Logger's Leap

[Matt 236]

Basically just means it’ll be closed another year for redevelopment without even tapping the ride.

 

There’s a better chance of Paramount opening than there is of Loggers I’m afraid.

[Marhelorpe]

I guess the title "Project Zero" really means what it says then - nothing. ?

[Martin Doyle]

Honestly if loggers leap reopens, I’ll ride it on opening day dressed as Donald Trump (spray tan and everything!!)

 

That is the level of confidence I have in it not returning.

[JoshC.]

1 hour ago, MilesK said:

Remember it was the Star Ball last night. I wouldn’t look into it that much..

For those unaware, Star Ball is an end of season staff party. Pretty poor of anyone to post anything on an official social media account whilst likely inebriated...

37 minutes ago, Marhelorpe said:

I guess the title "Project Zero" really means what it says then - nothing. ?

Not sure if it's just a joke or if you're genuinely unaware, but Project Zero was totally unrelated to Thorpe - it was a pair of Escape Rooms which opened in Ashford..

[Marhelorpe]

10 minutes ago, ChiapasC. said:

Not sure if it's just a joke or if you're genuinely unaware, but Project Zero was totally unrelated to Thorpe - it was a pair of Escape Rooms which opened in Ashford..

Yeah, I am aware, it's a non-story. Just found it amusing when all the vlogger/YouTube "celebrities" were freaking out over this being a new attraction for Thorpe earlier this summer, much like Grand National becoming an RMC recently and now Loggers Leap returning for 2019. None of these things are likely gonna happen and is just rumour guff.

 

Hope I'm wrong about the last one though...

[MattyMoo]

Oh blimey, the MAP group have picked up on the Loggers tweet now...

 

Agree 100% though - very poor show to send that tweet that out. The contempt for their customers is real ?

 

[Benin]

Gotta remind people you exist when it comes to Christmas budgeting and the MAP sale...

[yeah]

Yeah I don't think it's concrete evidence Loggers is returning or anything like others, but thought it was worth posting here anyway.

1 hour ago, ChiapasC. said:

Pretty poor of anyone to post anything on an official social media account whilst likely inebriated...

Also suggests they like to have a joke about it, which would also be poor.

[Marhelorpe]

Going back to this tweet however, I do find the timing of it quite interesting should it lead anywhere and hold any truth. Got a small pet theory about this and yes, I realise I might be overthinking this hugely here, so bear with me if it sounds ridiculous and unrealistic.

Many would think should Loggers Leap return at any point in the future, there is a very likely possibility new vertical construction such as buildings or a queue line re-route are due to possibly go up, potentially as part of a retheme, spruce or for safety/presentation purposes. If so, there are clearly going to be planning applications made to the Runnymede Council granting permission and detailing the more specific details of the changes the park wish to make. But as we all know, there are no plans submitted anywhere right now around the site of Loggers Leap, so you would think at this point nothing is going to happen right?

Well, who here remembers when the plans were submitted to the council regarding the construction of Walking Dead: The Ride's watch tower and queue re-route? The first revised documents showing the schematics and various viewing angles were submitted on the 24th November 2017 - almost exactly a year ago to this day.

 

This is just a wild theory, but if there is indeed hope for Loggers Leap returning next year, could we be seeing some minor plans being submitted within the next few days to the council detailing changes which would coincide with a reopening and repair of the attraction this winter perhaps? Something tells me if this is going to happen, Thorpe Park's social media team last night might have prematurely released this hint to their followers, especially given it uses a hashtag and can easily become a trend for the park this closed season on all of social media. Maybe they were planning to start this trend as soon as the plans were released so both enthusiasts looking at the documents in more detail and the public following their pages on social media are aware of what's happening in 2019?

If it should reopen, this will likely not be regarded as a new attraction for 2019, so there's no need to keep things secret with the public this time over the closed season. Unlike WD: The Ride where an official unveiling was publicly made in February 2018; 3 months after the plans were discovered and the park were being secretive over this period with guests.

 

Just a theory and are probably being far too hopeful & optimistic here mind. 

[JoshC.]

It's less about planning permission and more that it would take longer than 4 months to bring it back to anywhere near an operational standard.

 

Thorpe were drunk, and posted a stupid tweet. Nothing else behind it.

[Coaster]

4 months?  They've had 3 years!

[CharlieN]

Which company calls their end of season party a ‘star ball’? 

