MattyMoo Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Apologies for the slightly naff quality of these videos that I've just rediscovered - it was very very cold (as TPM members will testify) hence a finger or two in the way at times, and I was on my spare phone as my Xperia Z had been drained of battery after being on the go since 6am - but that aside, thought they may be appreciated You can play spot the TPM member, and also enjoy a particularly non apocalyptic soundtrack in the Swarm station... (have set these videos to public on Facebook so even if we aren't Facebook fwends you can still watch ) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152239367963592&l=8924597793659564464 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152239363868592&l=8611346375747456768 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152239352313592&l=6899957456724649276 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Oh yeah, there was also no fire on Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan9 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Oh yeah, there was also no fire on Sunday. For someone with 'Total Rides on THE SWARM: 131' in their signature you don't seem to like it very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 For someone with 'Total Rides on THE SWARM: 131' in their signature you don't seem to like it very much. I do like it, I just wish that they were using it in the way that it was intended to be used. E.G: No water jets No fire No alien sound effect in the tower Backwards seats (stuff up the queueline, make the baggage hold chaotic, look stupid, aren't even that good IMO) Rarely achieves it's full throughput due to slow operations, even when it does the main queue still moves at a snails pace due to overselling fastrack and the fact that it's only 5 out of 7 rows. All of these make problems a brilliant ride just 'good' IMO, it was fantastic in 2012, since then it's gone downhill quite a lot IMO. It's still my favourite ride at Thorpe, but only just. The adverts on the billboard are peeling off as well! pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 All of them things on your list were fine on Saturday, (apart from the backwards seats obviously!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan9 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I can understand that. But when Swarm first opened I'm pretty sure the majority of members were all 'OH OF COURSE IT'S THORPE SO ALL THE EFFECTS WILL NEVER WORK PAST SEASON ONE'. Well, it's now season three and the fire has worked every single day, except Sunday apparently, and over the last three days every effect has been fixed and is working well. Yet people seem to forget how these were things which were apparently meant to have broken forever years ago, and would rather say 'omg this one day this one effect wasn't working'. As for staff, yet again, there are completely new teams in the rides department this year so 70/80% of staff working on the ride have never worked on it before, with new people being trained on it pretty much every day. When you're relying on 4 platformers being efficient, it usually means this time of year there will always be at least one or two weaker links and it's always like that for the first few weeks (not days). The ride itself I think is behaving like classic B&M and actually improving with age, it's really been flying this year compared to when it opened but with still a nice amount of 'hang-time'. I much prefer forwards too and hate the way the backwards system operates but a lot of people do really like it backwards, so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 All of them things on your list were fine on Saturday, (apart from the backwards seats obviously!) Funny that it was so poor on Sunday then, I wasn't just basing this off then though, also most of 2013. On a positive note ( ), I'm sure that it felt more forceful yesterday than I've ever known it! Well, it's now season three and the fire has worked every single day It was off loads last year (and I don't just mean rainy days). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan9 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 It was off loads last year (and I don't just mean rainy days). I was referring to this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Just to bring it back up, no effects were working on Thursday at all... Seemed like they rushed to get the ride open or something. Shame, but at least they're all working fine now. Have to say though, Thorpe NEEDS to sort out how they're going to deal with the backwards rows. If they want to do a ticket system, fine, but on Saturday, there was no tickets being handed out for backwards-queue tickets being handed out, leaving the system totally open for abuse (just chose the shortest queue, then ride whichever way you bloomin' want!). If they want to do a one queue for both ways, and people simply decide in the station, fine, but make sure people are aware of this. In other words, choose one way of doing it, and stick to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I think it's fine with one queue for both, and then choose in the station, they just need to make it clear that's what the guests have to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I think it's fine with one queue for both, and then choose in the station, they just need to make it clear that's what the guests have to do. That would be the preferred option in my view, as the queue would move quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan9 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Just to bring it back up, no effects were working on Thursday at all... Weird, fire was working whenever I was there (although that wasn't too long). Although let's not let this descend into constant 'what effects were working today and for how long'. I agree regarding the backwards queue. I find it works fine when everyone queues up in the same queue and then the back row queue simply operates in the same the front row queue ones do at Stealth/Colossus/Nemesis. JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1hrisin Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I know it wouldn't happen but couldn't they break through the "boarded up" window and turn that into a doorway so that queue next to it goes straight into the station close to the back for the back rows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 well considering there would be the bag drop, and then having to have access to both sides of the station, just don't see how it could work? :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c1hrisin Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Oh yeah I forgot about the bag drop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I think that they should use the main queueline (meaning that they could eliminate the backwards queueline and use it as a fastrack queue (if they must)), then just have guests queue up for the backwards rows in the station. On busy days they could use the old front row queueline as extra holding space if there is high demand for the back rows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipper Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Can't help but wonder still why they felt the need to add backwards rows on Swarm, and yet not on any other of their wing riders Anyway I like the backwards rows, and prefer it to forwards because it doesn't do anything for me forwards I'm sad to say. But I have to agree about the queue system. My issue is, if you go in a group; and some people choose forwards, and some choose backwards it can create an issue; so I agree it should be one queue, then pick at the bag room. It's probably worth noting though that lately Thorpe have cut a lot of staffing on rides that was once made out to be essential, such as station batching staff on rides like Swarm; so, without a batcher on Swarm present the back row queue will be a free-for-all anyway. It's the same with so far this year the only time I've seen a station batcher on SAW, was on Thursday afternoon; creating endless mini-queues for front rows and nobody wanting to fill the back of the cars. So I think the system will return to normality once the batching staff return into operation. Personally the other alternative is to use that Book and Ride system they created for Swarm, and use specifically for the back rows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolskin Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 first time backwards yesterday for us didn't do anything - I dint see the point. Effects were working Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_sparks1 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Went to Thorpe Park yesterday and queued almost two hours for the Swarm... Normally walk on this ride most days.. It was very busy yesterday and there was still only a one train service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applesoup Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Went to Thorpe Park yesterday and queued almost two hours for the Swarm... Normally walk on this ride most days.. It was very busy yesterday and there was still only a one train service. Was there something special (in the park or holidays etc wise) or why you reckon it was that busy? Kinda getting worried now about next Thursday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 It's weird how off-peak days at Thorpe tend to not happen much anymore... Not helped by the lack of more than 1 train tending to be used on the majority of rides during this time of course... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOsSwA28 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 School teachers strike yesterday... Explains why it was apparently busy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.S217 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Bag drop should go beside your row rather than having a band and causing mass chaos. I myself love The Swarm Especially since it's got it's backwards rows (I like Brave it Backwards) and this year it seems The Creature is relentless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipper Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I have to admit that the second train's of rides should have been available wherever possible; as surely the park would have had some kind of indication there was a teacher strike, or even that it'd be busier based on online bookings... Unless of course a majority of people on park were season pass holders; and the attitude was 'It's a one-off day, they can come again' which is still technically wrong (although having said that kids are spoilt little brats these days and frequently wander out of school and into Thorpe in their uniform with their premium annual passes and such like). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 One train operation was beyond painful yesterday, there were many things they were doing which exacerbated that underlying problem all across the park. I'll do a little trip report when I get a mo to explain more. The Swarm itself though seems to be running beautifully at the moment. Feels significantly faster than last year to me, so much so that if it turned out they'd changed the wheels or something else quite drastic I wouldn't be surprised, and it rides all the better for it. First noticed it on AP day but it wasn't a one off and felt just as good yesterday. Also LOTS of fire, I wasn't counting but seemed really frequent to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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