Ricky Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Whenever they arrive back from Vekoma it will be a day or two after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideAddict Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 As I missed English revision to go and ride X Fair play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkadder312 Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 any chance anyone got the theme playing on the ride its quite good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 So, I went on X today, and well...I'm a bit disappointed. First thing first - my expectations. I wasn't expecting anything amazing, but some loud music, some nice lights in different sections and for it to be a bit of fun. In turning it forwards, I knew it wouldn't be a great coaster by itself, just something that was a bit random. As a note, anyone wishing to have the experience unspoiled should stop reading now... When the ride first starts and you go up the lift hill, my first thought was 'Wow, this looks good'. You can hear the music in the distance and see the lights - this should be quite fun. You then start, and you realise the 'music in the distance' isn't really in the distance, it's as loud as it's gonna get. The light show is nice, but after a short while, the impressive of them wears of and I quickly began to feel they weren't there to wow you, but to light everything up in a slightly more creative way than turning the lights on. The breaks don't feel random any more; they feel like you've broken down. I think their effect is only suited to the ride being in the dark in honesty. As said, the wow factor of everything wears off quickly and the ride begins to bore you, instead of intrigue you (as the ride did as you continued previously). I feel quite biased in reviewing this, having a weird soft spot for X:\NWO, and I almost instinctively think to myself 'well, when it went backwards, it was like this...', which I guess is only natural. But I feel they've almost done too much. Personally, I think adding the lights and such and turning it forwards was too big a change - the ride is now a bit of bore and doesn't give you any sort of buzz. I guess the thinking was 'Turn it round for the kids and add rave-esque stuff for the adults'. Whilst I can't comment on how kids find it, the rave stuff just isn't any cop for the older target market - this is coming from someone who hates nightclubs too. The music isn't loud enough (or memorable enough...), and the lighting effects are only nice. I think it would have been better to just make the trains go forward OR add in the extra lights (and get new trains with individual lap bars if it would lower the height restriction). As I say, both changes just makes it too weak of a ride in my opinion. I guess it hasn't even been open a week though. Hopefully the sound and lighting will be tweaked as time goes on until they've found something right. Just a case of playing the waiting game... X - 5/10 pluk, SteveJ and Inferno 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inferno Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 I haven't been on it yet unfortunately. (always avoid TP at Easter ) But from everything I've heard about & read it seems that this was done on the cheap and was a bit of a bodge job. The general response seems to be "it's ok" rather than "wow that was bloody awesome". It's such a shame because it has so much potential! The laminated paper sign sellotaped over the old one says it all really... I can't wait to see this for myself though. I have never really had any sort of soft spot for X, so it will be interesting to see if it's just the nostalgia thing that people don't like about it. rOsSwA28 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marhelorpe Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Honestly, after riding it on Tuesday, I can honestly say that I thought it was just great fun to ride. Even though yes, the changes weren't going to be mind-blowing, I do personally think that X is definitely better than what it was before. I’ve got to say, I did think that the light show was impressive to look at and despite it lighting up the whole of the pyramid, it honestly didn't bother me that much. It didn't take away from the general experience the ride offered. However, one thing that I think could be improved upon that I thought was a little disappointing was (as others have said) the volume of the music. Whilst the music playing sounds good to listen too, it did feel too quiet inside the pyramid and that to me is the main issue I have with X. Before I rode it, I didn't walk in with the mind of directly comparing it to what it was like before, because since it now goes forwards, it sort-of provides an almost completely new ride experience for guests. With this open-mind, I actually thought it was enjoyable to ride and whilst it does have plenty of room for improvement, its current state is good enough to me to say it's better than X:\ No Way Out. Plus, since X is now being targeted towards the younger audience, the light show and forwards experience are ideal if this is a type of "introduction" to the larger coasters Thorpe Park has to offer (alongside with Flying Fish). Overall, as a thrill seekers experience, it still doesn't seem that appropriate. But for the younger aged audience, it seems to be ideal for them and I'm really glad Thorpe is targeting this ride for them instead of us, since it adds to the family ride line-up Thorpe has to offer. X:\ No Way Out = 4/10 X = 7/10 Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 The laminated paper sign sellotaped over the old one says it all really... This is just temporary! It cant open without displaying its restrictions so they could either do that or not open it I guess! Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammydodger Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 I rode the new X for the first time on Wednesday. For me it is a great improvement but I still can't understand why they had to turn the trains forwards. We waited about 20 minutes at the end of the day after seeing the queue reach up to an hour earlier on. The inside queue was a little bit of a disappointment because all that I notice were a few extra blue lights. When I boarded the ride I can say that the new cars feel a lot more comfortable . We turned the corner and as soon as I saw the purple lights I I knew that this was going to be a great ride. Al of the dazzling lights and the pumping music really helped raise my adrenaline. I loved the ride but the only thing was that it was too light. Overall a great improvement, well done Thorpe! ste193 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Having all those stops seems silly when travelling forwards. I know they are neccesary, but the final two sections which consist of about five seconds of ride time between the brake sections are just stupid now. ste193 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 The stops were silly when it went backwards... ste193 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 This is just temporary! It cant open without displaying its restrictions so they could either do that or not open it I guess! They have had all of the closed season and an extra month to get X ready and leaving things like old signs etc. is not up to standard... It is not a case of it being closed as they had ages to do it(4th November-27th march) so they really should be done. I don't actually see much 'improvement' in the queue line it is only the ride itself which has been done up.Having all those stops seems silly when travelling forwards. I know they are neccesary, but the final two sections which consist of about five seconds of ride time between the brake sections are just stupid now.I do have to admit this, it completely spoils the ride momentum, I haven't ridden it forwards yet however the stops were stupid when it went backwards. Even though they are stupid, they are there for a reason and it is the only way of having a high throughput.