Mattgwise

What is Merlin’s new obsession with 7ft high fencing for the queue lines now? I’ve just been watching JS latest construction update where he showed park of the queue and to be honest it just looks stupid. The rides meant to partly be about floating and feeling free, what a great way to start that experience, ramming the rider into a metre wide queue with a fence taller than you…
 
I know there’s probably something to do with Heath and safely that’s influenced this decision, but how come like 90% of the other rides on park don’t have fencing higher than like chest height?

Samurai is looking fresh! 

Station organ audio is back and some audio added to the lifthill too. 
 
The most welcome change however is that the Swarm vests no longer lock at dispatch, making for a far more comfortable ride. This brings it in line with more modern B&M Wing Riders.

Station organ audio is back and some audio added to the lifthill too. 
 
The most welcome change however is that the Swarm vests no longer lock at dispatch, making for a far more comfortable ride. This brings it in line with more modern B&M Wing Riders.

Station organ audio is back and some audio added to the lifthill too. 
 
The most welcome change however is that the Swarm vests no longer lock at dispatch, making for a far more comfortable ride. This brings it in line with more modern B&M Wing Riders.

I went on the BTS tour of the park today. Great tour it should be said; it was headed up by Russ, who is a fantastic speaker.
 
I did mean to ask about the screen, but honestly forgot. It does seem like it won't be fixed for start of season (I believe the park said this in the passholder group a few weeks back too). A real shame. Hopefully they can hide the dead pixels with whatever they put on the screen.
 
Okay, now time for some updates. Everything is still a Work in Progress it should be stressed
 
Toilets
Loo enthusiasts rejoice. All the toilets have received some love.

Swarm toilets. The walls have been painted green (originally white), and no more foot pedal sinks
 


Megastore toilets are nicely themed
 
Tidal Wave

The rebuilt bridge, with the original Pier 13 style.
The fire effect is proving very tricky to implement, but is being planned still
 
Big Easy Boulevard



 
Stealth




 
Colossus

The park have released that the entrance is a bit flat, and so are looking to add more colour/depth to it, although this will happen mid-season.

The shop front looks nice.
 
In terms of the rest of the repaint, and indeed a Sparkle Project continuation, the park hope to do that either next closed season, or the closed season after. The park want to do it regardless, and recognise they need to keep up appearances - literally - now that they've started to do this. Personally, I hope it happens next closed season, as it does look a little jarring in places.
 
The park is looking lovely though, with the Hyperia area coming along and looking smart. There's other small updates too, such as KFC getting refitted and other new food places. Some parts of the park are still a bit tired looking / haven't really been touched. Rumba/Inferno is the big example I would say. And the Sparkling up does highlight how tatty some parts of that area, and the likes of Swarm and Saw, look. I do wonder if this means that, come opening, some enthusiasts will focus too much on those and not the fab stuff that we've seen heavily documented and shouted out about.
 
But yes, it's clear to see the park have put time, effort and money into things this winter, and they're taking strides in the right direction. I'm excited to see what will happen and hope their plans pay off!

They have kept the sign so i'd say it seems very possible 😂.
 
You can see it down Monks Walk by Rumba Rapids.

They have kept the sign so i'd say it seems very possible 😂.
 
You can see it down Monks Walk by Rumba Rapids.

Don't worry, I'm not back, just briefly returning to the forum to highlight what I feel is a very important talking point.
 
In a recent government report, Merlin Entertainments have been listed as a company who have not paid minimum wage.  The company failed to pay minimum to 1,100 employees, equating to £43,000.
 
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-500-companies-named-for-not-paying-minimum-wage
 
Ride Rater have published a further breakdown of all the available info:
 
https://riderater.co.uk/11561/merlin-entertainments-failed-to-pay-minimum-wage/
 
Flamingo Land are also named here for failing to pay 4 workers the minimum, following a previous report from Blackpool Pleasure Beach who had failed to pay 12 workers the minimum.
 
In 2018, the CEO of Merlin Entertainments took home a salary of £1,493,000.  In contrast, the £43,000 owed to 1,100 employees would have still left £1,450,000 for the CEO.  Staff rely on being paid at least the legal minimum to live off, to pay their bills.  It's shameful that this has been allowed to happen.
 
