• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

2021: General Discussion

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
jon81uk said:
I think in general only rapids with big drops (like Animal Kingdom, Seaworld, IoA) have seatbelts.
Click to expand...

In 2019 the rapids at Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Kennywood all had seat belts. All were more in style to the rapids rides we have in this country compared to any of the newer ones with drops. But then River Quest previously had the biggest drop on a rapids and that has no seat belts.

If the park aren't prepared to run the ride to its full potential they may as well remove it and build something new.
 
So is it a plausibility that Drayton Manor’s new boats could feature seatbelts, then?
 
John_P said:
If the park aren't prepared to run the ride to its full potential they may as well remove it and build something new.
Click to expand...

But I've been on several rapids that never had waterfalls even on day 1. They aren't the be-all-and-end-all. There is plenty that could be done to make it a fun rapids ride without them.
 
jon81uk said:
But I've been on several rapids that never had waterfalls even on day 1. They aren't the be-all-and-end-all. There is plenty that could be done to make it a fun rapids ride without them.
Click to expand...
What sort of non-waterfall features would you personally suggest, out of interest?
 
Matt N said:
What sort of non-waterfall features would you personally suggest, out of interest?
Click to expand...

Making sure the wave machines are on and working and that there are plenty of white water type moments. Adding more proper theming, maybe some animatronics. Making the tunnel interior look like a mine and not a multi-storey car park. There is plenty that could be done to enhance the ride.

I never found the waterfalls amazing, they were just something there to splash you. I'd rather have unpredictable more rapids-feel stuff like waves and bumps. Make the rapids a rapids ride, leave the complete soaking spashy ride to Battle Galleons. Also make sure it feels like the congo, more jungle theming and more mining theming.
 
Most of this is just standard opening day stuff, it shouldn’t be - but it happens every year, ride availability is always sporadic on opening day/weekend.

Add to that the rides have been closed longer than usual and they haven’t had the usual pre-season buyout days to bed in rides and staff and this is kind of to be expected.

A shame, but not surprising.
 
People stuck inside since January, and they still find things to moan about. You would have thought that coming out of lockdown, they'd give places the benefit of the doubt when things don't run smoothly on day one.

I love moaning about Towers, but they can't really be blamed for operations today.
 
Last edited:
Parks and other places can only do so much for social distancing.

Unfortunately people seem to think that because there's a vaccine it's free reign to just reach over or around you or force you to walk in between them as they talk to their mate.
 
Matt N said:
Oh dear; it would appear that the park is getting lambasted about today in the Birmingham Mail: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/waste-day-out-alton-towers-20369718
Click to expand...

Those comments lack context, "been there since 10 but only one ride" isn't too bad if its midday, but at 3pm would be a bit rubbish. Also people commenting "there isn't even fasttrack available" just shows the state of things when waits are not too awful at an hour-ish and people complain about not being able to spend yet more money.
Most rides are now opening, downtime hasn't been that bad considering it has snowed! The park is open til 8pm so plenty of time left to ride stuff. Everyone in that article just sees like they want to find something to moan about rather than having a day out.
 
I’m sat watching my wife and daughter on Go Jetters, so thought I’d take a moment give my thoughts on today.

I think the park looks great, there appears to be a lot of painting up that has happened in various places. It looks bright and fresh. This doesn’t extend to certain spots (Cuckoo Cars looks a real mess - probably going to be rethemed soon judging by its neglect.).

WODW is fenced off but with staff dressed as Beefeaters walking Fountain Square and advising of it opening in May, thought this was a nice touch. Woodcutters had full menu available for the outdoor seating too, which I thought was good. The lawns look great and there seem to be about five characters milling about (seen a Yeti, a Shark, a Dodo, some sort of orange thing!) giving a good atmosphere.

Funk n Fly has a long queue but seems to eat it relatively quickly. It’s a fun little ride but I’m not a big fan of walking into Forbidden Valley and hearing Bon Jovi blaring above the classic Nemesis theme, seemed to just be me though (my wife loved it as she’s a Bon Jovi fan!). Mixtape I haven’t yet been on as the queue has been huge all day, but intend to get on it shortly. The Waltzers are really hidden away - if you don’t know they’re there I doubt you’d find them. The music seems to be hidden away too (probably due to it being an enclosed attraction). It’s sad walking through an utterly dead Gloomy Wood and the one way system from Katanga to FV feels more irritating than last year with no attractions between.

My only big complaint is the change in height restrictions on CRR and, although not publicised, The Blade. Both have gone to minimum 1.1m with The Blade having a little sticker placed above where it used to say 1.0m. This is not advertised as such on the website or app but is clearly the case from the signage. I find this sad as my daughter was riding both of these last visit, and now cannot go on either! It’s a hard thing to explain to a four year old, particularly when she loved both rides.

On a personal note, this visit was a good kick up the backside to me about weight I’ve put on in lockdown, wow! Struggled to get the bar down on Heave Ho (yet oddly no issues on Wicker Man). If you’ve indulged during the indoors periods we’ve suffered, Watch your guts folks!
 
See I think reliability has looked better today than other previous opening days. Rita has been going down intermittently fair enough but Nemesis is the only ride that's been closed all day and The Smiler looks like its only closed it queue because its reached capacity. I feel like some people will just complain for the sake of it.
 
Out of interest, is there something up with Nemesis? It's just that it was closed the last four days of last season, now it's been closed all day today. Seems a bit odd that.
 
Rita has lovely new queue line fencing…

5d63cc9d8603ceb58440020978c89ddb.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
andeyhart said:
Out of interest, is there something up with Nemesis? It's just that it was closed the last four days of last season, now it's been closed all day today. Seems a bit odd that.
Click to expand...
Unsure, but it has been testing throughout people's gardens visits (and even this morning) so I dont think its a follow on from the end of last season!
 
andeyhart said:
Out of interest, is there something up with Nemesis? It's just that it was closed the last four days of last season, now it's been closed all day today. Seems a bit odd that.
Click to expand...
I think it's to be expected with nemesis now days unfortunately. As I said earlier its 27 and that's not young. I could see it lasting another 10 years but at this rate I'm not sure
 
I
Danny said:
Never thought I'd say this, but I could not be happier that a bunch of fairground rides have long queues.
Click to expand...
I can't actually believe mixtape has been getting the same queues as the smiler. Surely anyone walking walking into x sector in that scenario would get straight into the smilers queue
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top