Theme parks in the U.K. what's your favourite ride?

Thorpe Park is packed full of great rides but it's a miserable place compared to somewhere like Alton Towers. It's on an island so space is limited and they've covered every inch with rides and concrete, it can get insanely busy.

No:1 Final Fantasy Fan wrote:
Oblomov Boblomov wrote:Stealth is much more about the initial acceleration, the very beginning of the ride. The drop at the other end is almost nothing in comparison.

Thanks tbh the initial acceleration isn't the bit that bothers me. It's the massive stomach churning drop that in gooseberry fool scared about lol. But if it's a similar drop to Oblivion then I should be fine as been on oblivion many many times. I just can't imagine the oblivion actually being 35m below ground if it only stands 20m high.

I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. Your adrenaline will be pumping like crazy from the initial acceleration – you could well find you're almost totally numb to the effects of the drop.

In general these days I tend to find I just feel a bit bashed about and sick after going on rides. The only time I really enjoy going to theme parks is during Halloween when the horror mazes are open. Particularly Thorpe Park. It turns out I somehow have iron balls when it comes to these things, so the pure hilarity of strutting around, enjoying the atmosphere while my friends gooseberry fool themselves brings joy to my heart :wub:

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Good to see the right answers in Nemesis on here :wub:

Icon is alright. I've been spoilt by similar rides that are superior to it, though some people seemingly classing it as the best thing ever are.... questionable at best.

Thorpe Park is a dreadful experience. The rides by themselves are good (though Saw and Colossus are rough as all hell) but the general atmosphere and crowds make it just an awful day out. I've avoided it for years even with the missus being able to get their disabled pass.

People with kids should definitely visit Paultons Park, went last week for their new area and its really decent quality. Plus they've suddenly got one of the best non-coaster rides in the country in the Cyclonator.

Very much depends on mood.

Rollercoaster:
Wickerman I would say with Smiler as a close second

Dark Ride:
I really like the laser ghost train thing at Alton, but Hex at Alton and Haunted House Monster Party at Legoland are pretty
good, oh and the Gruffalo River Ride at Chessington is very well done

Flat Ride:
Rush at Thorpe Park is awesome as is Vortex

Pancake wrote:Thorpe Park is packed full of great rides but it's a miserable place compared to somewhere like Alton Towers. It's on an island so space is limited and they've covered every inch with rides and concrete, it can get insanely busy.

They haven't helped themselves with some of the ride placement creating odd bottle necks and thin paths around Storm Surge for example. Not as bad as Chessington for being a bit of a maze of deadends (althought they are gradually fixing that) but still.

Errkal wrote:Very much depends on mood.

Rollercoaster:
Wickerman I would say with Smiler as a close second

Dark Ride:
I really like the laser ghost train thing at Alton, but Hex at Alton and Haunted House Monster Party at Legoland are pretty
good, oh and the Gruffalo River Ride at Chessington is very well done

Flat Ride:
Rush at Thorpe Park is awesome as is Vortex

Interesting to bring up dark rides, I feel that’s where we are lacking the most in this country. IMO we just don’t have any quality stand outs. You ones you mentioned are decent but not amazing. Lego ninjago the ride is done really well at legoland. You won’t like this but I think duel the haunted house at Alton towers should be given a complete make over, it’s a bit rough round the edges now.

Benzin wrote:Good to see the right answers in Nemesis on here

Icon is alright. I've been spoilt by similar rides that are superior to it, though some people seemingly classing it as the best thing ever are.... questionable at best.

Thorpe Park is a dreadful experience. The rides by themselves are good (though Saw and Colossus are rough as all hell) but the general atmosphere and crowds make it just an awful day out. I've avoided it for years even with the missus being able to get their disabled pass.

People with kids should definitely visit Paultons Park, went last week for their new area and its really decent quality. Plus they've suddenly got one of the best non-coaster rides in the country in the Cyclonator.

Paultons park is excellent now. They’ve really put a lot of money and effort into it. I can’t wait to see what they do next, if finances allow due to covid.

Benzin wrote:Thorpe Park is a dreadful experience. The rides by themselves are good (though Saw and Colossus are rough as all hell) but the general atmosphere and crowds make it just an awful day out.

Ninjago is so awkward to play, though :lol:

Doesn't fill me with confidence for the spider-man ride at Disney.

Best dark ride in the UK is clearly the Alice in Wonderland ride at Blackpool, too :shifty:

Frank wrote:Ninjago is so awkward to play, though Doesn't fill me with confidence for the spider-man ride at Disney.

