Mark9

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Way too many staff members on it and not enough people riding. I'm surprised it's opening during off peak at all to be honest.

Prescisely. Gone are the days where one ride like Buccaneer are closed, now you're lucky to even get 75% ride availability. Chessington in particular, really shouldn't have opened as it was just a Zoo day with Falls and Rattlesnake thrown in.

I'd rather they planned properly, used the four month closure efficiently and get the rides running on time. You bring up Rumba and Tidal Wave having massive downtime last year. So they knew six months ago that both needed more work then per usual. Also the Blade thing seems to be a no choice thing, imposed on them by Merlin budget cutting. We live in a crazy world where there isn't physically anything wrong with Blade and it's closing and yet Slammer and Samurai, which are pretty much beyond saving are continually being invested in. It's crazy. The closed rides list wouldn't be so bad if those two just left.

I find it difficult to understand why people are defending the parks for all these ride closures, when our parks have these four months of closures every winter. If it's too much pressure to get these rides open for the AP days then they shouldn't be happening.

Very old is Big Dipper or the Coney Island Cyclone. Poorly scheduled maintenance on Tidal Wave and Rumba Rapids is really down to Thorpe. Slammer could almost be excused and Samurai shouldn't be in the park any more.

One ride is unfortunate, two rides is bad. Five rides... unacceptable.

We KNOW it isn't Disney. No one is pretending that it is Disney. The problem is, they price themselves in a way that people expect Disney. What they actually get is less then Six Flags provide.

Aww I shall miss Blade. I mean I never rode it really but it had its place. Who remembers the days off the meandering old queue line. Good times. I'm sure Astrodan will now trump me with his memories riding it as a proper pirate ship. God dang it.

They couldn't even be bothered to put this one back together, It's a bloody outrage I tell ya.

You mean that gorgeous view over Staffordshire does nothing for you? Imagine how gorgeous that view would be on a sunny day. I wouldn't pay £50 for it, but the views are good nonetheless.

More then just a few trees then. When did TPM become this moany, I feel like I've missed that memo (Although in saying that, £50 is too much for a track walk).

1. The first time I've realised there is VIP hate was when Astrodan bought up the hate for the VIP pass on Towers Street. Until then I was pleasantly naive. 2. Agreed, standard pass holders can be incredibly rude and obnoxious too.

So you mean like this.. CRINGE

The cars would be ready to go by this point. If the track was still not a complete circuit, that's the hold up.

Can't wait. I'll be in that Austrian beer garden come May, I just know it.

The Merlin overlords needed a new Champagne bar.

I'm so chilled out I'm practically comatose.

Name those parks.

Training.

If anything, the number of VIP passes will increase. Merlin have a history of diluting the concept of several of their passes after all and if the market is there of willing buyers, there can be no doubt that it's not only here to stay, but that it will also grow.

Jesus man. Both parks should be at full ride availability, they both have four months of closure. Chessington is worse then Thorpe here, its three most popular rides all closed.

Well I suppose Adventurer Services need to get into the rhythm of things too. The real tragedy is no Griffins

Besides, backwards on an Inverter isn't that good. It's different but it's far less intense then going forwards.

You could just go a week later if the concern is really that burning. It's likely to be a quiet a week later anyway as there's always a period of quiet before the main season kicks in.

/\ This guy just made me feel old =(