JoshC.

Rather noobish question from to be honest...Park opens at 10, but does Explorer Gate open half hour before then?

I read what he said as a gentle hint to go somewhere else, or find gradually replace this forum with another more suited to her posts.So basically agreeing with what Holly said to an extent.

Whilst I don't disagree with you, isn't half the point of a forum to create a community?Yeah, okay, so Gemma doesn't post theme park related posts, but she's still part of the forum's community. And if a forum doesn't have a community, then what is the point?

Big dark clouds all across the sky, lots of rain and Thorpe today.This will be great!

This.The amount of times when friends and teachers assumed I was going out with a girl when we were friends was silly.Slightly ironic, we barely speak to each other now after a boy/girlfriend type argument...

So... you're saying the articles a wrote to appeal to fans and the GP? But isn't the whole point of a FANsite to appeal to just the fans? Exactly, it helps purchase tickets, as it is ADVERTISING the event. It isn't informing of the event, it is selling it. That's the whole point I'm getting at...

No real point to writing them? Isn't the point of the articles meant to be to inform readers of what is going on? I'm pretty sure you could easily write articles that includes the 'personal' touch that TPM wants, as well as informer readers of what is going on, without advertising the park, or using similar techniques to the park.As for not being since the official link, I honestly do not know, as I didn't really become interested in this site until it got the official link. As for insane, yes, it is solely a marketing word. However, words such as 'thrilling', 'extreme' and 'insane' have regularly been used by the site in the produced articles. Those words stood out to me when skimming through random articles. And, for example, the Sun Scream article uses the word 'extreme' 5 times, all of which is used to promote the attractions that the park is offering. And, perhaps coincidentally, the park would use the word 'extreme' a similar amount of times in articles of a similar size that would be released to the GP. It is very frustrating how the two seem so alike and this place has turned into a marketing tool - be that accidental or not!

Me with a(nother) moan...The site itself has slowly turned into an advertising tool for Thorpe - and I personally think it's stupid. I understand the site isn't independent and that, but is there a need for this place to become Thorpe's second marketing mouth?Let's have a look at part of the most recent story, about Sun Scream: Why the need to say "extreme rides"? Marketing spew, isn't it? And why exactly should a fan site, official to the park or not, be convincing us to go to the park? No other site I know of persuades people to go to parks in their articles. And let's go to some a few months back, such as Peter Andre: The need for a direct link is? And yet again, 'thrilling' is there why? Oh yes, marketing the park, how could I forget!?I've lost count as to how many times I've seen words such as "insane" and other marketing-related words.As said, I've tired of it. We've been reassured many a time that the park are in no way associated with writing the articles, so why does it sound like they are writing them!? Think that's all..Josh.

For anyone who watched Robot Wars, you may remember a Robot known as Dantomkia (Dantomkia's Wikia Page). For those too lazy to check, it was one of the better Robots, famously flipping Chaos 2 out of the arena, as well as other famous Robots such as Panic Attack. It holds the record for most Robots flipped out of the arena, as well as the second fastest victory (8 seconds). I know the creators of the Robot, and also drove it a couple of times in practice fights, which is epicly good fun might I add.

It would have made the attraction much better yes. And it would have pleased so many.However, they get two attractions out of it, plus much more marketing from it. From the park's view, they have done everything right. It is a shame, I do admit, but it is something that we unfortunately can't help. :/

Firstly, great read, thanks for that.However, for Thorpe Park, it is far to unrealisitic.Firstly, the maze has to appeal to everyone. Your ideas focus too much on the specific details that only die hard Saw fans will care about. As it is, everyone can relate to the maze if they know the concept of the film. Secondly, the budget. They could not fit all that in unless it was a major investment.Finally, the boat would sink. 41 tonnes it already is; 45 maximum. Sorry, brilliant ideas but not for Thorpe.

Mhmm. An interview with Haunted Attractions did say that they could add another room, but I don't know how exactly it could work out.

Always forget about that one... :$

Corrected?

That's why I hate to ask. But I can never believe someone who says their sure, when they have nothing to back it up - especially in this industry..

Not mentioned anywhere on their site...How are you so sure it is a prototype...

THORPE PARK is online. What is this!?!

Hate to ask, but any sources you can provide from Gerstlauer to prove this?

That doesn't make it a prototype. Just really makes it a upgrade / newer version; Eurofighter V1.1 if you will.Ste, though I don't disagree, Thorpe have SO much more compared to others.Also, Marc, you say that Thorpe use complicated technology. Inferno's pre lift is nothing more than a design. Rush and Slammer were nothing more than upgrades to previous versions, at best. And yet AT use much more complicated technology; look at Th13teen for example..As for the blutooth technology amd stuff, it's not THAT complicated compared to ride systems, is it?Agreed with Benin; no ride at Thorpe is a prototype.

But the point I originally made was if Oakwood had the same marketing and investment as Thorpe, it would be a challenger towards Thorpe, due to it's blend of simple rides and the attention grabbing ones.And I wouldn't be surprised if Saw (or whatever it'd be called) did run on one car with no queue IF Thorpe had the same investment and advertising as Thorpe.In no way did I directly compare Thorpe ad Oakwood, I made a hypothetical comparison...

I don't question that it advanced the park and increased the popularity. I agree and understand that. However, why does EVERY OTHER ride have to be these huge attention grabbing rides? Other parks have a much more balanced ride count, with a couple ATTENTION GRABBING rides, and then these simple rides dotted around.

Neither and a bit of both at the same time.I'm worried that the park are blinding themselves in getting these Firsts and these X-est rides, that they could slowly forget the 'simple' option is the best. By all means the park could still introduce rides with record breaking features, but I'm afraid they're more focusing on getting the record than the ride.By all means the park could advertise these records. But look at Th13teen. That is more being advertised as The Ultimate Coaster now (I think). Granted, I hate that, but in the world of marleting, I'd prefer that to thrusting a World First in mind again.

That's a bit of an U-turn in ruling, isn't it?