Best dark ride in the UK is clearly the Alice in Wonderland ride at Blackpool, too

Alice holding her big swaying pink thing :datass:

Last edited by Errkal on Thu Jul 15, 2021 9:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

I hated Ninjago, the queue was insane and in no way worth the wait.

It was interesting to see the way it worked though on the Legoland show Channel 5 did where it constantly scans QR codes as it moves to keep track of where it is on the track.

Very interested to try Flight of the Sky Lion when I go to Lego next, the queue is going to be out of this world, but the idea of a flying theatre intregues me.

The first time I went on nemesis, it'd only been open a few weeks. It was so good, never been on anything like it at the time. The red nemesis branded fizzy drink they sold at the shop was amazing for my sweet tooth back then. I got a nemesis 3d badge and a cap too, like this:

I can't find a picture of the cap.

We used to go to Chessington and I really liked the runaway train ride.

We queued for about 90 minutes for the Ninjago ride at Legoland and then it broke down when we were inches from the front, so yeah that was an experience.

I thought the "theme park rides" element Legoland was absolute gooseberry fool in all honesty, probably the worst one I've been to - horrible queues, bad park layout and ultimately disappointing rides.

Alton Towers is a solid day out, there's a good set of decent rides available although I've always thought some like Oblivion are incredibly overrated. Nemesis is excellent though.

If anyone's got small kids then go to Paulton's Park and take them to Peppa Pig World - this was a great way to entertain ours a few years back even if it was frustrating to miss out on going on all the stuff they were too small for in the main park.

I remember having a lot of fun at Drayton Manor years and years ago on a school trip, can't remember many of the rides but Shockwave was really good

Frank wrote:Ninjago is so awkward to play, though Doesn't fill me with confidence for the spider-man ride at Disney.

Best dark ride in the UK is clearly the Alice in Wonderland ride at Blackpool, too

Yeah whilst the Spiderman one looks like vastly improved technology it will still be bloody difficult and knackering.

Second everyone suggesting Paulton's Park for kids, it's a really pleasant place, especially if you manage to escape Peppa Pig World, which is clearly the worst bit... Nothing crazy in terms of rollercoasters but there are a few and they're all good enough!

Errkal wrote:
Pancake wrote:Thorpe Park is packed full of great rides but it's a miserable place compared to somewhere like Alton Towers. It's on an island so space is limited and they've covered every inch with rides and concrete, it can get insanely busy.

They haven't helped themselves with some of the ride placement creating odd bottle necks and thin paths around Storm Surge for example. Not as bad as Chessington for being a bit of a maze of deadends (althought they are gradually fixing that) but still.

Yeh agreed. Chessington is at least a nice enough place, it's not just a concrete jumble of rides and people.

I did the whole Stay at the Thorpe Park Hotel and get into the Park early quite a few years ago with the Ex.

Was very cool being able to get onto all the rides with almost no queueing, but we did find that we had pretty much done it all in about an hour and half and there didn't seem much point hanging around.

Also "Saw" proper hurt my head/neck, and the GF was in so much pain afterwards she went to the Doctors who said she had whiplash. She was off work for a week. :dread:

Really don't think that ride is safe with how jerky it is.

I mean its safe, but building it on reclaimed land doesn't particularly help the cause (especially at the bottom of the big drop).

That corner with Colossus is awful :dread:

I'm annoyed that Flamingoland and Lightwater Valley both decided to run like gooseberry fool this year as well. Ultimate is closed and the new ride and Flamingo they can't even afford to finish apparently :lol:

Smiler
Nemesis

They're probably one of the best rides in the UK.

Your mum is the best ride in the UK.

Went to Legoland yesterday, and it was so busy. We thought it being a Thursday out of school holidays it would be pretty empty but not at all.

Found out that my motion sickness appears to be getting worse and even the Jolly Rocker and Dragon (their main coaster) gave me motion sickness.

Their new ride Mythica was pretty good, it's one of those where you watch a film and your seats movie, but you were actually suspended with your legs dangling over quite a big drop) and it moves a fair amount. Again made feel a little queezy though.

I think the whole thing could use a bit of a clean up, a lot of the lego models are looking a but jaded and perhaps a lock of paint is needed in places, but lots has been added in the decade or so since I last went.

Would say the COVID security seemed lacking, lots of people in tight spaces (made worse by all the barriers put up stopping air circulation) and complete lack of distancing and masks in queues my the big majority of people. If I'd known it would have been this crowded I probably would have waited.

Theme parks in the U.K. what's your favourite ride?

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