May 17, 201510 yr comment_209240 Personally I was tall enough to ride Ninferno when I was ten, but surely the market of the Pop-Badges is around age 4-8 not 10-12 year olds. It just seems very illogical to me however there is obviously structured reasoning behind it.
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209241 Don't adults collect them? On AP day I saw tons of adults waking round with badges on their laynard things.
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209242 They're fun, little collectible things which are free. Anyone would be happy with them, even if they're geared towards a younger audience. Also, just because a child is too small to go on a ride, it doesn't mean they won't want a badge with that ride on (especially if they've collected others from Chessington/Legoland).
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209243 I'm getting the impression this Pop badge thing is a merlin equivalent toDisney's pin trading Still a fun concept so don't see a problem with it
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209245 I don't have a problem with the concept of thorpe introducing them at all however the way they have structured the promotion of these badges is particularly odd. If adults like to collect them aswell, why are they only avalible with a kids meal? Also, why are only 100 being released when thousands of people enter the park daily? The logic behind them certainly does seem very confused however I have no objections against the introductory of them as they seem like fun, free collectibles
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209250 At Chessie I've asked for one with my meal before and got one... Can't be knocking freebies...
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209262 Why would an under 12 "child" want a stealth pop-badge when they aren't likely to be tall enough to go on stealth? Because kids love anything that is colorful. I'm 22 and have had heated battles with other staff members on breaks to claim the rarer and better badges... only to have hem swapped away by eagle eyed AP Holders. I only had my lost city badge for 4 hours on its day of release.
May 17, 201510 yr comment_209263 There was a lost city badge? (can I has pics?) There are some very eager adults out there who try and pick up as many pop badges as they can. The graph up there also shows 5 out of 7 12 year olds are tall enough to ride stealth, some even tall enough by 8 years old. I reckon this is going to be a trial. If they see people flock to fish n chips eager to get the pop badge but throw away the meal, they're gonna get more. If they have a quiet week as usual with the odd enthusiast coming in to get one, then they're probably not going to see it through. I feel very achieved with my 2008 lego pop badge, vampire logo, and 'rare' hocus pocus glow in the dark one. But at the end of the day they are just pieces of plastic that are designed for the younger merlin audience, without all the potential accidents of pin badges.
May 18, 201510 yr comment_209274 Also there is now an Angry Birds Popbadge that will be available from Peckish during May half term!
May 18, 201510 yr comment_209289 Pop badges are the pin badge alternative for kids.They're for kids to put on their lanyards. This is just my opinion but to me they look cheap. They're pieces of coloured plastic with a bit of paper in. Big woop. I know they're essentially freebies (once you've given in to Merlin and have brought a meal to start your collection) but they're still cheap. They're clunky on a lanyard and just aren't nice in my eyes. For kids yes, for adults no. But for some reason staff and enthusiasts alike are obsessed with them. They're so not nice. That Swarm Island one is horrific. I just don't get the obsession. Nor get why they become worth so much. If you just get an empty plastic shell and print out and image for yourself, tadah done. Look at that you've made your own one. If I went to Fish & Chips in half term, I would only get a kids meal knowing that if I got a Stealth pop badge I could probably sell it for a fortune compared to its real value of like 5p.
May 30, 201510 yr comment_209774 I found this website, it has all the Merlin pop badges. (http://www.treasuretally.com/) The Thorpe ones have mixed feelings for me, they are both really ugly and very nice... I have no idea what Old Town, Port & Base Camp are, and Where is Amity Cove or Calypso Quay or Canada Creek?! I really want a My First Coaster and a Birthday one tho
May 30, 201510 yr comment_209776 I'd assume Port and Basecamp is the Dome / Port Atlantis. Old Town is a weird one though; maybe a retheme of Canada Creek / a relation to the 2016 attraction? They're a bit of a mixed bag, but Swarm Island and Jungle ones look a bit meh to be honest. On the other hand, the rest look relatively nice.
May 30, 201510 yr comment_209778 maybe a retheme of Canada Creek / a relation to the 2016 attraction? A relation to WC16 would be strange because "Jungle" or as I will always call it calypso quay is still there, and with IAC being new they wouldn't change its area? - but we saw with ABL, they are ready to split zones up wherever they can Also, Canada Creek was one of the strongest themed zones in my opinion, so I won't be very happy if they rethemed it
May 30, 201510 yr comment_209779 WC16's entrance is more the Amity/X side of the construction zone so it's "areas" entrance is in Thorpe's area terms a long way from the Jungle. I think Calypso still exists as Inferno and Rapids with the Jungle being the Bush BBQ and IAC. Old Town looks like it could be Canada Creek and that area does need some work (it's still littered in fat heads and old branding). Maybe this is a sign of themed areas returning? (Or should I save this for closed season chatter along with the wooden zactopbamboofireseatbeltspin of fun? ) The are ones looks so, just why? They have nothing to them really. Did see a manager wearing a Lost City one on Thursday though so they are about for you collectors.
May 31, 201510 yr comment_209846 Stage in the Dome has received a bit of low key theming. From Thrill Nation's FB I really like this shark / aquatic feel. I do hope they can spend a lot of money is sprucing up the Dome in full though - it does seem a bit of a mish-mash of styles, and the Dome is very dated!
May 31, 201510 yr comment_209850 It seems that they are going for a sort of "surf" style to the entrance area. I like it!
May 31, 201510 yr comment_209852 Retheming The Dome is something that's been on the cards for a few seasons but is continually pushed back due to the huge infrastructure cost (if they were to completely strip away the theming on the walls and basically start over) that would see little revenue gained by it. Hopefully with half of The Dome having seen a makeover this is the start of something bigger (or at least a freshen up of it all, the shop in there is awfully laid out in my eyes. It's so cluttered and bland! Maybe the budget has never been there to do it all over one closed season but they are able to spread the cost over 2 or 3.
May 31, 201510 yr comment_209864 Really liking the new surf/beach elements to the dome, is a refreshing sight to see from the other ageing theming there. I'm guessing the retheme of the dome will be a slow but continuous process, maybe next year the theming will be redone
May 31, 201510 yr comment_209908 Really liking the new surf/beach elements to the dome, is a refreshing sight to see from the other ageing theming there. Me too - seems like it's an ongoing upgrade process The Fin's Bar & Grill entrance signs have received a 3D makeover, and right in the middle of the Dome now stands this beauty: Sauce: http://www.totalthorpepark.co.uk/features/foodanddrink.shtml
August 2, 201510 yr comment_213735 A new Coke Freestyle outlet has popped up in the Dome, replacing the old Clothes Cabin which never seemed to have anyone in it / be open anyway... The store houses three large drinks pick 'n' mix machines (offering 100+ varieties of Coke Brand drinks) - these have been popping up in BK and Five Guys restaurants recently, so nice to see Thorpe get in on the act too. £2.75 for a regular drink, or £2 to "upgrade" your Annual Pass Drinks Capsule (+ the usual 75p per refill)!
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