Matt 236

Because theme parks always choose to close popular rides during the open season for random rethemes. Rumour has it Runaway MineTrain and Dragon River are going become part of Corrugated Metal World.

It's okay Ste, Slammer happily takes on the pride of being the worlds only Skyswat and The Swarm is the worlds only wing rider with backwards seats. A 2 for 1 if you will.

Merlin

If the Buddha rocks going were the best thing to ever happen to the ride surely you think it is approaching perfection now?!
---
If this is temporary I'll be pleased, if what has gone is replaced to the same quality I'll be amazed, if I'm told this is part of some planned £2m improvement scheme and not that it had been neglected into becoming dangerous to operate I won't believe it.

Huh? It's in a terrible state at the moment. I don't mind the fact the tunnel has been taken away... In fact I quite like the small drop into the flat tunnel section (it looks much smaller from the top of the lifthill!). The half-demolished wall on the otherhand looks hideous. If it's going to go, get rid of it properly!

That's all very well but it's a whole year operating in that state. Going by the Disney theory of total immersion - its not really good enough to say 'oh we'll get it done soon', the minute those rocks are taken down you're not in mystic east, you're in a utilities warehouse.
There's no reason the ride couldn't have had some major work over the close season - it could have even closed early last year (since water rides are less popular at the tail end of a season) and been back looking brand new for the start of the season.
Also, they never replaced the last bit of theming they had to tear down (the rocks on the lift hill) so its not like this is without precedent.

0% because a ride can't break down if it doesn't open in the first place

Thoughts and facts of my visit today.
Duplo Valley's main path is now accessible again and the shop has been renamed Splash Store. The three attractions still open reain unchanged, the toilets ave been refurbished and the nearby restaurant has new signage but inside remains the same.
Fairy Tale Brook had a lot of workers round it with models missing but some structures were still up except it looked somewhere ear the turn table had parts broken in pieces. As for the rest, the play area is starting to shape up with mostly only structures while the splash zoo & drench towers are almost non-existent at the moment except some sort of crane on site.
I can't see it finished until June at the moment , hoping too add pictures later.

You don't quite estimate how bloody good The Crash Pad is. Bell Rock, rubbish, Colosseo, crap, Grand Floridian, get out of here.
Sleeping in a shipping container?
GET IN!!!!!!!!!!

They look like the inside of caravans!
Honestly, this is just cheap crap that Thorpe have put in. Sums them up, they'll never change. They don't deserve a proper hotel now.

Sums it up!

Thoughts and facts of my visit today.
Duplo Valley's main path is now accessible again and the shop has been renamed Splash Store. The three attractions still open reain unchanged, the toilets ave been refurbished and the nearby restaurant has new signage but inside remains the same.
Fairy Tale Brook had a lot of workers round it with models missing but some structures were still up except it looked somewhere ear the turn table had parts broken in pieces. As for the rest, the play area is starting to shape up with mostly only structures while the splash zoo & drench towers are almost non-existent at the moment except some sort of crane on site.
I can't see it finished until June at the moment , hoping too add pictures later.

Looks like this is not the year for Log Flumes....

They look very similar in some ways.
Before...

After...

Oooh, err... I much prefer how they looked before. Since when was YELLOW CAPITAL LETTERS the Thorpe Park logo? Nevermind, the new lap bars and more open seats will considerably improve the ride experience.

This may come as a bit of a surprise considering how I have been dead against chart music playing throughout the park in the past, but I personally think "The Noise" is a definite improvement over the way that the chart music has been used in the last few years.

With its mix of new music, DJ announcements (albeit pre-recorded) and park adverts it slightly reminds me of the good old Thorpe Park Radio days!

I wouldn't be surprised that by 2022 (Colossus's 20th) that it will still remain untainted and by ten look a rusting structure.

Nope, they just quack all over that amazing soundtrack.

I'm not surprised by this at all. They kept holding back on releasing the information for AP day like something wasn't right and clearly it wasn't. From reading that they've also pushed the opening of Zufari back a week. So each one of the Merlin parks over here aren't having their new ride open at the beginning of the season (Zufari, X, The Smiler and Duplo Valley). Good start to the season!

Just browsing the THORPE PARK website - they now say "over 30 thrill rides and attractions"... I guess they must count the side stalls as attractions

Because the sound of it is so distinctive and memorable, compared to other coasters even though ts only a mall part of the ride, it adds character.

From the TPM live feed of the day!

I love Depth Charge and I am not ashamed to admit it. Although it only takes a few seconds to reach the bottom of the slide it offers great views of the park and has always been a great ride since it opened. Recently I have tried to ride it on every visit as it is only going to be a matter of time before it leaves the park. Hopefully it will still have a few more seasons at the park yet though!

New for 2013, Worlds first sky swat at Thorpe Park.

http://sfneonline.org/2013/03/05/six-flags-catapult-removed/
Just the confirmation of the end of Catapult for any doubters out there. It has been cut up and is likely to be heading to the scrap yard. Slammer is officially the most unique ride at Thorpe Park.

so one direction is getting waxed.
Ouch

I like the music as well, but the ducks literally ruin it for me p,us the fair ground loop cuts are shocking.