th13teen

Ideally I would like to see the 'All Day NightClub' event.Which would go long into the night, probably start at 4-5 in the afternoon and would finish around 10 in the evening, The Arena would be the main source for the Night Club/Live music event. All this aswell as Rides in the surrounding area open, blasting out the music with temporary lighting, the other stage areas including the showcase would show up and coming acts, in essence turning into a mini-festival within a mini-theme park.I see Thorpe Park being an excelent live music venue, but needs a good execution;also as I have said before a beach party dishing out the latest tunes by some decent DJ's on the beach, not just a random live act but something on the scale of one of the american spring break parties on the beach! (Excluding most of the alcohol for obvious reasons) :)Yes its never going to happen, but they are two events slightly altered, tailered to my own opinion.

Tpkabz I am acutally offended by your comment, on I should brush up on my facts before I post. If you could actually bothered to read the post more than just the average reader does on trip advisor you would understand what I mean. Like I don't know there is a bloody giant Arena, which I may add is mainly used for 1 week of stunt shows and Experiment 10. Sun Scream is not what I mean, If I wan't top 40 music, I want for a reason, thus a beach party style not any other time!Sorry to be so in the face of many readers on this topic, I just feel I want to get my point across without being run down by others!(Just to point out/make it clear, I love Rihanna I saw her at the O2 last year!)

As for the O2 arena entrance...Yes, that is always what I have felt should be at Thorpe Park. Its a shame because the current music (top 40) has no purpose apart from screaming out songs to guests that may have no wish to listen to the inaugural Rihanna. I would like it if the park were to convert areas into permanent concert type venues/DJ areas around the park, but they don't, its a shame Thorpe Park are doing everything humanly possible to make their park a funfair. I do like the music in the morning, it does get the early guests in the spirit but it really could do with an Entrance to match the anticipation, I hope you understand what I mean by it. If Thorpe want to go for the latest hits, why do they not have ‘beach’ parties in the summer to match or similar things like that, it all helps to build Thorpe reputation and could eventually be considered the night club with rollercoaster’s…I joke of course! I agree it should go no further than the dome, but if they are to have the music they may as well make it as close to a concert as possible, it may be just me, but listening to the music just before going in makes me have the anticipation of the expereince that lays just beyond the gates!

Its a fair enough point, but what I meant by the F1 comparison was, Teams really do not know how there car will stress under Pits, overtaking and major issues of marbles of which none can be totally predicted. Much like the humble Rollercoaster in comparison to technical difficulties!I have faith in B&M but...Lets stop the argument, we will wait and see in around 25 days!

Nothing more than sitting down watching all F1 Practice, Qualifying and the main race! That does mean getting up at 1:30am to watch the Australian Practice session 1 (FP1)

Thorpe Park really should only have the top 40 music playing at the entrance if they renovate the entrance to fit in with the concert like theme, in my opinion! Otherwise they should keep the original soundtrack! The flaking and diabolical entrance does not really suit a Rihanna track, lets be honest! (Lets not make any sligh comments about Rihanna!)

To go off topic Dan9, but its the same as an F1 car, Yes you can do thousands of laps of a circuit but its not until all 24 cars are on the track actually doing what they do does a team actually know how there car can perform under 'real' strains!Just because it is B&M does not mean it WILL NOT break down or have technical difficulties in its opening few days, Thorpe have to be prepeared for the worst that could happen (within reason) and so should we!I am not making assumptions out of thin air, I simply choose not to elaborate on all information that I have in regards to B&M or any other ride manufacturer!Don't all of a sudden come moaning on this forum if you find out that the Swarm was not up to scratch, I have been thoroughly messed around with these theme parks in recent times and therefore I have a negative view of it.Don't celebrate untill the fat lady sings, but don't get me wrong I can't wait to experience The Swarm!

Well lest think negativly, that way if anything 'does' go wrong you will not be dissopointed!I never hold up against new rides, its the first time it has to face an actual full day of running, yes they do test for hours and hours but it is completely different when you have thousands of guest coming through every hour!So fingers crossed it does stay open, I am coming late Saturday after the Chessington AP day!

I must say I have not seen it that way at Chessington however that is probably because I have only been once or twice each year!I didn't realise that, I always felt Chessington had a better level of customer service overall than of Thorpe.

