Gazza
Giga Poster
Ill wind back the clock a bit before getting into the thick of it.
The day before Blackpool was my second day at Alton, which was more of the same, but Family Furie/Rach-less. The only new rides of that day were Battle Galleons (Which were heaps of fun, very nicley themed, and something they should have at water parks...I did take the pussbag option and wore a poncho and removed my shoes) and Submission (An allright flat ride, It was cool how you plunge head first toward the ground momentarily before sweeping away)
From Alton I got a bus to Uttoxeter, and while I was waiting for the train went into the Tesco. Thats the other thing I asked Furie about, whether Skips come in flavours other than prawn...the answer is yes, cheese flavour, and bacon flavour, but only as part of a multi pack. I bought said multipack, and enjoyed them (I should explain a bit, Skips were sold for a short period here when I was younger, but they took them away and I've wanted them ever since)
From Uttoxeter (All this time I had been pronouncing it "Ut-ox-eater" instead of "U-tox-a-ter") I got a train to Crewe, and then one of those cool Virgin tilt trains to Preston, and then this crappy train that was more like a bus on rails to Blackpool.
I stayed at the Travelodge, which is just across the road from the park, and hence only short walk from the station.
Walking along the waterfront you can see they have gone to some expense doing it up, putting in wind generators, but from the perspective of this architecture student it is missing one thing...Trees!
I didn't realise that Blackpool had street decorations, I liked the bit where there was Dr Who themed stuff.
I could see rides were still going on the South pier, so I dumped my bags and wandered over. The Crazy Mouse was missing its station, and the cars were not on the track, but scattered underneath, so it was pretty clear I wouldn't be riding.
Everything else there didn't take me, so I wandered up to the Maccas and got a Quarter Pounder for tea and used the wifi.
By this point I was rooted so I went to bed.
Next morning my body clock was still messed up, so I went for a 5am walk, doing a bit of a lap around PBB and seeing stuff like Grand National from the outside. One thing I hadn't spotted on the waterfront was this organ that is powered by waves, which was pretty cool.
I kept wandering through some surrounding streets looking for a convenience store to get some brekky from, but I only found tacky gift shops. Even Maccas wasn't open yet, so dejected I went back and slept some more.
I woke up again a little bit before opening, so I checked out, and wandered over to the park.
I was surprised that all the admissions staff were wearing suits, I guess Amanda Thompson is trying to inject some class into the place.
When gates opened, so I headed over to PMBO, and waited for that to open.
I rode it, but didn't think it was that great actually. It has a good first drop, and it goes fast up until the MCBR, but that about all you can say. It's quite rough, and is sort of a waste of steel (I don't mean in that way, but instead of doing huge hills at a gentle slope that go high for a considerable distance, they should have built steeper hills that give actual airtime, and it would've been cheaper to build since there is less high up track to support. I rode this again at the back later in the day, you get a tiny bit of air, with the tradeoff of a rougher ride.
Next I headed over to Infusion, figuring that might get long lines since it is the new thing.
It Pretty much confirms my view that SLCs have one of the worst train designs ever created. I did like quite the fountains, and the fact that it is over water (Shock horror, PBB marketing tagline works on enthusiast) and it was pretty well presented for a 'generic' themed ride.
From there I headed over to Avalanche
Really good. It was my first bobsled, and it didn't disappoint. It just gets faster and faster, with really intense turns by the end. The trains were actually really comfortable too, which was a pleasant surprise, and the station was well done. A genuinely thrilling family coaster...Jet Rescues 3rd cousin or something I guess. It is a very short ride though.
From there I went over to Steeplechase.
Another one that was heaps of fun (I rode all 3 tracks because I liked it so much) not particularly fast or intense, but it was cool being so exposed, and tipping a bit on the turns. The small fences you 'jump' over were a cute touch.
Irn Bru was nearby, so I decided to go on that.
