January 28, 201312 yr comment_149126 So, there will also be antelope and zebras featuring in Zufari, as well as "more". Woo! Unfortunately this only means that the already existing animals will be able to venture onto the safari grounds, nothing more...
January 28, 201312 yr comment_149129 What is the original source of these photos (link)? Are there any more? Looking good! Also praying they see to the Bubbleworks exterior whilst they're at it!
January 28, 201312 yr comment_149147 Also praying they see to the Bubbleworks exterior whilst they're at it! The exterior? What about the interior?!
January 28, 201312 yr comment_149152 The exterior? What about the interior?! Granted the ride is tired and old and generally poor but the whole of Transylvania has been in dire need of a re-paint for some time now. It's such a shame as the buildings themselves are so well themed so a simple paint job is the least they can do! With a bit of luck the Count's Cauldron facade will be refreshed along with a re-paint of the Bubbles exterior and [at a push] something could be done with the Bubbleworks queueline because it is disgusting!
January 28, 201312 yr comment_149154 Hi everyone, Just to let you know I have a Zufari & Closed season update on my website... Here are a couple of photos, the rest are here http://www.themeparknewsuk.com/
January 28, 201312 yr comment_149159 Tranny updates look good - nice to see them getting rid of the vines exposing some theming (and presumably making the facades safe/repaint them at the same time judging on the toilet block scaffolding as well). Refresh looks ace now it's not refresh as well. Impressive spend chessie, I'm happy!
January 29, 201312 yr comment_149178 That is looking rather fine. Wouldn't it be great if they surprised us with a heavily refreshed Bubleworks ride too, as they are clearly doing lots of work around the area, including the shop. Zufari is looking a long way from completion still.
January 29, 201312 yr comment_149182 Bubbleworks is currently open to guests, I think, so I doubt any signficant work will be done. Although, every year they do make some small improvements, such as fixing lighting, music and any remaining old effects. Last year the cow's eyes started moving again...
January 29, 201312 yr comment_149185 Bubbleworks is currently open to guests, I think, so I doubt any signficant work will be done. Although, every year they do make some small improvements, such as fixing lighting, music and any remaining old effects. Last year the cow's eyes started moving again... Cleaning the thing is an absolute nightmare. I once worked flat out cleaning the trough the whole way through the ride, the whole building gets absolutely filthy through the course of a season.
January 29, 201312 yr comment_149186 That'll be all the Chav's sticking their dirty mitts into the water to splash the decent folk.
January 29, 201312 yr comment_149212 Bubbleworks is currently open to guests, I think, so I doubt any significant work will be done. Although, every year they do make some small improvements, such as fixing lighting, music and any remaining old effects. Last year the cow's eyes started moving again... That's a shame, thought it was unlikely but to see them putting so much effort into the area it would have been nice to do that too. It is beyond saving with little bits of tinkering though, needs pretty much ripping out and starting again. I wouldn't call the mess they made of the lighting a couple of years back an improvement of any sort. That 'finale' should be ashamed of itself!
January 29, 201312 yr comment_149218 I have always wanted them to expand Transilvania and have a nice Ghost train or Duel type ride in there. Speaking of which, I hoped they close the Burger King they have in that huuuuuuuge building and gut it inside and build a dark, indoors family-thrilling rollercoaster like the indoor parts from the SAW ride.
January 29, 201312 yr comment_149222 Do you pay attention to any updates recently Will? . No chance. The park needs a big restuarant area. Plus it's just become a Burger Kitchen.
January 30, 201312 yr comment_149254 I wouldn't call the mess they made of the lighting a couple of years back an improvement of any sort. That 'finale' should be ashamed of itself! Here, here. Bring back the strobe lighting and the mirrors in my opinion!
January 31, 201312 yr comment_149292 The strobe lighting was probably ditched because of the risk of people who are allergic to it. The LED's are OK, there has been better lighting in the past (back in the Burp days) but it'll do for now.
January 31, 201312 yr comment_149307 The strobe lighting was probably ditched because of the risk of people who are allergic to it. The LED's are OK, there has been better lighting in the past (back in the Burp days) but it'll do for now. Bah! You are probably right, but it is so annoying that they would tame the ride because of that. Dancing in the strobes with the water towering overhead and that amazing music was the most magical experience at any theme park ever in the whole world. [understatement] Really, if one has epilepsy, why would you go on rides in the first place? They even warn you at the entrance to the ride, and it is used in plenty of other attractions. Bubbleworks was about breaking conventions anyway... so sad it has succumbed to this. However, I thought that the new monochromatic pulsing sequence they introduced in 2011 was an improvement. Before that, ever since they tinkered around with it in 2006, the gels had just kind of randomly glowed with some occasional strobing at the same time. Of course it was much better originally, when the lighting used to illuminate the fountains in bright colours (the intention being that it would appear to be fizzy pop), then the whole room would plunge into darkness for a split second, then... STROBES!
January 31, 201312 yr comment_149318 and that amazing music was the most magical experience at any theme park ever in the whole world. [understatement Which music, the original Fountain Finale track which originally in the fountain room and has now been restored to it's proper home since 2011, or the Ascending "dreamy" track? And also...breaking conventions - please elaborate?
January 31, 201312 yr comment_149328 I don't think they did deliberately remove the strobes - afterall it was a pretty important and spectacular part of the finale, and the entrance signs do state it. The lights, since they've changed, have been literally on test mode. I think this is the reason why it don't!
February 1, 201312 yr comment_149354 Which music, the original Fountain Finale track which originally in the fountain room and has now been restored to it's proper home since 2011, or the Ascending "dreamy" track? And also...breaking conventions - please elaborate? Well, breaking conventions is just my opinion of it. Although factory themes are nothing new, Bubbleworks was an innovative ride with a certain eccentricity that was unique to Chessington. No other ride in Europe at the time could take you on a magical "musical" tour of an offbeat factory, then lift you up and release you into tunnels of fountains... Back in 1990 when the only dark rides in Britain were ghost trains or the Fifth Dimension, Bubbleworks was something very ambitious and different. What's more, the English sense of humour it possessed meant it stood out from the rest, becoming like a comic book with the many puns and visual gags. There's an interview of John Wardley discussing from Themes Dreams and Scream Machines, discussing the "Beaufart scale" joke and how "the Americans would never use the word 'fart'". It's true - here was a ride about hiccups, burping and farting, not your usual Disney-esque material. Kind of ironic how it is now themed to soap and cleanliness - the exact opposite. And then of course the finale itself with its bombastic lighting and loud music... I remember clearly how loud it seemed when I rode it, it was like there was no holding back on volume at all. It's sad that it apparently Bubbleworks failed the test of time - but was its ageing just down to poor maintenance? And yes, in my last post I was referring to the proper fountain finale track. The harp-based ascension track never suited the finale in my opinion, and the threatening pressure room music suited the lift even less! Silly pointless fiddling!
February 1, 201312 yr comment_149359 The Zufari page has been updated with the TV advert and a little map of what you'll see. http://www.chessington.com/zufari/ Have to say I can't wait to find out what this theme park attraction style ending will entail with both the TV ad and the little map at the bottom building the suspense really well.
February 1, 201312 yr comment_149362 What is this? An advert for a new ride at Chessington? It can't be... It's great! The Call to Adventure theme even plays in the background! I find it quite amusing how they are all driving along adventurously only for the tree to randomly fall in the way, and the driver looks around completely deadpan, expressionlessly reversing the truck, and finds no other option than to drive into an evil cave...?
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