Just some food for thought after the start of discussion from the 2011 new ride topic...With this Storm Surge ride having the capability of my marketed as the “World’s tallest Rapids Ride”, in is yet another step into the X-est direction.Go all the way back to the days of RMC, in 1995, when Project X was coming to light. Little did anyone know that this would end up being, in my eyes, the biggest project for the park – as not only did it attract everyone’s attention towards the park, it created a formula for the park that they seem to follow by the word now...Needless to say Project X opened in 1996 as X:\ No Way Out. It was the “World’s first backwards and in the dark roller coaster”. Now why do I think it was the biggest project for the park? Well, RMC were a small company in comparison to Tussauds and Merlin – in fact, they were just small. Also, it really did turn heads. Popularity of the park increased greatly, and Thorpe Park was slowly being ‘put on the map’, so to say. It was the only attraction since Thunder River, yes, all the way back in 1987, which led to no new attraction the following year. I’d go as far to say that X:\ No Way Out gave Tussauds more of an incentive to buy Thorpe Park in 1997; the park has well and truly showed its potential.Anyway, back to the point in hand. X:\ No Way Out was a “First”. You then jump to 1999, the introduction of Pirates 4D. Such a simple, and common, attraction everywhere now. However, it was the “First 4D experience” in the UK. A big marketing campaign about “You have to FEEL it to believe it” was set. We then go to 2000. Tidal Wave dominated the landscape at Thorpe – as hard as it is for some to believe now. However, it was the first ‘X-est’ from the park. Marketed as “Europe’s tallest Water Ride” – and at 85ft, it of course was. Now, the big one, the ride that many say truly put Thorpe ‘on the map’. Colossus. If you’re on here, you should know it was the “World’s first 10 looping roller coaster”. Sound similar? Sound like the other major ride from 8 years ago? Thought so.2003 brings us Nemesis Inferno. Is it a world first? No. Is it a European first? No. Is it in anyway an X-est? No. Yet it still ends up being the “World’s greatest roller coaster experience”. Needless to say that compared to its twin, that is a big bowl of baloney. But doesn’t it sound a lot like the two other major coasters? Fast forward to 2005 and we are presented with the great S&S attractions that are Slammer and Rush. But of course, they’re no ordinary rides, they’re yet other ones for the record books. Slammer, “Europe’s first Sky Swat” and Rush, the “World’s tallest Screamin’ Swing”. Yet another first as well as the first “World X-est” the park introduces. And we still had Project Stealth to come next year...Hmm, can anyone remember what we had in 2006? It was this small attraction, but the name always escapes me. Something odd, like... Humdinger? Oh wait, that’s it, Project Stealth is Stealth. Anyone remember how it was marketed? Ah yes, “Europe’s tallest and fastest launch coaster”. Might I actually compliment the park here, as many thought – and still to this very day – think it is the tallest and fastest coaster in Europe, but many seem to forget about the ugly PMBO. But anyway, 2 more X-est records for the park. What’s this, 2 quiet years... IN A ROW!? Go steady Thorpe.But, as we all know, 2009 was the year many were waiting for. A brilliantly themed coaster. Many argue that we did not get that, but hey, that’s beside the point here, 2 more records for the park. The “World’s first horror-movie themed roller coaster” and the “World’s steepest free-fall drop in the world”. Not only that, but it is the “most extreme one”. So here we have yet another first, and yet another X-est. Again, I’d like to stand up for the park here, and say how the media unfairly used Mumbo Jumbo’s opening (of the steepest drop – which is controlled – in the World) to attack the latter claim. 2010. The park fit in yet ANOTHER first – the “World’s first all-year round horror maze”. Not only that, but it is the “most extreme one”. Really start to tire of this marketing spew that it’s a FIRST!!And then, 2011, we could be seeing the “World’s tallest Rapid Ride” plastered over. Lovely...Actually, I’ve forgotten how you’ve got the UK’s tallest Log Flume in Loggers Leap – just thought I’d throw that in here. So, to list everything I’ve said. Here are all the ‘Firsts’ the park have had:World’s first backwards and in the dark coaster (X:\ No Way Out)UK’s first 4D cinema (Pirates 4D)World’s first 10 looping roller coaster (Colossus)Europe’s first Sky Swat (Slammer)World’s first horror-themed coaster (Saw – The Ride)World’s first year-round horror maze (Saw Alive)And all the X-est:Tallest Log Flume in the UK (Loggers Leap)Tallest Water Ride in Europe (Tidal Wave)Tallest Screamin’ Swing in the World (Rush)Tallest and Fastest Launch coaster in Europe (Stealth)Steepest free-fall drop (Saw – The Ride)And, possibly, the Tallest Rapids Ride in the World (2011 attraction)So, why am I saying all this? Well, I’m not only peed off with the constant “We’ve got the first, we’ve got the X-est, that means it’s the best” marketing. However, what I’m worrying about is that doing all this is stopping Thorpe from advancing. They seem so caught up in getting these Firsts and these X-est that they may slowly blind themselves and forget that a theme park doesn’t need to have those things. Look at Chessie, they are doing exceptional well. AT, similar to Thorpe, yet they only do it every 4 years – thankfully. I’d also go as far to say look at places such as Oakwood and Drayton Manor. They are doing very well, and only have what, one of these X-est or Firsts in the park – if that. If they had the marketing and investment that the Merlin parks receive, they’d be real threats towards Thorpe. Also, with the 2012 coaster, which looks like to be the B&M prototype of their version of an Intamin wing rider. You can already smell the First or the X-est in it somehow. So Please, Thorpe Park, don’t go down the route where everything is X-est this, First that. It really is not the way a theme park should, could, or will work out. (Oh, and one more thing, thanks for reading ).