I didn't expect much out of this one, it's just an old Arrow with just a loop after all. But it is awesomely good. The launch is nothing (Sort of akin to driving away from traffic lights) but the top of the drop delivers huge negative g's, and then it is straight into a loop that is so forceful it makes you dizzy, then another burst of air at the top of the slope up...Then all that in reverse. I rode in the back, which seemed like the right seat for this one. Its funny how simple ideas like this can be the most fun...I bet if a theme park wanted a space efficient coaster to occupy a linear site they would build an impulse instead.
Next I decided to start tackling the woodies, with Wild Mouse being first. It looked like it had a long queue because it was spilling out, but after a quick calculation I worked out the wait was only 10 minutes. It was at this point that I realised most of the rides at Blackpool don't have proper queuing areas, you just wait out in the midways most of the time.
I then spotted the epic win:
I sort of knew what to expect on this one...There are now 5 wooden mice left in the world, Australia has 4, and of them I've ridden 3.
This one had a layout that was a bit different, since it has a big drop at the start and a fan turn (Ours are the same sort of layout as a Mack mouse) It was a lot of fun, definitley delivering a 'wild' ride.
Next I did Grand National. I ended up going on both sides, my first was near the back, and on the left seat of the right train, so I could partake in hand slapping.....
Awesome! One of the best rides in the park. There is tons of air (Full on ejector) on the drops and hills. It was a bit rough, but the upholstered trains were like comfy couches, and its just a lap bar, so its not like it is painful or anything. Too bad all the fun is out of view from park guests.
I did Big Dipper next. This one certainly dipped a lot, but not much air. Still fun though. The historical charm was fascinating, it is cool how you feel the trains flexing and pressing against you as you go around turns, and in the station how they have preserved the old levers despite the system being automated, so you see them moving by themselves.
Unfortunately Roller Coaster didn't open...What did I miss?
I did Zipper Dipper while I was in that general area, ok for kids I guess.
The rest of the day I cant order that well, I re rode some of the coasters
(The final count was PMBO x2 , Steeplechase x3, Avalanche x2, Nash x2, everything else once I think) and I did a few of the other unique things...
So, as for the other stuff....
The ghost train reminded me of RCT 1.
Very old fashioned, and tacky in a good way (It looked cheap, but it all moved and worked)
My favourite gag was a skeleton where the skull came off the neck, and came towards you via a zip line. Amusing.
Impossible kind of felt a bit like something you'd see at a science center or Ripleys. You start off with a mirror maze, then through a section of crazy mirrors, and then past a couple of exhibits (I can't really remember them, I think you turned them and fluid would flow from the top to the bottom) you could play with, and then out into an area with a few exhibits like a plasma ball, and those illusions we all know (Eg faces that turn upside down to become another face, the stroop test ( red blue black green etc )
Sadly, the most intriguing part of this attraction, the haunted swing , was closed so you just went straight out the exit, so I couldn't compare with Hex.
Valhalla was interesting, a bit disjointed, and very wet.
There were some very good effects ...the wilderness room that was actually freezing inside, the fire effects, a rolling log with spikes that whips overhead. The station was well detailed , pretty impressive how it was done by actual Russian craftsmen.
But you couldn't glean any sort of story from it, it was just a bunch of Scandinavian themed rooms.
Also, they had some stupid stuff in some rooms, like these tacky looking trolls that would more at home in the ghost train, looking like they were made by a primary schooler doing Papier-mâché. It sort of detracted from the expense they went to in other places.
It was the only long wait of the day, at 40 minutes.
PS, at the start are fluffy dogs you see on the right supposed to bark? And what is the point of that tiny backwards drop?
I had looked at Bling earlier and it seemed to have a long queue, but it was walk on later in the day.
For once a ride here that pretty much matches general opinions. It looks really cool, but the seats never flip (At best, you'll be sideways for a few seconds as the main arm reaches the halfway point, before it rights itself) I guess it has nice views, and would be perfect for people who get sick easily.
