What's new

Rock&Rollercoasters III - Afro Antics (or whatever)

Had a fantastic weekend and birthday. Thanks everyone who made it special, and for the cards, cake and to all those who brought me drinks throughout the weekend. :)

Did anyone get a picture of the cutting of the cake and stuff?
 
How annoying is Will's report? The detail and structure is brilliant, it just means I don't see the point of writing my own detailed one...I'll just waffle along instead.

I actually like the new feel to the Pleasure Beach. I could put it down to decent weather, good company and whatnot, but it feels less grotty and more spacious. Moving the dogems to make way for more fountains was a good move imo. It's a much more pleasing entrance.

Staff seemed a lot happier and politer this time round, except the miserable cow in the PMBO shop who obviously didn't know the Polish-to-English transltion of "thank you". She could have even have said "zen-queer" (I'm not sure of the correct spelling) and I would have understood. Even the security staff keeping "the area clear" after the Big Dipper derailment weren't bastards - they seemed polite and smilied. There was also no restraint pinning this time.

Ride wise, I was quite impressed. In the lovely weather, PMBO was awesome - a superb gentle breeze wizzed around me as I rode. It was good fun, not remarkable, but it was enjoyable. I did get carpet burns from the Nash...and my train lost both times :cry: Ice Blast was also nice in the good weather, as was the queue by making noise using the irritating party bag tat.

The only other subject worth talking about (and by far the most important imo) is the "only with CF" subject.

Only with CF would I see a bunch of adults singing and dancing to the Magic Mountain tune - much to Will's annoyance - and it slowly infecting everybody.

Then there's the rediculous stuff such as water pistols, water bombs, gay pink cakes, limp rocket balloons, the ripping of Valhalla ponchos, wet people hugging the dry people, stupid costumes, taking the piss out of anybody and everything, picking up small people and dumping them in ball pits.

What I like most about a Blackpool Live is the unpredictability. Every year we seem to criss-cross the park in no particular fashion, finding a ride has shut down and then stomping off to one that is open. All the time nobody seems to vocally complain, they just smile and carry on.

I wasn't hungover (shock!) and I rode pretty much everything that I wanted to. I had a great day out and I'll be sure to post more as I remember it...or if other trip reports nudge out any memories from hiding.

Thanks to everybody who turned up, thanks to everybody who joined in with the laughter, thanks to rach for taking the group photos, thanks to Big John for rallying the group around and thanks to Enterprise car hire who supplied me with a comfortable automatic transition vehicle that made the six hour, congestion-filled journey up north easier.
 
Can't believe I just spent a good half hour reading Will's TR of epicness and Ian's little sum up. I do wish I'd have gone, but money and travel issues meant I had to stay at home :(

Now I know why Martyn H was texting me "Welcome to our world, welcome to our world, welcome to our world of boys!" - I presumed at the time he had come out to the group, though this upon reflection is probably unlikely but just a simple fact of annoyance.

Glad you guys had fun :)
 
Will why aren't you here, I want to hug you.
That was a beautiful report - just as good as the day itself.

On a less sentimental note - have some comedy singsongs

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryq3q1Nd66M[/youtube]
 
^ Lol, goons!

I did take a few photos to do a photo trip report and here they are.

The biggest and best fountain at Blackpool is the dancing fountain located near Trauma Towers. It's really good, it "dances" to music and security guards protect it when it's "dancing". At other times it's useful for filling up water pistols.
foutain2.jpg


This is what is known as a fountain upgrade and can be found in the Big Dipper station. It's a bizarre fountain but a grander fountain than the old filling-and-emptying-cups fountain that they had there before.
foutain5.jpg


The newest fountain to grace the Pleasure Beach is this collection of rectangular fountains, where the dodgems used to be. Don't worry if you think the bottom half of each fountain has gone rusty from too much fountaining - it's meant to be that colour!!
foutain4.jpg


Where the Spin Doctor rides once sat, majestic fountains now do! They might not be the most exciting fountains in the world, but as any fountains enthusiast will tell you, any fountain is better than no fountain.
foutain3.jpg

foutain1.jpg


There are plenty of other fountains at Blackpool - I simply didn't have enough time to visit and take photos of them all - but you can find extra ones in the Maze and (so I've been told) there's one near the Eddie Stobart kiddy truck ride.

