Project LC

I didn't miss a dispatch for 2 and a half hours Straight. So that's about 50 right there. Then before lunch that was all I was doing. Missed the odd train because of the bays being full but that was only 1 train.

Yeah they were letting people through the gate by the bag drop. It meant that from 1:30pm onwards I didn't miss a train.

Well for all the hate I was giving February half term, I now see why people love it. Seeing as I pay £5 for summer nights I can justify the amount for Feb. Ride count: Dodgems x1 Tea cups x1 Swarm forwards x7 Swarm backwards x1 Stealth x75 Total: 85 Negatives - Swarm opened at 11:15 - can't feel my hands Positives - Crazy ride count - Staff were good considering the weather - Lots of other enthusiasts around - Good atmosphere - had to wait for stealth twice all day, rest were stay on Brainiac I didn't see at all but that was a thing I was willing to sacrifice for stealth. Stealth is love, Stealth is life.

Well 1 train op, if there are 3 trains worth in the bays alone, followed by another 3-5 trains on the stairs to the control booth. If they were running at full capacity with 1 train then there should have been about 10 dispatches in the space of half an hour. Now they are not running at full capacity so it can easily be 30 minutes from there.

It is likely that other channels would be unwilling to show the advert. However Thorpe only ever seem to advertise on ITV channels anyway so I don't see it as too much of an issue.

Well you would need average a ride every 6 minutes. However then there is the time taken to travel between stealth and swarm and any time taken by lunch. The park would have needed to be completely dead.

So how on earth did anyone get 60 rides done if there were those sorts of queues?

Hearing how people are getting 40 or so rides on stealth the whole event suddenly becomes more appealing. It basically sounds like a summer nights but only on stealth and swarm, which I guess I could justify paying for. However saying it as a feb half term I cant justify the cost.

Are those tables and chairs permanent? as they look like they just used to be the outside seating for pizza hut.

Well at least they have spent money on ant and dec.

I'm still with my original mind set. I can't justify paying £5. Its a long way to travel for 2 rides and on top of that they want me to pay £5 for something in a few weeks time I can get free. It may be a relaxed day but I can pick almost any Sunday in march or April and get the same. It would be interesting to see how many people are there compared to how many they were expecting. I'm quite sure that they would have got more money if they had it free for all pass holders as I'm certain they would spend more in the park.

I haven't complained about dead IP's. I wouldn't say any IP in Thorpe is dead. A show like jungle run would make a far better IP for this sort of attraction. I am aware the show has been off the air for years but I cant think of another show with a similar set up aimed at the right market.

Lets see a major thrill park that appeals to families as well. what fits that description. Oh yeah cedar point fits that pretty well and it seems to work very well for them. Having families and major thrills at the same time is a good move. What I don't agree with what Thorpe is doing is the cheap last minute family additions. How IAC is a family addition, considering how its on after the watershed, is a very odd move. It makes no sense to have it as an IP. Jungle run would have been better or no IP at all. I'm just going to sit back to see how this turns out because I have no idea what way this investment could go.

ok disappointed me further without the use of RnR

They have actually managed to dissapoint me further. Nothing new with some paint around the place would have been better. I don't like the show and how it can work as an attraction is just bewildering. It's going to go the way of saw alive being too expensive to run for something people will only do once. Very poor choice of investment and very typical short term thinking. Highly likely to have a low throughput with high demand in summer. No doubt fastrack will be sold for it. It sounds like it's another storm surge investment. Something shoe horned in with no thought that results in customer satisfaction decreasing.

Rethemed depth charge and neptunes beach would make more sense. It would also explain the lack of urgency.

The picture seems to be some sort of cartoon/rendering. Its probably its logo or some concept art for it.

Interesting doesn't necessarily mean big flashy expensive ride. I know I am in this group of people who always act as they know best but they are a multimillion pound company. Now that doesn't mean they can't do wrong but what ever they do invest in they will do so in the interest to benefit the park. To have a mind set that nothing will happen or we will see a repeat of the same mistakes of the past investments seems very unlikely. Merlin are not stupid and they do learn. They may come up with solutions that are not in everyone's favour (shipping containers come to mind) but they fix a problem that was there. In conclusion I would agree with J.S217 that this year will be an interesting one.

Now I know I'm about to say something you are all going to disagree with and think I'm more mad than you already do but... there is way worse investments they could have had than ABL and storm surge for that matter. Storm surge replaced a land which was effectively a dead loss to Thorpe. It took up space, cost money to run to provide for very few guests. Storm surge may not be loved by the people here but it can be fun. Without having to queue for it on summer nights it provided a good laugh. I'd be willing to wait 30 minutes for it on a sunny day as do many others. Kids coming off of it seem to enjoy it. So on that front I don't think it can be called a total faluire. ABL provided a clean up for that dying area. Time voyagers looked terrible when it wasn't in use. It added the dodgems which are fun, maybe not a theme park class ride but a fun one none the less. It provides entertainment to families and it does it's job. Yes it's standard is low just being spray painted on but does that not imply it's not very permanent. The queue line for the dodgems is done in tidal wave style and none of it looks very long term. Yes it may not look good now but I would not be surprised if in 3 years it's all reskined to fit in with the rest of the world of amity.

The way the British culture seems to work is that people need a reason to return. For a lot of people the rides alone don't entice them back as they want something new. Money wise the way the park has been running makes sense. The periods of investment work as they attract new guest's and encourage them to spend in the park.The swarm has other reasons in why I didn't work which I won't waste my time explaining. However having said that I don't think it is the best path that could be taken.The reason it works is because of the whole UK industry being set up as it is. If more people had been to Cedar point or Europa park then that strategy of investment probably wouldn't be as effective. As people would demand more high quality attractions.

Six flags recognise the importance to keep their rides covered in a good coat of paint to prevent rusting. More expensive short term but will get a few more years out of the rides in the long term. Where as merlin only seem to focus on short term costs. I'm still not convinced on the RMC treatment but this ride does look good.

It is unlikely that Thorpe would add something this late. Not impossible but it doesn't fit the trend of previous investments.

It will be a year of focusing on events to boost gate figures. Which can be good as it will benefit their image as a resort however I'm not sure its a long term solution. Yes it does need to be done but there should not be anything stopping them from doing events and a new ride.

That cant have taken more than 5 minutes on movie maker.

Rush has only just started its strip down.they would have had to work amazingly fast to get it ready. I also think that the other lost city flats are in a similar situation. The line is ok, not amazing but offers variety. Couldn't justify paying for that day. I may like stealth but with possible 1 train op I'm just not up for the traveling even if it was free.I understand it's difficult to get the staff, the rides in working order ect. but I'm a little disappointed in the whole event.