jon81uk Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 You can make a dark ride fit in a smaller space by making the building two stories, this is what Universal did with Transformers. and because the storyline and motion works so well you don't even notice the lifts, I was convinced it was all on one level when riding!. BUT can Thorpe park build a ride as technologically advanced as Spiderman or Transformers? So fantastic they felt the need to rip its heart out and replace it with a gimick after just a few years because of the general apathy towards it from the public? It was around 10 years after the Haunted House opened until it was remade into Duel, the original ride was reaching the end of its lifespan anyway so it is expected to get less interest. Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 It was around 10 years after the Haunted House opened until it was remade into Duel, the original ride was reaching the end of its lifespan anyway so it is expected to get less interest. How long IS the lifespan of a dark ride though? Haven't seen Disney change the likes of Haunted Mansion much beyond updating the effects... So did Towers have to turn Haunted House into Duel? I think it's definitely a cultural thing, we English just aren't interested in dark rides anymore if at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 I think it's definitely a cultural thing, we English just aren't interested in dark rides anymore if at all... That is why I have suggested a Ghost Train. Everyone will always be interested in them, they have long queues up and down the country at parks which have them. I reckon that the only reason Haunted House didn't get huge queues is that it has a huge throughput - even moreso then as it was 6 per vehicle. Duel doesn't get very long queues at all now, but that doesn't mean it isn't popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 It was around 10 years after the Haunted House opened until it was remade into Duel, the original ride was reaching the end of its lifespan anyway so it is expected to get less interest. Sorry, that is rubbish. 10 years should not be anything like the lifespan of a major ride, the only reason it would be is if the ride is built and opened and not a jot of work done on it after to keep it in a decent state, which is clearly not the way to run a park! If the people designing it had told the park it would be obsolete in 10 years the project would never have got the green light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon81uk Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Sorry, that is rubbish. 10 years should not be anything like the lifespan of a major ride, the only reason it would be is if the ride is built and opened and not a jot of work done on it after to keep it in a decent state, which is clearly not the way to run a park! If the people designing it had told the park it would be obsolete in 10 years the project would never have got the green light. Toyland tours got changed to Charlie after around 15 years too. When guest interest is dropping it is time to refurb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 .... When guest interest is dropping it is time to refurb. And this is the point. Why spend money on a dark ride now if they don't have the draw or longevity of a similarly priced coaster? With no planning submitted yet can we confidently say next season will at least begin with nothing new? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Maybe they'll just focus fully on the entertainment offering and turning the place into a resort. I know they've been throwing that idea around. I mean the dome could realistically, be open all year round if they wanted too.. pluk and HermanTheGerman 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 They have had a 2 low investment years in a row with nothing new for thrillseekers. They are approaching the point where they are going to have to do something. I think we will see a new flat next season opening the same sort of time as angry birds land did. I reckon it will be aimed at the sort of audience zodiac is aimed at. So good thrills but also family. Along with that they are planning a lot more side attractions like the music performances. So I wouldn't be surprised if a permanent stage was put up, like the one on the MTDP outside stealth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Does the park really need anything new for thrillseekers though? They need to focus on getting the family market back to visiting the park, and providing a quality experience, especially given the poor numbers this year... Can't change things overnight even if Merlin think that's the only way things work (things not making enough money? RAISE THE PRICE!) HermanTheGerman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Maybe low numbers is a sign they need to get the thrillseekers back. They either need to convince back the market they had developed for years and the park is geared up to, or invest a lot of money in the family section. So re-theme the rumba rapids, do up the loggers leap area and add 2 or 3 family flats as at the moment there isn't enough to advertise and convince family's to go. However what I fear they have done is the way they are going to get back thrillseekers is advertise the park as the worlds first queueless park and entice family's with a rumba rapids re-theme and if we are lucky a new flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 But when they had high levels of thrillseekers the park wasn't making any money off the crowds... Thorpe have put themselves in that awkward situation as a result, and as you say, need to really go full out on attracting the family market to the park, but I can't help but feel that Merlin's reactive method to running the parks won't result in this... HermanTheGerman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 How long IS the lifespan of a dark ride though? Haven't seen Disney change the likes of Haunted Mansion much beyond updating the effects... So did Towers have to