So overall, not that thrilling....I reckon Zeirer just looked at the top scan, made it bigger, and then adjusted the axis that it rotates in, thinking these changes would work and that's how we got the poor result we saw today; an oversized ferris wheel.
Right at the end of the day I snuck on the River Caves.
Quite good actually, I was surprised how well done the theming was, and how long it went for considering its age. Its a shame our Luna Parks got rid of theirs.
There was some stuff I missed that I ran out of time for...Sr Hirim Maxims Flying Machines, the Monorail, Grand Prix. But overall I got to do a fair bit, and queues weren't really an issue at all.
As for the park overall.
As mentioned earlier, you can tell Amanda Thompson is trying to make the place a bit more classy, and trying to shake past stereotypes...There is fancy consistent signage, the gate staff wear suits, some other stuff such as a few of the cafes have been tarted up, in park improvements like the fountain area etc.
But a lot of the place still looks tacky, because at the end of the day if they still have a lot of this poorly maintaned tacky stuff along side the newer stuff, the end result is still tacky.
It is a shame because there is stuff that is quite well presented (Eg Avalanche is themed well, as well as a few buildings around the park like the German ones opposite the ghost train, It's like they've had these nice ideas, but haven't placed them properly.
If they just painted the place more, fixed up some of the tacky bits then it really could shine, though I guess if it still remains the most popular park in the UK the motivation probably isn't there.
I don't really buy it that the place has no room to expand, when right by the main entrance there is a large car park that is expendable and they could build on (Surely that could be turned into a compact multi level parking, or just moved off site) Plus heaps of the rides just worm around through the park, over and under stuff, so why not just do more like that?
But overall it is a fun place that people should make an effort to see if they visit the UK...lots to do, with some really fun and unique stuff.
I still prefer AT over PBB since I prefer that style of park,
but its so interesting how all these years ago people were enjoying the same rides people are today, and these rides still manage to hold their own in terms of enjoyment, despite their age.
The day before Blackpool was my second day at Alton, which was more of the same, but Family Furie/Rach-less. The only new rides of that day were Battle Galleons (Which were heaps of fun, very nicley themed, and something they should have at water parks...I did take the pussbag option and wore a poncho and removed my shoes) and Submission (An allright flat ride, It was cool how you plunge head first toward the ground momentarily before sweeping away)
From Alton I got a bus to Uttoxeter, and while I was waiting for the train went into the Tesco. Thats the other thing I asked Furie about, whether Skips come in flavours other than prawn...the answer is yes, cheese flavour, and bacon flavour, but only as part of a multi pack. I bought said multipack, and enjoyed them (I should explain a bit, Skips were sold for a short period here when I was younger, but they took them away and I've wanted them ever since)
From Uttoxeter (All this time I had been pronouncing it "Ut-ox-eater" instead of "U-tox-a-ter") I got a train to Crewe, and then one of those cool Virgin tilt trains to Preston, and then this crappy train that was more like a bus on rails to Blackpool.
I stayed at the Travelodge, which is just across the road from the park, and hence only short walk from the station.
Walking along the waterfront you can see they have gone to some expense doing it up, putting in wind generators, but from the perspective of this architecture student it is missing one thing...Trees!
I didn't realise that Blackpool had street decorations, I liked the bit where there was Dr Who themed stuff.
I could see rides were still going on the South pier, so I dumped my bags and wandered over. The Crazy Mouse was missing its station, and the cars were not on the track, but scattered underneath, so it was pretty clear I wouldn't be riding.
Everything else there didn't take me, so I wandered up to the Maccas and got a Quarter Pounder for tea and used the wifi.
By this point I was rooted so I went to bed.
Next morning my body clock was still messed up, so I went for a 5am walk, doing a bit of a lap around PBB and seeing stuff like Grand National from the outside. One thing I hadn't spotted on the waterfront was this organ that is powered by waves, which was pretty cool.
