CineramaMax

Hyperia is a magnificent coaster. It's firmly my #5 coaster in my world top 5, and is 100% the best rollercoaster that the UK has to offer. It really is a tremendous ride experience, offering some of the most unique and 'out there' elements of any coaster. It may look short on paper, but on-ride it feels anything but, packing a great punch with its stellar lineup of elements. The ride experience offers 14:08 seconds of weightlessness, blending some of the best hangtime and airtime that I've ever experienced on a coaster. The back row really ejects you, towards the front offers some beautiful floaty airtime. The opening ceremony was one of the best the UK has staged, we rarely see events like this at new ride openings. Here's the official video of the opening ceremony from the park:

Universal Studios have confirmed their intentions to build a new theme park resort in the UK. Land has been purchased and feasibility studies are being conducted. Below is the full article from the Bedford Independent confirming the development: https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/breaking-news-universal-studios-confirm-they-are-planning-a-theme-park-in-bedford-borough/ Excitement has been building in and around Bedford over the last 24 hours after a respected theme park website reported on evidence suggesting Universal Studios could be expanding its theme park empire into the UK, with Bedford Borough as the most likely location. Now, the Bedford Independent can exclusively reveal that Universal Studios has confirmed it has purchased land near Bedford, which it is exploring as a possible theme park site. A spokesperson from Universal Destinations & Experiences told the Bedford Independent, “We recently acquired land in Bedford [Borough] and are at the early stages of exploring its feasibility for a potential park and resort at this site. “It will be many months before we are ready to make a decision to proceed and we look forward to engaging with all relevant stakeholders and the local community.” They said that no creative content of the park has yet been determined and stressed that “we are still very early in planning this potential project”. The company confirmed that it is always on the lookout for new park locations around the world and with a large population, strong creative industries, thriving tourism and transportation infrastructure at the heart of Europe, the UK is an ideal destination. Hollywood, Orlando, Beijing, Osaka, Singapore… and Bedford The Universal Destinations & Experiences spokesperson told the Bedford Independent that Bedford’s connectivity to London and Europe was a factor in their decision to begin looking at the feasibility of a park in the area. They said, “We support Bedford’s vision of becoming a prosperous place to live, work and visit and we take a proactive approach to partnering with local communities and stakeholders, like Bedford Borough Council, when pursuing potential projects.” The site’s proximity to London, the Harry Potter Studios near Watford, and the cities of Oxford and Cambridge make Bedford the ideal location for anyone planning a tourist trip to the UK. 240 acres purchased The land, which is close to public transport links to Bedford and, crucially, the M1 had already been suggested as a possible site for a business park, with several projects previously being put forward. The land purchased by Commcast, who own Universal Studios, who say they’re exploring as a possible site for a theme park. Image: Universal Destinations & Experiences Theme park fans have speculated that the park’s design could be based on Universal Studios Beijing, which has more indoor attractions than its Florida counterpart, to help visitors avoid the wetter British weather. The report also suggests the UK resort would be unique to the US parks so it did not “cannibalize the company’s overseas travel market.” They add that this park may “debut with new attractions not found in Orlando” to attract visitors from other markets, as well as theme park fans in the UK. However, the Universal Destinations and Experiences spokesperson said that no creative content had yet been confirmed. Economic boost Investment on this scale will have a significant impact on the local area. Market research company, IBIS World reports that income in the UK amusement & theme park sector has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.1% over the past five years, and reached an estimated £972.7m in 2023. Employment opportunities for the area would also be in the thousands. While it’s not known how many would be employed at Universal Studios, as a guide Alton Towers employs 2,500 people. Visitors to the area would also bring in significant income using local transport and hotels. Harry Potter World has attracted 16 million visitors since it opened in 2012, with up to 6,000 visitors a day during peak times. Theme park fan, James Block, told the Bedford Independent: “Even though it’s extremely early days, as a lifelong Bedfordshire resident and theme park fan, it would be amazing news for the area, a massive boost to the local economy, and make Bedford the place to be. “People travel from all over the world to visit Universal Parks. Seeing Bedford listed alongside Hollywood, Orlando, Beijing, Osaka and Singapore is amazing.”

New drone pics of Hyperia's construction courtesy of the park.

Just gonna leave these here... (pics credit to Thorpe Park).

