Can you handle SAW The Ride? (Saw The Ride (Thorpe Park))

Member Name: OhLala-17

Product:	Saw The Ride (Thorpe Park)
Date:	25/06/09 (162 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unexpected Drops.

Disadvantages: Long Queue, Manikins dumped around.

I am a huge fan of Rollercoaster's, so when Thorpe Park announced they were going to have 'The Worlds Most Terrifying Rollercoaster' I couldn't wait for it to be built and to get on it!


- What Is It? -
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SAW the ride is a new Euro-Fighter rollercoaster for 2009 at Thorpe Park.
It is the worlds first rollercoaster themed on a horror movie and as I have said claims to be the most terrifying in the world.
The ride has a 'beyond vertical' drop which is 100º from a grand height of 100ft and during the thrilling ride you experience 3 inversions.

The ride was announced on 13th October 2008 & then opened to the public on 14th March 2009.


- Theming & Queue Line -
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As you approach the ride, there is a large area filled with theming which I think is brilliant. If you have never been on the ride before it really helps to build up the excitement!
In the middle of the area is a shop, it's like a wooden shack where you can purchase SAW goodies. I didn't go into the shop as it looked fairly small and mainly because I didn't want anything.
Near the fence you will see a broken, blood stained American police car again it's looks really good and is a chance for a photo.

As you enter the queue line, high chicken wire fences with barbed wire surround you, it looks a bit like a maze!
It eventually goes down to just a fence around stomach height. For me I didn't like the higher fences as it felt really closed in where as the lower fence felt like there was more air and room to move.
But as the queue line is so long there is a small chance you would actually have to que in the high fence area.

There is theming around the queue line too. I can't say I took that much notice as I was busy talking and watching the ride.
The fun really starts to begin as you enter the indoor queuing line.
For me I was scared about being inside as I don't like the dark or things that jump out at you!
As we entered it wasn't too dark but then a sudden BANG let off and many people screamed, me included! As we got a little bit closer I saw something on the ceiling pointing down, suddenly a loud noise came, a bang & air!
On the ceiling is a gun, it loads and then shoots air out. This is a great feature and watching peoples reactions is always funny!
We came to some stairs and on the right is a cage, inside the cage is a chair with straps on and other little features.
From reviews I have heard people act in this bit, but when I came no one was acting which for me was a relive as I hate that sort of thing.

As you get up the stairs there is a window with a fake body mangled in barbed wire. And ahead is the bit where you hand your bags over to keep them safe while you are on the ride.


- The Ride -
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We got onto the ride, and if you have ever been on Oblivion at Alton Towers the cars are the same with just 2 rows of seats.
In front of us we noticed a green light and a very small circle we had no idea what this was and just ignored it.

Anyway as the ride set off it went around a corner and it was pitch black except a small area on the right where the Billy doll sits on a bike laughing at you. He is very small and for a horror ride I would expect them to make him a little bit bigger!
As you slowly go around two swinging blades come at you, it looks as though your going to go straight into them when you shoot downwards. I wasn't expecting this and it was a great surprise! This drop is said to be almost vertical aswell.
After this first drop I could hear things I'm not sure what as it all went so quickly but it added to the suspense of what was going to happen!
A bit of light appeared and we spun into a barrel roll, a body (fake of course) is led in a pool of blood and blood flies at you. (The blood doesn't actually get you though)

We then came out into the light! you don't have long until you have to prepare yourself for the large drop down!
The car stops at the bottom of the hill and a digital clock is above you counting down. As it reaches Zero you hear a laugh and you start to head upwards!
It goes fairly fast going up the hill and unlike Oblivion it doesn't stop and hang over the top it just goes down, taking you under spinning blades and then onto a loop which causes you to experience weightlessness.
Near the end of the ride is another drop down which I wasn't expecting going into a loop, the ride then finishes- Much to quickly!

The ride seems to be over in seconds and there is an on-ride-photo section, I can't recall where as you just don't have time to take everything in!


- After The Ride -
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After the ride finished we got our bags and set off down the stairs to the photo shop!
Here we finally found out what the green light in front of us were. It is a camera which films you as you go around the track!
People who don't want to ride can watch the individual screens to see peoples reactions as they experience SAW.


- Overall -
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Overall I really enjoyed the ride and can't fault the actual ride. But there are some faults.
I felt the queue line was much to long! And if you queued right from the gate of the entrance I'm sure you'd be waiting for hours!
Luckily we only queued 45 + 20 mins both times we came on the ride.
Also in the queue line you could see manikins just dumped by the warehouse, it looked a bit untidy and took some of the excitement away.
These aren't big deals and you soon forget about them after you have ridden the ride!

Other than those few moans, the ride is brilliant and a must go on!
For me I wouldn't say it was 'Terrifying' as I am a Rollerocaster lover but for those who don't often go on them I'd say it's pretty scary!


- Other Info -
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Minimum height of 1.4m tall
NOT recommened for under 12's


Model: Eurofighter
Track layout: Custom
Max speed- 55.6 mph (89.5 km/h)
Duration 1:40 (Seems shorter though)
Capacity: 1,100 riders per hour
Cost: £13.5 million
Max G force: 4.7


- Thorpe Park -
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THORPE PARK
Staines Road
Chertsey
Surrey
KT16 8PN


4 Stars- Recommened

Summary: A Great Ride!