Posted January 8, 201411 yr comment_174485 http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/news/08-01-2014/Angry-Birds-Fly-into-THORPE-PARK - Full details here Please keep discussion to the forums for now until Thorpe Park fully announce the new area on their own social media channels
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174487 Angry birds... Meh Sounds like they are going to ruin Detonator. Still, good to see them investing for families.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174489 Oh, just when I was getting excited... EDIT - AND on Det? Sigh, how depressing...
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174490 A well placed IP that fits the family target if you ask me. Only concern would be its limited life, it has already peaked, hasn't it?
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174491 An Air Race would probably be slightly too spin and spewy in a park that's crying out for fewer rides that do as such... They are good rides if lacking in throughput... But just not sure if Thorpe should get one imo... air race is the only ride that does not make me feel sick haha. It would be good for thorpe park if they get the ones with two rows of seats. It would be perfect for the park
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174492 A well placed IP that fits the family target if you ask me. Only concern would be its limited life, it has already peaked, hasn't it? It peaked about 2 years ago... Typical Merlin IP choice then, something that's dying (Saw, Ice Age, Madagashcar, Shrek)...
January 8, 201411 yr Author comment_174493 Looking forward to seeing what they do with this. I wouldnt say they will ruin Detonator... its theme currently is abit "mish mash" and dont really fit in with whats around it at the moment, looking forward to seeing what they can do with it - none the less it will be the same ride!
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174494 Angry Birds is a good theme. I was wondering why there wasn't a family friendly area at a theme park yet (as any Angry Birds IPs have been very child-orientated). I'm a bit unsure on the longevity of it all (which pluk literally just said) as I fear it has peaked already, but other than that, I have no concerns. I would say a concern is that Amity Cove has now been cut up into two, but hopefully that can be rectified soon. Looks like it will almost definitely go where the Games Zone lies currently (which was marked as a spot for a flat ride in the MTDP I believe?). Should be a nice little area, and at least Detonator will finally have a chance to fit in a bit more. I wonder if once the Tetley sponsorship goes if the Teacups will get an Angry Bird styling too? Really and truly, this isn't anything ground breaking, but it should be a good investment for the park, and one I look forward to see the final result.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174495 The great thing about detonator is the actual feeling of dropping, the theming adds very little to the actual ride and is only present to tie it in to what is around it. Sticking a birds nest on top and some characters around it will make no difference at all, only maybe the audio changing could have a detrimental effect but there's no reason that can't be done well. I don't really see how this could leave it 'ruined'.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174496 Getting rid of the music automatically means it's bad (cos it's the best music on park)... And considering http://www.lightwatervalley.co.uk/angry_birds.php already exists... My hopes aren't exactly high considering it's not exactly the most complex thing to theme and won't go beyond a few models dotted around (mostly given Merlin's track record of area rethemes mind)... It does seem though that in the future Thorpe will be a weird mess of themes and target markets...
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174508 Fully themed land in the middle of the park isn't going to be easy, am I the only one not excited by the Dodgems at all, but excited about the Angry Birds possibilities? Assume the dodgems could be loosely based on the new racing game. Think Alton got the better deal though, CBBC on TV until 2021, and a new Ice Age in the works keeps it slightly more current!
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174509 May opening is confirmed then: http://www.thorpepark.com/angrybirdsland/ I hope this doesn't mean that Detonator is closed until May!
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174510 I'm sure it will be closed until May, I can't see any way that Detonator wouldn't be closed until May - I would've thought that thoroughfare past Detty to Nemesis Inferno will be closed so you have to go via the Teacups and Rumba to get to Nemesis Inferno.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174513 Will be a bit weird with just inferno in calypso quay unless rumba will still be apart of it. I'm not really a fan of the IP though it seems a tad worn out in the sense like Benin said it peaked ages ago, plus I will and always will call it detonator even if there is a complete name change which there probably will be.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174514 People may or may not be aware, but Detty audio is all here http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/ride/Detonator/media EXPLOSION! I don't think Detty is being renamed EC! - I would've thought THORPE PARK would've mentioned it in their press release if so?
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174516 It's a bit one stop forwards, two steps back really. Thorpe already had their 4D cinema and Dodgems back when Tussauds first bought the place. I'm fine with the Angry Birds thing though, it's fun and appeals to all so perfect for a park that seems to have lost any individual identity.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174517 People may or may not be aware, but Detty audio is all here http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/ride/Detonator/media EXPLOSION! I don't think Detty is being renamed EC! - I would've thought THORPE PARK would've mentioned it in their press release if so? I think it's been mentioned as "Detonator - INVADED by Angry Birds", because imagination is dead...
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174518 I hope the name does have INVADED in capitals I do wish THORPE PARK would stop SHOUTING at us
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174519 Interesting link about this all: http://www.4-traders.com/MERLIN-ENTERTAINMENTS-PLC-14851590/news/Merlin-Entertainments-PLC--MERLIN-ENTERTAINMENTS-AND-ROVIO-ANNOUNCE-WORLD-PREMIERE-OF-ANGRY-BIRDS-4-17764454/ (This was retweeted by Jason Wills). So, Merlin Magic Making will be strongly involved with the project, which should be good news for all - all projects they've been involved with have had good to high quality theming. Also, an Angry Birds film is coming in 2016. Maybe at the moment we're in a quiet period for the Angry Birds franchise, so perhaps we'll see it become a big surge in popularity again sometime soon? The thing is, this is the perfect theme for the park. The park has been crying out to have a fun area for ages, and now it's finally getting one. Hopefully this will see the slow reintroduction of themed areas again too. As for Detonator, I expect a very small retheme, perhaps with a slight change in audio. It could easily be that there's a bunch of pigs at the top of the ride, and an angry bird crashes into it, causing a similar 'bang' / 'explosion' noise to cue the drop. Simples. One bug bear of mine though - who cares if it's the WORLD'S FIRST 4D ANGRY BIRDS EXPERIENCE? I don't think people will care if it's a world's first film, surely?
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174520 Surely though a family area in the UK's "THRILL CAPITAL" makes no sense though? Thorpe's current mix of marketing is going all over the place... Especially given the new THORPE PARK Resort stuff they're now doing... I think that's a big issue, conflicting marketing terms... Thrill capital does not scream Angry Birds land, it shows a bit of uncertainy amongst Thorpe's branding scheme as the whole "OMG MUCH THRILLS" wasn't as successful as they hoped...
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174529 Adding Angry Birds to a high intensity, low throughput ride with a 1.3m restriction. I don't get it.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174531 Adding Angry Birds to a high intensity, low throughput ride with a 1.3m restriction. I don't get it. That is what I thought and still do. It certainly wont make it more appealing then it is right now.
January 8, 201411 yr comment_174533 Angry Birds is a universally appealing brand. Angry Birds Land is a family area. Good family areas have a mixture rides and attractions which appeal to everyone in the family. So, we'll have Angry Birds 4D which will no doubt appeal more to the younger market, the dodgems which appeal to all (though will likely be a bit of the tame side for 'hardcore thrill seekers') and Detonator for 'hardcore thrill seekers'. Perfect family land surely? Detonator could now actually fit in with a full area, rather than be out of place with Pirates 4D, or out of place by itself. Granted, it will be shoe-horned a little, but at least effort is there.
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