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Rollercoaster Thread

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LEGOLAND Windsor are building a new SeaLife type attraction next year.

 

It is a tracked ride, and it is themed around LEGO Atlantis

 

lego-atlantis-theme.png

 

Planning permission has been submitted and all indications point to a submarine type ride.

 

 

 

COULD BE FUCKING SWEET AS HELL.

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Went to Alton Towers today, good day out, but I'm about to be hyper critical of the rides. We are an age behind the yanks when it comes to theme parks.

 

Thirteen - Shit, its a kiddies ride with a twist in the middle. Shock factor of the twist is good for a laugh. But as a rollercoaster its tame. Can't believe this is their big new 2010 ride...

 

Basically a few ups and downs lead to this room, the cart stops, theres a bang like its broken down. Then it drops a bit and goes in reverse. It's only a shock because you don't know that the cart goes in this hut thing, but its not scary and the fall is only a few feet if that.

 

 

Nemesis - Fun but very old now. Only coaster with a loop WTF?!

 

Air - Probably the best ride there, but doesn't do enough. Crap mans Manta (Sea World, FL).

 

Oblivion - Fail. So much potential the ride is far too short, it doesn't hold you at the edge long enough. It says don't look down then drops, it doesn't give enough time for fear to set in. Plus I think it could hold you over further. But yeah when you've conquered Sheikra's 200ft drop, 65ft is nothing..

 

Hex - Nice idea, the illusion of the room spinning is fun but completely pointless and terrible story.

 

Sonic Spinball - For what it was (kids ride) I enjoyed it, the spinning cart made it unpredictible.

 

Rita - Nice speed at the beginning but it doesn't keep its momentum at all, no corkscrew or loops. Meh.

 

Sounds like I didn't have fun, which isn't true. It's just over here we need to invest more time on bigger and better rides. Not cheap small rip-offs from other better parks across the pond. We need to improve queue management - most rides needed more carts on the rails tbqh and something to keep you enterained whilst waiting. No this does not mean chocolate ads and vending machines. Bag storage needs improving, lockers at rides ftw tbqh. And a free fast track system that tells you to come back at a certain time and jump the queue.

 

I reckon someone from the Merlin Entertainment Group needs to spend some time at the big parks across the pond.

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Yeah that's partially why I've never wanted to go to a UK theme park. I can tell there's no..."magic". Or just a lack of thought in general. Relative to the US (and probably elsewhere in the world too)

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Yeah that's partially why I've never wanted to go to a UK theme park. I can tell there's no..."magic". Or just a lack of thought in general. Relative to the US (and probably elsewhere in the world too)

 

The problem is most theme parks in the UK weren't purpose built and have the feel of a travelling fairground with a few bigger rides chucked in. Though I do believe they're catching up, they just need more time and money.

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I love Disney. So much. I used to think I was a cynical person, but I'm actually a huge romantic, and I love the idea of everything being so nice and planned and themed into a unifed whole. Universal Studios also stuns. (and the otther ones like SeaWorld less so, but still add in other ways)

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Fail. Alton Towers is a brilliant park, and its the best looking and most magical in the UK. Its hardly fair comparing a theme park in a villiage in Staffordshire with the theme parks in Orlando, Florida!!

 

And I love Oblivion. And its drop is 180ft not 65ft......

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Fail. Alton Towers is a brilliant park, and its the best looking and most magical in the UK. Its hardly fair comparing a theme park in a villiage in Staffordshire with the theme parks in Orlando, Florida!!

 

And I love Oblivion. And its drop is 180ft not 65ft......

 

Ah my mistake I quoted the wrong stat, 65ft was the above stat on wiki which is the rides height. It's quite the illusion then because the drop is only 20 ft different to Sheikra but looks no where near as big because the majority of the drop is underground.

 

And admittedly it's not fair and I spent most of the day trying not to compare. But I guess I've become a bit of a theme park thrill seeker since going to America and when you've been to places where the tamest rollercoaster has two loops.. and then go to somewhere talking up something like Thirteen its just not the same.

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UGH. I wrote a massive reply to that and this shitty netbook deleted it. Ill reply when Im back on a desktop. :)

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New B&M Wing Rider - new ride type by the worlds best coaster producers.

 

imgRAPTOR.jpg

 

This particular ride design is Gardalands new ride in 2011, Thorpe will get one in 2012 and also planning application has been submitted for a 62ft tall water ride in Thorpe for 2011 on the site of the shitty Octopus Gardens. Further application pics and details as soon as they are available.

