James6 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 hello , Made one of the biggest mistakes of my life ( slight exaggeration ) chose Thorpe . Don't have a clue why I did to be honest. Going to post a trip report on why it was so bad in Thorpe park trip reports as I dont feel this topic is the right one to express how livid and let down I currently am by Thorpe park.I would also like to say thanks very much for the help last night that I wish I had listened to you guys more and chosen chessington. I guess my favourite ride ( SAW) just drawed me to it today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan9 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Rush runs in the rain fine..Only rides effected by rain at Thorpe is Inferno, and some times Stealth will have a couple of rollbacks. Apart from that the rides will run, but you will be warned they may be uncomfortable in such weather. If it starts to storm, all rides will shutdown, just like they will at Cwoa etc.I've never seen Samurai run in the rain either. Others might have seen it though, in which case just ignore me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James6 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I noticed today , while discussing with Paul, Chessington, a very under-invested park, especcially compared to Thorpe , still offers a better day out of a higher quality. Only thing for me is that there still isnt enough to spend a whole day there I don't think , lets hope for a few more good rides in the next couple of years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I noticed today , while discussing with Paul, Chessington a very under-invested park, especcially compared to Thorpe , yet still offers a better day out of a higher quality. Only thing for me is that there still isnt enough to spend a whole day there I don't think , lets hope for a few more good rides in the next couple of years I think the irony of Chessington is that despite the lack of investment in the rides department, the park is still able to attract over a million people every year on the strength of its name alone. Over in the polls section Thorpe is quite easily thrashing Chessington as the favourite park to visit out of the two. But this is a completely biased forum as most of us on here are thrillseekers and like the big rides. What we forget is that rides are for everyone and the sheer variety of things to do at Chessington puts it well above Thorpe Park.James you said there's not enough to do at Chessington but I really do beg to differ. If you think of it as a family unit, you've got all the different kinds of rides, the zoo and all its shows and feeding times, the many things going on around the park and probably more stuff thats slipped my mind right now.My point being the rides at Thorpe you could ride anywhere else in the world (and ironically rides like Colossus, Stealth, Fish and all the flats can be). There's nowhere in the world where you can get rides like Tomb Blaster, Dragons Fury, Dragon Falls, Bubbleworks, Safari Skyway and Vampire. Even the common rides such as Rameses Revenge, Rattlesnake and Runaway Train's are themed beyond what they would be at many, many parks. And here ends the Chessington praise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James6 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Actually I agree with you completely, I've never thought about it like that and how unique the chessington rides are. And I didn't take into account the zoo. So actually there is probably enough for a whole day , I do wish however, that there was another "big"ish ride there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I also agree 100% of what Mark said. I would like ot see another ride like Dragon's Fury or Vampire though but Chessington may not have much ride funding, but what park can get higher gate figures.Also, a busy day at chessington is NEVER the same as THORPE PARK.e.g.Vampire = 50 minsColossus = 180 mins.Once again, I agree 100% to what Mark said.Also, does anyone know what the queues were like today at Chessington & Zoo?Just Curious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Does anyone know what the queues were like today at Chessington & Zoo?Just Curious!Average queue times coming your way!Dragons Fury 40 minutesVampire 40 minutesTomb Blaster 20 minutesRattlesnake 30 minutesRunaway Train 30 minutesDragon Falls 15 minutesBubbleworks 25 minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Average queue times coming your way!Dragons Fury 40 minutesVampire 40 minutesTomb Blaster 20 minutesRattlesnake 30 minutesRunaway Train 30 minutesDragon Falls 15 minutesBubbleworks 25 minutes Thank you! Anything you don't know about Chessington?! Unusual to see Dragon's Fury to be the same as Vampire.Either you lot on Dragon's Fury are speeding up or Vampire are slowing down. (bad example if Vampire slowing down for me stating wanting to work in Area 1 ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Queues are weird at Chessington. At one point Fury's queue was at 35 minutes, Runaway Trains was at 50. It's because guests move round the park in the same way so instead of every ride being busy, rides are busy and empty at certain times.For instance on an average day, Fury is always the busiest at the beginning of the day but its queue time goes down by half around lunchtime. After lunch the other rides such as Runaway train, Tomb Blaster, Bubbleworks and Rattlesnake get really busy whilst Fury and Vampire remain quite short.(Chessington Geek) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Queues are weird at Chessington. At one point Fury's queue was at 35 minutes, Runaway Trains was at 50. It's because guests move round the park in the same way so instead of every ride being busy, rides are busy and empty at certain times.For instance on an average day, Fury is always the busiest at the beginning of the day but its queue time goes down by half around lunchtime. After lunch the other rides such as Runaway train, Tomb Blaster, Bubbleworks and Rattlesnake get really busy whilst Fury and Vampire remain quite short.