JoshC. Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Plans for the Shark have come online! http://planning.runnymede.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningPK.xml&PARAM0=188130&XSLT=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Runnymede_AA/xslt/PL/PLDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Runnymede_AA/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING TPM article - http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/news/03-04-2014/Shark-Feature-Planning-Application I love how similar it is to the concept art! It looks great and, especially based on the model, this is exactly what I was wanting and expecting from this. Really does look fab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 At least the shipping containers have a nice(ish) entrance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 https://twitter.com/JasonPWills/status/451788051258552320/photo/1 They look nice inside too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 To be honest I'd quite like to stay in them, but they are hugely overpriced IMO. They should not be more expensive than a travelodge, considering the space you get! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Not sure about this year but last year they ran a on the day deal which was £29.99 per person - I thought that was of reasonable value (A lot of travelodges around the park are more than that - especially on the day) I guess time will tell if a similar deal will be in place this year. Olistjj 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HermanTheGerman Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Well... err... that's a bit, small. Can't they at least add a facade to the containers to maybe hide them?! At first I was against this, then I was excited when I saw the Shark plans, now I know what it looks like, I'm dissapointed. Just about sums up every Merlin project really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 At first I was against this, then I was excited when I saw the plans, now I know what it looks like, I'm dissapointed.Just about sums up every theme park enthusiast ever ever ever ever. HermanTheGerman and Mark9 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 This is Thorpe people, why the surprise? Could be a lot worse though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Merlin sure do love wall vinyls counting as theming in hotels don't they? I think every park with a hotel has this now... The Shark is a shark made of junk... Can't really tell if it'll look decent until it's actually built, because it could look really crap... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 The Shark is a shark made of junk... Can't really tell if it'll look decent until it's actually built, because it could look really crap... I think its a nice touch there using "junk" from the parks history - should be quite unique if anything IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 It's still a risk though, having the theme as 'old junk' can either look decent or horrid... SteveJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster_monkey Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 It's still a risk though, having the theme as 'old junk' can either look decent or horrid... No, no, it'll look good. It's just a horrid idea. How can we entice our visitors to the new hotel? By having them walk through junk! Hooray! I guess it's just so the standard isn't set so high before entering a shoe box =) Mer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 Found this on instagram - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 I actually love the concept art for the shark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 From the ones being used this seems to be actual junk, not just made to look like it! Green credentials and looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster_monkey Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Cool design for a different idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 I couldn't be LESS interested in this wretched development. The only thing that is of vague note is the shark entrance. The rest of it truly stinks and I have absolutely no plans to ever stay there. Certainly not for the approx. £40 per person charge based on the annual pass rate for weekends when I would look to be visiting in June. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what Thorpe Park are using in order to term themselves a resort. Why do people even settle for this rubbish? It's about as basic as they could possibly get away with. The idea of spending a night in the bar 360 with their limited menu grates me even further. I am well travelled across theme parks and I have to say I have never seen a more butt-ugly theme park hotel. Coaster, HermanTheGerman, Cornflakes and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkadder312 Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Same I wouldn't stay there they should give larger discounts with an Annual Pass. The reason why they been using shipping containers is because Runnymead Council keep declining there applications for a Permanent Hotel. If you would want a proper hotel vent anger at them not Thorpe. I prefer to stay at Travelodge as I get free bus travel and its more spacious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 The reason why they been using shipping containers is because Runnymead Council keep declining there applications for a Permanent Hotel. . Sorry Daniel, but that is just not true. They have full planning permission for the proper hotel and have had for a number of years, but Thorpe chose to do this instead. coaster_monkey, GOOSEANIMATICS and EC! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Sorry Daniel, but that is just not true. They have full planning permission for the proper hotel and have had for a number of years, but Thorpe chose to do this instead. Probably because it's cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkadder312 Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Oh okay then. That must be bad then I hope they put up a Perm one and put in a nice water park in too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 I don't think any of us know the exact reasons why Thorpe haven't gotten round to building the 'proper' hotel yet. They've got the approval, and they've tweaked the plans on occasions. We can speculate (costs, Thorpe having a bad year, etc.) but don't know why exactly. I don't think it's really fair for us to judge why Thorpe have gone for shipping containers over a proper hotel at the moment considering we don't have a clue what's happening behind the scenes! Marc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipper Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 I would dare to say it's their way of progressively testing the water. No, it's not ideal. But I don't think they can truly reflect if a hotel would be financially feasible or not at Thorpe. Crash Pad had a very varied occupancy rate; I mean, I haven't seen Towers, Chessington, or Lego offering rooms there and then at £40 a person. So I would suggest that the Shark Hotel is a cheap option for the ten-years which means they can monitor it's occupancy rates, try different techniques, different advertising; and use it almost as research towards the future permanent hotel. Just my opinion. darkadder312 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 TBH I wouldn't be all that surprised if the Shark Hotel is a success we see them push on and build the full hotel, once complete maybe keep the Shark Hotel as a lower price alternative? Most people who complain about the Shark Hotel / Crash Pad haven't actually stayed there, the rooms them selves are actually very nice, and I don't think its priced all that badly... Of course if you look to go in the middle of the Summer Holidays its going to be pricey... OldFarmerDean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 Well, checking summer prices is the best way to see how costly/value for money the hotel is... The first weekend in August was my picked example, and I'm comparing Thorpe against Efteling and Europa Park, for a 2 night day (Friday/Saturday): Thorpe costs £300 rounded up Efteling costs €536 (approx £500) Europa's cheapest costs €540 In comparison to these other hotels, Thorpe is of course, the cheapest, but this is down to the fact that it's not in any way shape or form what anyone would consider a 'real' hotel... What benefits does one get by staying at Thorpe? ERT? A bar? The ability to look out on the park? Most theme park hotels have this sort of thing when you're staying on-site, so what makes Thorpe's hotel worth paying £300? Convience is probably the best thing going for it... You pay for what you get really, and with the Thorpe 'hotel', you get cheap things... There's a £200 difference, but I'd say for the quality/set-up of the hotels I'm comparing to it (is it unfair? Maybe, but if Merlin are trying to be number 1 etc.) then that's a price difference I'd be willing to pay more so then a porta-cabin... EDIT - Out of interest, I looked at Towers, and they're nearly £500 as well (for both)... I think it's just UK parks being rather over-indulgent in how good their hotels actually are... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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