turn Haunted House into Duel? I think it's definitely a cultural thing, we English just aren't interested in dark rides anymore if at all... I just don't think we capture enough interest with the dark rides we have on offer. I see people rave about Valhalla a lot, and a lot of British people go to Disney which is composed of nearly all dark rides. Obviously they have the IP which you could argue makes them popular, same with Spiderman and Harry Potter from my experience being considered the best attractions, but those rides are renowned for being amazing rides with extensive theming and story to them, which, a lot of UK dark rides don't have. I wouldn't consider a dark ride a major addition to a park but maybe if it was advertised as one, people would have more interest in them, but I do recognise it's hard to capture an audience without a strong IP behind it. This posts full of contradictions, I'm just a bit stuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 Thorpe SERIOUSLY need to invest in one of these and theme it around THE SWARM! (CoasterForce's EastCoasterGeneral in the yellow plane in the front ) OldFarmerDean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 As fun as it looks, Thorpe really don't need a major ride with a throughput of less than 500 pph! Or maybe they do, think of the potential fastrack sales! Kerfuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 I'm sure stormsurge is the source of nearly all complaints about long queues so I don't think that will help. All of that measuring the other day and tagging trees was for fright nights, so where or what the 2015 investment assuming it exists is completely unknown. If Thorpe wanted to start building the hype, they have missed the opportunity. HermanTheGerman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GladiatorFanKyle Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 I think a Air Race 8.4 would be great at Thorpe since they seem to be very popular and the larger model can seat 32 people(according to Zamperla's website) which would be good for queues. Rip out storm surge and put the air race there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 I'm sure stormsurge is the source of nearly all complaints about long queues so I don't think that will help. All of that measuring the other day and tagging trees was for fright nights, so where or what the 2015 investment assuming it exists is completely unknown. If Thorpe wanted to start building the hype, they have missed the opportunity. What makes you say that? None of the Fright Nights attractions seem to have a need for any of the trees to be trimmed, cut down or tagged at all. The park can still build hype for a new attraction if they want. The ride could open mid-season, advertising could start late, whatever. They have no way missed an opportunity! pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 They have missed an opportunity, if you are having a ride you want guests to hear about it. If they had signs up during the summer saying something new was coming I'm sure more of them would return the following year. A late advertising campaign is never good. Also I know cultures are different but Cedar fair and six flags have already announced next years new rides to get people excited meanwhile Thorpe haven't said anything. Saying nothing isnt going to get anyone excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 For small to medium investments, the UK Merlin parks always seem to advertise from October or later. Never has been problematic in the past, and with the various online methods of advertising, even if they don't reach people when they are on park, they'll reach them through the internet. Thorpe may not even be 100% sure what they're doing next year, and if it's anything that requires planning permission, they haven't applied for it yet. No point in advertising something which they may not even get right? Don't think there's a reason to panic or anything, or suggest they've missed opportunity yet. Altitude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 If there's anything interesting to be built for next year, they'll do it during Fright Nights where it'll get the biggest output of people to actually see stuff... According to Zamperla's website, an Air Race 8.4 can get a theoretical capacity of 600pph... Perfect for Chessie, not great for Thorpe... Same thing goes for the Sky Fly, as fab as they are, they cannot survive in parks that get busy, it had the longest queue by far at Legoland Germany, constantly at around 60 minutes all day... Sod that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 They need a nice flat ride with a good throughput. I'm sure mondail or huss can sell them something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted September 13, 2014 Report Share Posted September 13, 2014 They need a nice flat ride with a good throughput. I'm sure mondail or huss can sell them something. Flat ride and high throughput doesn't exist. Especially in a theme park environment. Dan9 and Kerfuffle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted September 13, 2014 Report Share Posted September 13, 2014 According to huss their top spins can do 1000pph along with the giant Frisbee so high throughputs do exist. Power tower can apparently do 1700pph so to say flat rides don't have high throughputs is entirely correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 They are all theoretical capacities, particularly in funfairs where bums on seats and the ride in action attracting people to it is the name of the game. In a theme park environment, that isn't the case and the best you can get is Rush around the 700pph mark. I know for a fact Ramses and Ripsaw don't get anywhere near 1000 an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 I'd imagine the newer models like Talocan would get a lot closer to 1000pph though, considering there's no additional lapbars, just the OTSR. TPJames 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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