I'll end this photo trip report with my personal favourite. I feel a bit sorry for this fountain because it's quite tucked away, hidden between some decking and the Ghost Train queue line. I like to call it the Lonely Fountain. It is an important fountain though as it's the water supply to the little stream that runs between the ghost train and gaming stalls. Make sure to pay it a visit when you next go!
foutain6.jpg
 
How many fountain credits did you get Ian? I'm quite jealous, I think I've only got 2 of the fountain creds at Blackpool :(
 
How do you get a fountain cred? Do you have to ride it?
And if there are two separate streams that come out of one source does that count as 1 or 2 creds?
 
^^
First up, that was sheer genius, Ian - congratulations once again, though I now feel suitably outdone :p

However
Sue Shaw said:
Will why aren't you here, I want to hug you.
That was a beautiful report - just as good as the day itself.
I like it when people say nice things :) And hugs as well, so you can save that for the next Live - ideally when you haven't had shower-cap, or... twin sunglasses that are strangely inescapable, and I can be less dazzlingly coloured to match. Anyway, glad people have once again been brave enough to endure my self-indulgence, even when I run out of ideas towards the end. Makes me think I should write more often, but I'm very lazy at heart :)

Also, I'd like to take this moment to giggle at all the streams, showers etc. based innuendo on the last couple of pages. Or at least I would, but it reminds me again of the disturbing comments Ian, John and Tanya kept making regarding a certain manager's true motivation behind the installation of various water features, and these did NOT make me happy at all :lol:
 
According to http://www.waterfountaincount.com*, a Fountain Cred is noted when a fountain is spotted and a person places one or more parts of his/her body into the fountain. Each fountain counts for one Fountain Credit, no matter how many streams of water there are or the size of the fountain.

Credits which are left standing, but not operating, do not count as the enthusiast cannot place ones body into the stream.

To acknowledge each fountain cred, enthusiasts can take a picture either of the fountain itself or part of themselves in the fountain.

There is much debate about what classifies as a credit on the website, and it is up to individual enthusiasts as to what is or is not a credit, though these rules are generally followed well.

The website states that enthusiasts should not risk their own safety while gaining a credit, and advises buying specialist equipment such as a plastic poncho.

*Website does not actually exist
 
An excellent day! Katie's mate Charlotte can't wait to attend another :)

I wil post a vid when I get chance, though I didn't get loads of footage so it shouldn't take too long but now I'm busy this weekend at DOWNLOAD with tickets I WON.................it may be a week or two before it appears here tehe.
 
A day in the life of a nealbieby nealbie (mental age 5)

7:55 – 10:10

Bizarrely the surprisingly sleep satisfied nealbie awoke from his slumber and 5 to 8 to the horrendous sounds of Sonic the Hedgehog – the composer responsible would have to suffer! (or alternatively Mr Bell would suffer, as he was conveniently located in the same room and seemed to have programmed his fruit to emit the noises into the atmosphere).

Undecided on the course of action to take on the balding man laying there on the bed next to his, a shower was taken during which the perfect revenge was selected. Cue – hairdryer!

Following an interesting discussion about how aforementioned Sonic sympathiser had not heard a hair dryer for many a year (received with many a giggle from the now fully awake and clean nealbie) – it was time to leave. Affects were collected, drinks were purchased, and McDonalds’s milkshake machine remained perennially broken.
__________

The journey to Blackpool was filled with marvellous banter between the Bell and the nealbie, couple with good music and a change of lyrics here and there for their own amusement.

The Tower loomed, talk of how the Eiffel Tower made it look depressingly small proceeded to take place and the decidedly awful new one-way system that would loom it’s ugly head later on was navigated through – with us thusly arriving at the scaffolding sign which is the main entrance to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Joy! *sighs*
__________

“Pole Position” as it were was claimed much to our immense approval in the car park! We had the closest spot to the entrance, take THAT Amanda!

