TPJames Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Such a bad day of operations for the park today: Colossus on one train all day. Inferno on one train for hours. Stealth opening an hour+ late, Colossus several hours late, Detonator late. Saw on 6 cars? X on 2? (60min queue!) No queue time boards working on the rides for several hours at start of day. No 'main' multiple queue time boards working all day. Breakdowns on Vortex, Slammer, Inferno. Samurai closed all day. So many exit riders. 2 cars closed off for main queue in Colossus most of day because of it. Not cool when when a train is getting dispatched every 5 minutes on one train... So painful. And what's with the ever growing annual pass entry queue but only having one staff member and a single dodgy turnstile scanning passes!? Loyal pass holders get into the park so much more slowly than day ticket holders. I honestly didn't feel it was that bad, but maybe that's just because there was barely anyone on park anyway. If operations had been up to scratch then maybe all the queues would have been a lot shorter (although they weren't long anyway...).It may have just been the order in which we did the rides but inferno was on two by the time we got to it and we only waited 20 mins or so... Colossus was a massive pain on one train but there physically weren't many people in the queue when we arrived so again that was only 20-30 minutes, although it wouldn't have been nearly as long as that if it was on two trains and 4 rows weren't closed off for the exit lane! Colossus did have a painfully long queue at one point in the day though and on one train it would have been a nightmare. Didn't notice any breakdowns on vortex but there were noticeable breakdowns on Colossus, saw, inferno and slammer- however they did manage to get them all running after a couple of hours of downtime each so it could have been worse. Something I just don't seem to understand is that the park have had months of winter maintenance yet samurai is no where near ready to be reopened, rush still has one pathetically dodgy swing, vortex still has a load of seats closed off, Colossus and X still only have the amount of trains ready for minimum capacity!? It just makes you wonder sometimes if they are really giving enough attention to each ride/have enough engineering staff as year upon year the rides at the start of the season are always on reduced capacity and breakdowns are frequent upon the rides. ------ Another thing I did notice which bugged me a lot was the half arsed attitude staff were attending to restraints today- I don't know whether they were new or just couldn't be bothered but when loading on to the rides they were going at a snails pace!? Slammer was taking a good 10-15 minutes to load each cycle; vortex taking around 10 minutes also; Colossus they were so slow to check the bars and dispatch the train which was completely unreasonable seeing as there was only 2/3 of a one train operation available to the main queue; on rush they would just be having a chat at the end of each cycle so people would be locked in each time for a good 2-3 mins after it had ended. Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Han30 Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Completely agree with you about Samurai and X (I didn't do Colossus or Vortex so can't comment on that) - Samuari looks like its just been sat there as there was no sign of life at all and that damn board up with says "currently unavailable". X was a pain in the butt - the queue inside was moving so slow it was ridiculous. Staff I generally found to be pretty good - most of them were pretty cheerful (have to say the lady that served us a coffee was lovely - we spent about half an hour trying to track down somewhere that had hot drinks available). I think the slowness will be down to new staff and that will pick up as the season continues but yeah it was quite slow at times today which I do understand even if it can be frustrating at times. As for restraint checking - I loved the guy working on X who's idea of checking our bars was to touch them with one finger Slammer is pretty lengthy at loading I think at the best of times because of balance issues - that, and potentially new staff working on it and it is sort of understandable, albeit a bit frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Nope, just burnt the anthills with my giant magnifying glass... Not you as well? Guilty as charged gov. I'll fire them off an email in the morning, but I would expect that will get the same amount of attention as the petition. On the subject of operations, the parks have been terrible so far, perhaps it's because Easter is that much earlier this year that has thrown a spanner in the works, but all the parks should really be opening on full capacity every day until 11th April, it's not like school holidays is a big secret, they're standardised throughout all Surrey schools and published on SCC's website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 As for restraint checking - I loved the guy working on X who's idea of checking our bars was to touch them with one finger Perhaps he was a bit intimidated by you, after all checking restraints can be a bit friendly sometimes, he might have thought ahh lip ring, gonna get punched if I push too hard...I frightened the girl on Vampires last week, they were taking so long to check the restraints I'd dozed off while waiting (I had been awake 16 hours in my defence) and she made me jump when she checked mine, which in turn made her jump out her skin too, my son polished it off by saying 'sorry about my dad, his medication is kicking in'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieN Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 I was in the queue for Zodiac when it broke down last week. Worst though was Storm Surge closing while I was literally in the raft... I know it will improve, but it needs to improve soon. We're 2 weeks into the season already! tomglazed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Such a bad day of operations for the park today: Colossus on one train all day. Inferno on one train for hours. Stealth opening an hour+ late, Colossus several hours late, Detonator late. Saw on 6 cars? X on 2? (60min queue!) No queue time boards working on the rides for several hours at start of day. No 'main' multiple queue time boards working all day. Breakdowns on Vortex, Slammer, Inferno. Samurai closed all day. So many exit riders. 2 cars closed off for main queue in Colossus most of day because of it. Not cool when when a train is getting dispatched every 5 minutes on one train... So painful. And what's with the ever growing annual pass entry queue but only having one staff member and a single dodgy turnstile scanning passes!? Loyal pass holders get into the park so much more slowly than day ticket holders. You can't blame the exit riders. As one myself, we genuinely can't queue for more than 15 minutes. I'll end up getting really agitated, and sometimes even end up annoying my sister or something.Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Aren't numerous exit riders more down to selling Fastrack and not manning the merge points so they all have to go through the exit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L7123456 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Aren't numerous exit riders more down to selling Fastrack and not manning the merge points so they all have to go through the exit? Probably, seeing as the Inferno fastrack point hasn't been used in years and instead they let them on from the exit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Probably, seeing as the Inferno fastrack point hasn't been used in years and instead they let them on from the exit. Thats simply not true. Ive used fastrack for Colossus and Inferno on numerous occasions over the past couple of years and both use their dedicated Fastrack queues and are staffed. Colossus one often switches between the entrance next to Slammer and the Main entrance mind. Ryan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L7123456 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Thats simply not true. Ive used fastrack for Colossus and Inferno on numerous occasions over the past couple of years and both use their dedicated Fastrack queues and are staffed. Colossus one often switches between the entrance next to Slammer and the Main entrance mind. Over the last 3 years I must've been to Thorpe at least 20 times, and I've only seen the Inferno fastrack entrance being used once, the rest of the time it's always via the exit. All other rides use the dedicated entrance (although yes Colossus changes on occasions), however Inferno has a tendency of using the exit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Ive been to the park 5 times already this year and its been in use every time. Maybe I'm just lucky? Ryan and OldFarmerDean 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L7123456 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Ive been to the park 5 times already this year and its been in use every time. Maybe I'm just lucky? They may've started to use the queue more often this year then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 I've also seen them use the actual Fastrack queue numerous times during my visits over the paSt few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Yeah I have definitely seen them use it a majority of time too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 I haven't seen them use the Fasttrack queues at all this year but in Thorpe Park's defence I haven't visited this year. Han30 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L7123456 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 I must be unlucky then, as I haven't seen that queue used in quite a while. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 In my experience that fast track queue is used every time I'm there, except if the queue is really short/walk on its not used as there is no point obviously. David B 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 They were sending fast trackers up the exit on Inferno on Good Friday, but all the other rides were using their dedicated queues, I've only ever seen Inferno's fast track queue used during the summer holidays or really busy periods, it's probably because the merge point is so far away from the station. It's a bit unfair to blame exit riders for poor operations, it's not them who decide how many trains to run on a particular day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Han30 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Perhaps he was a bit intimidated by you, after all checking restraints can be a bit friendly sometimes, he might have thought ahh lip ring, gonna get punched if I push too hard... I frightened the girl on Vampires last week, they were taking so long to check the restraints I'd dozed off while waiting (I had been awake 16 hours in my defence) and she made me jump when she checked mine, which in turn made her jump out her skin too, my son polished it off by saying 'sorry about my dad, his medication is kicking in'. Aha yeah I've often thought that with some restraints, when checking them a slight slip of the hand and it could end up somewhere else haha. I think that would be what I would be most worried about if I worked at a theme park! Lol no chance I would punch someone unless I was really angry. I have 18 piercings and am a complete wuss - people always think I'm goth due to my black hair and piercings and I always wear dark clothes but I'm too old for that! I almost nodded off myself having been awake for almost 24 hours at the point my lap bar was "checked". Love your sons response to you jumping and scaring the ride attendant - that's the sort of thing my niece would come out with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Blimey that sounds worse than BPB was today! And that's bad! Why are UK theme parks so incompetent at everything these days? Because people visit regardless! Benin, Kerfuffle, CharlieN and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieN Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 I have to agree with Tommy here. UK theme parks do make mistakes and they all could undoubtedly be better, but if it doesn't stop people visiting then the issue will be low down on Thorpe Park's agenda. You're not going to avoid going to Thorpe Park because Colossus is on 1 train operation are you? ThemeParkEwan and Kerfuffle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 I have to agree with Tommy here. UK theme parks do make mistakes and they all could undoubtedly be better, but if it doesn't stop people visiting then the issue will be low down on Thorpe Park's agenda. You're not going to avoid going to Thorpe Park because Colossus is on 1 train operation are you? Speak for yourself. Ill visit when they sort themselves out. If I knew before getting there that coasters were going to be on 1 train I just wouldn't go. They can have my money when they start getting things right and the issues they have are solved. Until that point they are not getting a penny. It must be said that currently Thorpe are doing the best out of the Merlin group in my eyes and that some issues I have had with them in the past seem to have been fixed but then there are the major recurring ones. Fastrack on reduced capacity, terrible reliability... Coaster, TraX and CharlieN 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Perfectly put. I'm visiting Thorpe in May for DBGT, although going out of my way to avoid Towers and Chessington this season. Hopefully by May we'll have 2 trains on the coasters and the reliability will have improved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Because people visit regardless! Do they? I read somewhere (think it was on here) that they haven't actually been very busy this past week, but that queues are building up due to slow operations. Is that true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 When I visited yesterday the park seemed reasonably busy. Car park was pretty full and the park felt busy (in a good way); it was 'alive'. Considering the terrible weather at the beginning of the week and that many people will be holding off visiting till DBGT opens, I don't think the park are having trouble getting people to visit right now. David B and Coaster 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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