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 They have had all of the closed season and an extra month to get X ready and leaving things like old signs etc. is not up to standard... It is not a case of it being closed as they had ages to do it(4th November-27th march) so they really should be done. I don't actually see much 'improvement' in the queue line it is only the ride itself which has been done up. Maybe they wernt sure of all the restrictions till the trains were back? I know Storm Surge restrictions were changed late and ended up needing stickers stuck up all over its board.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Maybe they wernt sure of all the restrictions till the trains were back? I know Storm Surge restrictions were changed late and ended up needing stickers stuck up all over its board.. Mmmm maybe... I didn't think of that! I do have a main point linking on to this though, what have they ACTUALLY done to X except turning the trains forward, adding lights, changing the music and a couple of other things? Nothing. Even though the 'new' X is better than the old one, it is disappointing to me(this is all based off a pov I watched) and I was expecting more out of it. I think the actual ride experience is great but it is just the lead up to it which is poor. Signs still saying X no way out around the pyramid, old rotting wooden fences, old arrows and lights. I think I am more impressed with nemesis infernos queue line improvements than X. I would have liked to see new funky, colour changing lights, old arrows taken down and replaced with new ones, signs to be replaced, fences to be replaced with some nice metal ones. And even if thorpe didn't have time to do all of this(which I think they did) I hope they do make the experience better in years to come.... Just on the topic of fences, why does thorpe only use wooden fences, not metal ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 I think people maybe expected abit to much from all this. X is not a major ride to the park in any way shape or form and was never going to have a tonne of money spent on it. Like you say its an improvement and now guests as small as 1m can ride it I think thats a good move from the park and doubt we will see too much more change on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideAddict Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Does the ride still do the jerking on the brake section near the mannequins? The jerking where it feels like it can't make up it's mind? Just on the topic of fences, why does thorpe only use wooden fences, not metal ones? Most of Merlin's parks have wooden fences, cannot think of many that have metal ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Yes it still jerks. Instead sending you slightly backwards instead of forwards as it did before. So there is still a backwards element after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 I love thorpes temporary stuff. Looks ace. Surely the restrictions (bar the height) is exactly the same anyway, so could've just been left.. not like that height board is being any use whatsoever anyway. Just the type of place it is obviously.. towers changes restrictions, so gets an external company to layer over it temporarily whilst a new sign is created.. thorpe does laminated paper. As for metal, he's probably thinking towers - X Sector and the valley love metal, but that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Just the type of place it is obviously.. towers changes restrictions, so gets an external company to layer over it temporarily whilst a new sign is created.. thorpe does laminated paper. The same towers who are quite happy to open Rita looking like this.... whilst Thorpe are able to somehow fix the problem.. Swings and roundabouts! Valentez, Ryan, ste193 and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 True. It's impressive they've swapped a rubbish tunnel with a worse one. Don't think anyone was expecting that Gary 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitch Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 I was speaking to staff today and they were saying that they are waiting for the other two trains hence why the queue is longer at the moment I enjoyed it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenC Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Tried the revamped X this weekend, and whilst I wasn't expecting much, I thought what the Park had done was a significant improvement. Clearly the Park hasn't had a huge budget to do this retheme with, but the new trains are comfier, the queueline smarter, and the lights, music and theme finally give the ride a purpose. One of the things I disliked about X:\ No Way Out was the random and incoherent nature of the ride - the little backstory there was wasn't conveyed at all to the rider. It was just a series of stops and starts in the dark, and then you walk out. At least now with the "rave" theme, the Park is giving the ride a point and firmly repositioning it for the family/younger thrill seeker market. A good move IMO. I think that more self contained/innovative lighting effects would have been better (especially on the brake runs), and the music definitely needs upping in volume a notch or three - it currently sounds a bit distant. But overall, the project gets a thumbs up from me. As ever, photos and a more detailed review is over at Total Thorpe Park. Phill Pritchard, SteveJ and Inferno 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideAddict Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 I can't help but think that scaffolding tunnel near Rita is an add-on bit theming to match Thirteen's station scaffolding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProjectX Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 Have they changed the music on X already? As I have now seen two videos on Youtube and both of them are playing completely different themes? Or am I wrong and it has a playlist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge2002 Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 If it is I hope the light is still synced up to the different tracks. The best way to sum this ride up now is as an (extremely) poor mans rock 'n' roller coaster. Its everything I expected it to be. Even Merlin weren't proud enough to flaunt it everyone's faces like they usually do with minimal changes. If it were to be anything more, there would've been far more hype around it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 Its everything I expected it to be. Even Merlin weren't proud enough to flaunt it everyone's faces like they usually do with minimal changes. If it were to be anything more, there would've been far more hype around it... Which is quite right of them, I'm glad they've played it this way. Just let it be there, no fuss or shouting about it. They could have promoted is as the new big shiny turd and disappointed everyone when it turned out to be the old turd polished a little bit, but they didn't. And now people will discover it for themselves and be pleasantly surprised instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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