Marc
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Posts posted by Marc
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18 minutes ago, Coaster Jamie said:
It hasn't been redeveloped or rennovated throughout 2016, which was the official line from Thorpe.
I'm not sure why you're bringing up RCT3, it's obvious to me that Loggers can't open for whatever reason, what I'm getting at is that Thorpe's handling of the situation is absolutely atrocious. Telling people it's being rennovated throughout 2016, which whilst not directly stating it gives the impression that it will reopen in 2017; and when combined with the phrase "we hope for it to make a splash back in 2017" is blatantly misleading people within the boundaries of not quite stating it as fact.
I think it's wrong to make excuses for the fact that it's "just" social media, they are representing Thorpe and as such any information given to people should be accurate. If they don't know, then they should be honest and say that the ride is "closed."
Regarding the ride itself, any park worth its salt would realise it was coming towards the end of its working life, therefore plans for whatever (refurbishment, replacement, or anything else) would be drawn up well before the ride is in a state where it can't open.
If this was refurbishment of the ride then I would be forgiving of it being closed during some of the season, if there was work going on! Take Valhalla for example, the entire facade was replaced over winter 2011/12 which then ran into the season until May, but there was work constantly going on and then it reopened when it was ready. Another example is the log flume at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach where large portions of the trough were replaced this year, which can't be an easy task; it was closed until summer but work was going in the winter before that and throughout the season up until summer.
I don't pretend to know why Loggers Leap is closed, and I don't doubt that there is a good reason, but it's the combination of the awful handling of the closure and the fact that it's going to be closed for at least two seasons (and subsequent closed seasons) with absolutely nothing happening to it.
To add insult to injury, they're STILL saying things like this;
(These were posted today in response to Twitter users asking about Loggers).
Apart from insult to injury take it as positives - until they announce it's being removed then we can only assume it will reopen at some point in the future.
Who knows what will happen - hopefully something concrete is announced soon either way!
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10 minutes ago, JDann said:
True, but Loggers Leap should have remained open throughout this process. Unless, as I am guessing, the cost of keeping it in a state where it is able to run was too much, so they are just letting it rot whilst making up other plans for the area.I agree in an ideal world it would be - but let's say for arguments sake it would cost x amount to keep it open and they had plans to remove it within 5 years then it makes sense why they don't spend on it - there are obviously reasons behind its closure but as you say we don't know them!
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30 minutes ago, Coaster Jamie said:
So it's going to be sat doing absolutely nothing for two seasons? No, I'm sorry, but that's absolutely shocking.
I also hate how they're still trying to pass it off as "redevelopment," they said that last year and no matter what happens to the area in the future, it was NOT being redeveloped, nor was it being "rennovated" (as they said in their official statement) throughout last year.
That's twice that they have openly lied to the public, I really hope they don't make this a third.
If loggers leap is removed and a new ride opens in its place, it has then been redeveloped.
This is not rollercoaster tycoon, you can right click on loggers leap, delete it and place a new ride in its place over night, ideas need to be thought up, plans drawn up this is before they even apply for any permission needed but is all part of a re-development process.
- KingNemesis, Mer, Ryan and 1 other
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1 hour ago, Benin said:
Could be worse, could be officially the worse English league team in 2016...
Dont worry - I doubt you'll match derby being the worse team in history!
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Have played it a little bit its realy good, find the coaster builder a little tough to get used to but will no doubt get there!
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Nemesis Inferno (9)
Rocky Express (1)
The Swarm (5)
Tidal Wave (5)Swarm +
Rocky -
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I'd guess if it comes to the point they are announcing its full closure they would like to have something new to announce which will take its place - to be fair they could have a decent coaster going off over the lake which would really bring the area back to life!
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I meant the Mack flumes in Merlin parks - I seem to remember at the same time as Flume and Loggers closing Another one also closed in one of the Merlin European parks but that maybe wrong.
I expect if they feel the ride is worth it they will invest in the work it needs (Slammer and Samurai are good examples of rides which they invest in, both of which would have likely closed at many other parks!) - Personally I hope they do - although I expect enthusiasts views on if a ride is worth keeping and the parks maybe different!
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Really looking forward to when imascore release some of this track!
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I don't think that Merlin don't care - Merlin are just a much bigger company who have more to worry about, it's much different to the family run parks, I expect each Merlin park is allocated a budget for things like that and it's spent as seen fit.
I do also think more gets done that people realise, park signage for example over the past few years every ride has had new restriction boards, Stealths had a new sign and had one of its trains completely refurbished with all the black vinyls being replaced, also During stealths closure the steps were all repainted, the photo / ride baggage had its green edging repainted - quite often its easy to not notice these things.
It would be nice for all the queues across the park to get a lick of paint over the closed season then very much continue in the
same direction as they have been, we've seen Tidals and Infernos effects fixed over the past few years both of which have been dead since the Tussauds days (although infernos are still inconsistent). Would be great to see the Colossus pit tidied up and working again actually!
- ThemeParkLover and Josh3103
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The problem with effects like the shower is people stand up to try and avoid them which obviously is dangerous.
I do agree the ride needs a spruce up though!
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50 minutes ago, Archive said:
For a company as large and profitable as Merlin to leave popular rides SBNO to save money (Alton Towers) or because they've cheaped out on maintenance for so long (Thorpe Park) is very telling of how they fund their parks and this kind of action will only run the parks increasingly into the ground
Loggers leap was just one of 3 Mack log flumes which Merlin closed for this year (Beleve one in Europe closed too?) - loggers leap had also had significant work over the past 4/5 years, I don't think it's anything to do with "cheaped out maintanance"
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2 minutes ago, Coaster Jamie said:
Just one point for clarity, I don't have a "vendetta" against Merlin. It's simply a case of, I don't like what they're doing to the theme parks.