Source: https://www.erieri.com/executive/salary/nick-varney-8ydw
 
I feel that as enthusiasts/people with an interest in theme parks, we have to pay attention to this and demand better for the staff who make our hobby possible.

Courtesy of the Thorpe Park Annual Pass group linked above are a few shots... 
 

Courtesy of the Thorpe Park Annual Pass group linked above are a few shots... 
 

Courtesy of the Thorpe Park Annual Pass group linked above are a few shots... 
 

Courtesy of the Thorpe Park Annual Pass group linked above are a few shots... 
 

Slammer is confirmed by the parks social media team to be going at the end of this year. 
 

 
I say go ahead with that B&M hyper by putting the station there and change layout to send it round the outside of Hyperia and up monks walk to the old treasure island and back 😂. 

The look has grown on me, we are always so judgemental before works complete haha! 
 
Lots of work in the Nemesis Inferno shop including removal of the slide! Some queue TLC too. 
 
 

Given that an image like this would be everywhere else right now I'm not exactly on the side of belief here.

What are people's thoughts on that blue? Will get used to it but it's a tad too much on the outside of the building. 

Theme Park Guide's latest Hyperia Construction Update article (07/01/2024) has just been published (link below). A brief summary to follow;
 
- More track and supports have been installed on the lower sections of the ride, with work continuing on the support structures for the Immelmann / Stall Dive.
- Theming has started inside the station, with doors installed on the station and maintenance shed.
- There are currently two large items being protected from the elements outside the maintenance shed. Unsure as to what these are at the moment.
 
https://themeparkguide.co.uk/news-page/7th-January-2024-Hyperia-Construction-Work-Resumes

They certainly provided a lot of entertainment over the years! 
 
I can't have been the only one who would watch someone struggle for ages before telling them how to turn the tap on? 😆

Not really people pouring their heart out over it? It’s an end of year round up over the course of 2023 of different rebrands.
 
I’ve personally got used to it, but it’s still ultimately a crap logo. And that’s what this thread is dedicated to. The park hasn’t even opened its doors yet following the new rebrand!

Really don’t see the point in heavily theming a ride that you’re either 200ft in the air or flying by at 80mph. Save the pennies for the next one instead 😏

To discuss the official refurbishment project at Thorpe. Revealed in the Christmas video 2023 the following is planned for the 2024 season.
 
Colossus repaint (half initially), control system upgrade, dispatch screen, rockwork and theming repairs/upgrades to queue and long term track replacement. Stealth station/photo kiosk repaint, refurb to entrance & queue, new TV screens Rush & vortex repainted to original colours Samurai repainted red/black (AKA original chessington colour scheme) Refurbished toilets in Amity Cove, Big Easy Boulevard & Swarm Island. Virtual interior rebuild of Old Town toilets including Gender neutral toilets, baby change and a second "changing places" toilet Tidal wave work including new bridge, exit ramp and more open view of lagoon. KFC refurb/enhancements (not removing Shark or theming) New digital screens, park wide audio enhancements, further new food outlets, shade cover in some queue lines Further refurbishments to some classics.  
Discuss and share further ideas as the are announced. Video below... 
 

To discuss the official refurbishment project at Thorpe. Revealed in the Christmas video 2023 the following is planned for the 2024 season.
 
Colossus repaint (half initially), control system upgrade, dispatch screen, rockwork and theming repairs/upgrades to queue and long term track replacement. Stealth station/photo kiosk repaint, refurb to entrance & queue, new TV screens Rush & vortex repainted to original colours Samurai repainted red/black (AKA original chessington colour scheme) Refurbished toilets in Amity Cove, Big Easy Boulevard & Swarm Island. Virtual interior rebuild of Old Town toilets including Gender neutral toilets, baby change and a second "changing places" toilet Tidal wave work including new bridge, exit ramp and more open view of lagoon. KFC refurb/enhancements (not removing Shark or theming) New digital screens, park wide audio enhancements, further new food outlets, shade cover in some queue lines Further refurbishments to some classics.  
Discuss and share further ideas as the are announced. Video below... 
 

Discuss all Sparkle Project related stuff here...
 
https://forum.maniahub.com/topic/28860-sparkle-project/  

Thorpe did some cool drone shots: