MattL28

According to the app- Rumba Rapids will not return until May 2025 🎉😂 I love the 3 months of operating it gets every year. It’s an Opex saving clearly which makes sense queue times wise. However the amount of winter maintenance to operate for 3 month, is it even worth it? They can get away with it because it’s location, I bet they’d love to do the same with tidal wave but that’s in the middle of the park. Poor decision, the beach is open longer.

In some sense it was going to be hard to beat last closed season. However, it’s clear to me that budgets from Merlin have affected most of it. The management at Thorpe have still tried their best with it. For Example - Landscaping looks really good - They’ve built a fence around slammer and painted it to fit in with the existing fencing - Jetwashing all the areas of the park With existing equipment these are very easy upgrades but not always done before. Realistically need more money to be unlocked to: - refurb entrance - new ride for slammer site - removal of rumba rapids

I assume it will be similar to 2018/2019 with a few roamers if not needed for rides.

If anything, I don’t think these plans will continue to go ahead with the cuts to entertainments and current financial enviroment

Jack has posted a video covering the removal of Slammer. The first thing which comes to my mind is that I highly doubt 2025 Merlin would have committed to this project. I assume they already had gone too far with plans to back out and realistically they’d have to pay for it one day. Another thing to note is that Jack states the site won’t be used for quite a while, I predict it won’t before 2030. You can see that Colossus has had its repaint, hopefully they’ve done the rest of it. Hyperia has grass planted around the plaza area (but looks like weeds and still needs fencing. I am sure there are other minor updates around the park but definitely nothing major. The discussion of Thorpe Parks future is a long discussion with the Merlin group as a whole cutting entertainment. This time last year it was clear, however I believe no more than ever the future is unclear. They admit to knowing they must invest via management and planning applications but will finance allow?

Exactly, if they kept the investment up and also invested more into Hyperias landscaping (which they haven’t touched yet), the park would have got better and gette

Ah thanks for the update! Good to know, its annoying really as they are building on an existing attraction. It’s really baffling and infuriating they are going into a restructuring phase. Especially after 2024, a lot of false hopes for the future

Any update on the progress of this? The complete 180 on closed season updates from the parks is amazing. They must not have much to show?

It’s less likely now however I still feel like there is room at Thorpe for an out and back b&m hyper at Thorpe.

If they are to decrease the gaps in investment, planning permission for a new ride surely has to be put in this year?

It actually kinda annoys me, last season they were saying that land names were pointless because there are no defined entrance portals and then at the same time create big easy boulevard and fearless valley. I genuinely would be happy if in 2025 they have entrance portals located at points in the park. Even as simple as the rainforest at Chessington. No name for the ghost train area, but makes sense as it looks like they are saving the slammer area for when they knock ghost train down and have a big area to use

Pricing is inconsistent but why does it matter when everything will be in the £1000s Only 20% for charity? are they really that struggling for money?

I don’t get what target Merlin are expecting the parks to perform and therefore give them money to invest. They spent a load last season to improve the parks but of course, it doesn’t provide any direct return of their investment and probably are having buyers regret. I think most people could have seen no investment including Hyperia would majorly increase visitor numbers. So honestly confused as to why they spent all this money and then say they have no money. Fortunately, it looks like project sparkle is happening again with the slammer removal and the beach project. Both improve the look of the park (slammer less so because they are leaving the area as is) It might be too early to tell if the repaint is continuing, not sure if it’s a spring job?

I think I’m in the minority but I actually quite like the hotel for Thorpe. It is very modern day Disneyland Paris, which doesn’t work for Disney but in some respects would be nice to have at Thorpe rather than tacky. It will be interesting to see whether this goes ahead but knowing attraction source there’s no smoke without fire. There’s gotta be some insider information. I remember when Hyperia had its consultation the then General manager Neil Poulter said they would build one when it becomes a two day destination and I think we are quite far away from that

attraction source have reported that a new hotel is in development