August 23, 201114 yr comment_122054 German manufacturers that also have rides in the UK which DON'T have the same rules?Buccaneer and Blade don't follow the same rules...Yes they do.If you're over 1.3m you can sit at the end of the row. Between the heights you can sit in the middle. Exactly the same as Griffins with an adult on the end to stop the kids slipping out. Blade is exactly the same; if they don't follow it then that's they're problem when breaking CoSWP. Which is a legally binding document...Spinball and Fury don't follow the same rules...How AT interpret 300kg is how they interpret; however the track work that is done in comparison to Fury would be a sure fire way to display the difference of three vs whatever AT interpret it as. Do you have any idea how long Rides managers at CwOAR have worked trying to push for this but the manufacturers have had none of it?I never mentioned Falls, as all the parks follow the same rules... Why would I bother using rides to back up my arguement about Chessie's rather stringent following of H&S rules?Stringent following because rules are there to be bent, but not broken. When it comes with managing risk within a theme park which is an already dangerous place, it's a toughy. You can't just do x and then totally obliterate it in desire for guest experience of wanting four adults in a car. Surely?Look at it from the outside here, a group of 4 adults goes on Spinball and get on together, then go to Chessie and cannot... They have no knowledge of rides so to them, it will look like there are rather random rules from rides that are exactly the same won't it?Again, do you have ANY clue what you're talking about? They don't sit in meetings and play 'guess the amendment to the CoSWP' do they? They don't do it to be intentionally difficult to just wind Benin De'Giovanni up do they? Come on, for gods sake.
August 23, 201114 yr comment_122057 Never do I pretend that I know something, however, often an external look can give a much more balanced opinion of it all...The way in which rules seem to change at Chessie in some cases is remarkable to me, indeed, once Bubbleworks suddenly changed to only having 4 to 5 in the middle of the season, in order to reduce throughputs... Yet the COSWP at the time said a maximum of 4... This is what I'm getting at...From the outside, it's all rather questionable why one park gets one rule whilst another park gets another... Indeed, Fury has already tried to wind me up twice this year through the whole hoodie around the waist not being allowed and then the staff taking interaction OVER throughputs... I couldn't care less about the max 3 adults since it's been going on for so long, but surely to groups who have NEVER been to the park before it looks like a poor show?I know they do have these risk assessment meetings, I'm not an idiot, but when you see a Huss pirate ship that has one rule of a minimum AGE in GERMANY, then you have to wonder about H&S in general... Indeed, Sohne spinners seem to vary so wildly as to how many adults are allowed, in some cases it's so damn random...
August 23, 201114 yr comment_122058 Blade is exactly the same; if they don't follow it then that's they're problem when breaking CoSWP. Which is a legally binding document...Actually, lets point this out, the accompanied rule (or people on outside) is not a recommendation of the manufacturer, it's not in the blade CoSWP. It's not legally binding. It's chessington playing it safe incase something happens.The huss website has shown that recommended restrictions for their pirate ships are 1m. It's shown this for years, I noticed it in 07 and mentioned it on southparks. There is a reason why it wasn't brought in til last year .As for most of the "H&S", it's down to individual parks interpretation as to how they want to play it. Legoland prides itself on being way OTT on it's H&S, so that injury is the lowest of the low. Chessington shares the same H&S manager, and since then they've had more and more stringent (or stupid) rules, which have not benefitted the park or the guests. Coincidence? Actually, no it's not.We could throw ripsaw and rameses in here - why's it slower? It's not H&S.. it's less wear and tear, less maintenance. I can't help but imagine that fury has the same implications, and this vampire thing is obviously to do with maintenance budgets, as chains snapping is not against H&S, nor affects the health and safety of any guest or individual. The fact of life is it happens to most parks each year.Long ranty post. Done.