 

All good news. :D

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Oh yes, a new B&M! Do you know if the seats rotate? I'm hoping not.

 

Do you have any idea what the water ride will be? Also, do you think the 2016 coaster will be an Intamin? If so, what would you like? I think a Mega Lite would be brilliant.

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I would love a mega lite at Thorpe. I'd also love a B&M flier though, but assumably another B&M won't be on the budget so soon.

 

The seats don't rotate on that one and I've heard someone who claims to have a source (and has proven accurate before) state that they won't rotate on Thorpes either. Which I'm totally happy with, I don't actually like the concept of rotating cars (apart from spinning) on coasters because IMO it moves it more into thrill ride territory.

 

Also apparently the Thorpe Wing Rider will be more dive-machiney with a near vertical first drop.

 

And some speculation is that the "water ride" will be a top spin, which seems likely but I hope is wrong because A) I'm not a HUGE fan of them, B) A lot of cycles are SHIT, C) It will look shit if it isn't themed well and D) I'd rather an interesting actual water ride not just a thrill ride with water.

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I'd have loved a B&M flying coaster at Thorpe too. Shame they built Saw, to be honest.

 

I'm glad to hear the seats on the 2012 coaster won't rotate. Hopefully it's more like a Floorless than a Dive Machine too - don't want it too steep with a holding brake! Maybe 70 or 80-degrees would be ideal?

 

As for the water ride, does Chessington still have a Top Spin? Sounds like they'd have that rather than buy a new one. I hope it's not though - the best water ride I've been on is a portable rapids slide, and there are bigger ones by a company called ABC that look great.

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I don't think they'd move Rameses Revenge. Its a very iconic and classic ride at Chessie, and is also so heavily built into the scenery, it'd seem like a mission to remove it.

 

Some have speculated it could be a water involved/themed Huss Topple Tower (but just fan speculation, apparently the same height as stated)

 

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Thorpes new water ride.

 

florida_part_1_057_333.jpg

 

Will hopefully be heavily rethemed. Its coming from Cypress Gardens, the site that Merlin bought to build Legoland FLORIDA on.

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OK so after MAXING out the Florida theme parks a few weeks ago, here are my top rides!!

 

NOTE: I've included REZ TIPS along the way, because I know you're going later in the year.

 

My Top 3...

 

1) RockIt - Universal Studios (My favourite ride)

 

sam0593e.jpg

 

sam0592m.jpg

 

ABSOLUTELY orgasmic ride as far as I'm concerned. It's not the most terrifying, the most extreme, the fastest etc... etc... but what it's 110% FUN, adrenaline pumping, exciting, interactive and absolutely unique! Plus it's a LONG ride as coasters go!!

 

Everybody gets to individually choose the music you ride to from a selection of around 30 tracks, confined just to you through surround sound speakers in the headrests...

For me my choice was... Black Eyed Peas... PUMP IT!!... Which felt like an awesome 'coaster sound track to me, and it was!

 

And the ride starts off with a 90degree verticle accent!! Something I TOTALLY was not expecting to see and had not been aware of before.

 

It also films your ride and you can purchase the video afterwards.

 

Rode it twice and could have ridden it 10 times more... ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!

 

REZ TIPS... 1) If you ride at the front you get a front on wider recording, if you're in a row further back you get a side on recording.

2) The ride video's are expensive! However, you can preview some of your video before you buy on touch screen booths. My tip to you... use your phone to record the preview video off of the screen!

 

2) Manta - SeaWorld

 

p1030120.jpg

 

sam0734.jpg

 

Like Air, only Awesome!!

Amazing setting which just adds to the enjoyment as you ride around it. And a fantastic track!!

 

Rez Tip: Front Row FTW!!

 

3) The Hulk - Universal Islands of Adventure

 

sam0659.jpg

 

sam0657.jpg

 

Rez Tip: Again Front Row FTW!! Definately worth what wasn't much more of a wait!

 

So those were my Top 3, on to some other rides you have to ride...

 

Disney's Magic Kingdom:

 

- Space Mountain! Like Alton Towers Black Hole... but better!!

 

Disney's MGM Hollywood Studios:

 

- Tower of Terror - MUCH better than I was expecting it to be!! and more to it than I was expecting aswell!!... I'll just leave it at that!

