Guy T. Koepp Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Wow! Those are very realistic animatronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 This ride looks huge from certain angles! Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCT3Bross Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Looks good. Those soldiers look amazing had to look twice to see they weren't real, because first thing I thought they where actors. It looks better en better every time I watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominoes Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 ^I think they are actors. Unless I am very much mistaken... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyuk200523 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 ^I think they are actors. Unless I am very much mistaken... Â I don't think he was being serious........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 A live report here of it's staff preview day here - http://live.thorpenerd.com/ Â THERE WILL BE SPOILERS THOUGH! Â Also a review from the VIP preview. http://rideguidegroup.com/site/viewtopic.php?p=5001#p5001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobba Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 99.99% of it looks fantastic, the wheels on the operator's booth look ridiculous. It's a little thing but for something most riders are going to look at, what with it being right infront of the lift hill that draws your attention when you've boarded, it seems strange that it's one of the few things that hasn't been designed/themed realistically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 the wheels on the operator's booth look ridiculous. Â But it's themed to an upside down vehicle that's smashed through the roof.... Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuschini Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Overall, the ride seems a bit short for me. Missing that last "oomph" to get it past "it's already over?" standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobba Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 But it's themed to an upside down vehicle that's smashed through the roof.... They are way too small and too close together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 LOVE the swarm "scream"    also! Loving this  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarnes84 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Nothing like a bit of new B&M in the morning. Not the best photographer but here are some pics I took with my phone: Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominoes Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I spy a water effect in the 6th shot. This is going to be so awesome... Although, I think it's funny that the two shortest rides in the park are right next to each other... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoisonedPirate Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) Just got back from Thorpe Park. I managed to get four rides in, two front row, one back and one middle. Got to say that the front row is totally worth it. Also its awesome when you sit on the outside seat. You can't actually touch the water which is a bit of a shame. Â The ride operations were good. The front row queue needs work as the ops kept getting confused about who was front row and who wasn't. Also toward the end of the day, it kept shutting because of technical difficulties. Engineers seemed to head to the brakes each time. Â Oh and the actors were really really good. I don't know if they are, but it would be really cool to keep them in all the time. Â Edit: Photos! Soldiers letting you into the Park I agree the wheels look a bit daft Stuck on the Lift Hill This girl was sobbing This girl was screaming and shouting at people This guy was really good. He made the day! My friend getting interviewed by the "news" channel My friend getting properly creeped out by the Priest Edited March 10, 2012 by PoisonedPirate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STR8FXXXINEDGE Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 99.99% of it looks fantastic, the wheels on the operator's booth look ridiculous. It's a little thing but for something most riders are going to look at, what with it being right infront of the lift hill that draws your attention when you've boarded, it seems strange that it's one of the few things that hasn't been designed/themed realistically. But it's themed to an upside down vehicle that's smashed through the roof.... They are way too small and too close together. I think it's supposed to be a Police "Trailer", similar to the one pictured below. Either way, I think the theming is awesome on this thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason10 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 This thing looks fantastic! I especially love how at certain points during the ride, the Swarm 'scream' is played as the train passes. I really cannot wait to try this out for myself in the next couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfreak101 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Is that scream supposed to be the plane crashing maybe? It kind of sounds like it to me - but then it also just sounds like a really awesome scream/noise that I could sit around and listen and watch all day. Â Also they did a *darn* good job of theming this thing - the pictures are convincing enough that it's the end of the world! The theme music and the actors really add to it, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmicha Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 ^The scream is the sound of The Swarm attacking. There's an ad that uses the same sound a couple pages back. The Swarm attacks a kid on a bike and as it flies over it makes that noise. It's quite the cool sound if you ask me. Â The ride's theming is great. And what's nice is that letting the theming go over time will just make it look more and more post-apocalyptic. Seems like a win win if you ask me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarnes84 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 A few observations from my visit today: Â The fire effect on the fire engine wasn't working yet, and I didn't notice the Manta like water spray working yet either. The water effect you see in one of the pictures is just a spray coming from the fire engine. Â The TV's in the queue line showed news reports which were quite authentic, thought it was a little controversial when they mentioned the area being near heathrow (regarding the plane crash theming) but cool. Â Actors were great and hope they stay, at least for the opening weeks. Â The ride is a bit slow. I don't know if it's standard with this design, but I did notice the ride dragging a little. For example the zero-g roll has very little zero-g. Break-in period or intentional? The drop is great fun, and would agree the front (right) is quite something, very intimidating being slowly turned upside down at 127ft with nothing below or in front of you. Don't get me wrong, I really loved the ride, but it's graceful nature caught me out a little as well as it feeling quite low to the ground for most of the ride. Â I feel a little jealous of Raptor in regards to near miss elements. The aircraft wing is great but it's passed under so fast you barely notice it, and I wasn't too thrilled by the church near miss. I would have liked something along the lines of Raptor's 3 (or 4?) consecutive misses towards the end. Â A fully enclosed (church) station would have been nice to increase the tension but it does look great. A seperate front row queue in the station doesn't exist so as previously mentioned you get a ticket for the front and have to effectively push through the regular line and wait to the side at the gate load position. Â The coaster is near silent but the area was audibly rich, from the news reports to sounds effects to that great Swarm sound triggered at the bottom of the first drop, the area was buzzing! Â All I can say is that if you're off to Dollywood for Wild Eagle, you're in for a very graceful, and very comfortable ride. And I'm a little jealous as I think the height and location will make it a great experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanJB Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Where do you get the front row tickets from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbanLegend Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I think the problem with the Silly Little Tires is that they weren't scaled up along with the overturned truck. If they got some slightly larger tires (can't they just sort of root around in a scrap yard or something? They don't have to be immaculate) and recessed them into the 'truck' like all tires are everywhere, it would look sufficiently convincing. Â That being said, HOLY HELL THIS LOOKS AWESOME. I also really really hope they keep the actors. Or at least some of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoisonedPirate Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Where do you get the front row tickets from? Â The queue splits toward the end and you pick whether or not you want to ride at the front. Kind of like Stealth but the queues then rejoin, hence the need for tickets. Â That being said, HOLY HELL THIS LOOKS AWESOME. I also really really hope they keep the actors. Or at least some of them. Â I really want them to keep the actors. The Priest and the General guy were pretty terrifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmorton Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) I didn't notice the Manta like water spray working yet either. The water effect you see in one of the pictures is just a spray coming from the fire engine. Â It was definately working, but just a bit hard to spot unless you are looking for it! Â -- Â Waiting around outside the park for my friends with the tickets to arrive; Â SWARM-1 Â Looks good as you approach it then; Â SWARM-2 Â I liked the station fly-over bit (both on ride and off ride); Â SWARM-3 Â And the themeing on the control box was just great! Â SWARM-4 Â Its a very quiet ride (themed sound effects apart) Â SWARM-5 Â And I didn't realise there was a little manta-like splash thingy... it was a bit hard to see to be honest but it was working. Â SWARM-6 Â And the near-misses are good; Â SWARM-7 Â SWARM-8 Â SWARM-9 Â Instead of closing the park at 4pm, they did a evactuation drill at 4pm - fair enough really. Now everybody wave at the nice random girl waving to you in the picture. Â SWARM-10 Edited March 11, 2012 by davidmorton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I didn't notice the Manta like water spray working yet either. The water effect you see in one of the pictures is just a spray coming from the fire engine. Â It was definately working, but just a bit hard to spot unless you are looking for it! Â What about this one? Â Â No one seems to mention it, did they not use it all day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoisonedPirate Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 ^ I didn't see it. I didn't even know about til just now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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