Coaster Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 The thing is it gets to the point that you ridicule and criticize parks so much that we can't tell when you are being serious or not as you're such a dampener to what was left of a positive vibe on many pages of threads. If I was being genuinely serious I wouldn't have used a laughing face now would I. As for being negative, there isn't much positive to talk about regarding Thorpe and Chessington at the moment, and there's no point saying "shut up and put up with it", if the park took that attitude then they would be seen as having awful customer service! Project LC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pognoi Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 There are plenty of positives! For example, a big one, the park hasn't closed! Vampire is running with another train or 2 coming soon (hopefully)! The park has had some winter maintenance on some of it's facades. None of the rides were removed. Safari skyway is open. Ride(s) have even been rethemed over the winter. There is a new hotel which is pretty lush. I used to think there was a reason for websites like this being called fansites but it seems more like they should be called: hate-as-much-as-you-can-until-you-cause-more-positive-outlooking-members-serious-cases-of-depression-sites. Thorpelover, HermanTheGerman and Chessiekid 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 I used to think there was a reason for websites like this being called fansites but it seems more like they should be called: hate-as-much-as-you-can-until-you-cause-more-positive-outlooking-members-serious-cases-of-depression-sites. Yes there is a reason these are called fansites, which is that the people on them are supposed to care about the park - if I wasn't a fan of theme parks then I wouldn't give two hoots whether they were being run well, in good condition, opening their rides and any other issues, being a fan is all about picking out the pros and cons of the park in question and I don't see the point in not posting anything negative when there clearly are issues which should, in many cases be resolved. For example, a big one, the park hasn't closed! If this is seen as a positive point then that speaks volumes about the state of the park. Vampire is running with another train or 2 coming soon (hopefully)! Without being rude, I am not going to give them credit for opening a ride three weeks (or however long it was) later than they should have done. However, if it does return to three trains then I will be very pleasantly surprised and they will be credited! Safari skyway is open. Again, this is basic expectation. Having a ride open should not be seen as a positive or something to be praised, it's what should be expected of any park. None of the rides were removed. That's good, but again I don't see why I should credit a park for not removing any of their rides, it's not something you praise in most cases. A post of "Chessington are doing well at the moment, they haven't removed any rides!" just sounds silly. Project LC, TPJames, AstroDan and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 All this hate on Chessington that it's obviously their fault that Vampire opened 3 weeks late because we have to jump to the conclusion that they started maintenance on it late. Rubbish. All rides get started on at the beginning. Park can't exactly help it if something goes drastically wrong in testing that ruins the system and they have to wait for parts to be made. It's the same with people moaning about Detonator... yet that was open on AP day so the park are just waiting for a part that's failed since it had been open. Again not their fault. You could take your car in for a service and it's fine then the next week your head gasket blows and you don't have a car for a week. Things happen. Whilst we talk about not removing rides, yes it's something you'd not expect to happen but parks still do it all the time and even leave their structure looming over the park for years (boom at least Chessington have a all be it poorly routed open skyway unlike a certain northern park that closed it and left the track and stations for years). Hate on one park, you can hate on them all. Thorpelover and huzzellio 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Whilst we talk about not removing rides, yes it's something you'd not expect to happen but parks still do it all the time and even leave their structure looming over the park for years (boom at least Chessington have a all be it poorly routed open skyway unlike a certain northern park that closed it and left the track and stations for years). Hate on one park, you can hate on them all. Believe me, BPB has had a lot of negativity from me recently, have a look at the negatives on my most recent TR if you want evidence, I'm not happy with that park at all at the moment. Anyway, what on earth does Blackpool Pleasure Beach's monorail have to do with Chessington? That's a stupid comparison, it's just like me saying (boom at least BPB haven't rethemed Valhalla to Imperial Leather), pointless and not relevant to the discussion about Chessington. You seem to think I am of the opinion that Pleasure Beach can do no wrong, you couldn't be further from the truth if that is the case! Also, just to add, Thorpe have done exactly the same thing with their train yet BPB still operates theirs. More to the point, it's not a case of "hating" on a park, I don't automatically hate Chessington or Thorpe, I actually think that they are quite good parks, but they have a lot of issues which really shouldn't be there. All this hate on Chessington that it's obviously their fault that Vampire opened 3 weeks late because we have to jump to the conclusion that they started maintenance on it late. Rubbish. All rides get started on at the beginning. Park can't exactly help it if something goes drastically wrong in testing that ruins the system and they have to wait for parts to be made. It's the same with people moaning about Detonator... yet that was open on AP day so the park are just waiting for a part that's failed since it had been open. Again not their fault. But there's got to be a reason why it happens in Chessington and Thorpe but not Alton Towers (as often), or some European parks. This level of ride reliability is past defending now, two months into a season there should not still be significant downtime (this is more Thorpe than Chessington to be honest though). Yes these things do happen on occasion but it's become a regular occurrence at these two parks in particular, getting to the end of April with three rides closed by default is laughable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 -Safari skyway is open. It's kind of sad when people see this as a positive (same thing for Slammer and Thorpe). This is just a negative in disguise really. -There is a new hotel which is pretty lush. As a positive, this feels a bit forced to me. Yes, having a new / good hotel is fabulous for the