(Chessington Geek)Thank you chessington geek. Ill be geek 2. should fit in nicely with the geeky chessington workers. only joking!This is why I run to Vampire (1st on!), then do the others like Tomb Blaster, Rattlesnake, Runaway Train, Bubbleworks, Safari Skyway (if warm! )then go to Dragon's Fury, then I do not have to queue long!Thanks for the info! (as always ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty22 Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 do Chessington have a height limit like thorpe do.also about q times,when I went they were:vampire:90fury:60bubble:45tomb/dragon : 35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 do Chessington have a height limit like thorpe do.also about q times,when I went they were:vampire:90fury:60bubble:45tomb/dragon : 35Yes. It doesn't matter which park the rides are situated in, they would always have height limits. E.g.: Most log flume type rides seem to have a 0.9m height restriction, e.g.: Dragon Falls, Logger's Leap, The Flume etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty22 Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I mean the 115ft like at thorpe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I mean the 115ft like at thorpeOh right, sorry. I have no idea on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I mean the 115ft like at thorpeYes, Chessington & Zoo are not allowed to build anything that is above tree height.I think the maximum is about 59/60ft as Dragon's Fury is 59.1ft.Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theme Park bloke Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 Dragon Falls only 15 minutes? Blimey, it's not often you get that. The way the have cut back the trees near the faces in the wall on the drop makes it look so much better now. It was overgrowing majorly and needed doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunky Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 Yes, Chessington & Zoo are not allowed to build anything that is above tree height.I think the maximum is about 59/60ft as Dragon's Fury is 59.1ft.Just to correct that slightly Chessington does have a height limit but its not really tree height for example Peeking Heights and Dragon Falls.The main thing for Chessington is that it can't be seen from the road with the exception of peeking and Vampire. Its more a noise issue for Chessington. Also the overall height of a ride doesn't really matter as Rameses is 60ft tall but is built in a ditch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 Just to correct that slightly Chessington does have a height limit but its not really tree height for example Peeking Heights and Dragon Falls.The main thing for Chessington is that it can't be seen from the road with the exception of peeking and Vampire. Its more a noise issue for Chessington. Also the overall height of a ride doesn't really matter as Rameses is 60ft tall but is built in a ditch.I was close then! When you say noise levels, is that why you can not use the 1st lift hill speakers to give announcements unless in emergancy?Also, sound levels... Are we talking 'natural' sound levels like the noise of Vampire lifthill or is it just audio?Thanks Skunky!Also, did you use to work at Chessington? Just putting together comments from previous topics, it sounds like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunky Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 The reason the 1st lift hill PA cant be used is due to Monkey Puzzle and Hotel being next to it. And I mean as in the ride sound levels in general Audio and Ride noise.And Yes I worked at Chessington Last season so I am happy to answer any questions you may have within reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theme Park bloke Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 The main thing for Chessington is that it can't be seen from the road with the exception of peeking and Vampire. Its more a noise issue for Chessington. Also the overall height of a ride doesn't really matter as Rameses is 60ft tall but is built in a ditch.Several years ago you could see the top of Dragon's Fury from the crossroads at Malden Rushett, however, I don't think you can now because maybe the trees have grown back...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Several years ago you could see the top of Dragon's Fury from the crossroads at Malden Rushett, however, I don't think you can now because maybe the trees have grown back...?You can see the top tip of the track but mainly you can see the CCTV cameras on the top of the lift hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theme Park bloke Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 From the crossroads? Blimey, have you got binoculars for eyes?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunky Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 Its not that hard to see them from the crossroads. Perhaps he had a telescope and was zooming in and could even see the piece of pigeon poo on the top of the camera lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 I can see them as well dont worry your not alone lol. Perhaps with working there last season I notice things lol. And you must of been lucky to be there on a clear day in this country lolTrue!I'll be able to say the working bit next year hopefully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkmad Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Does anyone have any queue times for today on the main rides?Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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