I kept wandering through some surrounding streets looking for a convenience store to get some brekky from, but I only found tacky gift shops. Even Maccas wasn't open yet, so dejected I went back and slept some more.
I woke up again a little bit before opening, so I checked out, and wandered over to the park.
I was surprised that all the admissions staff were wearing suits, I guess Amanda Thompson is trying to inject some class into the place.
When gates opened, so I headed over to PMBO, and waited for that to open.
I rode it, but didn't think it was that great actually. It has a good first drop, and it goes fast up until the MCBR, but that about all you can say. It's quite rough, and is sort of a waste of steel (I don't mean in that way, but instead of doing huge hills at a gentle slope that go high for a considerable distance, they should have built steeper hills that give actual airtime, and it would've been cheaper to build since there is less high up track to support. I rode this again at the back later in the day, you get a tiny bit of air, with the tradeoff of a rougher ride.
Next I headed over to Infusion, figuring that might get long lines since it is the new thing.
It Pretty much confirms my view that SLCs have one of the worst train designs ever created. I did like quite the fountains, and the fact that it is over water (Shock horror, PBB marketing tagline works on enthusiast) and it was pretty well presented for a 'generic' themed ride.
From there I headed over to Avalanche
Really good. It was my first bobsled, and it didn't disappoint. It just gets faster and faster, with really intense turns by the end. The trains were actually really comfortable too, which was a pleasant surprise, and the station was well done. A genuinely thrilling family coaster...Jet Rescues 3rd cousin or something I guess. It is a very short ride though.
From there I went over to Steeplechase.
Another one that was heaps of fun (I rode all 3 tracks because I liked it so much) not particularly fast or intense, but it was cool being so exposed, and tipping a bit on the turns. The small fences you 'jump' over were a cute touch.
Irn Bru was nearby, so I decided to go on that.
I didn't expect much out of this one, it's just an old Arrow with just a loop after all. But it is awesomely good. The launch is nothing (Sort of akin to driving away from traffic lights) but the top of the drop delivers huge negative g's, and then it is straight into a loop that is so forceful it makes you dizzy, then another burst of air at the top of the slope up...Then all that in reverse. I rode in the back, which seemed like the right seat for this one. Its funny how simple ideas like this can be the most fun...I bet if a theme park wanted a space efficient coaster to occupy a linear site they would build an impulse instead.
Next I decided to start tackling the woodies, with Wild Mouse being first. It looked like it had a long queue because it was spilling out, but after a quick calculation I worked out the wait was only 10 minutes. It was at this point that I realised most of the rides at Blackpool don't have proper queuing areas, you just wait out in the midways most of the time.
I then spotted the epic win:
I sort of knew what to expect on this one...There are now 5 wooden mice left in the world, Australia has 4, and of them I've ridden 3.
This one had a layout that was a bit different, since it has a big drop at the start and a fan turn (Ours are the same sort of layout as a Mack mouse) It was a lot of fun, definitley delivering a 'wild' ride.
Next I did Grand National. I ended up going on both sides, my first was near the back, and on the left seat of the right train, so I could partake in hand slapping.....
Awesome! One of the best rides in the park. There is tons of air (Full on ejector) on the drops and hills. It was a bit rough, but the upholstered trains were like comfy couches, and its just a lap bar, so its not like it is painful or anything. Too bad all the fun is out of view from park guests.
I did Big Dipper next. This one certainly dipped a lot, but not much air. Still fun though. The historical charm was fascinating, it is cool how you feel the trains flexing and pressing against you as you go around turns, and in the station how they have preserved the old levers despite the system being automated, so you see them moving by themselves.
Unfortunately Roller Coaster didn't open...What did I miss?
I did Zipper Dipper while I was in that general area, ok for kids I guess.
