Coaster Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 I have a really bad feeling this ride is going to deteriorate quite rapidly. Water effects are already hit and miss, the fire ball rarely goes off, there was no smoke, the TV above the bag drop looks like its been dropped on the floor or something with a huge black spot, the groundwork around the billboard is really shoddy (it still has an old queueline sign just sat in the footer for no reason). Its just not looking too good if I'm honest. Looking at Saw, Inferno, Colossus etc it is the norm for Thorpe. They make a ride look all "nice" and new for about a year, then just leave it to rot like everything else. It's very sad considering how huge the investment was and I agree with you that it is not good that it has got into this state already! I mean look at Saw, they must have spent quite a long time getting together all those audio clips to play in the queue, then a few years on they can't even be bothered to fix the speakers! (As for The Swarm TV's, that is one thing I wouldn't mind being switched off - it makes for the most annoying queueline ever!) Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inferno Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 It's such a massive shame. It makes me mad that the effects are so inconsistent! The fireball, mist, and water splashes are supposed to be part of the experience, but they never bother to switch them on! I agree about the poorly managed back row queue as well. It all seems such a mess! It's a brand new ride so why the hell wasn't a proper, foolproof system put in to place when it was built. The card system was doomed to fail from the beginning to be honest. The Swarm isn't faring too badly at the moment though to be fair, well not compared to Saw at least... that overgrown and silent queueline is a disgrace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 The TV above the bag drop looks like its been dropped on the floor or something with a huge black spot That'll be down to the sun actually - if the sun shines strongly on any LCD tv, it'll create some black spot as the TV overheats.. once it goes behind the clouds or gets cooler, the TV will turn back normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 Yeah all the tvs worked fine for ert in the evening, as well as the mist and the helecopter watersplash, the fire engine splash and fire were off though. I'm sure backwards row queue was in operation? It was certainly being advertised as 80 mins on queue boards at one point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 Being advertised as shoot yourself in the head minutes? Sounds about right. Benin, holtjammy16, JoshC. and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 The whole backwards row queue doesn't work! At times it is ridiculously longer than the main queue whereas I have seen, on more than one occasion a long main queue when the backwards queue has been walk on. BigBobJones and Inferno 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 The whole backwards row queue doesn't work! At times it is ridiculously longer than the main queue whereas I have seen, on more than one occasion a long main queue when the backwards queue has been walk on. I sware the swarm queue time board is always advertising the backwards queue exactly the same as the forwards queue!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 I sware the swarm queue time board is always advertising the backwards queue exactly the same as the forwards queue!? Not always, however it is nearly always wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 Not always, however it is nearly always wrong. Exactly, the board said 10 mins forwards and 10 mins backwards it turned out to be 5 mins forward and 30 mins backwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 It's probably a lot harder to judge the queue length when you can't see, and only 8 seats are occupied as opposed to 20... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 I have done the back once, I won't rush to do it ever again as going forwards for me is so much better in my opinion. There are so many issues with the station and this is all down to staff managing guests. For example: 20 minute forward queue 10 minute backward queue 1 Member of staff in the bad drop (Massive queues to collect+Pickup) Guests queue jumping groups of people stuck at the bag drop No member of staff filtering guests between left and right Right hand of the station full for front row Right hand back row queue has 12 people waiting Left hand has 5 people queuing for the stairs and members of staff asking people if they want to go backwards Back row has 2 people queuing for 4 seats and some guests getting to re-ride as nobody is waiting The signs saying "Back row tickets only" causes so much confusion, do you have to buy the tickets, where do you get them from how much do they cost.... Even when the bag drop and staff are working at a good speed, you still hear the staff shouting up the stairs for guests who have back row tickets to move forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 Who cares about the backward seats anyway? We have the billboard this year! The billboard really is an excellent near miss, which is why I've filmed it more often in my offride compliation of THE SWARM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=U3lS7s0qtuU Well, OK. The backward rows were there in every shot, but most of us ARE against the backward rows. We don't need to include it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste193 Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 Who cares about the backward seats anyway? We have the billboard this year! The billboard really is an excellent near miss, which is why I've filmed it more often in my offride compliation of THE SWARM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=U3lS7s0qtuU Well, OK. The backward rows were there in every shot, but most of us ARE against the backward rows. We don't need to include it! I must admit I was very against all this backwards rows argument untill I actually tried it, it gives the ride a different feeling/ a different edge that I shocked myself in actually enjoying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 Yes it is different, but not a good as going forwards IMO Kerfuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celia_coba Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I went to Thorpe park on 6th of June, Thursday, and I have to say that tue queue system is such a mess... They only had one train operating, so I spent 80 min on the queue! it was desesperating... when I leave my bag, I saw that there were the two queues, forwards and backwards, but nobody was on the backwards queue! it said that you need a ticket... I don't understand what kind of ticket?? they don't say anything about this... so I went to the forwards queue whilst the backwards queue was empty and they sent the trains half empty because of that... I don't know if it's because of the tickets, or because people don't like backwards, but if nobody wants to go backwards then why don't they change the position of the sits again? because it generates more and more queues! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 I went to Thorpe park on 6th of June, Thursday, and I have to say that tue queue system is such a mess... They only had one train operating, so I spent 80 min on the queue! it was desesperating... when I leave my bag, I saw that there were the two queues, forwards and backwards, but nobody was on the backwards queue! it said that you need a ticket... I don't understand what kind of ticket?? they don't say anything about this... so I went to the forwards queue whilst the backwards queue was empty and they sent the trains half empty because of that... I don't know if it's because of the tickets, or because people don't like backwards, but if nobody wants to go backwards then why don't they change the position of the sits again? because it generates more and more queues! It is a complete farce. I don't know what Thorpe were thinking creating a very complicated queue system when the staff aren't even capable of managing a normal one. BigBobJones and Inferno 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celia_coba Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 yes, and there was also queues for one part of the train and for the other one... and I saw that the part of the queue where I was was so much slowly than the other one... That's not fair, we spent almost 20 minutes there whilst the other ones went faster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted July 2, 2013 Report Share Posted July 2, 2013 The Swarm has had some new cameras installed to capture those braving it backwards (I guess buying a photo of the back of your head wasn't proving popular. I noticed the one for the right hand rows last week and found the one for the left hand rows today. The one for the right hand side. And the cleverly hidden one for the left hand side. ste193 and JoshC. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge2002 Posted July 2, 2013 Report Share Posted July 2, 2013 I do love the placement of the camera (although it clearly wasn't planned). Its great seeing peoples reactions to the billboard head chopper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted July 2, 2013 Report Share Posted July 2, 2013 I saw the back row cameras working a few weeks ago, it is good that they have now included this. Does anyone know if the back row seats have the video cameras? (Excluding the last row) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste193 Posted July 3, 2013 Report Share Posted July 3, 2013 I went in April mind you but they did not have video cameras for the backwards rows at the point, could have changed, they didn't have cameras for the backrow seats back then either which dissapointed us, I honestly can't complain about the queue being a mess because the staff member allowed us to push in and have a go at the backwards rows or perhaps it was my charm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 what a difference my trip in may and on monday... from all of the effects working, to none! what's going on! dragon2000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominoes Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 So just to make sure... You don't need tickets for back row? This is really confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 So just to make sure... You don't need tickets for back row? This is really confusing. Nope, just the patience to stand in a long and boring queue whilst you watch Fastrack and Forwards people get on quickly... dominoes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominoes Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Woop woop! Fun at Thorpe! But can you buy a fastrack for the back rows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.