Sorry for the bump but I finally got to ride The Swarm last week and thought I would post my comments on the ride. Overall I think it's a great addition to Thorpe, adding to an already very good coaster line-up. The approach to the area is really cool, as you have the first drop looming over you and the rather atmospheric music in the background. You get to see all of the ride, as you pass several aspects of theming, before you reach the entrance. The whole atmosphere seems a bit more lacking near the entrance compared with near the exit/photo booth, but I think the area as a whole works well.
Upon entering the queue, the first things I noticed were the TV screens and the video mimicking a BBC news show. The whole video must be of good length as there seemed to be many different interviews/footage despite them all being very similar. Personally, I feel these build a lot of tension for the ride, especially as you have planes constantly flying over your head. The queue line itself is ok; I had to wait in a very long queue though (~90 mins) and it soon got quite boring. As the stairs went up to the church, I thought it would just come back down when you got inside, so I was horrified to see the cattlepen which followed.
Once I finally reached the station, I was assigned to row 3, left hand side. Thinking about it, I probably could have got front row as I didn't think there was anyone waiting but couldn't tell at first, as the whole ticketing system was quite confusing. Anyway, I boarded the far seat and was impressed with how comfortable the seats and restraints were. The train themselves look very neat and it was entertaining just to watch them go around the track.
We headed up the lift hill and reached the top where the "Thorpe Park Inversion" loomed. I have to say it was a lot more enjoyable and less hang-y than I thought it would have felt. We swooped down and the proximity to the aircraft wing made for a great head chopper. The rest of the layout was very smooth and somewhat forceful, but maybe a little short for the height of the coaster. My favourite parts of the ride were the first drop and the turn over the water.
All in all, it's a pretty great ride. Not world beating, but for the UK it's certainly a significant addition, particularly size-wise. It has a decent theme which is continued throughout the ride area and queue line which, combined with a thrilling layout, makes for a very good ride!
Upon entering the queue, the first things I noticed were the TV screens and the video mimicking a BBC news show. The whole video must be of good length as there seemed to be many different interviews/footage despite them all being very similar. Personally, I feel these build a lot of tension for the ride, especially as you have planes constantly flying over your head. The queue line itself is ok; I had to wait in a very long queue though (~90 mins) and it soon got quite boring. As the stairs went up to the church, I thought it would just come back down when you got inside, so I was horrified to see the cattlepen which followed.
Once I finally reached the station, I was assigned to row 3, left hand side. Thinking about it, I probably could have got front row as I didn't think there was anyone waiting but couldn't tell at first, as the whole ticketing system was quite confusing. Anyway, I boarded the far seat and was impressed with how comfortable the seats and restraints were. The train themselves look very neat and it was entertaining just to watch them go around the track.
We headed up the lift hill and reached the top where the "Thorpe Park Inversion" loomed. I have to say it was a lot more enjoyable and less hang-y than I thought it would have felt. We swooped down and the proximity to the aircraft wing made for a great head chopper. The rest of the layout was very smooth and somewhat forceful, but maybe a little short for the height of the coaster. My favourite parts of the ride were the first drop and the turn over the water.
All in all, it's a pretty great ride. Not world beating, but for the UK it's certainly a significant addition, particularly size-wise. It has a decent theme which is continued throughout the ride area and queue line which, combined with a thrilling layout, makes for a very good ride!