The incident has of course had an impact but the best way to counteract that (IMO) would have been to have a really good year in 2016, and then build from that. I just don't think that further cuts is the right approach.
Honestly I do get where your coming from - but at the same time I genuinely believe the cuts they made overall would have no difference to the parks attendances this year and will have provided a much needed cost saving. Look at it this way, each year parks add new rides, as new rides are added, the attendances grow year on year - great. But what happens when suddenly them attendances fall, the park suddenly has significant more capacty than is required for its anticipated gate figure - it is unfortunately for us , very sensible for the business to readjust its offering. I've no doubt in 3/4 years when the smiler incident is at the back of everyone's mind and all the rides have reopened (and more added) people will come to accept the cuts were at some point needed.
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20 minutes ago, Coaster Jamie said:
The fact that anyone can work out that out of the millions of people who go on all the rides per year, the accident on The Smiler was one extremely rare incident.
It's time to stop blaming The Smiler's incident for everything to do with the park's current state, it's common knowledge that reduced value for money with ride closures and everything else will put people off going. I'm not suggesting that the incident hasn't had an impact at all, of course it has, but everything else will have only made things worse.
Yes - we know that - we are fortunate enough to be wel educated about the subject, we know the rides are safe, we know what happened was a terrible accident which won't happen again - problem is not everyone else does.
Its not "common knowledge" when I talk to my family saying I'm going to Alton towers they don't say why would you go there hex and Charlie are closed, they bring up the smiler incident. you clearly are unable to look past your own vendetta against Merlin and are unable to see the huge impact the Smiler incident has had on all the parks, and will unfortunately continue to have for a while yet.
The cuts, of course, do not help. But in the grand scheme of things they will make very little difference.
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3 minutes ago, Matt10 said:
I still think that people hear from social media about these closed rides and that does dissuade some people from going. I know myself that I enjoyed Alton far less this year with all the closed rides then last year when they were opened. I personally found I could walk around all day and not run out of stuff to do, whereas this year I felt as if there wasn't enough to do.
Point is you still went, Coaster Jamie who stated if they went ahead with the plans to close the rides would not visit, still did.
The vast majority of our parks guests don't do an awful lot of research - most of them will simply turn up on the day without any idea rides have closed - it's hardly great but I'm certian had the rides been open visitor numbers would be no different to what they were.
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Its just the platform 15 train - the remaining track was removed this year!
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2 hours ago, Coaster Jamie said:
Of course visitor numbers are down, they've shut half the park!
Ride closures, food and beverage closures, entertainments budget cut, the list goes on... then they wonder why visitor numbers are down?!There isn't enough for families to do anymore, therefore they won't go, it's as simple as that.
I imagine visitor numbers would be very similar with or without the closed rides - unfortunately things like this take time to recover from, even more so with the constant press attention they seem to attract!
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Whilst there's not much going on just yet a quick update from today!
http://www.thorpeparkmania.co.uk/news/12-11-2016/Closed+Season+Update+2016
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Just because Merlin (who them selves are in debts) make a profit does not mean there is a bottomless pit of money for their resort theme parks.
My thoughts go out to those affected by this news - it's not a nice situation for anyone, hopefully they are able to find new roles within or outside merlin quickly.
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26 minutes ago, Archive said:
I disagree with this blanket rule to be honest. That's certainly how Merlin work and up to their management, but not "how the industry works" by necessity. Considering how long theyve had to consider this (its well known the ride was in a poor state), I do find it unprofessional. And 5 years for a company as large as Merlin to not do anything is pretty poor, and I see absolutely no justification for why it should ever take so long.
No point being optimistic and "sitting tight" when this is example number 10 of poor practice which wouldnt happen under a company that cared. Much better to go be interest in something else than to be pointless loyal to a company that doesn't care at the top. The ride didn't go from working order to suddenly broken for 5 years - that isnt how rides work. They could get it properly refurbished and reopen the ride next year if they actually saw the necessity to. But the company wont get any direct returns from that will they? It is a mess.Merlin are not the first theme park operator to leave a ride SBNO and it most certainly won't be the last - I'm not sure why you insist Merlin are the only ones who would ever dare do such a thing?
And if there's no point being optimistic and being tight then what on earth are we doing on a Thorpe Park forum?!
And yes your right they most likely could - but as I've previously said there are obviously plans for the area - be that with or without loggers - I'd be more worried if the company was needlessly spending money on things which do not add value to the park. (I'm not saying loggers leap is not a good ride - but thrope will have a significantly better idea of how much loggers actually adds to the parks line up than we do)
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51 minutes ago, Coaster Jamie said:
Just for clarity, are you saying that you would consider it okay for Loggers to sit SBNO for five years?
I think we'll have to agree to disagree if that's the case.
Thorpe park is there to offer you a day out and has an advertised line up of attractions - which loggers leap is not. Depends by what you mean by ok - I wouldn't like that to be the case but if it is and in 5 years we get a fast thrilling coaster then that's fine with me.
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55 minutes ago, Coaster Jamie said:
I'm not suggesting that there isn't a replacement organised, I'm saying that it shouldn't take an entire year (possibly even two) before any work towards a replacement taking place.
The theme park industry simply does not work like that.
Work might not start for 1 year or 5 years, it's not wrong it's just how it works, work will start on either renovating the ride or dismantling the ride when they are ready - we just need to sit tight and look forward to what's in store
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