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  1. Smithy

    Favourite theme park entrance experience?

  2. Smithy

    Spain & theme parks; what’s the problem?

    Whilst there may be ad-hoc reports of the parks being quiet, do the facts actually bear that out? Are their attendances actually down year on year? PA is the anomaly purely because it's more of a 'resort' and it pulls in both tourists and locals, especially during the summer, but parks like...
  3. Smithy

    Woman injured after metal object strikes her from Top Thrill Dragster train.

    Just another reason I really don't feel comfortable around the accelerators - that sheer amount of force and exposed mechanics (and too much FInal Destination) and I always think something like this is going to happen.
  4. Smithy

    Accident on Adventureland's Raging River

    I do worry about the future of rapids rides and flumes - apart from the massive running costs, there is an inherent risk involved in them that doesn't appear to be as controllable as with other rides.
  5. Smithy

    Blackpool Central Leisure Development- Announcement Imminent

    Would do that end of town a world of good though.
  6. Smithy

    Which wood coaster is the worst?

    Whatever that pile of **** in Benidorm is called (Magnus Colossus?) that's up there as one of the roughest I've ever experienced. Last ride on Big Dipper was a shocker, I used to always think National worse but my last visit flipped that.
  7. Smithy

    WTF Merlin?

    The day before I would have gone (when I would have had to book tickets) it still said 4pm close. A few friends had been the week before and said they were queuing for at least an hour for every ride. Extending the hours on the day or when you're in the park is great for those there - but as...
  8. Smithy

    WTF Merlin?

    People leaving war-torn countries are fleeing, not Sally and Bob storming out of the queue for Vampire because Timmy has wet himself. Been a depressing read catching up on this thread. I was after a theme park fix the other day when in the Peak District for a few days but couldn't justify the...
  9. Smithy

    Odyssey wind speed

    Three sisters in a caravan? I've seen that movie...
  10. Smithy


  11. Smithy

    Kent, England | The London Resort | Entertainment Complex

    Would it be cynical to think those comments demanding further research is required on impacts will stem from the same source as companies affiliated with eventually producing such reports/
  12. Smithy

    Alton Towers vs Blackpool Pleasure Beach

    I think my view will probably echo most people's - Alton is just a better park. I guess it all depends on the circumstances and the company. If you're giving me a choice of 1 day at either park, it's always Alton. Better rides, basically. If I were taking some non-enthusiast friends to a park...
  13. Smithy

    WTF Merlin?

    What even is that? A rebrand of an existing ride (I'm out of the loop). Either way, it looks cheap as **** - like literally it looks like one of those pop-up halloween scare fests you find in a random field somewhere.
  14. Smithy

    New (temporary, hired) flat rides for Alton Towers

    It's embarrassing (although I'm not sure if it's for you lot or me) that none of you have mentioned Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Cowabunga. Heathens. I both love this, and think it's a seriously smart business move for them. I get the concerns about them looking tatty, or putting people...
  15. Smithy

    Coaster with the strongest smell?

    Smilers disgusting restraints had a distinct smell.
  16. Smithy

    Most impressive Coaster Designs

    So there's two different strands to this for me. One the one side, you've got Nemesis. Built around and in the valley, impressive pacing, looks ominous, I'm surprised it took so long to be mentioned in here. But as it was built from scratch into the environment, it doesn't fall into the same...
  17. Smithy

    Blackpool Pleasure Beach: Future Predictions

    I mean it didn't take a genius to predict that Icon wasn't going to bring the punters flying through the gates - I've lost count of the amount of times we've had to discuss how the UK market relies heavily on USP's, branding or 'world firsts'. It's a really good ride, it looks beautiful, it...
  18. Smithy

    Attractions that still scare you?

    I dislike jump scares so I don't really think it's a scare thing, as there's just no enjoyment there for me. Oblivion is always the first one that comes to mind, I've been on bigger and faster rides, and I don't have any issue with Eurofighters (beyond the vertical lifts), but Oblivion gives me...
  19. Smithy

    Icon at Blackpool Pleasure Beach; overrated or underappreciated?

    Yeah I think initially it was massively over-hyped (and somewhat rightly so based on both Helix/Blue Fire, and it being the first big ride in ages at BPB) and that was always going to impact on the initial reviews of it. I think it's perfect for the park, yet not what they needed. It's a...
  20. Smithy

    Five Things That Changed Theme Parks - Part 1: The Use of IP

    I literally used this forum and my growing interest in theme parks to focus a large portion of my dissertation on IP's and branding and their increasing usage by UK theme parks. So this was a blast down memory lane for me.