Lets be completely honest by Saturday midday, The Swarm will have broken down with a 3 hour queue!At least they open on Thursday, because its almost 99.9% sure to have a breakdown on its opening few days at least there will not be 2-3 hour queues!

Its such a shame Thorpe are not doing an AP day! It was the perfect opportunity to reddem themselves but no, they would rather hide and hope everyone forgot that they ever did preview days!

There is an extreme difference with Thorpe Staff to say Alton or Chessington Staff, Thorpe Park staff tend to be uni students wanting to make extra cash quickly and think not much more of it, I know some of you are/were Thorpe staff but it’s pretty much true, and at the least it comes across like that when you visit Thorpe, whereas Alton or Chessington, yes they are mainly uni/college BUT they seem to have a level of customer service and pride taken in the job on a daily basis. That’s always the view seen by most customers towards the staff, the main difference I notice, is that Alton staff I could talk to about their job however Thorpe staff seem fixated on either the girls in the queue line or each other!

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12-15% is actually a lot, think about that in terms of 1000 people (150 of them Non AP)Then of coarse think of ride capacity of around 1000 per hour for most coasters, basicly its about an extra 10-20 minutes queue time per 1000 guests!(Terribly maths I know, but still its a lot for what it was!)

I can't wait to try this out, I am going during Easter it looks fantastic and in some ways I like how the ride is not so much in your face as of some attractions can. I checked out Google earth at PA and I found out that it has a private road all the way from the Park to the coast line at the Port Aventura spa or something like that, I was amazed to see just how much PA actually owned in Salou!

I am looking forward to the AP day this year, I have not done one before at Chessington, I was invited to the Wild Asia Media day however I had school commitments, So it will be nice to experience the ambience and enjoyment of the day, of which Thorpe Park sorely misses due to its main clientele.

It’s not fair to compare it to last year’s event because Thorpe Park let Annual pass holders to AP guests 1:2 which was insane because the park was full, however what ever happened to the good old fashioned Saw the ride AP day which was something like 2-5 on Friday 13th which meant the rides that were open were dead and we were all allocated time slots, fantastic! I even said at my school I had a dentist appointment just to go to the preview.

Do we have any idea what make the 'Ice Age 4D' will be?Considering all previous 4D attractions have been standard glasses with a projected screen, I was wondering whether the attraction will have higher technology and actually have 3D more in the way of the Current 3D TV's do?I understand the expense of this however it creates a far better expereince and would therefore indicate a progression into the current world of technology!

Looks like this year I will be going to Alton on the 31st October through to the 2nd November to therefore take advantage of both scarefest and fireworks! That causes a dilema because I always do something big for halloween, yet maybe I should just let the fans wanting more? Go off an enjoy fireworks instead!!!

Sorry if it sounded like a silly idea, it’s just as everything ideas need trial ideas! I really do not see Thorpe Hotel looking like a Travelodge in any sense, because simply it cannot! Guests at Thorpe tend to be young adults with little money, therefore they want a cheap hotel, and therefore they will go to a local Travelodge or B&B therefore Thorpe's hotel will have to be dirt cheap or will have to appeal to a different market/unique experience! Then again it’s cheap to make a Travelodge or Holiday Inn! However we will see, hopefully in the very near future!One other thing Never say Never! You don't know what these parks will do next!

Does anyone know yet whether there will be 'The Swarm' Annual pass preview event for 2012?I would hope if they do, they would not let in Annual Pass 'Friends', It was not fair last year, but I would hope they do, do the event again because it is great to get a first look at the ride!Another thing; why do American parks usually have big opening ceremonies sometimes including large shows, fireworks or a speech by the creative designers for their latest attraction, big or small whereas in the UK, They just open the gates on the 14th march and straight on the ride? It’s a shame because both Saw and now possibly Swarm will miss out on a big opportunity to open with a bang!

I feel the hotel would have to be a 'Rock and Roll' type of hotel to fit in with Thorpe's main target audience or it would have to be gadget infested! Considering there are plenty of hotels nearby Thorpe need a catch! However I would love to see Thorpe Park get a hotel and then in the future create a hopper shuttle bus between Thorpe and Chessington, then of course create a hopper ticket! (Don't slate me off for saying that, it’s just the fact Disney do it easily and therefore Chessington and Thorpe could, because it would coincide with the hotels)