Matt N

Exciting! I wonder how much will be up by the end of the season...

Sorry to double post, but I’ve managed to find video confirmation courtesy of an Instagram reel from Dominic Gardner:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyLUqY_NUJG/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
Interestingly, it looks as though they’re starting with the huge outerbank into an inversion.

Thorpe 100% - but what a year it will be, followed by Alton Towers new Horizon the following season as well.

Completely forgot the Legoland coasters were happening.
 
Excited more for Nemesis because I can get there in a day and not need to stay over. Thorpe is more effort these days. Also Nemesis.

Definitely Hyperia by a large mark. 
 
Not only is it the tallest uk coaster but also the first coaster at Thorpe for 12 years! Plus another Mack hyper. 
 
Also very excited for Nemy’s return though. Plus it’s nice to see Drayton finally get a new coaster and Legoland getting those duelling coasters. 

Officially been revealed as “Hyperia-Find Your Fearless” 
 
It’s starting to seem this is a stylised coaster with a tagline like that.

Rode Ghost Train twice a couple of weeks ago and even though I still don't think it's nearly as bad as people make it out to be, I still do have a fair few gripes with it. Firstly, I'll list some of the changes that I noticed since my first runthrough on opening day:
The actor doing the batching into the preshow gives more of a talk at the start now - you know, your usual health and safety stuff really. Don't touch the actors, turn your phones off, etc. Not a huge fan of it and prefer the more simplistic approach that they had on opening day of the batching person just telling people to "keep moving, keep standing", but understand that this is needed because of morons unable to grasp the fact that you should never touch an actor. Got held in the second preshow space in both runthroughs, and although not a new feature, this is something I didn't get to experience in my first go as we were just all ushered straight through onto the train. I like it, I wish more time was made so that everybody can experience is regardless if there's a delay or not, but again I understand the reasons for this not being the case. The runner in the crypt that reveals the spirit has finally been painted black! Makes the reveal a lot less obvious now... however on my second runthrough of the day, the curtain hiding said spirit was open - so if you knew what to look for, you could literally see it sat there ready to come flying out. But on the other hand, the lighting for this still really is atrocious. It's a total blink-and-you-miss-it moment. I took my friend on it for his first ever runthroughs of it, and I still don't think he noticed it after even our second go to be honest. The lighting either needs a rework, or the effect needs to be totally stripped out and re-looked at over closed season to be more effective. I personally think if they removed the rails that make it fly overhead and perhaps make an even bigger model (think the size of Emily Alton in the final jumpscare in The Curse, maybe even bigger) come out from the wall? Could probably be done via some retractable arm - that way it can be a big jumpscare moment that stays in place for long enough for guests to actually notice it, rather than having it whiz over the top of guests heads and risk them not even seeing it. The audio on the train seemed better, but still needs more work to be genuinely scary in my opinion. It's still far too quiet for any of the jumpscare sound effects to be genuinely impactful - I think the main issue is a real lack of bass. The nun costumes are significantly better now - actual robes and face makeup rather than the god awful Tesco halloween costume junk they were using beforehand. Not sure if it was a quiet day for actors then or if the park have reduced the actors in the attraction (already), but we only had one nun on the train in both our runthroughs that day which does significantly dampen the scare if you're on the wrong side of the train... which we were. Twice. The fake shop ending is still pretty decent and the new costume they're using for it is miles better than the Thorpe Park blue fleece they were using on opening day - although is nowhere near as impactful as the demon from Derren's heyday. Yes, I'm still salty about that. On our first runthrough we also experienced a breakdown on the train after the crypt scene - the actors were doing their best to keep up the breakdown monologue as to not disrupt the experience, but the breakdown lasted long enough that you could notice the audio loop which got a bit awkward after a while.
 
Really got to feel for those actors as they need to be on their A game 110% of the time - if you've got lacklustre actors, the attraction falls completely flat on its face (which, to be honest, is not something we had trouble with. All of the actors did an incredible job - especially the lady called Becca, who's the current face for Fright Nights. She puts all her energy into this attraction and it really pays off).
 
We also had the fake shop finale actor come out about 30 seconds too early on our first runthrough which totally spoiled the scare - they came through the fake door before the lights and projector even turned off, so you could see everything. They then just stood there looking around waiting for the lights to go off so they could do the usual scare thing of just lurching at people from behind the fence. A real shame as it totally ruined the experience for a lot of us when the very last thing of the attraction (which usually provides an amazing scare tbh) falls flat on its face.
 
I really hope they put a little bit more time and energy into Ghost Train over closed season, things I'm longing for are:
Something over the windows to simulate movement - perhaps curtains or LED strip lights like on Sub-Terra's elevator section Fogger in the crypt to absolutely cover the floor in a thick fog to sell the illusion that you're in a crypt Everything else works for what the attraction is to be honest, it just needs tidying up and some effects need enhancing to really sell the complete package.