 

It’s beyond me.

[Marc]

2 hours ago, CharlieN said:

Which company calls their end of season party a ‘star ball’? 

 

It’s beyond me.

What is wrong with that ?‍♀️

[Mer]

On 11/16/2018 at 11:27 AM, Martin Doyle said:

Honestly if loggers leap reopens, I’ll ride it on opening day dressed as Donald Trump (spray tan and everything!!)

 

That is the level of confidence I have in it not returning.

 

Me and Mike have just agreed that I’ll dress up as Theresa May, and him as Jacob Rees-Mogg ??

[Matt A]

On 11/17/2018 at 10:11 PM, CharlieN said:

Which company calls their end of season party a ‘star ball’? 

 

It’s beyond me.

The 'star' stuff is a running thing throughout the year, staff and MAP holders can give staff a 'star' if they think someone is doing an exceptional job. I think the star ball is only for those with a number of stars but I'm not sure.

[MattyMoo]

On 11/16/2018 at 5:51 PM, ChiapasC. said:

It's less about planning permission and more that it would take longer than 4 months to bring it back to anywhere near an operational standard.

 

Thorpe were drunk, and posted a stupid tweet. Nothing else behind it.

This. It ain't coming back next year. Probably never. The money it cost could be spent on many shoe-horned in IPs for the Summer instead

[SteveJ]

I dont want to sound like an angry vox pop but I feel like it's justified here after the continued unprofessional attitude from Thorpe Park

 

Absolutely ridiculous that park doesnt just come out and say "Loggers Leap is closed". How hard is that? The moment Loggers Leap closed it got glossed over by people either too over-optimistic on what to expect from Merlin, or who were doing it to save bad press. While it probably could have been refurbished as necessary and reopened (like any other park would), this just isn't Merlin's track record.

 

No surprise to everybody that it's sat there for years seizing up and much is now probably beyond reasonable repair. So just tell your customers Thorpe Park, the ride is closed. It's the least you could do! You've only created far, far worse response by trying to shove your biggest family attraction under the carpet.

And now this tweet, probably because the park is such a joke at the moment that its own staff find it funny (I would). It needs a proper sort out this place.

[MarkC]

25 minutes ago, Ivsetti said:

Every. Single. Comment. On Thorpe Park's social media pages have some reference to Loggers Leap. It's really frustrating to read those now.

 

The first things we need to consider are this: Thorpe Park would very quickly have fixed Loggers Leap if they could. They know closing an attraction isn't the best course of action. Take The Swarm, an apparently broken lift chain which they fixed in ~4 days. I'm not sure what broke on Loggers Leap but I'm fairly certain Mack Rides still build flume rides so either they don't make parts that date back to ~1990 or Thorpe Park don't want to fix the ride. Which leads me onto my second point.

 

The second thing we need to remember is this. That ride is quite old now and you've got to realise that it was time for it to be replaced anyway. The space that ride holds could be space for a new attraction. When Thorpe Park say "redevelopment" that doesn't mean immediate construction work. We all know that it takes years to build and design a coaster or perhaps even another water ride. Thorpe Park is all about drawing the crowds in and I doubt they'd just reopen the flume ride without some overhaul which would make it marketable of some kind of like Tiger Rock at Chessington.

 

With the 2020 coaster plans coming up, I doubt we'll see any work or progress on Loggers until the hype and crowds have started to decline for that new attraction so don't hold your breath just year. If they don't reopen it next year, it'll be unlikely to be reopened in the next few years.

 

By declaring the ride "closed" would imply they'll permanently close the ride. It also means an expectation for something new in that area. So they're damned if they do, they're damned if they don't. By keeping it in a status of limbo if they finally get the funds/ parts needed to reopen the ride (which has obviously become more damaged = more expensive than if they'd had done this in 2015) they can now reopen it. Alternatively, we all know Thorpe Park release details about new rides quite "late" and they may have plans for something new in that area (hopefully a 1.1m height restriction ride like Loggers). So maybe that's why we've had little word on the ride yet.

 

Also, I really really don't like the current Social Media guy in charge - "Jordan" I think he's called. Completely unprofessional, think's he's amazing, goes out into Twitter comments on his own personal account attacking people that don't like his tweet from the TPOfficial page and really just very low engagement efforts at being "down with the kids". The only good content is the "TBT" and Friday Winter Updates series.