 

sam0635.jpg

 

- Star Wars: Star Tours

 

- Also you have to go to the Indiano Jones Stunt Show!

 

Disney's Epcot Centre:

 

- Test Track

 

sam0607b.jpg

 

Rez Tip: Personally managed to get all the good stuff from across these 3 Disney Parks done in one day. There isn't enough at any one of them to warrant spending the day there.

 

Universal Studios:

 

- Men in Black

 

sam0581.jpg

 

- Jaws

- The Mummy!!

 

- Also go to the Animal Stunt Show... and knowing you, make sure you get your hand up quick for audience participation FTW!!

 

Universal Islands of Adventure:

 

- Dooms Drop Tower

- Jurassic Park Water Ride - I've been wanting to go on this for years, ever since I heard they were building a Jurassic Park zone at Universal, and it didn't dissapoint!

 

sam0661.jpg

 

 

- Harry Potter Hogwarts Ride - Didn't know what to expect, but it's a MUST!!

 

sam0665r.jpg

 

- Harry Potter Duelling Dragon Coaster

Rez Tip 1) There's a Red & a Blue Coaster that intertwine. Chances are you'll ride them both, I did!... but if it so happens that it's REALLY busy and you only have time for one... when you get to where the line splits, GO LEFT (I think it's Blue, but just remember left!), IMO for whatever reason it was the better of the two!

2) Sit Front Row! It adds MASSIVELY to the experience of the two coasters going at each other! You tend to miss what's going on if you are sat further back.

 

Plenty of other awesome coasters but that's all I'm gonna put for now.

 

And needless to say, that after day after day at the parks... literally only the VERY BEST coasters will cut it for me now, I'm seriously hardened!!... and towards the end was actually finding certain roller coasters that were deemed hardcore... pretty tame to say the least! :D

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Nice one dude. I've heard most people say they prefer blue.

 

What were the queues for Harry Potter like?

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Nice one dude. I've heard most people say they prefer blue.

 

What were the queues for Harry Potter like?

For the Castle ride, go as single riders because it makes no difference when you're on the ride, you'll see, and we basically walked straight on.

 

For the Duelling Dragons,

1st time riding Red we walked right to the point where you choose your coaster and waited about 15mins for row 4 I think.

2nd time riding Blue, started queing about 5/10 mins before the coaster choice, and probably 30/40mins for the front row.

The front row takes quite a long time for this ride because they have to release both coasters together and more often than not there's something holding one of them up.

So I'd recommend you just go front row blue straight away.

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Wait, ReZ, I thought you hadn't been to Florida?

 

I thought Hulk was overrated. It was too small and wasn't particularly epic. It's just all in that one corner beside the Storm ride. Kraken at SeaWorld was the best coaster IMO. Actually epic and huge, towering in the sky. Dueling Dragons was dissapointing too.

 

I heard Manta was great, but it wasn't there last time I went.

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I havn't been.

 

I am certain I will love Hulk, I probably have different criteria/outlook on coasters. But Kraken is probably one of my most looking forwards to. :p

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IMO, Manta > Kraken.

 

Kraken is great... it's FAST... it's loud/windy!... it's a bit like Shockwave EXTREME... it's a good ride, but for me it's too similar to stuff I've been on before.

 

Sit at the front on Hulk, and you will love it! Trust me!

I'd say it's far from a confined ride Paj... it goes out over the water, underground etc... feels far more free than Nemesis for example.

 

@ Paj... Also were you dissapointed to find out the Jurassic Park Flyers were only for kids?! It's tempting to swipe one to get on! :D

Edited by Retro_Link

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I was confused by the "ReZ" tips bits in Retro's post...

 

Anyway.

 

Hulk's not confined like Rock N'Roller coaster or anything, but Kraken was my very first big Roller Coaster, and it feels like all others I've been on have so far dissapointed. :p

 

Seconded on the Jurassic Flyers! I remember I was too scared to do them when I was like 7, but then last time I remembered I'd never done them, only to be refused!

 

They also used to have an awesome "Live Triceratops" in JP, where a "trainer" let you stroke it and stuff.It was an animatronic, but funny/entertaining thing since it reacted to things you did. That's gone now I think.

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I was confused by the "ReZ" tips bits in Retro's post...

 

Well if you read his post it said they were tips for me because he knew I was going soon. :p

 

--------

 

I have it on very good authority that Alton Towers are considering some Robo-Arms for the Black Hole tent.

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