In some interesting news, Scott from Your Experience Guide was told on a lift hill climb that Colossus is getting a technical upgrade for 2024 that will result in restraints being able to be released individually. This will mean that when a rider doesn't fit or needs their restraint adjusting, their restraint can be released on its own as opposed to the current situation where every restraint on the train needs releasing and rechecking.
 
This should really help to improve throughputs on Colossus, as by my observation, the constant need to release and recheck all restraints due to guests not fitting or restraints needing to be adjusted is one of the biggest bottlenecks that's hamstringing the ride's throughput at present.
Source:
(Go to 2:55 if the timestamp doesn't work)

I'm with Benin here, stats seem to correlate very little with rides I enjoy versus ones I don't.
 
1. Imagination. This covers a lot of different things but basically, I prefer a well themed, well designed, well paced rollercoaster compared to an off the shelf, generic model. I like to be surprised, taken aback, shown different things. Things like Ride to Happiness, Taron, Toutatis, Nemesis are perfect examples. 
 
2. High capacity/Reliable. I think there's a lot to be said for excellent operations and a lot of enthuisiasts forgive broken down rides and shoddy operations way too easily. My most recent example is Iron Grawzi. It doesn't matter how excellent it is, if you spend 5 minutes in the break run because of shoddy operations, everyone is going to look and feel bored out of their minds when they get off of the thing. Rides that I love because of their ease of riding are Nemesis, Blue Fire, El Toro.
 
3. Fun. Ultimately I want to get off a ride and be overwhelmed and want to run back round and do it all again. Toutatis, El Toro, Nemesis, Ride to Happiness fit those bills and I will just ride and ride and never get bored.

That when I hit the brake run I desperately want to ride it again.
 
Of course there's other factors that could affect that (busy park/cred run so limited time), but I just want to come off and go "yes that was good".
 
Granted my trips have been non-existent for a few years now, but Untamed was a great example of not being the tallest or fastest coaster I've ridden but coming off it with a sense of enjoyment and eagerness to ride it over and over again. Lost Gravity had a similar response though not as strong.
 
Cedar Point after doing TTD was a pure adrenaline rush. However I came off a number of coasters there including Millennium Force with very little desire to re-ride them. Whether it be comparison to other coasters or just kinda falling flat.
 
If I went super analytical I'd wager most at the top would be B&M Inverts. But the likes of Raptor down the bottom with a top 3 of Nemesis, Katun and Oz'Iris, all very different coasters to each other but ones I could ride over and over.
 
Stats are meaningless if the actual ride is dull and doesn't have any wow factor. Which is why I'm dubious over Exodus.

Thank you for your thorough and detailed reply. Very informative and fascinating read, particularly with the Vampire noise situation. It’s ironic to believe that Vampire is Chessington’s most loved ride, yet hated by the locals due to its noise. Makes me wonder if a similar coaster was planned today, whether it would be located at Thorpe rather than Chessie. Tbf Thorpe could probably do with a moderate thrill coaster without any inversions to make it more family-friendly. Even thrill parks should have a selection of good family rides that appeal to the younger guests as well as thrillseekers.

I love theoretical throughputs, even on 8 cars there is absolutely no way it could get 950 people per hour. Its absolute maximum was 750 on 8 cars which it last did in 2005. 

Fury can't run 8 cars and I believe hasn't since it first opened.
 
Usually 6 or 7 cars. Target was approx 600-700pph.
 
Doubt Tomb Blaster runs 5 trains either. Its shocking that a number of once fairly high throughput rides are so badly operated these days.
 
Lot of this concerns me that when I visit I'm going to spend most of my time being far more annoyed than normal.

Interesting to hear Saw never runs on 8 trains?
Any ideas why that is?
 
I agree about Inferno too.
Maybe this is too cynical but I have thought could it be because it was too efficient? Inferno’s queue used to be quite fast moving, perhaps making the mighty Fastrack less appealing….
now adays the ride ops seem to do a lot of walking about and phoning each other in the station. No idea why it takes so long now to get a train out.
 
One thing I have noticed since the Smiler crash however is that they no longer rush and put pressure on guests to hurry, on any of the rides.
I seem to remember it being a bit of a mad dash previously to get out of the air gates and in to your seat!  Now it’s a bit of an amble.
Years ago now I remember inferno in particular, they would sometimes count down until dispatch during the summer, which really did put the pressure on people to hurry up!
I suppose that would be inappropriate now adays
 
I’m glad you had a good day Matt and it was quiet!
 
As for busier days - All I can say is thank god Stealth and Swarm can still get through people - I think that side of the park is the place to be next year while not waiting for exodus!

