Mark9

The difference for me is that Drayton and Paultons are family owned business and the money spent in the parks, does get reinvested and you see the results. If I pay for an Annual Pass I'm probably helping to build Legoland India but my parks get shafted.

There is no jolt because I choose not to ride.

I'm just amazed that we're saying goodbye to Loggers before Depth Charge. That thing doesn't deserve its place and yet there it is, remaining at large. Whilst I hate Log Flumes with a passion, Loggers was kind of the exception, its double dip drop was always fantastic and by far my favourite flume drop. At least I'll have my memories, riding it for 7 straight hours in 2004.

How many there are or how many they will run are very different things. I can answer how many they will run though, the bare minimum they can get away with.

Report the post if you think it's off-topic.

Ooh Where are you going? Another 7 days straight at Blackpool?

Enthusiasts are their own worst enemies. As a group its all about being the first, the last, getting the most rides, being ahead of someone else. It becomes a massive competition, whether it's to get more coaster credits then anyone else or to go to the most parks. But thats only the negative aspects. Some of my best friends are ones that I grew up with in the earlier days of rollercoaster forums. So many from Thorpe Park Guide made the jump over to TPM when that forum closed down and a lot of coasters enthusiasts from those days, I worked with at Chessington. Whilst things like the Bubbleworks last day or the time Inferno closed early and enthusiasts stormed guest services are a nasty aspect of being coaster geeks, the positives of being in a community far outweighs the negatives.

The only group of fans who I know actively dislike Shambhala is Theme Park Review. It's a good ride thats for sure, I'd have ridden it a lot more if it wasn't at PortAventura.

I don't think so. In my teenage years I was a proper little Chessington fanboy but as time has gone, the very essence of what Chessington is supposed to be has completely gone. For every great thing they do (the compass in Market Square for example) a lot of awful is also completed. It's a real shame too because the park in its heyday whilst lacking the clout of Towers, was an awesome theme park to visit.

When they get round to finally confirming that Loggers is never coming back, will you still include it in closed rides lists?

When was it renamed PortAventura world?

Going downhill? It's already rock bottom.

Welcome to the world of Thorpe park then.

I'm normally against paid express pass but frankly, it's the only way to do PortAventura. It's either queue jump or be queue jumped. Your experience doesn't surprise me LC, the park is notoriously unforgiving.

The first part of this trip report did not deliver! I understand the Silver Star criticism though, it's the rollercoaster equivalent of a gentle hug.

Humidity and heat could affect software. Excessive rain could lead to floods in the building etc.

Lots of things Merlin do, they don't announce to a website/twitter, they just do it. Just because Alton Towers did a Tender loving care thing does not mean that Thorpe and Chessington have followed suit. I think the parks do deserve credit when they 'plus' an attraction, particularly as geeks, we're very hard when an attraction is refurbed in the wrong way (Tomb Blaster, I'm looking at you). If a ride is improved in some way, be that a Colossus repaint (If that ever happens) or X No Way out trains turned forwards (Which was a positive change, even if I personally don't like it), we should be more giving with our praise when its a positive change. Besides, with the examples you gave, Disney jump on the chance to promote massive changes to a ride whether that be Star Tours changed to a new version or a massive refurb of Thunder Mountain. Europa did the same with Whale Adventure.

Agreed with all, I've always found Merlin's food to be of pretty good standard and actually really good value. They offer a good range of food from your fast food to your restaurant stuff and never had any complaints.

It was far more then just Burp removed from the ride. We're talking the corny jokes, the moving props, the personality, the humour, the enjoyment. All replaced by static figures and jokes that don't make sense. The cola coaster was a clever play on words, the duck and dive revitaliser means nothing to anyone. It's just one example in which the lack of imagination went into the new Bubbleworks. The things that remained were ruined. Take the fountain finale, what were they thinking? My favourite review of the new Bubbleworks (back in 2006) http://www.s104638357.websitehome.co.uk/html/bubbleworks_main.htm

Wants better and then brings up Maurer Sohne spinner. Do we need another low throughput, unreliable attraction at Thorpe? No we don't. We have the best spinner of its type at Chessington anyway so one at Thorpe would be a waste of valuable space.

Welcome to our pain in 2005. Everything that was wonderful about Bubbleworks was ripped out, destroyed or given away ten years ago. It's probably why I am so less bothered about Gruffalo then others of a younger age because anything special about the ride went a long time ago.

2005 was a pretty awesome time when I worked at Chessie. 8 car Fury operation, 5 cars on Toadies, 5 trains on Tomb etc.

That isn't the point I'm making.

Wait a minute.. Park opening was extended to 6pm?! That was the standard summer closing when I used to work there. Jesus

Are you only using hyperbole for your post or do you genuinely believe the Gruffalo is the worst investment ever? (Edit to Add:- Genuinely thought you were talking about Pandemonium at Drayton Manor here. Then I read JoshC's trip report and got what you meant) 1) They tried to improve Bubbleworks in 2006, thats how we got this mess of a ride the first time. 2) It's throughput isn't as high as you think it is. It's only in the 400/500 bracket. 3) The basic dark ride will remain whatever the ride becomes. The current Bubbleworks is tired, messy and boring. 4) The public seem to like IP's. Look at the success of Saw, Peppa-Pig Land, Nickeldoeon Land, Thomas the Tank Engine Land, Cbeebies Land and you can see the reason why Chessington are being 'lazy' and arguing over the USP. I'm not defending that for a second but clearly there is a brain drain at Chessington in particular and they have no intent to be original anymore. This is why I gave up being a Chessington fan years ago. Gone are the days of Rodeo, Samurai, Professor Burps Bubbleworks, long loved days where the park genuinely cared about experiences. Now its all about the quick return and as you can see with attendance figures that continue to grow, the public love it. I don't which is why I haven't been for two and a half years.