Park Paradise

Alton Towers - Nemesis: Sub Terra

@alton_towers

Alton Towers will close its newest attraction, Nemesis Sub-Terra, from May 21-25, 2012, to enable the ride experience to be improved.

Nemesis Sub-Terra has suffered heavy criticism from Alton Towers fans since its debut on March 24. The attraction opened with a number of its special effects not in fully working order, and the park has working to bring these online during the past two months.

Fan site Towers Times reports that the five-day closure period will be used to further enhance the Nemesis Sub-Terra experience. However, it will leave Alton Towers without the attraction that it is using as the centrepiece of its marketing for the 2012 season for almost a week. it is, however, a long overdue adjustment as it’s the second attraction heavily advertised as the best of it’s kind and both have failed to live up to their names (Thirteen).

Billed by the park as “your worst nightmare underground” and named after the legendary Nemesis roller coaster, Alton Towers’ new ride for 2012 takes place entirely indoors. The park successfully concealed the full nature of Nemesis Sub-Terra from fans until its opening day.

The Swarm - Thorpe Park

@THORPEPARK

I have been patiently waiting for this ride to open for just over a year now, and after my first ride I could not be more impressed with a roller coaster! Thorpe Park and Merlin have really pulled out all the stops to make not only a good ride but give an amazing atmosphere and bring in some incredible themed elements too.

Let’s start with the atmosphere, we all know that THE SWARM has a destruction/state of emergency type feel to it and this was emphasised extremely well with actors placed all around the park (but mainly the new Swarm area). Not only were the actors roaming the area but also the queue screaming, shouting, and giving everyone a great laugh while they waited. We had nurses with cut faces, people with tin foil in their hair and boards around their neck, plus some sneaky arm men who always saluted when you walked past. They even had a fake news crew wondering the park getting the latest news from guests! A touch that I think was appreciated by everyone visiting the park today!

The entire Swarm area is very impressive, and does not disappoint. There are so many great viewing points for people who aren’t too sure about riding, and there are even some games stands and a little sandwich outlet stand. During my visit they had a selection of live bands playing on a stage just near the entrance of THE SWARM, but I am not sure whether this will continue into next week.

When you first approach the area you cannot miss the first drop, which plummets under a destroyed plane wing, which from first sight looks like the best head chopper going, but when riding you are too busy screaming your face off to really notice the height. Around the corner and there are a selection of destroyed/crashed vehicles including a fire engine which conveniently sprays water at riders of THE SWARM, a smoking helicopter and a crashed news 16 reporters van. 

My first downside on THE SWARM has to be the queue, it is your standard back and fourth, cattle pen which is calling for queue jumpers to break the park rules! Even though the actors made the small wait enjoyable, I am not sure that this is something which will occur regularly. The station is probably THE best themed station at any UK theme park, even beating out Alton Tower’s Thirteen. The blown up church structure has heavy attention to detail and gives a great feel to the ride before setting off up the chain hill.

The two big things that guests will notice when walking into the station are the size of the track, it is stupidly huge, and secondly the upside down Police inspection unit which also functions as the control room for the ride! Thorpe Park have implemented a “card” front row rider scheme which if I am honest I am not sure will work with queue jumpers but for the number of guests today it didn’t really matter! 

Now for the ride, right? What everyone has been waiting for! Well 9 out of 10 Thorpe Park, what an incredible roller coaster. I experienced all three positions, front, middle and back, but the back has to be the best by a long shot! The first drop is a spectacle, from the front you slowly turn down towards the large decent, and from the back you rapidly spin through the air! Either way, both are different experiences which all keep guests happy! 

The first drop is by far the best, but don’t forget the small heart-line roll towards the end which spins riders through the roof of the church in a crazy whirlwind! There are also some water elements throughout the ride which, if your lucky, get some riders wet. I have to admit that I don’t really get scared or nervous about rides anymore but a good coaster for me is one that is enjoyable, this ride kept me laughing the entire way around! On a final note, the seats could not be more comfortable if they tried, with a similar layout to AIR at Alton Towers, it gives guests the ability to sit comfortably but still feel free when riding through the air.

I wanted to share with everyone how amazing this new roller coaster is, and I am positive it will attract a large influx of guests for the park! 

THE SWARM, Thorpe Park 9/10

Disneyland Paris - 2 NEW Attractions in 2014

@Disney_ParisEN

The CEO of the Disneyland Resort Paris’ parent company has revealed in a newspaper interview that a second new attraction is due to open at Walt Disney Studios in 2014.

It is already known that a major new dark ride based on Pixar’s Ratatouille will be installed at the park, and it had been believed this would absorb all of the €150 million loan that Disney recently agreed to provide to the resort. However, Philippe Gas, the head of EuroDisney S.C.A., told Le Figaro yesterday that “two new attractions” would debut at Walt Disney Studios in 2014.

The nature of the second attraction is unknown, and it has not appeared in concept art for the Paris-themed Ratatouille area as yet. It could simply be that Gas was referring to the restaurant that will sit alongside the ride, although it is perhaps more likely that a minor attraction will be installed nearby or in another area of Walt Disney Studios. Rumours have also pointed to an upgrade of the Star Tours ride at neighbouring Disneyland Paris or a replacement for the Captain EO 3-D movie, although this would not be consistent with Gas’ statement.

The CEO also reaffirmed that the resort will take a decision on building a third theme park no earlier than 2020, having received approval in 2010. In the meantime, it will focus on improvements to Walt Disney Studios, which was heavily criticised for its lack of attractions when it opened in 2002.

Alton Towers - Merlin to replace roads before SW7 confirmed

@alton_towers

Alton Towers has reportedly been ordered to pay £100,000 for road improvements before receiving approval for its plans to construct a new roller coaster for the 2013 season.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is expected to approve the plans for the coaster, codenamed “SW7”, at a meeting today. However, reports are suggesting that the park will be forced to fund measures designed to alleviate traffic congestion caused by an increase in visitor numbers that the ride is expected to generate.

According to the report, traffic through the nearby villages of Alton and Farley could increase by 5.5 percent during the summer 2013 season. Although it erroneously refers to the new ride as Nemesis Sub-Terra (which is actually due to open later in March 2012), it claims that this will result in a further 234 vehicles per day passing through the villages.

Alton Towers - Cutting Opening Hours

@alton_towers

Alton Towers has revealed its opening hours for the 2012 season, with the park set to close earlier than it has in recent years.

Fan site Towers Times reports that the park will shut its gates as early as 4pm during quieter months early in the season, having remained open until a minimum of 5pm in 2011. During the peak summer season, Alton Towers will close at 6pm, an hour earlier than during the same period last year.

Opening hours for the popular Scarefest Halloween events will remain unchanged, with the park remaining open until 9pm. In a statement, Alton Towers revealed that the October half-term week (during which Scarefest takes place) is the busiest week of the year at the park.

While Alton Towers is planning to close earlier than in previous years, the park has been known to extend opening hours at short notice when attendance is higher than expected. The park’s scheduled hours are listed on its website.

This is another strange move by Merlin to possibly cut costs? Thorpe Park also recently revealed their opening hours which saw both the summer months AND Fright Nights take a hit at the end of the day closing a whole hour earlier. What’s going on Merlin?