March 14, 20187 yr comment_256579 I'm probably in the minority view here, but I happen to really like the snake skin design on those trains along with it's colour, makes it look more unique and less bland compared to being a single flat colour. Quite reminiscent of Helix's trains which look as though they have scales on them, though not as noticeable as Icon's here I must admit. Will these trains have side lighting in addition to frontal lights does anyone know? Besides from that, this looks amazing!!!
March 14, 20187 yr comment_256584 Absolutely beautiful! Coaster, if anything it will be running faster when it opens, as things will still be being fine tuned and bedded in during testing. Can't wait doesn't quite cut it in this instance!
March 14, 20187 yr comment_256585 Looks good. Shame the video had those silly slow-mo bits cut in for no reason, but I digress... Yeah, I imagine this is the slowest it can go, so if anything it'll be a bit quicker / snappier. So good to see Mack goodness grace the UK
March 14, 20187 yr comment_256603 It looks really snappy already for a Mack-Launch so I'm guessing some of the turns by opening day are going to be really forceful. I never thought it would be BPB giving us such a gift, but oh my god I can't wait to ride this beauty.
March 17, 20187 yr comment_256668 'Theme Park Updates' has another update with loads of testing photos. Here's my favourite one: That gap between the the wheel and track on the left hand side
March 21, 20187 yr comment_256752 Some awesome footage released by Pleasure Beach Experience today with interviews from Nick Thompson and Alex Payne, and some POV footage! Also, the music sounds awesome!
March 22, 20187 yr comment_256773 I really hope this goes well for them and kudos to the park for bringing something so popular amongst enthusiasts (a Mack Launch) and making it somewhat different to the UK offering. However, it is still a slow launch coaster. And whilst I was holding higher expectations for Icon over Wicker Man having Now experienced the latter I’m somewhat paranoid that this isn’t going to match the overall experience of what towers have pulled off.
March 23, 20187 yr comment_256774 It won't match, because Wicker Man is a sum of parts attraction (take away one thing, and the experience is lessened). Icon is a bog standard coaster with minimal bells and whistles. As such, you can't really directly compare them...
March 23, 20187 yr comment_256789 Depends what you want Flipper... The best roller coaster type in the World with little to no theming but loads of interactions with other rides and itself. or What I've been informed is a "good" coaster with lots of immersive theming, a storyline, special effects and lots of hype attached. Each to his own and all that.
March 23, 20187 yr comment_256808 Wickerman does look like fairly good fun- but I think its really leagues below Icon in terms of the ride itself. Icon may not have all the special effects that will be neglected 5 years down the line, but it will make it up with its incredible layout and the awesomeness which is called Mack.
March 23, 20187 yr comment_256813 The full ICON soundtrack is now available to purchase on iTunes. Definitely worth a purchase, it's absolutely stunning - the choir is just lush. Well done to BPB (and of course the composer "The Notable Stranger") for putting the effort into such a long, original soundtrack. Fantastic
March 24, 20187 yr comment_256816 On 22/03/2018 at 10:29 PM, Flipper said: I really hope this goes well for them and kudos to the park for bringing something so popular amongst enthusiasts (a Mack Launch) and making it somewhat different to the UK offering. However, it is still a slow launch coaster. And whilst I was holding higher expectations for Icon over Wicker Man having Now experienced the latter I’m somewhat paranoid that this isn’t going to match the overall experience of what towers have pulled off. We've got two high quality rollercoasters being built, one from a manufacturer that hasn't opened a rollercoaster in the UK for years and a ride type that hasn't seen any attention since 1996. Regardless of which is better, I'm glad that the mould has been broken and that something different is now there. Wicker Man is probably more important to me to be successful, I'd love to see more woodies open in the UK whereas the chances of another Mack like Icon opening are pretty remote.
March 25, 20187 yr comment_256843 Both coasters are looking very good yet very different at the same time. One is an immersive woodie with special effects and a pre-show, whereas the other is a sleek styled and modern launch coaster that interacts with numerous other attractions. Wicker will probably be more successful in the shorter term, with it’s advertisement and publishing, whereas Icon I expect more-so in the medium to longer term, when more people start riding it (subject to positive reviews). 2018 has arguably been the best year for new rides this decade.