August 23, 201114 yr comment_122059 Never do I pretend that I know something, however, often an external look can give a much more balanced opinion of it all...The way in which rules seem to change at Chessie in some cases is remarkable to me, indeed, once Bubbleworks suddenly changed to only having 4 to 5 in the middle of the season, in order to reduce throughputs... Yet the COSWP at the time said a maximum of 4... This is what I'm getting at...From the outside, it's all rather questionable why one park gets one rule whilst another park gets another... Indeed, Fury has already tried to wind me up twice this year through the whole hoodie around the waist not being allowed and then the staff taking interaction OVER throughputs... I couldn't care less about the max 3 adults since it's been going on for so long, but surely to groups who have NEVER been to the park before it looks like a poor show?I know they do have these risk assessment meetings, I'm not an idiot, but when you see a Huss pirate ship that has one rule of a minimum AGE in GERMANY, then you have to wonder about H&S in general... Indeed, Sohne spinners seem to vary so wildly as to how many adults are allowed, in some cases it's so damn random...Well I appreciate you've come back with that answer, Benin.I agree with staff taking it probably a little too far after just one instance of a guest failure (scarf on the track, car stalling summer 2009) and interaction bar far taking the piss, especially the one you did experience at Fury sometime in the middle past. Did Bubbleworks not just get the manufacturers manual reread to find out it was actually find four 4 adults + 1 kid? I never really found out why they did change it.Thanks for an integral reply though Benin!
August 26, 201114 yr comment_122208 So I was just reading this Rollercoaster Philosophy review of Chessington and he's got Chessington's pros and cons absolutely spot on. I did feel rather humbled though that despite the parks problems, he called Vampire and Dragons Fury excellent rollercoasters and the best in their classes.
August 26, 201114 yr comment_122221 Chessie asking people for a 5 year plan on Facebook...Not sure if it's a good or bad thing... Especially when people want rides like Saw and Stealth going in...
August 26, 201114 yr comment_122229 Chessington have people paid to create proper 5 year plans; they are probably only asking people on Facebook to measure the online response, or get a vague idea of who these visitors are and what they think in general.And it has proven to be a very good way of getting attention. A lot more comments than Chessington usually get on Facebook!
August 26, 201114 yr comment_122233 Chessington have people paid to create proper 5 year plans;This insuinates that Chessie stick to their own plans for more than a month...Which is apparently from what I'm told, not always the case unfortunately.. They really need to stick with one thing and expand on it... The zoo is nice guys, but STOP FOCUSING ON IT...
August 27, 201114 yr comment_122238 But but but.. the place is called Chessington Zoo & Theme Park Rides, is it not?
September 5, 201114 yr comment_122693 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp1G0XX72-oMy summer video for the park. Feedback good or bad is welcomed!
September 5, 201114 yr comment_122694 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp1G0XX72-oMy summer video for the park. Feedback good or bad is welcomed!I want to go to Chessington now. Good vid
October 24, 201113 yr comment_125744 Random appearance on Young Apprentice... £3.80 for an ice cream? That's VERY Merlin
October 24, 201113 yr comment_125746 Surprised they didn't implement the idea of charging for ice cream cones following how well they did with the idea..
October 26, 201113 yr comment_125826 Construction fence in the zoo by Trail of the Kings entrance...All together now... "OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
October 26, 201113 yr comment_125834 OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHApart from the 'excitement' of what's going on behind there, I love their canvas on moveable metal fencing screening. It's very neat and tidy, adaptable and reusable. Better than sticking up and then paying to decorate a full chipboard wall, just to tear it down a couple of months later. Smart.
October 30, 201113 yr comment_126234 Well I found out what them construction walls were for Maybe next year guys
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126357 I think it says everything that I went from 12 visits to Chessington last year, to two this year. There's only so long you can keep being disappointed in a place. :/
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126359 I must say I agree with James, this year seemed... So different from last year... Although Hocus Pocus was as good as always... I guess the lack of new experiences that seemed to pop up every visit for me last year not happening this year (and well as the general excitement/enjoyment) just didn't happen...Maybe next year eh?
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126369 Apart from the zoo [ which operates on weekends and holidays], the ride's are now all closed. I only went there once this year and did all the rides except monkey swinger & toadies.
October 31, 201113 yr comment_126370 I would rather do Toadies and Monkey Swinger over seastorm and buccaneer any day
November 1, 201113 yr comment_126394 Buccaneer is amazing though... Seastorm is fun but for errr... interesting reasons.Wonder why kevin said finally though? Always nice to have a theme park open! Poor old chessie is first to close, not surprised though!
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