 

 

1) You have no idea what you’re talking about. Try only writing a sentence next time instead of a essay so it means I have to scroll less to avoid the utter garbage you write.

 

2) A 2020 coaster is not happening.

 

3) You are right about one thing, the social media manager is Jordan. But she’s far from a man. If you had a problem with your Apple product would you go straight to the CEO? No because there’s plenty of people under them that are doing all the work. Jordan wouldn’t be replying to every comment and putting up every post, that’s what a team is for.

 

4) Once again please stop these massive essays. It doesn’t make you look clever, it just makes you look like a moron when the fundamentals are wrong.

[MarkC]

17 minutes ago, Ivsetti said:

Just wanna know where you got this info?

 

Thank you for the rest of your comment, it's good someone out there puts it to me straight  .

 

Also, I was referring to this:

 

Replies:

 

Also, removed the essays from the site - completely get where you're coming from. This'll be my last long post.

Slightly worrying you thought that was a bloke....

[Mattgwise]

55 minutes ago, Ivsetti said:

Just wanna know where you got this info? 

Ivsetti, regarding the "2020 coaster". Majority of people believe it has been cancelled and it is extremely unlikely to happen. Its not to say in later years it won't happen but for now likely expect no new coaster in 2020 and you refer to it as if it's fully confirmed and construction started. 

[Project LC]

There is an investment currently progressing forward for 2020 but as far as I am aware there is no coaster involved. 

[Stuntman707]

Thorpe's Loggers tweet was such a dumb thing to do. Every single update they post now contains nothing but comments from people asking about Loggers Leap.

[Coaster]

2 hours ago, Stuntman707 said:

Thorpe's Loggers tweet was such a dumb thing to do. Every single update they post now contains nothing but comments from people asking about Loggers Leap.

It's to be expected really, considering they've led people to believe on social media for the past 3 years that it'll "be making a splash-back soon."

[Marhelorpe]

It must be said that the park's social media teams need to get a grip with how they are running things and handling their customers, as some of the stuff we've seen this year not just from Thorpe but also Alton is really surprising. Things such as their attitude with the "Tut tut tut, it's better than nothing" and now the stupid things like #LoggersLeap2019. It's very unprofessional. I'm all for seeing some banter and fun with these accounts and have no issues with the ones Ivsetti mentioned above, but it's when they are either blatantly lying or treating their customers with contempt it becomes a problem.

 

At this point as Wumbamillio said, instead of procrastinating a decision with Loggers Leap, they should just flat-out say it's closed/reopening and get this over and done with. Simples. None of this "making a splash-back soon" or "Area under development" guff on their maps for the last 3 seasons which now nobody believes anymore, as it just clings onto the notion it will return eventually one day and will only build false hope with both guests and fans.

 

Whilst I admit I previously and frankly stupidly thought in a previous post this tweet meant a possibility of Loggers Leap coming back for 2019 (as I really want it to return), I then remembered this is the same social media account which told us this not so long ago......

 

 

Lesson - take whatever you read on their Twitter page with enough salt to fill Tidal Wave's pool.

[SteveJ]

The unprofessionalism all round from Thorpe Park is shocking. And no offence but it's pretty embarassing to see a self-appointed theme park 'personality' seemingly using their job at Thorpe Park as self validation for their inflated enthusiast opions.

 

I know many enthusiasts (in the real sense of the word, not this enthusiast "community" cult  ideology) who are extremely hard working and have been in the attraction industry for years. They make it all happen to entertain others, they dont get any wider recognition and they dont seek it either. Whereas this Jordan character trying to get PR attention at any opportunity, the tweets, that dumb enthusiast awards thing and many other enthusiast cliques, seem to be far more interested in themselves than working in entertainment. Or getting their enthusiast friends 'in' behind the scenes so they can boast about themselves too.

Thorpe Park needs to get back to basics, get back in touch with the public (especially if it's wanting to go for families more like it says it does) and offer a good value day out. Not a day in a tarmac car park sponsored by a hundred fads, with signs constantly reminding you you're on "the island" (whoops, you built over most views of the water years ago!), and then getting egotists to tell others why they're wrong online.
 

Theme parks are really just about having a laugh out with friends, with a day of fun.  Isn't that what we all got into it for?

People behind the scenes need to be open minded, less self congratulatory and sort the park out properly. But I guess massively glamorising the 'brand' to the point that it bears no resemblance to the park is what they're better at and all they're interested in currently.