March 25, 20187 yr comment_256849 I’m not denying that they’re both great in their own way; but, I can’t oversee that (theming ruled out) we’ve got a surprisingly good woodie and a mediocre 40-odd miles per hour launch coaster. I understand it’s the overall concept of ICON abut Wicker Man is delivering such a massive performance I can’t help but feel that it’ll fall like 1994 where Nemesis and PMBO were such big hitters that Shockwave didn’t really affect anybody and just continues to ‘exist’
March 25, 20187 yr comment_256851 If it's anything like Blue Fire or Helix, mediocre will not be sufficient description of it... Where's the 40mph coming from? RCDB has it down at 52mph...
March 25, 20187 yr comment_256852 It will launch at 75kph/46.6mph on launch 1 and 85kph/52.8mph on launch 2.
April 1, 20187 yr comment_257082 Great operations at BPB for the past few days, managed 34 rides yesterday and almost the same today - vs 7 at Alton Towers last Sunday! The place has its flaws but still offers a much more enjoyable day out IMO. The park does feel like it's missing something without Wild Mouse though, the fountain area is so depressing now
April 2, 20187 yr comment_257094 6 hours ago, Coaster said: The park does feel like it's missing something without Wild Mouse though, the fountain area is so depressing now But the Mouse lives on, in tiny little chunks of butchered wood at £19.99 a piece! Joking aside, the park is missing a bit of common thought process IMO. Mouse is gone, Trauma Towers is gone cool. Future development sure... but couldn’t they have at least put something over the back of Alice to hide the grubby grey wall? It’s quite a shabby look for an area they tried with... I wanted to say not that long back but I worked in FY4 when I was 16, so nearly ten years have been and gone, holy hell. Bitch still. This is the main walkway to ICON this year and first impressions, it isn’t great.
April 2, 20187 yr comment_257095 30 minutes ago, Flipper said: But the Mouse lives on, in tiny little chunks of butchered wood at £19.99 a piece! Joking aside, the park is missing a bit of common thought process IMO. Mouse is gone, Trauma Towers is gone cool. Future development sure... but couldn’t they have at least put something over the back of Alice to hide the grubby grey wall? It’s quite a shabby look for an area they tried with... I wanted to say not that long back but I worked in FY4 when I was 16, so nearly ten years have been and gone, holy hell. Bitch still. This is the main walkway to ICON this year and first impressions, it isn’t great. Totally agree, it's a terrible first impression with the back of River Caves, Ghost Train and Alice in full view - and of course it'll never be the same without that Mouse "sound" ringing through the area.
April 2, 20187 yr comment_257107 I really was trying to see the good in BPB but I take back anythig positive I said the other day, they closed TWO HOURS earlier than the advertised time today! An absoloute disgrace to paying guests, and as season pass holders nothing is given to rectify the situation. We'd planned around the advertised 7pm closing time so visited the Tower attractions in the morning, only to head up to BPB for the afternoon to find it closing at 5pm. It was raining lightly but otherwise the weather was fine, The Big One and Flying Machines were operating so high winds clearly weren't an issue. The park was quiet but when you advertise an "earliest ride closing time" and sell wristbands/allow people to plan their visits around these times, you can't then go and cut two hours out of people's day. In addition their "word's best dark ride" is still in a horrible state and broken, didn't get a single bit of fire yesterday. And they demolished Wild Mouse. Sod them.
April 2, 20187 yr comment_257113 Well, the park clearly need to hire a better PR team. Least they offer a good ride variety, but yes the Alice wall would be nice if they covered it. Then again, I’d definitely take Icon over these because the park did need a new major star attraction.
April 3, 20187 yr comment_257114 8 hours ago, Coaster said: I really was trying to see the good in BPB but I take back anythig positive I said the other day, they closed TWO HOURS earlier than the advertised time today! An absoloute disgrace to paying guests, and as season pass holders nothing is given to rectify the situation. We'd planned around the advertised 7pm closing time so visited the Tower attractions in the morning, only to head up to BPB for the afternoon to find it closing at 5pm. It was raining lightly but otherwise the weather was fine, The Big One and Flying Machines were operating so high winds clearly weren't an issue. The park was quiet but when you advertise an "earliest ride closing time" and sell wristbands/allow people to plan their visits around these times, you can't then go and cut two hours out of people's day. In addition their "word's best dark ride" is still in a horrible state and broken, didn't get a single bit of fire yesterday. And they demolished Wild Mouse. Sod them. I’ve noticed you’ve had this problem with them a lot - it’s certainly not great customer service and closing 2 hours earlier than advertised is bad, there’s no real other way round it. Have you ever complained to the park direct to see if the shed anymore light onto why? I suspect it’s just when they feel it’s too quiet to stay open later but they really should do things the other way round, advertising an earlier close time and then extending if needed.
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