JoshC. Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 does anyone think it literally will just be the day before opening, so wednesday 11th? Nah, they'll want to make it as accessible as possible, so I'd be pretty confident they will do it on a weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted February 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 I've heard annual pass days have been really busy in the past, especially now so many people have thorpe passes? think I'll just give it a miss if it is on a weekend, I'll probably have work anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 I've heard annual pass days have been really busy in the past, especially now so many people have thorpe passes? think I'll just give it a miss if it is on a weekend, I'll probably have work anyway! It certainly wasn't busy last year on the 16th (the Sunday)... OldFarmerDean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 It was good last year, not too busy at all - unlike 2011! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC! Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 I've heard annual pass days have been really busy in the past, especially now so many people have thorpe passes? think I'll just give it a miss if it is on a weekend, I'll probably have work anyway! No it was dead on last years annual pass day, the initial crowds let to like 30 main queues on like swarm and stealth but they went down really quickly and were all at like 5mins by 11am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted February 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 that's good then, maybe if I happen to have the day off work then I will go whenever it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted February 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 I seen a picture from closed season of Flying fish mid way round (so probably testing) while showing the bit of snow they had... that's my prediction completely wrong to have a scorpion express style refurb to flying fish and/or move it to fungle safari site. I'm really worried we won't see anything new for 2015 - thorpe will probably advertise the loggers leap tunnel as new!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 It will be a year of focusing on events to boost gate figures. Which can be good as it will benefit their image as a resort however I'm not sure its a long term solution. Yes it does need to be done but there should not be anything stopping them from doing events and a new ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 You have to prebook for the annual pass days so the numbers are limited to a moderate amount (or at least that's how they've done it the past few seasons). And what's to say we won't get something new in some form for 2015? Let's say they wanted to open something for the summer. They still can, planning doesn't take forever especially when it can be reserved matters. The council might already have had some plans submitted but they just haven't been put up yet (look back at previous applications, the received date of the plans and registered date can be up to 3 weeks apart). Towers have built a whole new coaster (okay it's in the development area so they don't need planning for it) and not mentioned it yet so what's to say Thorpe doesn't have something up their sleeves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 It is unlikely that Thorpe would add something this late. Not impossible but it doesn't fit the trend of previous investments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan9 Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 I'm really worried we won't see anything new for 2015 It will be a year of focusing on events to boost gate figures. Which can be good as it will benefit their image as a resort however I'm not sure its a long term solution. Yes it does need to be done but there should not be anything stopping them from doing events and a new ride. But thinking like that is how you end up with Storm Surge. StealthRider, Matt 236 and Kerfuffle 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 It's a strange obsession that a park desperately needs something, ANYTHING new year upon year in order to get guests to visit... Plenty of parks across the world don't add something every year and are able to survive... Presumably because they have a returning market of people often larger than a market of new visitors... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted February 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 For a returning visitor like me, I want something new to go back for... Although the sad reality is, is that I'd still go back several times a year regardless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 New rides are nice, but if the park spent money on improving the appearance, customer service and operations then I would be more enticed to return than a cheap investment. I've got nothing against second hand rides if they are good, but Storm Surge is a clear example of money that should have been spent on other things. (I know it was already owned by Merlin but there must have been shipping costs etc.) StealthRider and OldFarmerDean 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HermanTheGerman Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I'd be fine with no addition if I knew it was being spent elsewhere. Sadly, I don't think thats gonna happen. OldFarmerDean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I'd be fine with no addition if I knew it was being spent elsewhere. Sadly, I don't think thats gonna happen. Basing that on anything? (and don't say from past closed seasons), who knows what's being improved on over closed season! Mark9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.S217 Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 I guess no one wants the GCI wooden coaster I'll contact them now don't worry Matt 236 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HermanTheGerman Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 Basing that on anything? (and don't say from past closed seasons), who knows what's being improved on over closed season! Based on closed season photos showing no improvements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted February 4, 2015 Report Share Posted February 4, 2015 They built a fence to cover the construction site, that's an improvement... Kerfuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Maybe, what TP need to do, and what they should of done all along, is not add something new every single year, trying to scrape the last bit of nutella out of the jar, but take the approach of every other theme park in the world. Instead of adding something every year, every other year, or every three years make something spectacular, spend lots of dollar on one thing rather than Angry Birds Land, Saw Alive and Storm Surge. If they took the investment money from SAW Alive and Storm Surge, The Swarm could have been a lot better. If they didn't open angry birds land, thats a couple extra million that could have gone on 2016's attraction. pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 But in their eyes it's those little investments is what the general public would come back for... To be fair quite a lot of people I know that go once every year or two, will say I won't bother going this year as there is nothing new. So it works in the short term for Thorpe, but they don't get to see the bigger picture which could be so much better like you're explaining! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 The way the British culture seems to work is that people need a reason to return. For a lot of people the rides alone don't entice them back as they want something new. Money wise the way the park has been running makes sense. The periods of investment work as they attract new guest's and encourage them to spend in the park.The swarm has other reasons in why I didn't work which I won't waste my time explaining. However having said that I don't think it is the best path that could be taken.The reason it works is because of the whole UK industry being set up as it is. If more people had been to Cedar point or Europa park then that strategy of investment probably wouldn't be as effective. As people would demand more high quality attractions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 People will only say "I won't bother going this year because they have nothing new" because they have been spoon fed new attractions for the past 14 years. As I am sure everybody is aware the difference between Merlin and every other Theme Park operator in the world, is quality. Merlin have this big idea to expand as quickly as they can without looking back. Whereas If you look at places like Walt Disney World, who (as individual parks) see investment on a large scale once every so many years, still pull in millions more guests, something Merlin could only dream of. Disney make a crap ride the most amazing experience in the world, Merlin make the best rides in the world utter BS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Admittedly I like new investments regardless of how small as it gives me something to look forwards to... If Thorpe didn't invest in a new attraction of some sort I doubt they would get that budget in the same figures to spend cleaning up the park like Chessington have... that's why it's annoying when they don't get something new as not much else has gone on in the park otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 The new negative Ricky worries me... Ricky 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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