Thorpe Park surprised us with another construction update. A lot of supports have been installed over the past few days.

y2mate.is - Thorpe Park 2024-4BtesMBx2Ug-1080pp-1696590161.mp4 Thorpe Park have confirmed the name and theme of their new MACK HyperCoaster, as well as shared the first truly accurate on-ride POV. HYPERIA, which will be themed to a fearless goddess, will take guests 236'ft in the air and make them feel weightless, a rare kind of sensation for a new rollercoaster in the United Kingdom. Construction also went vertical earlier this week, the first pictures of the ride's installation were shared by Thorpe Park in their official passholders group.

New branding with the full coaster layout has appeared on the construction fence, showing the sheer distance in height from Colossus and Saw, both on the same corner of the park as Exodus. Goes without saying that this ride is going to dwarf absolutely everything. A model of the ride has also appeared in the Megastore. Source: https://themeparkguide.co.uk/news-page/Project-Exodus-Viewing-Windows-Installed-And-Model-Put-On-Display

As of today, we now have an official animated on ride video of the new Mack HyperCoaster! A new minisite has also gone live, teasing a potential bird theme with glowing/burning gold feathers Construction is progressing well with a lot of footers now completed. Gold and white coloured supports have also arrived. Here is the video again below for those of you can't open YouTube. Thorpe Park Project Exodus On-Ride Video.mp4

Fortunately they don't tend to operate Dragon's Fury on 2 cars anymore it's not a perfect park by any means when it comes to running things on a lower capacity, so it's a place to visit on off peak days.

A few observations from Mandrill Mayhem; it is quite a whippy little B&M coaster, surprisingly so. The scorpion tale and the dip out of the station provide some nice moments of airtime depending on where you sit. It carries some pretty fun forces, nothing overly intense for experienced thrill seekers because it is a family/thrill coaster, though if you don't like coasters that travel backwards, then this may not be for you. It is surprisingly thrilling for a family coaster. I was expecting to find the helix a tad uncomfortable, but it was fine really. I am still not a massive fan of vest restraints, but the vests on this ride don't lock further during the ride cycle, which is a very positive development. All in all, it's great fun, and it's fantastic to see B&M innovating once again with this ride and Pipeline over in Orlando.

Here are some pictures I took from the opening ceremony of World of Jumanji! Mandrill Mayhem is one of the best starter thrill coasters for children out there. The launches are quite snappy and the ride pulls some very interesting forces. The area is also nicely themed and detailed. The landscaping is quite nice, the plants haven't grown fully yet, so it'll start to feel more immersive once they have grown more. Mamba Strike is the best of the two flat rides in the area, it has some nice pops of airtime and a lengthier cycle.

New plans have emerged, detailing the new Mack HyperCoaster's colour scheme and theming. The coaster itself will be painted pearl gold blending to papyrus white, so as to mitigate any visual pollution in the surrounding area. This also could hint at a potential mountain theme for the ride. Here is a look at the station building, which appears to have a very natural timber, pearl gold and blackish grey metal aesthetic. A bird golden bird emblem also appears front and center. There also these views of the highpoints from outside the park The full plans from this week can be accessed at the following link: https://docs.runnymede.gov.uk/PublicAccess_LIVE/SearchResult/RunThirdPartySearch?FileSystemId=PL&FOLDER1_REF=RU.23/0657

The Resort's PR machine has been going at full pelt, with themed teasers pointing to the shady military organization The Phalanx running scientific tests on the new track or 'tentacles' The arrival of the track at the Resort saw a convoy of Phalanx vehicles transporting the track to the Galactica car park. The park also posted this aerial shot of the final turnaround of the ride on their new Nemesis webpage All in all, we are seeing a return to the Nemesis marketing and PR machine that added an extra layer of magic to the park in the mid and late nineties. The track colour also gives off a very retro 90s vibe for the reimagined Nemesis.

The Curse At Alton Manor has been open for a few weeks, and it's being hailed by many as the best dark ride in the UK in its very early form. Having rode it several times this week, I can completely agree. It utilizes impressive projection mapping technology that Disney park goers will be familiar with, and detailed themed environments with props and animatronics, all while balancing those with old school Haunted House theming, props, pepper's ghost illusions etc. The story is centered around a troubled and neglected child who wreaks havoc on her parent's New Year's Eve party, causing all the party guests and her parents to vanish mysteriously. Outside the ride, its themed area Gloomy Wood hasn't looked as good as it does now since the 90s, with a lot more detailing, roaming actors and a themed F&B unit 'Coachouse Confectionary'. There are some official news videos with representatives from the park, but I'd encourage you all to experience this ride spoiler free.

The Mandrill themed shells have now been installed. Source.