8 Comments:

I think 2005 was a brilliant year.not only did i turn 1.4 meteres meaning I could ride The best of british rides i also went to 5 theme parks. my favourite is Alton Towers. Nemesis is a true legend!although Rita is treading in its tracks. G-Force was not dissapointing.I really enjoyed riding it! Velocity is exellent a bit boring though. Kumali looks promising!i only live an hour away! 3hours For Alton Towers. I am dissapointed not to hear news of a replacement ride on the black hole site.2005 was a great year! I started High School to!

Author: james0507 on Thursday, December 01, 2005

Couldn't agree more with this months feature. While trying to remember the events of 2005, I found it hard to recall anything significant. It should have been a spectactular year. Rita, Velocity, G Force, Slammer, Rush. It had the hallmarks of a year that never really delivered its full promise.

Author: Mark Gilbert on Friday, December 02, 2005

I think it has been an exellent year for some parks and a poor year for others.

This year I visited just three parks: Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Chessington.

Firstly lets look at how Alton Towers have done. This year they've got Rita and have cleaned up the park. In my oppinion I think AT is a constantly slated park. The park was very tidy and clean when I visited and it looks like some more of the park is going to see some TLC for the 2006 season. Rita was a shockingly good ride. I think some people were expecting a TTD or something. But I thought Rita was exellent and now AT have enough coasters they can concentrate on other things. Many people complained about BH closing but tbh the ride wasn't that great and I'm sure the space can be put to better use. So well done to the new AT management.

Thorpe Park on the other hand have disapointed me this season. While the new rides were great the park has gone downhill in other areas. Most of the ride effects don't work especially the Amity Cove ones. Speakers and sound effects are broken or turned off and the park is pretty untidy. The park hasn't put much effort in either. The amount of breakdowns is hilarious unless you're in the queue. The new rides don't even look finished maybe because they aren't. While I still enjoy the park I fell they need to buck their ideas up for the 2006 season.

Finally Chessington. They're closing Bubbleworks actually this sums the park up. They're getting rubbish new rides (Peeking Heights) and wrecking the good ones. No matter how good the new BW is, it wont have the magic of the old one. Despite this the park is very clean and tidy and they finally got rid of the hideous rocks in Mystic East. So overall CWoA is becoming a better family park but I think they need more money if they going to steal Lego Lands visitors.

The 2006 season should be a good one. It looks to be the year of the smaller park with Flamingo Land and Oakwood getting majour new coasters. Thorpe Park is also getting what should be a great new ride and hoperfully a sort out too. Alton Towers is stronger than ever and hopefully will continue to sort out the park. CwoA needs some investment but the are becoming more family friendly every year. So in conclusion a very good season especially when compared to 2004. I eagerly await the 2006 season.

Author: Alex Rider on Saturday, December 03, 2005

Re Alton Towers, I agree with the article, although I guess they have improved somewhat. Still most of the problems in the Alton Towers article exist though.

Maybe ALton is good on a UK scale but internationally it compares poorly. Versus Phantasialand, Europa Park, Port Aventura, Movie World, Tivoli Gardens, Liseburg Alton Towers has a lot to live up to.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the biggest concern for me. I am really upset at the amount of rides closing and there doesn't seem to be much new on the way either.

2010 should be good but that's 5 years away!

This year has been a good season in general though. Highlight for me was visiting my first German fair in Dusseldorf. Coaster Kingdom's coverage persuaded me to go (your persistance in posting Breakdance images paid off!) and had an amazing time. It is so out of this world and I urge everyone to go.

Other highlights for me included Kanonen. A great little coaster, and very intense if a little painful on the shoulders after a few rides.

Rita is so-so, but could have been better. I agree that it will be quite forgettable in a few years especially when taller and faster is about to open at Thorpe Park.

Keep up the good work CK.

Author: Katie on Wednesday, December 07, 2005

God you're right about us just sitting back and doing nothing about the closing rides. The list is quite disturbing:

- Bullet
- Magnum Force
- Vikingar
- Whip
- Turtlechase
- Black Hole
- BPB Black Hole (not as important)
- Spin Doctor (if it closes)
- Water Chute at Rhyl

What next? How come ECC and other clubs seem to be ignoring these? Time to set up a historical commitee like ACE? I think so.

Author: Cameron on Thursday, December 08, 2005

Good feature in the Magazine and interesting comments about the Pleasure Beach…

Of course its always sad to see rides exit a park, especially historical attractions such as the Tuttle Chase and Whip, but one should always remember that the Pleasure Beach (PB) has NEVER stood still.

In simple terms, if the PB could NEVER remove a ride (for whatever reason) for fear of loosing it’s heritage, upsetting the historical enthusiast or those that can’t deal with change, the park would have died a long time ago.

Look at the history of the PB. Look at all the rides that have come AND gone – some good and some not so good… Look at the changing styles of architecture, styles of operation and presentation. There are very few rides and attractions at the park that aren’t on a site that’s been previously occupied by another ride or kept their original design in some way or another. Thankfully this will never change.

As much as the PB sets its own agenda, it is also massively dictated to by changing tastes and attitudes. Some rides don’t date but some do. The Whip lost out in the popularity stakes and so did Vikingar. There comes a point when justifying the expense of keeping an antique ride operational isn’t justified by the demand for the attraction.

Changing attitudes in H&S are fast becoming a pain in the lower regions of the PB. Year on year it is increasingly difficult to postpone the inevitable and the PB are forced to adopt new operational procedures, increased restraining devices or modified passenger containment. Recommendations become requirements. Because of this (some times petty, politically correct) attitude the PB are faced with limited options; Alter X attraction to comply or close it. There comes a point when a ride such as the Turtle Chase can no longer be fun because the very element that makes the ride popular is stripped away! What are they supposed to do? It’s a sad fact that the very people that criticise the park for removing old rides would inevitably criticise them for the changes made to a ride to keep it operational. They could of course keep the ride SBNO but again, they get slammed for doing this.

Of course there are always two sides to every story. The PB is an incredibly complicated business, made more so by its age and demographic. There are SO MANY issues that effect the nature of the company, from changing habits within the resort of Blackpool to changing attitudes of those that run the park.

There are SEVERAL BIG projects currently underway. Yes, there are also more ride removals planned, most notably the Log Flume in 2006, but with this WILL bring new investment. Whatever your take on the present situation, look back at the past and then ponder on how good the future could be!

Believe me, the PB don’t remove old rides just to annoy enthusiasts!

Greg
Pleasure Beach 235 CLUB

Author: Greg Pearn on Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Well at least Flamingoland and Alton had a reasonable year...PBB was a joke!

I mean lets look at the Vikingars last few years. Basically its open/clesed/open/closed since 2001. If that doesn't show complete lack of organisation I dont know what does.

The Log Flume, as I've said what seems like 100 times is a classic ride, and will be the next Reel.

When the only Flume ride left is the naffest version around (Pleasurelands?) people will look back and miss BPB's. Removing it will be seen as a mistake.

Just drifting off topic, where has the RollerCoaster review gone? (or did I dream it up?)

How about trying a BPB Log Flume review before it vanishes?

Great issue, a joy to read

Ash

Author: Anonymous on Friday, January 06, 2006

The Roller Coaster review can be found here on this retro-style page. I will bring it up to date as soon as I can:

www.coasterkingdom.co.uk/rollercoaster_main.htm

I remain unconvinced about PBB. Do we know what the other big attraction is for this year that was mentioned to be opening along with the 4D Cinema? And is 4D Cinema going to be included on wristbands?

Author: MS on Thursday, February 09, 2006

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