: The Black Hole or Icon but does include the Wicker Man. I wanted to do this now before I hit Cedar Point where I imagine my top ten will be smashed to pieces. So I hope you enjoy the first installment or at the very least, comes across as slightly interesting. 100. Thor's Hammer - Djurs Sommerland. (First ridden 2013) Whilst this is nowhere near the best Gerstlauer bobsled out there, it's a nice, safe, dependable ride that gives a good starter coaster for young riders. 99. El Diablo - PortAventura (First ridden 2012) The thing with this ride is it doesn't feel complete. There are parts of the ride I really like that really are let down by the stretch between Lift 2 and 3. It's a real shame that this couldn't be the support coaster to Dragon Khan and Shambhala that it needs to be. As it stands, it's an okay curiosity and nothing more. 98. Scorpion Express - CWoA (First ridden 1992) This is the most important rollercoaster in my top 100 as it was the very first. Yes before Nemesis, before Katun and Alpina Blitz or even Corkscrew at AT, there was the Runaway Mine Train. My memories of that first ride are pretty hazy this point. I know I was tricked onto the ride by my uncle and I know that I was scared out of my wits. Even though this is no Colorado Adventure, four year old Mark came off astounded and so impressed. Even though it's re-dressed now and is far less themed, it still makes an impact. It was my favourite ride to operate when I worked at Chessington, the first day I operated the ride by myself, the last ride of the day gave me a round of applause and they are memories that I will never forget. 97. Runaway Mine Train - Alton Towers (First ridden 2000) Another Mack, this time the Alton equivalent. I've always been rather fond of the mine train but I'm afraid it seems to be getting slower and slower each year. Ever since its crash in 2006 its always come across as a shadow of its former self which is a shame as its original layout and interaction with the Rapids is second to none. 96. Blue Flyer - Blackpool (First ridden-2012) I must admit to not being that well learned on the Blue Flyer, having had one ride on it however I remember it being pretty impressive for a family wooden coaster. Will make the effort to ride a bit more on the next visit. 95. Flying Dutchman - Efteling (First ridden - 2017) How could one not be impressed by the Flying Dutchman, well the inside in any case. This was my first ride at Efteling and I was simply blown away by the dark ride section of this water coaster. It's a shame that it falls to pot once it emerges into the sunlight but for all intents and purposes, the inside is fantastic. 94. Seven Drawfs Mine Train - Magic Kingdom (First ridden 2015) The inside section of this rollercoaster is worth the ticket alone, it's a shame that the rest of the coaster is somewhat.. short though as just when it feels like its about to get going, you hit the break run. 93. Rip Ride Rocket - Universal Studios (First ridden - 2011) (Wow its amazing how bad from photos from 2011 look now) Falling off that lift hill to 'I will Survive' is an experience I will never forget. Which is good because the rest of the attraction is completely unmemorable. It's an okay coaster but its not really deserving of being a Universal coaster. 92. Batman La Fuga - Parque Warner (First ridden - 2007) I know what you might be thinking, how could a B&M be so low?! Well to be honest, I've never got on with the Batman clone. Whilst the intensity sure is there, the bang bang bang of inversion has never really appealed and its rather basic layout always leaves me feeling a bit cold. 91. Cobra - Paultons (First ridden - 2009) Cobra is so silky smooth it feels like you're about to take a nap. It's a great coaster and fits right into Paultons but if you're looking for something a bit more aggressive, this is not the place to go. And with that its 100-91 complete. I hope you enjoyed your nice nap if you got this far (or read at all). Feedback would be lovely. Until next time.

Err, thats because it is. 15/10 doesn't do it justice.

Wouldn't be surprised if it is extended though. My trip last Tuesday was supposed to be 10-4 but was extended. The parks been way busier then the last few years so really they have no justification for a 4pm close frankly.

I don't know whats more shameful, the way their Twitter team are replying to people or trying to get the Daily Mail's attention. Yep, its the Daily Mail call out that is really disgusting.

They need to change their policy and get Thirteen and Rita open at 10. There is no fall back whatsoever and like today, to have Oblivion as the only major rollercoaster open, is damaging their brand.

If all you care about is ride counts, just ride Duel for two hours.