The rest of the day I cant order that well, I re rode some of the coasters
(The final count was PMBO x2 , Steeplechase x3, Avalanche x2, Nash x2, everything else once I think) and I did a few of the other unique things...
So, as for the other stuff....
The ghost train reminded me of RCT 1.
Very old fashioned, and tacky in a good way (It looked cheap, but it all moved and worked)
My favourite gag was a skeleton where the skull came off the neck, and came towards you via a zip line. Amusing.
Impossible kind of felt a bit like something you'd see at a science center or Ripleys. You start off with a mirror maze, then through a section of crazy mirrors, and then past a couple of exhibits (I can't really remember them, I think you turned them and fluid would flow from the top to the bottom) you could play with, and then out into an area with a few exhibits like a plasma ball, and those illusions we all know (Eg faces that turn upside down to become another face, the stroop test ( red blue black green etc )
Sadly, the most intriguing part of this attraction, the haunted swing , was closed so you just went straight out the exit, so I couldn't compare with Hex.
Valhalla was interesting, a bit disjointed, and very wet.
There were some very good effects ...the wilderness room that was actually freezing inside, the fire effects, a rolling log with spikes that whips overhead. The station was well detailed , pretty impressive how it was done by actual Russian craftsmen.
But you couldn't glean any sort of story from it, it was just a bunch of Scandinavian themed rooms.
Also, they had some stupid stuff in some rooms, like these tacky looking trolls that would more at home in the ghost train, looking like they were made by a primary schooler doing Papier-mâché. It sort of detracted from the expense they went to in other places.
It was the only long wait of the day, at 40 minutes.
PS, at the start are fluffy dogs you see on the right supposed to bark? And what is the point of that tiny backwards drop?
I had looked at Bling earlier and it seemed to have a long queue, but it was walk on later in the day.
For once a ride here that pretty much matches general opinions. It looks really cool, but the seats never flip (At best, you'll be sideways for a few seconds as the main arm reaches the halfway point, before it rights itself) I guess it has nice views, and would be perfect for people who get sick easily.
So overall, not that thrilling....I reckon Zeirer just looked at the top scan, made it bigger, and then adjusted the axis that it rotates in, thinking these changes would work and that's how we got the poor result we saw today; an oversized ferris wheel.
Right at the end of the day I snuck on the River Caves.
Quite good actually, I was surprised how well done the theming was, and how long it went for considering its age. Its a shame our Luna Parks got rid of theirs.
There was some stuff I missed that I ran out of time for...Sr Hirim Maxims Flying Machines, the Monorail, Grand Prix. But overall I got to do a fair bit, and queues weren't really an issue at all.
As for the park overall.
As mentioned earlier, you can tell Amanda Thompson is trying to make the place a bit more classy, and trying to shake past stereotypes...There is fancy consistent signage, the gate staff wear suits, some other stuff such as a few of the cafes have been tarted up, in park improvements like the fountain area etc.
But a lot of the place still looks tacky, because at the end of the day if they still have a lot of this poorly maintaned tacky stuff along side the newer stuff, the end result is still tacky.
It is a shame because there is stuff that is quite well presented (Eg Avalanche is themed well, as well as a few buildings around the park like the German ones opposite the ghost train, It's like they've had these nice ideas, but haven't placed them properly.
If they just painted the place more, fixed up some of the tacky bits then it really could shine, though I guess if it still remains the most popular park in the UK the motivation probably isn't there.
I don't really buy it that the place has no room to expand, when right by the main entrance there is a large car park that is expendable and they could build on (Surely that could be turned into a compact multi level parking, or just moved off site) Plus heaps of the rides just worm around through the park, over and under stuff, so why not just do more like that?
But overall it is a fun place that people should make an effort to see if they visit the UK...lots to do, with some really fun and unique stuff.
I still prefer AT over PBB since I prefer that style of park,
but its so interesting how all these years ago people were enjoying the same rides people are today, and these rides still manage to hold their own in terms of enjoyment, despite their age.
).