Stuntman707

Interesting article about “zombie” jobs at Thorpe. Makes me wonder if the park is planning to have permanent roaming actors during this season. Also having them audition at heights, do they plan on having actors on the lift hills? https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/must-reads/thorpe-park-resort-advertise-scarers-work-year-walking-dead/05/02/

Yes, he changed the first two drop profiles but they already had the foundations designed when Wardley was eventually involved and it was too late to change any more of the layout. The rest is all designed by Merlin Magic Making.

It’s just something keeps telling them to make dark, abandoned (whether that’s just literal rather than intentional!) miserable and scary themes all the time, yet when I read forums for Thorpe and Towers most people do want more of a balance. Most people would have been ok with SW8 being a family wooden coaster with an original pirate theme but Merlin are trying to market it as a thrill ride when it’s clearly not. I just can’t see it going as fast as a ride like Wodan for example. Anyway, it would be nice to see Thorpe do something uplifting for a change if they do get a new coaster. Just something fun and original that fits in with the island theme. If Melin insist on depressing theming, they should buy an abandoned industrial estate and open it as a new midway attraction. At least stop trashing the parks.

Does anyone know how Merlin does market research for new projects? I have to wonder what the results would be if they simply ran a survey with comments to all passholders. Or read the forums

Haha, I actually thought the Smiler could have pulled that off! Have some strobes, illusions and it would have made a cool marmiliser type element and would have definitely been a unique ride. Almost like a flat ride built into a rollercoaster.

That bit where it goes through the structure and then sharply up before the banked turn looks like something off Planet Coaster when you move a bend up and forget to smooth the track.

The bits designed by Magic Making look very slow. Quite concerning if this is going to be marketed as a thrill ride.

Guess what’s coming back to Woking!

Good, so they should wind all opening hours back to 10am. In no way do I praise Merlin for making Towers reduce the opening times in the first place, but at least they weren’t as self destructing as to just stick to it and just let the backlash and complaints continue. Really they don’t need more negative online/media coverage than they already have. This whole opening hours thing should never have happened in the first place anyway.

This is what I hoped they would do. I bet Towers were able to negotiate with Merlin on this. Great to see flexible closing times too, so they can stay open when it’s busy yet shut if it’s not.

Just saw this question for the London Eye on Google, haha!

We should be relieved. So what if it’s short sighted, it’s a dormant attraction which is in working order that’s very easy for Thorpe to reopen. Still better than nothing, and far better than having it removed. There’s many annoyed fans on Towers forums who think Thorpes lineup is too good this season in comparison.

Yeah, right now with Merlin’s utter contempt for slashing this seasons operations at Alton Towers, I’m not complaining about them opening rather than closing more attractions at Thorpe.

Here are some memes from Thorpe themselves:

Great, may actually get to try it out this year!

No, they are permanently closing Burger kitchen in Forbidden Valley for that! The nearest alternative will be Pizza Pasta all the way back in Katanga Canyon.

I love whoever's running the Thrope Facebook account right now, very whitty!

I'm glad there's a lot of backlash over this. Honestly think that Merlin have crossed a line here with cutbacks. If they can no longer afford to keep Alton Towers fully operational for a season, it's time they need to go, sell it to a competent operator who can run it the way Tussaud's used to and move on.

Tickets for the annual pass preview day will be available... sooon! https://m.facebook.com/thorpepark/photos/a.377923300866.202576.27217550866/10155870999000867/?type=3&source=48

Because they created it? They are the originators and world renowned for it. Anyone can make a knock off but they won’t be the original.

Id say it’s IP as the CanCan is owned by the Moulin Rouge. To complicate things, Eurosat is staying as a separate attraction on the same track (two stations with switch track) so technically the CanCan Coaster is a ride in its own right as it is not sponsoring the Eurosat ride.

The theme is owned by the Moulin Rouge, which Mack have a deal with to use their brand/show for Eurosat.

Just found a clip. The track looks so funny, but yeah the ride itself is as dull as dishwater.

Not happy at all about the staggered opening times if that happens. Fair enough some rides have ert, but when the park opens the rides should be open as well. Really there’s no excuse why they should do this. I mean closing Forbidden Valley until the afternoon? Really? Is that a joke? That’s the first area I’ve always usually gone to get on Nemesis.

I'd like to see a mini box section track on a junior coaster. Not so much a roar as a growl! Just depends whether B&M think it's worth their time building smaller, cheaper rides.