Fantastic podcast. John Wardley is fascinating to listen to and his appreciation for the work hes done is intoxicating. Now a days, all that is ever spoken about is the new rides. it's all new, new, new, the future.Hearing a discussion about the old Vampire, Burps Bubbleworks, Cwoa's Runaway Train, Haunted House and Nemesis reminds me of the magic that I saw in theme parks when I was a kid.Thanks for the link Sheepie, wicked.

Aw cool, glad people are enjoying it! I'm still not over it myself, listened to it three times. Lol. What I also find interesting is the collective he uses when describing about the new B&M product. He goes from talking about Nemesis, Oblivion and Air, and then goes on to say "we're now working with B&M on their next new product".I interpret that as suggesting that Alton will have another "first" B&M within the coming years. Maybe I'm over speculating, but he uses the term, "we," whenever he refers to Alton Towers. Exciting stuff.Don't forget that he is going back on the show around the time SW6 opens, obviously to talk about the new ride in great depth, but to also talk more about some of the other rides he's been involved with. Woo.

Yeah, this was a great listen, and like you Sheepie, I've listened to it more than once! :DI also believe, that the way he talks about the "New" B&M, that it is destined for the Towers, or at least a Merlin Park.What could it be... :DPossibly a Sit Down Version of Vampire, if you get what I mean. <_<Where, the seats sort of rock, a combination of a 4D coaster, and swinging coaster. I wish I was good enough with paint, so I could explain through a diagram.

^ I get what you mean.

Merlin Entertainments have bought Cypress Gardens, just outside Orlando, Florida. It's a small park in comparison to the big daddies out there but it's interesting nonetheless.Click! Shows a document, displaying "Merlin Entertainments Group Florida" as grantee.http://www.cypressgardens.com

Woah, that's a nice surprise :PI would love to see what they do with that place, I was in that area a couple of years and did consider going there but chose not to.

http://www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCentre.co.uk/

Oh wicked, To be honest untill just now I had no idea what a Legoland Discovery Center would be like, and I must say I'm pleastly surprised Just a very small Legoland by the looks of it

brb seaworld

brb seaworld

I presume this is some reference to This Story that a trainer at the SeaWorld park in Orlando, Florida, has died after being attacked by a killer whale.Tragic and really does open up the debate do such attractions simply go to far and ask too much from animals.

Officials are saying however that it could have been an accident. Personally I dont get how. But then I do agree with the animal rights activists that they do keep the whales in "a bathtub compared to what they were used to"

Well yes that was the reference; it just goes to prove even further that the animals are in distress when in such small enclosures compared to the whole of the worlds oceans.I think keeping a bird in an aviary is a lot different to keep a bloody Whale in a swimming pool!

I wonder why it happened now though, the shows have been going long enough with few incidents really? I know there have been a few before, but considering how many shows go without a hitch, it surprises me really.I do agree that the conditions they are kept in are fairly poor, but people can't expect anything else from a theme park really can they? Not every park has space for acres and acres of savannah like Animal Kingdom.

Well the Killer Whale has a past history of violence so it was only expected that it'd blow some time soon.

I heard that's the third person that whale has killed, if that's true why the hell do they still have it?

Yeah the killer whale is being kept by SeaWorld, despite this.

Yes the whale had been involved with fatal incidents before, but this time it is reported that the whale jumped up and grabbed the trainer by her ponytail, it is likely objects similar to the toys dogs have were used to help train the whales and the whale could have thought that was what it was.It hadn't had a serious incident for a good few years.Also, I read somewhere else, that following filming for the film "Free Willy" the whale was released, and seeked Human contact, because it coudln't get any it lost weight and in the end the trainers had to feed it until it died.This really is an isolated incident in my opinion and the shows will, sooner or later carry on as normal.

A killer whale killed someone? Well I never...

Surely the person that died, knew it was a Killer Whale?Just a thought.......

I heard she didnt have any kids and treated the whales and dolphins as her children.So at lest she went by doing something she loved.

LEGOLAND have their 3rd new land in 3 years: Pirate Landing which is a retheme of the old piratish area with the addition of a pirate ship. One thing ive noticed about the map though - no jungle coaster... REALLY? its the most thrilling ride... I reckon they're making space for ANOTHER new land for 2011 around there. Any thoughts?

Yep jungle coaster is gone due to complaints, I think noise id the probleme

Also, it's unlikely there is going to be a new land there as if I'm correct planning permission has already been granted for a hotel on that space ?

ahhhh... interesting. bit of a shame though

I don't think so, anything else built there would have the same problems as Jungle Coaster. Especially as the Jungle Coaster was actually a pretty quiet coaster.