| Archive for RCCGB FORUM Message Board for Members of the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain to discuss club events and all things theme park related. |
| bluea61 |
East Coast TourLast weekend we went on our East Coast tour, enjoy.....Friday 13th June We started the day with the short drive to Thorpe Park, we were passing so thought what the hell! We got there and headed straight to Stealth which we just saw roll back with passengers on board! First time we've seen it do it not in a test run. After a short wait the ride re opened and we had a good ride on the back row. Then it was straight over to Nemesis for a quick go. The queue seemed long but they were flying today and we only queued 15mins tops. We got into the station and to our pleasant surprise they were using the original music again, so for that we had 2 goes!! A quick stop off a the BBQ place for a really tasty lamb pitta before leaving to continue our journey. The second stop for the day was at Billing Aquadrome to tick the Big Apple. When we arrived the place looked closed so we had a walk around and took some photos and then asked at the booth. All the rides were open so we had a go on the Big Apple, usual thing nothing exciting but very smooth. We walked up and down taking photos then the owner asked if we wanted to ride the big wheel to take photos, we did say no but he said we could go for free. So up we went and got some good aerial shots. We then had a chat to him about the park and his rides, I guessed the Big Wheel (Wagon Version) was from American Adventure and so was the Balloon Race. He said he tried to get the Buffalo but didn't really have the space. He also showed s photos of the 115 year old Gallopers he had just bought. I then had a quick go on my own on the Move It, and when buying the tokens he gave us some more free ones to have a go on the Balloon Race. They are really friendly here and its really worth a visit, the owner was a really enthusiastic about rides and his park. They are also trying to get a Mouse. After this we took a short drive upto Peterborough for our overnight stay. Saturday 14th June On the Saturday morning we drove to Ingoldmells to visit Fantasy Island. We parked up and walked along the front to the park. The weather was very over cast and we feared the big coasters wouldn't run. Much to our surprise we saw both Jubilee and Millennium running so we hurried to the park and bought our £3 tokens for each and headed straight for Odyssey. We both really enjoyed the ride and were surprised how smooth it was for a Vekoma. It was very fast and had some good inversions. The Millennium was a bit of an anti climax after the Odyssey but still a good coaster, another smooth Vekoma! We bought £18 worth of tokens and got £18 free with vouchers in Scallywags Bar. They are help yourself so make sure you pick them up! We then went and persuaded the ride op of Jellikins to have a go, I felt quite embarrassed as I was in the front and lots of little kids were disappointed they couldn't ride there!! We also managed to do that for free. Then off to do the Fantasy Mouse and Rhombus' Rocket. The rocket was a cracking powered coaster that really flys, Hayley said look at that bus as we motored along at the same speed! Next was the short drive back into Skegness for Bottons. They had the usual Big Apple, a Runaway Train the same as Adventure Wonderlands and a Fabbri Spinning Madness on top of one of the arcades. This was quite a good spinner and unusual with two lift hills! the best coaster in the park was by far the Queen Bee. Its kind of like an inverted Big Apple with giant Bee Hive and rumbly Pinfari goodness that actually sounding like buzzing! Its surprising how big the seats are (seats 3 across) but keep your feet in as the cars come very close at the top of the lift! The next stop for today was Golden "Ghetto" Palm Resort. The park was nice with a few little kiddie rides and a SBF Vista Caterpillar that used to be at Fantasy Island. The location seemed a little hostile, with people staring as we walked to the coaster! After that short stop we headed back to Fantasy Island to finish off our tokens, and it poured with rain! After it brightened up we had a go on the Top Scan which made Hayley feel very queasy, a couple of goes on the smaller coasters and a go on the rides inside The water ride says you will get wet and you certainly do!! Every corner throws water in the boat and it is really good fun. Then we were pleased again to see Odyssey going so we had yet another go! We must be very fortunate to manage to ride both coasters at first time of asking! Sunday 15th June First thing Sunday we drove up to Mablethorpe to Dunes Leisure. They had the Runaway Train that used to be at Paultons Park so not a new credit for me. Its certainly seen better days, and seems so much smaller than I remember. When I was 7 I'm sure it was 200ft tall and went 100mph. So a quick stop here then up to Mack's "Ghetto" Amusements on Cleethorpes Beach. Weird collection of Kiddie rides and a rather unsafe looking supercar coaster called Little Dipper. We weren't very impressed with this, but a tick is a tick! The last part of the tour was the rest of the day at Pleasure Island. We got there at about 12:30 and only managed to stay until 3:15. We were very disappointed with this park and felt it didn't really warrant the £15 entry fee. The first coaster was the Boomerang, standard Vekoma a bit rumbly but fast through the station. Next up was the Mini Mine Train which was a Vekoma Junior which was actually quite good, kind of themed also. Then we tried to do the Go Gator but even the park manager said no, so I wouldn't even bother trying. Other rides of note were the Lay flat Enterprise, the cycle monorail and probably the best ride in the park was the S&S shot tower which was fantastic. Only a small one but really gives good air as it shoots you back down. Well that was our tour, 17 coasters over 8 parks. And a great weekend. Sorry this was so long! |
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| hazzzzeeee |
We had a really nice few days of coastering some obviously better than others.