8 followed by a closed bracket - aka ) - gives 😎. It's an old school way of doing the sunglasses emoji which our forum software still uses.
 
 
As you note, your averages are across quite a small sample, which isn't the most reliable. But it still gives some useful insight.
 
 
This is pretty good, especially considering you mentioned there was some guest faff. 
 
Again, given there was guest faff, that's not bad. With it's onload/offload platform, batching procedures and the way bag collection is dealt with, Stealth should be pretty consistent.
 
Saw hasn't operated with 8 cars for a number of years, and likely won't ever again. 770 is pretty painful for its popularity, although really not all that surprising for what it is these days. This is going to be hit hard next year being near Exodus.
 
I mean, this is painful, but sadly what we've come to expect from Colossus these days. I can't remember the last time it ever did well, but it simply just doesn't do well these days. Another one that will be hit hard next year.
 
Christ knows what the park have done to Inferno. Quite a few years ago (well, I guess we're getting close to a decade now, but whatever), Inferno was a throughput machine. The 1000pph mark was standard. Nowadays, 700 mark is good. It's better than like 5 years ago, when 600 was good, but it's really a sad situation to see.
 
 
This really highlights the need not so much for Exodus to be a throughput machine, but to be able to have a solidly high throughput which it can easily maintain for years to come.

Rode Mandrill for my first time today, and I really enjoyed it. It still isn't the coaster of choice I would've gone for Chessington, but it rides really well and fits in perfectly. 
 
It now has a single rider queue and you don't need to use the virtual queue for this. 
 
Wonder how long they'll keep the virtual queue for? I'm amazed they bother with it on off peak days. It was walk on all day and they were allowing rerides in the station, yet they're paying 3 members of staff to stand at the entrance all day to scan people into the queue? Unnecessary faff

Weird how everyone seems to have their own gameplan!
 
I don’t really have a running order as such, but a few things I generally follow…
- usually try to do Inferno first, as it’s always quiet I’m the morning (and usually open)
- Always leave Swarm until the afternoon.
- Leave the flats until I’ve done at least a couple of coasters, because queues are never as long.
 
It’ll be interesting to see how Exodus changes everyone’s running order - I imagine Inferno, Stealth and Swarm will be dead in the mornings from next year, and Exodus / Saw / Colossus will be packed.

Id go straight to saw them Colossus!

I visited DLP in 2000 and always wanted to go back - 23 years later and I’ve not yet returned.
 
Other than that I went 11 years not visiting Thorpe Park - I had a pass in 2001/2002 and visited a fair amount then life happened.  Back then I wasn’t a huge thrill seeker (Tidal Wave was my limit) but I was an enthusiast and followed the construction of Colossus then was too scared to ride it when it opened 🤣.  Fast forward 11 years to 2013 and I revisited and finally put my big girl pants on (with the help of some awesome members on here) and beat my fear of heights and/or puking on some poor unsuspecting person sat next to me (god bless motion sickness meds)

I delved into the plans for Exodus and had a look when we might see things go vertical: https://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/news/28-08-2023/When+Might+Project+Exodus+go+Vertical
 
In short:
-Vertical construction looks set to start mid-next month
-Set to finish before Christmas
-Testing to happen from late January
-Potentially ready to open in time for Easter holidays

If it fits your plans, leave the more popular rides until lunch time, and split your refreshments into two breaks, if you must eat.
Stealth today had consistent queues of over one hour. Likewise Nemesis Inferno.
There is apparently an app. to access on the phone giving q times, but don't ask this dinosaur for more details on that.
If you are visiting on your own, try to let the staff know, it can help. Enjoy your day.
As Tactic suggests, and especially if there are plenty of coach loads, leave some of your favourites until after 4p.m..

QR code takes you here:
https://thorpe-park.leadfamly.com/project-exodus
The little fire bits floating around are called ember in the coding, I would be surprised if there was some fire in the branding considering Inferno is round the corner. Could be looking too much into things there, anyway...
 
Picture below from SLKSTN himself:

 
I don't really think "Thorpe Park" is needed on that sign - it does smack a little of a rush job, which would make sense if they couldn't register Icarus as previously mentioned...

Sorry for the double post.

Yup, Saw and/or Colossus as first ride of the day is always a good shout - they're both probably by far the coasters that get consistently large queues right from opening til' close, so makes sense to do them first imo. Stealth tends to maintain steady fairly low queues throughout the day from my own personal experience (depending on how the operations are on any given day) so doesn't really warrant to be your first ride of the day (unless you need that acceleration to wake you up!)
 
Avoid The Swarm like the plague first thing - much like Wicker Man at Towers, people tend to flock to The Swarm for the first ride of the day so your time is better spent elsewhere rather than waiting in a queue when Saw/Colossus could be a walk-on at rope drop!