Category Archives: Rides

5 Theme Park Rides that Will Ruin Your Image

Most of us enjoy a trip to a theme park but for the image conscious a visit can soon turn into a nightmare as there is limitless potential for the rides and attractions to completely roger your look. No thrill ride is going to leave you unscathed but there are some rides that are best avoided if you don’t want to look like a swamp creature or an escapee from the local asylum. Here are 10 rides to pass up if you don’t want to look in the mirror and get the fright of your life. Continue reading

Pirates of the Caribbean

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Yes it is a bit cheesy and frankly a little dated but Pirates of the Caribbean remains a hugely popular attraction at the four Disney parks in which each features. All four versions of the ride are similar and so to an extent if you have seen one you have seen them all but that doesn’t seem to reduce the number of enthusiastic guests queuing up to take a ride. Continue reading

The Revenge of the Mummy

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I can still remember the hullaballoo that surrounded the construction of the Revenge of the Mummy rides at Universal Studios in both Orlando and Hollywood. The ride promised to be the ultimate thrill experience – a coaster in the dark with a launch, pyrotechnics and special effects. I was thinking Rock ‘N’ Roller coaster with sheets of fire and surprises. I was wrong. Continue reading

Apocalypse

I have to admit that on the occasion of my last visit to Six Flags Magic Mountain I was so focused on riding Tatsu and X2 that I hadn’t given much thought to anything else. There had been several new rides constructed since my last visit but I hadn’t given them any thought so it came as a great surprise when Apocalypse turned out to be my favourite attraction at the park. Continue reading

Stealth

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I have to admit to a fair amount of bias regarding this ride as I worked on it for three years and it was certainly my favourite place to be every day. Stealth was built in 2006 and remains the most popular ride at Thorpe Park despite the arrival of Saw the Ride and the Swarm. The 205ft structure is visible from miles away and I still look up whenever I pass it. Continue reading

Thorpe Park and Young Children

British theme parks lack the land and the financial clout of Disney and the big American operators. This has basically meant that it is very difficult for any of them to be all things to all people. They feel that they are forced to configure their parks to cater for one demographic or another and Thorpe Park has very much gone down the route of adult thrills. Continue reading

Silver Star

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This was the coaster that inspired my first visit to Europa Park and I am very glad that it did because I loved the ride and enjoyed the park so much that I have returned many times since. I recall the first day I arrived when I was so keen to get to the main attraction that I sprinted past everything else including the lovely band playing Spanish Guitars at the entrance. I made the first train of the day and I think I was probably on the last one too! New rides have been installed since my first visit but somehow I can never get enough of Silver Star! Continue reading

Desperado

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I will never forget my one and only ride on Desperado if only because I had to work so hard to get it. This steel hypercoaster is constructed around Buffalo Bill’s hotel in Primm, Nevada which is not somewhere I ever happen to be passing! The coaster is, however, just a short drive south of Las Vegas and so shortly after it was opened I made a pilgrimage to experience what was the world’s tallest roller coaster at the time. Unfortunately Desperado was closed and I had a wasted journey. Continue reading