The Swarm

[Fred]

Just to add to Playhouse.

Never give your kid an extra large hot chocolate before running around. THAT WAS A NIGHTMARE TO CLEAN.

[STEALTHDAN]

I hated dealing with sick on the Big One we always kept a fresh bucket of water cloths gloves and disinfectant and air freshener in the Sand bag room on the platform though to deal with it quickly!

[th13teen]

I love it that Thorpe did one of my ideas about making the selected seating a different queue to the main one. Hahaha...How long has the queue been for the back seats recently!? Thank God they got rid of the Swarm's Front Seat shambles!

[Cal]

Out of interest (and going off topic - sorry) - just wondered how long it takes for sick to be cleaned up on rides? (weird curiosity!) So yesterday Swarm was on 2 trains and walk on??? - on a saturday? (or have I got the days wrong doh). At last Sundays meet we had to queue to ride The Swarm - not horrendous queues but I am quite an impatient person and get all fidgety - made me realise and appreciate how lucky myself and the others that went to the ERT/photo shoot were. Swarm is my favourite ride but I don't think I could physically queue for over an hour for it - unless I took a portable chair

Well when we got there they had shut the que's and there was a staff waiting outside, was waiting there for about 10 mins or so. He said he only just got back from his break but he heard it was quite bad. And yes we came back later and there was no que, you just walked straight into the station and chose backwards or forwards there.

[Cal]

What was ques like today for swarm?

[Mitchada04]

It varied. At 1 it was near enough walk on but whilst queueing for Stealth (betwwen 3&4) there was a visible queue. I would guess at 30 minutes or so.

[Cal]

Not bad, remember queing 90 mins last year.

[Ricky]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=655687467997&set=vb.27217550866&type=2&theater

I still can't get over this awesome advertising.

[jom222]

The last few day that I have been at Thorpe the backwards queue was quicker than the main one.

[JoshC.]

On reflection now, I do think the backwards rows idea on Swarm is brilliant - it makes the ride even more re-rideable and just seems all round great. The queue system isn't great though, and on busier days, I expect it to be a nightmare for staff and guests.

Speaking of queues, there was one point where the Fastrack queue for Swarm was longer than the main queue! Made me chuckle...

[Cal]

The swarm has the silent disco que!

[TPJames]

Doesn't really suit it does it?

[Cal]

I thought that, and where does the DJ go?

[TPJames]

I have absolutely no clue, maybe on top of the billboard

I thought something like stealth would be chosen as it suits it more.

[Cal]

Yeah stealth had it last summer, I was there haha.

[TPJames]

Yeah stealth had it last summer, I was there haha.

Oh, all I remember was that last year at Easter Colossus had the silent disco queue! Has nemmy inferno had it yet? The other rides could see them putting it in is X but I'm not sure that would ever happen!

[Cal]

Havent seen it on Nemesis no, I cant see them putting it on saw, have they done thaat before?

[TPJames]

I'm not sure as far as I'm aware but it would not suit it AT ALL. I can just picture everyone dancing in a queue line surrounded by death traps

[daboywunda]

Swarm is absolutely amazing in the dark... Not so much backwards though...

Shame that not all of the lights were working on the trains & no fire effect on the engine but the billboard is great in the dark!

[JoshC.]

On SWARM, I am pretty sure that the flame emission from the fire engine is supposed to react to every seventh pass of the train.

It was like that last season I believe, though in my visits where it's been working (I assume the times when it didn't 'work' was because it was turned off due to the weather more than anything else?), it was reacting every 3 trains.

[Benin]

By reacting, do we mean when the flame actually ignites, or when it fails to and covers the area in a gas cloud of death?

[JoshC.]

By reacting, do we mean when the flame actually ignites, or when it fails to and covers the area in a gas cloud of death?

To be fair, in my experiences this season, when the flame has meant to ignite, it has ignited. And even if the gas cloud of death has been happening this season, I'd bet my bottom dollar it's no where near as often as last season.

Anyways, Inferno, 10 years old, woo, etc.

[pluk]

For this years ERT/photo event it was activating every time all day. I guess that was incase it was needed for the photos but shows that it is variable and presumably they can change the regularity easily if they want to.

[OldFarmerDean]

going thorpe in 2 weeks, and just want to check what the situation is with the swarm... so you don't have to prebook to ride the swarm backwards, just queue as normal? and is there fast track for the swarm backwards, or just the normal ride? many thanks.

[Coaster]

going thorpe in 2 weeks, and just want to check what the situation is with the swarm... so you don't have to prebook to ride the swarm backwards, just queue as normal? and is there fast track for the swarm backwards, or just the normal ride? many thanks.

I'm not sure about fastrack (I don't buy it) but there is a completley separate queueline for the backwards rows, you just turn up and queue for it as you would for the forwards rows.