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2026: General Discussion

Spark said:
Couldnt for the life of me remember it was called Blade :laughing:
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I don't think it was called Blade until it was relocated to Forbidden Valley in 1997 (to make way for Oblivion, I think)

I think it was originally just called Pirate Ship when it was in the area that is now X-Sector ?
Spark said:
Whats currently in the area that the pirate ship was since its removal?
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When I visited last year, it was just an empty pit. From the top of Toxicator (on one side), you could clearly see into it. You could kind of see into it by walking along the vending machine path as well
 
To be honest FV has 4 attractions so as nice it would be to have a permanent replacement for Blade.....I think there's a far greater need for a flat ride to be added to X Sector or Dark Forest first.

Nemmy, Galactica, Toxicator and Sub Terra is definitely enough for now.
 
Benjsh said:
To be honest FV has 4 attractions so as nice it would be to have a permanent replacement for Blade.....I think there's a far greater need for a flat ride to be added to X Sector or Dark Forest first.

Nemmy, Galactica, Toxicator and Sub Terra is definitely enough for now.
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Without it, FV remains the 1.4m exclusion zone.

So does X Sector but at least there are options in the vicinity.
 
Forbidden Valley could do with something for younger kids to do whilst their parents and older siblings go on the likes of Nemesis.
Maybe they could open that pit up and chuck some sand and some balls in it. Kids love playing in pits
 
They probably think that the arcade is good enough for kids - except that nobody uses arcades anymore

The Curse is somewhat nearby, but probably still too far away to be considered a true part of Forbidden Valley

Incidentally: was The Blade moved to FV in order to give kids something to ride, or was it literally just to make room for Oblivion over in X-Sector?

Wasn't there already a small flat ride in Forbidden Valley at the time, where Sub-Terra now is?
 
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They are desperate for any ride between 1.1 to 1.3 in a lot of areas. Its a litte bit silly how some kid can ride Hyperia and Icon but not Rita. I know its based on restraints but still.
 
Hid said:
They are desperate for any ride between 1.1 to 1.3 in a lot of areas. Its a litte bit silly how some kid can ride Hyperia and Icon but not Rita. I know its based on restraints but still.
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Its not always based on that as lots of the same restraints from the same manufacturers have lower height restrictions around the world. Some retrospectively lowered too.
 
Hid said:
They are desperate for any ride between 1.1 to 1.3 in a lot of areas. Its a litte bit silly how some kid can ride Hyperia and Icon but not Rita. I know its based on restraints but still.
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I think it's actually more based on the ride forces; children are affected by higher forces more than adults (this is why Toxicator has a strict 10+ age requirement).
 
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Skyscraper said:
It's actually more based on the ride forces; children are affected by higher forces more than adults (this is why Toxicator has a strict 10+ age requirement).
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I don’t even think it’s that in the UK. There are rides with higher forces yet lower height restrictions around the world (and also Hyperia), Merlin simply have no interest in amending existing restrictions, especially if they can’t be rounded up on the metric system (eg B&Ms in many other countries are often 1.32m or 1.37m which is 54 inches).

Toxicator being new is presumably legitimately based on height for the restraints and forces as the 1.4m is enforced globally as far as i know!
 
Secret Weapon said:
The Curse is somewhat nearby, but probably still too far away to be considered a true part of Forbidden Valley
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Alty Mans is not suitable for my 3 year old.

Blade would be. Fortunately we can still get away with her being just as engaged watching the bigger rides than going on them.

But the point is that 3 areas of the park NEED support attractions that provide something for those not tall enough for the big stuff. Particularly those too old for CBeebies.
 
Secret Weapon said:
I didn't know that; I wonder how AT enforce this if they see a child who is tall enough, but appears to be 9 years old or below?
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Challenge 25.

No ID? No ride.
Skyscraper said:
It's actually more based on the ride forces; children are affected by higher forces more than adults (this is why Toxicator has a strict 10+ age requirement).
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It's mostly based on the assessment of risk by the insurance company, within the parameters decided by the manufacturer.

Edit, beaten by @rob666.
 
Bowser said:
Merlin simply have no interest in amending existing restrictions, especially if they can’t be rounded up on the metric system (eg B&Ms in many other countries are often 1.32m or 1.37m which is 54 inches).
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I never understood this, as Britain traditionally used the imperial system, whereas continental Europe pioneered the metric system - but yet it appears to be the other way around with rollercoasters?
 
Secret Weapon said:
I never understood this, as Britain traditionally used the imperial system, whereas continental Europe pioneered the metric system - but yet it appears to be the other way around with rollercoasters?
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Coaster manufacturing, for most of its history, has primarily been focused on the US market (who use imperial measurements).
 
Secret Weapon said:
I never understood this, as Britain traditionally used the imperial system, whereas continental Europe pioneered the metric system - but yet it appears to be the other way around with rollercoasters?
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Europe is very much metric, they’re just not wedded to 10cm increments like we are.

Blackpool is i believe the only major UK park that deviates from this.
 
Bowser said:
Blackpool is i believe the only major UK park that deviates from this.
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I seem to remember someone saying that this is due to Blackpool previously having height restrictions in imperial and then converting them to metric on many of the older rides.

A given number of feet and inches (or just inches if you’re American) won’t necessarily convert neatly into a number rounded to the nearest 10cm.
 
Bowser said:
Europe is very much metric, they’re just not wedded to 10cm increments like we are.
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I love the fact that Merlin think that the public are a bunch of thickos who couldn't possibly comprehend 2 decimal places - even though prices in Britain are listed in pounds and pence, and thus often use 2 decimal places! (Ditto for Europe and the USA, etc)

Most people still give their height in feet and inches AFAIK, anyway!
 
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