John and Tanya appeared behind us almost immediately and conversation combined with an exchange of costumes ensued. Ian finding a miracle grow product for his hair……..

31828_1397925881220_1624451491_968387_8325877_n.jpg


More people decided that they were going to turn up including a decidedly plain clothed William. Disappointment was had. Well that was until some miraculous 70’s God decided that they would wield their magic and transform into…………

31828_1397940361582_1624451491_968401_5575738_n.jpg


ELTON JOHN!

So we went and collected our wristbands as was wanted to get into the park for some strange reason. Who knew?! The man behind the counter kept trying to sell me things, I didn’t want them. So he had raised voice times, this allowed things to move on at a swifter pace and £40 appeared in my hand – yay for Rach and Will!

After this it was discovered that heightened security had given the false impression that there was a (you’re not going to believe this) QUEUE to get into the Pleasure Beach! Clever bit of marketing from Amanda there, perhaps a little too clever.

Well all thoughts of the genius of this “fabricate-a-queue” contraption was soon blown out of our minds due to man who seemed for all the world English but for his RIDICULOUS accent (he was wearing a suit, it masked his foreign scent, I’m sorry – must try harder); decided that I needed frisking because he wouldn’t believe that the excessive metal on my jacket would cause the machine to go off. As it happened, it HAD and much I told you so took place on my part. I’m loud you see, he didn’t realise what was coming his way until it did!

Here have a picture of my foreign policy……

csl1932l.jpg


Once in the park, party bags were handed around and some rather boring and predictable things happened if I’m honest.

Ed started playing with a long pink thing…….

30313_1441333109997_1133143676_1291498_8100592_n.jpg


JayJay found an ENTIRE beaver in his……

28566_430520912779_728732779_5657060_4537218_n.jpg


Martyn H was jealous, he’s never been that close to a real beaver before……

28566_430522217779_728732779_5657157_6591062_n.jpg


Katy got attacked by some mutant Rainbow Drops which transformed her hair thusly……

28566_430520937779_728732779_5657064_1211347_n.jpg


And some IDIOT gave nealbie some water pistols!

Here he is looking VERY pleased with himself simply thinking about the havoc he is going to cause momentarily……

28566_430520972779_728732779_5657070_369218_n.jpg


The Welsh Assembly took a dim view on the person that had unleashed this menace upon the patrons of the Pleasure Beach……

28566_430520977779_728732779_5657071_6309483_n.jpg


They were most certainly going to ensure that the culprit was apprehended and made to see what insanity they had released upon the world!

Unfortunately for you, you shall have to wait ‘A Minute Longer’ to find out the full devastation caused by the tall, deranged looking man with lots of hair.
__________

Tune in next time to find out if:-

1) Resistance is stronger than Superman
2) Elton John’s Still Standing, and
3) If H2O levels will go through the roof!

Pictures courtesy of myself, Mushroom and Rach
 
Wow, Will, now I remember why I used to love reading your reports. You need to do reports more often (although they take me ages to read I enjoy every moment). Makes me wish I went but Blackpool is Blackpool and to do it two years on a trot would leave devastating effects.

Really glad everyone had an epic time though :D
 
willstand1.jpg

willrocket.jpg

willstand2.jpg

shrunkwill.jpg

willsitting.jpg


Page 4 = more :wink:
 
^
Only my own. And what I can do with them :)
Otherwise, aside from the stuff I analysed in unneccessarily great detail in my report, it's still very much eyes.
But Jayjay very wisely, perhaps immensely unnerved by what he saw, cut those bits out :)
 
Yay for a good Live vid too. Shame about the rubbish music over the top of the footage* :p





*This is my true opinion (just find the Stereophonics boring) and a joke, as I know it will annoy Neal lots :p
 
It's lively and happy and stuff. That's my criteria for music selecting. But since you're trying to annoy Neal, I'll let you have that opinion. :p

It's better than my '07 Lightwater video when I decided to use The Feeling. I think the song actually made the video worse. (Though the shot selection and filming weren't great either).
 
Top