Matt 236 Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 And make the entrance more grand and exciting. On another note, re-reroute the queue and bring back the original entrance. Kerfuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I went to Chessington with my parents earlier this year. The first ride we went on was Vampire (as I'm sure is the same for many visitors) and the first comment my Dad had to say about the whole park that day while walking through that empty queue line was something like "This hasn't been painted for ages has it? What a dump". Great first impression huh? As ever, it could so easily (and cheaply) be wery good. It has dense foliage making it feel quite secluded apart from the Vampire flying overhead, it has a grand entrance begging to be used, it has no cattlepen and it has the space and design that could accommodate nice simple but cohesive theming pieces building to your visit to the Vampires lair. What it actually has is a messy understated entrance, horrible cheap metal railings at various angles in a combination of three variously warn through clashing colours and bare metal, a patchwork of poorly repaired flooring, rubbish (actual ready for the bin rubbish) that once was theming littering the edges making no sense and bringing nothing with it and a station that although much improved from a couple of years back is still a shadow of its former self and far too light and noisy to be atmospheric. There's only one reason it is like this, an absolute lack of care or effort from the park. The management must have walked that queue and thought 'ah, that'll do'. Well it shouldn't. Coaster, Fred, SteveJ and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 As a small note towards pathways around Chessie, quite a fair few of them are affected by the ground shifting (cos of hills and nature being a bitch), hence the poor state of quite a fair few bits of the tarmac... Of course, doesn't give reason as to why the rest of the park looks so crap... Don't think it's been touched since it was redone 11 years ago... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 They did re-tarmac the main path outside Hocus Pocus down towards the main gate this year. I wonder how much money they will get for scrapping Ramesess, they may be able to afford to repair more paths! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Silver Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 Ah, my first Roller Coaster. I was very angry when my head kept banging into the harness, but I still enjoyed this ride because of how smooth and thrilling it is. I have been on it over 2 times and I never tire of it. I am crying right now just thinking about my first time riding this beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 You should write the novel fifty shades of coaster curves. It would sell incredibly well to Theme Park Review and the RCCGB. EC!, Adam P, Merry-go-girl and 6 others 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon2000 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 I have been on it over 2 times and I never tire of it. So you've been on it 3 times? 4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis. Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 I'm liking Vampire's new (to me) disabled entrance, I was dreading those sodding stairs. None of us got to see our photos though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1hrisin Posted August 6, 2013 Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 I haven't been to chessington in a while but when did they make the modifications to the building in the background? I swear it was different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted August 6, 2013 Report Share Posted August 6, 2013 Start of the season, there was a whole furore over it because of the removal of the Counts Cauldron theming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 There recently has been numerous complaints on Chessie's Facebook about the bad queues Vampires been receiving lately (not a surprise with it exceeding 2 hours) in which Chessie have responded that due to H&S, it can no longer run on three and can only run a maximum of 2 now. Still feels like its just an excuse to not bother, though the train waiting on lift 2 does feel like one of several reasons as to why they don't run it on 3 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 There recently has been numerous complaints on Chessie's Facebook about the bad queues Vampires been receiving lately (not a surprise with it exceeding 2 hours) in which Chessie have responded that due to H&S, it can now longer run on three and can only run a animus of 2 now. Still feels like its just an excuse to not bother, though the train waiting on lift 2 does feel like one of several reasons as to why they don't run it on 3 now. It's bollocks (Excuse my French). The ride runs perfectly safely on three trains and it's down to cost cutting (maintaining three trains costs more then maintaining two) that the third train has been canablized. Merry-go-girl, Fred, BigBobJones and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 And that the staff kept stacking it on the 3rd train on the 2nd lift... Weird how it worked for about 10 years on 3 Vekoma trains without any form of incident that was down to because there were 3 running at the time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 I suppose it is down to health and safety in some respects, as I can imagine using a train that they have removed lots of parts from would indeed be quite dangerous! As you may have noticed before, I hate this use of h&s excuses. Why don't they simply say they only use two trains as they only have two trains? Simple non lie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 I have been frustrated at Chessington ever since they removed train 3 at the end 2011 because I haven't queued less than 45 minutes since 2012 when I've visited and it annoys me how the staff still manage to stack train 2 in the brake run before the station for up to 30 seconds sometimes. Some where in the Vampire's maintenance area are a number of objects that were once train 3 and once fully assembled could still work perfectly. Is it just me or during the pre-floor less days, train 3 wouldn't wait on lift 2 and instead would wait behind train 2 in the brake run if stacking occurred as the bat trains were slightly shorter. Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 He shares a lot of technical information I only pretend to understand, but perhaps there's a slight explanation here? Vampire behind the scenes track walk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 In all honesty with the speed the load guests up they might as well get rid of the second train and have one train operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 they were only running on one train when I visited back in june... the park wasn't exactly busy and it easily had a 30min+ queue! although I did hear around that time there was a problem with the second train? they do have a lot more rows on vampire than a lot of coasters - but yes when I was there even with one train they didn't seem to be in a rush to get the ride through - kids getting on rides don't help though with not know what to do and not opening their seatbelts, and the restraints getting stuck as you have to pull them towards you - even if they did an announcement (which they don't) the kids probably wouldn't listen, so it's not all chessies fault, but so much more could be done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted August 26, 2013 Report Share Posted August 26, 2013 Every time I go they do an announcement to pull the restraints in towards, but every other kid ignores this. Even when they say "Un-do you seatbelts" most people ignore. The number of times you see people try and leave a ride and the restraint won't open as they have not un-done their seat belts. For me I do wonder is people are just stupid. For example they get on to a ride and there is obviously a seat belt, so why do they ignore it? Are they like this when they get into a car? They should have a countdown timer like they have on other rides at other parks, as soon as the train enters the station, they have x seconds to get everyone off and the next batch of guests on. With the Vampire, they have such a huge station which can easily handle having the next three train loads of guests waiting in line, but they insist on on filling the rows up once the train leaves meaning that the train is more than often waiting for guests to board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 Every time I go they do an announcement to pull the restraints in towards, but every other kid ignores this. Wanna know why? Cos most little kids are just plain stupid BigBobJones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 It's a weird one really, because it's such a psychological barrier to guests that bars have to be pushed in towards themselves to be released (see also, Flying Fish)... So naturally, when they push the bar away from them to get out (the logical thing) and it doesn't work, they panic... Then usually a member of staff (or more recently, another guest) pushes it down for them and they live to fight another day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted September 6, 2013 Report Share Posted September 6, 2013 The annoying thing is if people listened to the instructions or attempted to use common sense they would be out in seconds. If I am in a location, I always try to observe what others are doing and take in what is around me, there are so many people in a world of their own, it makes me want to shout "Yes you are holding everybody up as you didn't listen" (Minus any swear words I may be thinking) The worst guest for me was a girl who took 6 minutes to put her shoes on after ignoring the signs and staff on Oblivion, people like this should be kick off the ride for holding every one up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted September 7, 2013 Report Share Posted September 7, 2013 The worst guest for me was a girl who took 6 minutes to put her shoes on after ignoring the signs and staff on Oblivion, people like this should be kick off the ride for holding every one up. That reminds me of when I went to Alton last week: I missed one of my Smiler ride photos cos this guy in the train in front had to get off cos he wasnt wearing shoes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted September 7, 2013 Report Share Posted September 7, 2013 Did you know if you ask nicely, Picsolve can often go back and bring up the photo if it has gone off the screens? Thorpe did it for me last year when we had a long delay at the bag claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted September 16, 2013 Report Share Posted September 16, 2013 Oh I was so shocked on Saturday I had to ride the Vampire for a second time as I could not believe my eyes. It was the first time this year that they were... *cough* running a good operation. They were sending out the train before the other one was hitting the brake run. When on the ride you didn't sit in the dark section, the train continued straight into the station. Was this just a fluke or have they changed their ways.... Coaster, pluk and dragon2000 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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