MattL28

The recovery procedure needs to be changed in addition to more permanent changes to ensure it doesn’t happen as much as possible A platform around the track which it valleys in. It also needs to be able to pulled through the track somehow. I know they are pretty good at removing the train quickly but once it’s on one train. It’s so slow and takes them a while to put it back together and test. Of course it would be better if theres a more permanent solution to prevent stalling. Which either lies in increasing lift hill speed even more or adding weight to the train on the front. The videos I’ve seen shows it was incredibly close to making it through the outer bank.

Lack of sculptures is annoying, and possibly less theming/ landscaping. I get it on the planning application front, just really don’t want it to be a flat tarmac area. Hopefully it’s all worth it!

The fenced side looks really nice and really good! Definitely what they needed. I just find it strange the area where the stage was hasn’t been touched and looks ugly. Also the F+B side to fearless valley still has wood chips, everyone was using that to cut through to Hyperia. Ideally that all needed fencing and turfing too

It is 20%

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