resort as a whole. But for people who don't stay at the hotel or use its facilities (which is presumably the majority of guests), it means nothing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a new hotel is a negative thing - it is a very good thing - but I wouldn't see it as an 'on-the-whole' positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewumbrajumbos Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Negativity is real well hey they pumped out a fantastic new show for kids this year Celia Mae 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 There is a reason there is so much negativity for chessington. It seems to be left in such a state all the time. Yes we see touch ups around the place, but I fear they too will be as difficult as everything else is at Chessington if H&S keep trying to enforce their 'no ladder' use for staff. Yes this is an actual thing. Tell me again why chessington is such a state? Imagineer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Back to Bubbleworks, any word on whether it's back to full capacity yet? Surely topping the ride up with water shouldn't take too long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Maybe they had been struggling through this spring drought the same way my pond has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Yup slightly ironic that we've had more rain here today than the last 3 months combined (we're a few miles south of Chessie). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterio Ka Posted April 26, 2015 Report Share Posted April 26, 2015 Bubbles looked back to normal yesterday, water levels were definitely normal and there were no gaps on the conveyor so I guess they had a good amount of tubs on too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrortomb Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 Can anyone tell me the name of the scent used for Bubbleworks (the oil in the oil burner)? And is it possible to find a similar one to buy??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 The aroma in the last couple of years has been tea tree (and a hefty bit of chlorine). I think it used to be oranges and berries, a kind of bubblegum smell. It was quite unique, hard to describe. You can probably get similar scents to buy for commercial or personal use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 The aroma in the last couple of years has been tea tree (and a hefty bit of chlorine). Tbh chlorine is all I ever get whenever I ride it. Mad Coaster Man 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm sure the original original smell, which was strongest right at the start of the ride, was grape. A can of KA grape juice smells just like it used to. Kerfuffle and SteveJ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 They do say smell is the sense most associated with memory. I do remember when I was a bit younger I'd put theme parks to the back of my mind, but one day I found a (probably grape) candle in my house and smelt it, it WAS the Bubble Works, right there embodied in wax. All my dreams came rushing back in a split second. And so started years of obsession with dark rides pluk, Mysterio Ka, terrortomb and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dk3 Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Moving on from the smell.....I was there last Wednesday and the fountains weren't working. I was back again yesterday and guess what? The fountains weren't working. I think we can safely assume that they've been down for the whole week. The ride's so 'lacking' that it's only worth riding for the finale so it was such a bore. There should be a sign up warning you not to bother! Without the fountains you can really see just how dreadful that back room is (and still no strobes or mirrors). Cal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 No wonder Merlin are so arrogant, what will it take to stop people visiting a place that is so lackluster? I can hear the meetings now; 'Just get the ride open. Any ride, is better than no ride.' dk3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyrose-66 Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 I guess they're damned if they do and damned if they don't... Obviously having the fountains out of operation (especially that long) is really bad. But imagine if they'd closed the ride until they fixed it? With Rattlesnake and Fury out of operation, the last thing they needed was to close another very popular ride, even if it does look ghastly! dk3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 The whole point of the ride is the fountains. Particularly since they trashed it. Marketing could always do the same as they did with falls; 'we know it looks awful, but we're re-developing it for next year' (then obviously do utterly nothing). dk3 and OldFarmerDean 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyrose-66 Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Well, we all know that Bubbleworks is in a desperate need to some proper TLC. We hoped it was happening in the closed season as they never opened it throughout the Festive Zoo Days, but alas it didn't happen. I suspect the fountains being off is a temporary measure whilst they fix a problem with them. But as I said, I guess they thought it would be even worse if they'd had the whole ride closed, given that they are already without 2 major attractions. dk3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Oh dear, not this again (fountain-less finale). However I think with Fury And Rattle down for the moment, they need every ride possible to remain open especially with the busy school day trips just around the corner now (hopefully a full ride line up will soon become availible as they do need it there). I just hope the long rumoured refurbishment takes place next closed season as the ride looks rather poor at the moment (before the fountains broke) and I think it's time Chessington started shifting focus again to the themepark as all the zoo now is in a great state now. dk3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 A simple fountain arch should not be rocket science to keep running, especially when it's probably the only effect Bubbleworks has. Kerfuffle and dk3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyrose-66 Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Yes, in theory a fountain arch should be simple to sort out, but as someone who had a new bathroom fitted last year and had huge problems with a very small pump, which took a long time to resolve and 3 different plumbers, it might not be as straight forward as it seems. (that is assuming it is a problem with the pumps!) I know Chessington gets a lot of stick over the maintenance of areas of the park, and theming (I'm looking at you Dragon Falls!) but I am sure they will be working to try to get it repaired as quickly as they possibly can. Mysterio Ka, dk3 and Adam P 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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