Bane

One of the best we have in the UK is at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, most people seem to think PMBO has an inversion in it, it doesn't and never has had, so where they get it from I'll never know.

Pepsi Max Big One at BPB, March 2004.

Great video Stokesyboy, I have watched it a few times in the past and it shows off Port Aventura in a very good way, always makes me wish it was a lot sooner that I will be visiting there again.

Based on my own experiences up to now, I'd have to say the Wild Mouse at BPB.

Great report, thanks! I've always wanted to do PA while the UK parks are closed, but never seem to get around to it. I have to agree about the front inside seats on Baco, totally awesome!

Sorry to bump an old topic, but I thought I'd share some updates with you regarding the 2013 season at the Pleasure Beach. The Grand Prix will be open in the 2013 season. The Monorail will be closed this year, but it may open during the summer to help with the busy crowds. The new Wallace and Gromit Thrill-O-Matic attracion which is the Goldmine's replacement, is due for an April opening.

The problem with Colossus for me is the trains and as you say, the restraints. They are horrible (in want of a better word), if you're tall but are carrying a bit of weight or your body is toned up, you'll probably find that you will really struggle to close your restraint down and if you do get it down and your belt secured, you'll be in for a really unpleasant ride on Colossus. I am a big fan of Thorpe Park but I don't like what they are doing with the Swarm this year and Colossus for me is the weakest coaster in the park (excluding the Flying Fish) and possibly one of the weaker ''major'' coasters in the UK.

Nickelodeon Streak (RollerCoaster) at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, during their end of 2012 season Christmas weekenders.

Pleasant; Furius Baco. I read so many horror stories about it, and I really did expect it to be dreadful, yet I really loved it and it's currently my favourite coaster. Unplesant; Colossus at Thorpe Park. I thought it'd be a really good coaster, and it turned out to be a really unpleasant experience, the restraints are really uncomfortable and the whole ride experience just does nothing for me, other than give me a rotten headache.

I wish I could have been able to experience the Virginia Reel at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

I know the decision to make the change to The Swarm has been quite popular in the UK, but for me I don't like the idea and that's because my favourite seating position on The Swarm, was the back row! I just don't think it'll be fully appreciated as a full ride experience from the back row anymore.

From my experiences of visiting Port Aventura, the best time to visit is in September, I have done this for three years running and the queues were really respectable, even with Shambhala being new for 2012, the queues were really reasonable last September. I do plan to go a bit earlier this year though, I want to experience Port Aventura after dark, something I've never been lucky enough to do.

Interesting topic. I run the official supporters club for Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and we've found a lot in the last six months, that a lot of our members tend to enjoy posting on our Facebook page, more than our forum, but we just can't work out it why and it is really frustrating at times. Coaster enthusiasts certainly aren't a dying breed, but I think people bother less with newer forums or sites dedicated to one park, more than what they bother with Facebook. There's no doubts TPR and other established sites will always be busy, and that's purely because of the hard work put into it, that will always be there for all to see.

This is certainly not good news for Alton Towers if it turns out to be true, the biggest fear that comes with something like this, is that it becomes a rush job and doesn't live up to its potential, and it's been getting a lot of hype as usual from the Alton Towers fanbases.

I've seen the ride ops on Colossus at Heide Park do this. If it was that unsafe I doubt a corporate (Merlin) German park like Heide would let their employees do this. As long as the signals are clear and everyone plays by the same rules, everything should be ok. Then again, there are stupid people everywhere, so it also comes down to the operator's common sense (or lack of). That's pretty much the same way as they do it at Alton Towers, another Merlin park. They allow staff to cross the track when the train is in the station, but a signal to the ride operator and other hosts is essential, and crossing the track whilst the ride is motion is an absolute no-go scenario.

Each to their own and all that.

Steel: 1. Furius Baco (Port Aventura) 2. PMBO (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) 3. Batman La Fuga (Parque Warner) 4. Dragon Khan (Port Aventura) 5. Shambhala (Port Aventura) Wood: 1. Grand National (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) 2. Stampida (Port Aventura) 3. Wild Mouse (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) 4. Coaster Express (Parque de Attraciones) 5. Big Dipper (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)

Totally agree with this, one of the things I most enjoyed about RCT was being able to build up a park and see the progression from nothing, up to a park which is full of guests. I like the idea of designing the coaster, and then once you've done it, watching it get constructed within your park which would work quite well if park guests are on the game as it could build excitement within the park. There is a lot of potential for a new coaster game and I really hope Theme Park Studio can live up to it.

UK: Blackpool Pleasure Beach (season pass holder for the 8th year running) Thorpe Park Alton Towers I'll maybe go back to Flamingo Land for the first time in four years, and possibly Great Yarmouth PB for the first time in around 11 years. Spain: Port Aventura Parque Warner Madrid Parque de Attraciones Barcelona Tibidabo Amusement Park Hopeful of visiting: Europa Park (Germany) Efteling (Holland) Roll on the 2013 theme park season.

My first rollercoaster of 2013 will most likely be the Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on opening weekend in February.