October 17, 201410 yr comment_195093 I think they need a ghost train. They could make it into a really dark theme and it wouldnt have to be massive to be great! (Just look at over the hill!) OTH isn't particularly great though, good for families mind... And it hasn't exactly been maintained well, which is most probably the fate a ride like that would also encounter at Thorpe.
October 17, 201410 yr comment_195094 True its not great maintaince wise and knowing how merlin like to leave their rides until they need upgrading it would break down like mad! Good idea but sadly its never gonna happen!
October 17, 201410 yr comment_195105 Interesting stuff. I've been hearing some rumours about X not having long left. Maybe that space and the arena could be making way for development? Fingers crossed that something is done to the arena though!
October 17, 201410 yr comment_195107 I can't see why they would get rid of X. It's popular with families now and they have just spent money doing it up and turning the trains around. Also it's a good coaster! Where have you heard these rumours?
October 17, 201410 yr comment_195109 I also think it's a bit weird to remove X, especially given the new market. Of course, I can't say who I heard it from. Heard it a while back, but didn't think much it. But with the removal of seats and with the recent discussion of a dark ride, I guess anything is possible. Just something I thought I'd chuck out there really!
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195124 My first thought when I saw those pics was more likely to be refurbishment of the arena, rather than replacement. That would be in line with what I'm mostly expecting for next year; improvements and expansion to the entertainment offering to support the resort status, hotel guest satisfaction and family offering all at once. That would explain the lack of planning submission too, it wouldn't be required for referb work.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195137 -.- Arena I think is 2015, Fungle sight is the supposed dark ride of 2016
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195161 Yes can't see X being removed/touched after the rebranding and improvements! I'm going with just some sort of refurb for the arena too.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195171 I can see X going if they have a suitable idea for a replacement... Let's be honest, it's still crap, and uses the space available in one of the worst ways possible... They can do so much better...
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195181 If a attraction is going to be built in the arena, I have a feeling that the ride will be built around X. Something like dragon falls and tomblaster.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195186 Well now we can't discuss X being rethemed every year like Top Spins I guess we have to talk about its removal. Think logically about this all like a jigsaw puzzle. Why would Thorpe say MBV would by Swarm thus leaving the Arena vacant? Oh and now they've taken the seats out? Maybe they wanted to start work on whatever they're doing to it for next year during FN to get it finished in time. Flat ride in Fungle would be such a waste of space. There's loads of room to stick flat rides here and there but Fungle site is actually quite large (looks very odd with all the trees gone) and with it going all the way behind Inferno (the tagged trees) it could make a decent sized building for a dark ride. After all, Thorpe doesn't need more flat rides, it needs more experience based rides. We'd have seen planning permission for a flat ride next year by now anyway if they wanted it open by summer.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195187 If I remember correctly from an earlier discussion somewhere on the forum, isn't the only place a [substantial-ish?] building can go is towards the centre of the park due to flooding issues etc. Which is also why The Swarm station doesn't have a roof? Correct me if I'm wrong, but would a dark ride-type building actually be able to go in the fungle site? Although I guess it's not as close to the edge as the likes of SAW and The Swarm, but I'm curious, where could a dark ride building really/ideally go? I mean, a lot of people want it, but is it particularly plausible without the removal/moving around of attractions that are currently within the park? I confused myself.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195188 The only viable place is the arena/x site for a dark ride. As I have stated many times to get permission for the fungle site would be quite hard. Thorpe are restricted in where buildings can go because of flooding and one of the reasons the swarm doesn't have a roof is because of flooding but it is also something to do with fire regulations.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195189 the trees to the left of MBV queue line entrance have tags as well...
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195190 Thorpe aren't restricted in where buildings can go at all. They can try and put a building anywhere, it's whether or not it would get approved. Fungle site is not much more liable to flooding than The Arena. A building would be much more suited to Fungle site for view reasons (Arena site would build up and be a stupid building in the core of the park whereas at Fungle it'd be out of the way). If the park applies for a building in The Arena or Fungle site it won't be able to go under reserved matters as nothing like it was mentioned on the MTDP (although Fungle site was earmarked for development, The Arena was not). Dark ride would be much more suited to Fungle and with a large push on entertainment this year and mind to increase artists next year (those surveys have meaning you know) refurbing the Arena to a proper stadium like thing would make sense. Anyway, why would they have suddenly bothered to cut the trees down on the Fungle site if it wasn't significant, not like they've been keen to do it for ages. Oh and a flat ride on Fungle wouldn't require trees down the service road to be tagged. Maybe Thorpe are fed up with the amount of trees and are just removing them all.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195191 They were surveying a load of areas of the park. The arena, the fungle site and the island behind swarm. I don't think that surveying them was too significant. Also removing trees often requires permission. We are pretty much in the dark until we see some planning permission.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195199 Fungles would definitely be a much better place for a dark ride as it's more concealed, could blend in better plus no one would see the back of it (the shed) unless you use monks walk and the Blair witch is there. Using the arena for a dark ride wouldn't be as good as Fungles site because 1/ the park has lost potential space to hold yearly events (e.g Sun scream & Easter) 2/ they will have to relocate one of their scare mazes elsewhere (which for somewhere like Thorpe won't be easiest) 3/ a big metal building in the middle of the park will be a bit of an eyesore, obstruct park views and in general not be great for the layout. Despite being 10 years (almost) since the last flat installment, Thorpe doesn't need another for now but is in much need of some dark rides/immersive experiences. Towers has Hex, Duel, Sub_terra (among others) and Chessington has Tomb, Bubbleworks, Hocus and Zufari. Thorpe's only immersive experiences so far are tidal wave, Swarm and Angrybirds 4D and even that is really pushing the boat out.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195201 If I remember correctly from an earlier discussion somewhere on the forum, isn't the only place a [substantial-ish?] building can go is towards the centre of the park due to flooding issues etc. Which is also why The Swarm station doesn't have a roof? Correct me if I'm wrong, but would a dark ride-type building actually be able to go in the fungle site? Although I guess it's not as close to the edge as the likes of SAW and The Swarm, but I'm curious, where could a dark ride building really/ideally go? I mean, a lot of people want it, but is it particularly plausible without the removal/moving around of attractions that are currently within the park? I confused myself. Swarm doesn't have a roof because Candy Holland didn't want a fire exit in it...
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195209 Arena+ Fungle + X?? and you could easily add Slammer to that list is a massive part of the park if they are really thinking of removing X.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195214 Its all of them, the arena, fungle, nemesis inferno shop and calypso bbq and all of ranger county will be made way for a massive dark ride exceeding £20million. According to south parks, set to open in 2016.
October 18, 201410 yr comment_195216 Its all of them, the arena, fungle, nemesis inferno shop and calypso bbq and all of ranger county will be made way for a massive dark ride exceeding £20million. According to south parks, set to open in 2016. They say "roller coaster style", but then these guys are the creators of the washing machine element so taking their word for it that, that whole area is going to be removed now when there hasn't been anything in terms of planning applications submitted yet is a little stupid at the moment because this isn't like fright nights where they released the information like a week before this is over a year and a half away, so I just think they are pulling stuff out of their bums at the moment.
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