Billing Aquadrome, had a good Big Apple which was quite smooth. The owner and the other ride ops very friendly, and it will be very good if they get their mouse they hope for! Fantasy Island is worth a trip if you have not been before! All of the coasters were good, allthough the Millenium was a bit of a let down after the Odyssey. Both were very smooth though! The rides inside were very good, allthough the pirate area did remind me of Butlins and AT slightly combined! As Steve said they had a fantastic water slide, which you get soaked to my surprise! The Queen Bee at Bottons was definatly the best! Very novel as have never done one of them before! Not really impressed with the Rockin Roller, as the ride op thought you would spin more if we sat on opposite ends of the car. (How does that work??) But to no surprise we did not, he seemed surprised that we did not! Golden Palm Resort and Mack's Amusements were both interesting parks but for the wrong reasons. I felt on edge at both of these places, I did not feel safe! But hey it was a tick! Pleasure Island was a let down like Steve said before. I found the Boomerang was rough and not really impressed, but I don't really like this type of rollercoaster that much. I was surprised that they did not let us on the Go Gator, even though we told him we had been on the same ride. I even said not just once round, but no, so it really is not worth trying!! The best thing about the whole park was definatly the shot tower! It was nice to visit a different part of the country, and try out the rides and things up there, I can't wait go back to Skegness to get back on the Odyssey! It is worth a trip just for that! |
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| smiler |
Fantastic trip reports there guys. I remeber my first time on Jubbley etc they are both very smooth rides but wow they were open we went and there wasent a blade of grass moving and it was still shut. Well done guys glad you had a good weekend. | ||
| stealth fan |
Nice report you guys. Gonna have to find that Billing Aquadrome online and get there for another tick.
Reading this takes me back to the summer tour from hell last year 
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| nemesis scribe |
Great trip report guys!!!
you were indeed VERY lucky to get one go on Jubilee Odysey, let alone two!!! I have been there twice now and its never been running. I know oe club member who has been there 5 times now and never rode it. I do like the Millenium coaster though. Some good TICKS and its good to get to the 'smaller' parks every now and then. I want to do pleasure Island this year as i have never been, although it sounds a bit rubbish from you you experienced. Oh well
And yes, blue man, the trip report was long Only joking!!
Adski 
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| bluea61 |
What can I say I had a spare 5 minutes at work!! http://www.billingaquadrome.com/ http://www.rcdb.com/pd906.htm There isn't a lot about it on the website. |
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| nemesis scribe |
Last night i had a dream that i actually got to ride the jubilee odysey . . . .it was only a dream . . . its never gonna happen . . . .  Just a dream . . .
I also had a dream i rode X:/no way out . . . it was more of a nightmare than a dream . . . .
Skeggy forever!!! |
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| Coaster Clare |
Yes I remeber meeting you at the trip when it opened! We still haven't managed to get on it I'ver! Clare Wright |
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| Jester |
It's probably best to keep this as a dream, as the reality is not that brilliant.
We had a private ERS on her, when Taylor & Devonne did some filming for the Short Change on the BBC. I managed about 3 times round, but they were strapped into the seats, by cameras, and were forced to endure about 10 laps.
It took the total supplies of a small chemist shop just to alleviate their headaches. |
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| coaster-andy |
If you want Billing fr the credit it is well easy t get to from the M1. About 15 mins out of the way by car.
You come off at Junction 15 of the M1 come up to the roundabout take a left follow road all the way up there A45 come of for Billing I think is 4 junctions up right at the top over bridge come to a roundabout with a BP station it is right down there. Only worth for the credit I am near an still yet to go and ride it.
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