What Was Nemesis Like When It First Opened?

[SuperWill]

I wasn't around when Nemesis first opened back in 1994 so I really want to know what it was like! Did anyone on here go on it's opening day? What was the atmosphere like? (Any actors, cheering or counting down until they opened it?) Were you actually willing to queue around 2.5 hours for it? Discuss below!

[Shockadelica]

Well for starters, it wasn't actually that busy the first day it opened. We managed three rides on it, with queues of 20-30 mins all day. And we still managed to do all the other rides in the park that we wanted to. I think it was a different story for its official opening, though.

I remember that first ride only in so far as it felt like a total mindblowout. We'd only had the likes of Corkscrew before that day and I remember coming off the ride, looking at the track and thinking 'Well I don't remember that bit, or that bit, or that bit'.

It looked very bare too compared to now, although we didn't appreciate that until years later. Nor did I appreciate that my visit that day would have become such a coveted thing to have done.

I've still got my ticket for that day and the accompanying park map.

It's great to see that age and advancing technology still hasn't diminished its effect when riding. An absolute legend!

[Mark.aa]

I went a year later when Thunder Looper was still there and The Beast was still there, where Air's shop is now. It stuck out like a sore thumb. Looked too new in hindsight,it looks better with age. It looked much more advanced that the other rides.
The first of the fully themed rides.

Took 3 visits to the park before I finally had the courage to ride it. All of the other rides were still static fairground rides with the exception of The Flume and Rapids.
The first major ride where people not riding were inside ride area when queuing. All other rides you queued outside the ride.

This was the first of the Wardley classic trinity

[Rollermad]

Well for starters, it wasn't actually that busy the first day it opened. We managed three rides on it, with queues of 20-30 mins all day. And we still managed to do all the other rides in the park that we wanted to. I think it was a different story for its official opening, though.

I remember that first ride only in so far as it felt like a total mindblowout. We'd only had the likes of Corkscrew before that day and I remember coming off the ride, looking at the track and thinking 'Well I don't remember that bit, or that bit, or that bit'.

It looked very bare too compared to now, although we didn't appreciate that until years later. Nor did I appreciate that my visit that day would have become such a coveted thing to have done.

I've still got my ticket for that day and the accompanying park map.

It's great to see that age and advancing technology still hasn't diminished its effect when riding. An absolute legend!

Someone told me about 6 hour queues

[lewis97]

Someone told me about 6 hour queues

As Shockadelica said in his post, the 20-30 minutes queues were on its soft opening day on the 16th March. The 6 hour queues you've heard about were likely to be on its official opening on the 19th and onwards.

[Shockadelica]

Someone told me about 6 hour queues

As Shockadelica said in his post, the 20-30 minutes queues were on its soft opening day on the 16th March. The 6 hour queues you've heard about were likely to be on its official opening on the 19th and onwards.

No, it was the 19th of March when I went, which was the first day of the 1994 season. That was the first day it was open for the public to just walk into the park and ride it. I think the 16th was like a press day (certainly limited invite).

The massive queues were definitely there during its official opening some time later, however, featuring Wolf and some of the Gladiators (I didn't go, but remember seeing all the press articles).

I know it seems odd now, but that's how it was.

[lewis97]

Fair enough, certainly does seem odd which is why I made the presumption.

[Shockadelica]

Fair enough, certainly does seem odd which is why I made the presumption.

Well yeah, that's how hard it is to imagine now. I think it's because it was the first 'next generation' ride to make its debut, and the 'official' opening hadn't happened already at that point, even though it had been on a few TV shows. Oblivion was, as we all know, a different story.

[Themeparksandy1981]

I first went on it in Aug 1994. As I was still at school my parents took me&my sister and 2 of our friends. As it didn't cost them anything as I was a member of the Henry Hound club so my parents only paid for them to get in.
Anyway my mate wasn't a fan of coasters so I joined the queue which was outside the normal queue. The queue moved quite quick and was nice seeing the coaster from different angles which you can't see today. My mate wasn't happy with me as I made him wait just over 3 hours.