OldFarmerDean Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 Air time... Intamin Megalite (Piraten) or the Mack equivalent (Alpina Blitz)... They look awesome rides with relatively low height and smallish footprint, and not mega expensive. Or I guess if we're going for 'up for it families' then although I love big coasters, I'm up for a family thrill coaster like 13, or the family Intamin (bike) launch coasters like Juvelen, they really look awesome and great fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 I don't think we should necessarily rule out another launch coaster. Â Stealth is a coaster that is all about the launch, but I don't think that should rule out a ride which incorporates a launch into its layout. Â A ride like Helix, for example, could fit into the park well enough, especially if they didn't focus on the launch so much during marketing. Â Dive Machines and Flying coasters shouldn't be ruled out either of course, but it's hard to see either them going to Thorpe in my eyes. Â Wood and just a full out airtime machine are what the park really lack in their line up. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 I don't think we should necessarily rule out another launch coaster. Â Stealth is a coaster that is all about the launch, but I don't think that should rule out a ride which incorporates a launch into its layout. Â A ride like Helix, for example, could fit into the park well enough, especially if they didn't focus on the launch so much during marketing. Â Â I agree with this entirely, it's my view that it'd be just as daft to say not to have more than one chain lift coaster! But from a marketing point of view I can see them struggling, and another coaster with a decent launch would greatly devalue Stealth with it's one trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 True, however does Maverick with it's hidden launch devalue Top Thrill Dragster? Same goes for Kanonen and Helix (to a lesser extent). I agree marketing it would be harder but I think it could be done with some thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 If Thorpe are really going down the family route then it'll be something in that market, maybe not even a coaster. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingferno Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 I agree it's good that they're catering for the family but they can't just purely focus on them now. Thorpe Park still rely on thrill seekers to some extent and yes a lengthy wait for a new coaster could see them loose 'some' of the thrill seeking market. The last major coaster was THE SWARM but the problem with that is people complain its too short or its a tame ride compared to the others. They could replace the flying fish with a decent family coaster and keep the larger spaces for larger coasters. Also regarding another launch coaster. If it offered inversions then people won't compare it to stealth because when you think of stealth you think of high speeds, and going 205ft into the air, if you had a coaster with inversions you're more likely to think about them than the launch itself. At the end of the day the park will do what they thinks best for them but I can't see them not installing a major coaster soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 I agree it's good that they're catering for the family but they can't just purely focus on them now.  Every thrill seeker has a family but not every family is thrill seeking. Thorpe have really struggled in recent years because they aimed the park so severely at a target audience with little money to spend. Chessington's falling apart at the seams but it continues to bring in the big bucks. Legoland, Paultons, Phantasialand and Europa Park are good examples of parks that keep every member of the family amused and they continue to have runaway success.  Thorpe fanboys in particular need to get away from this concept that thrill seeking rides are what bring people in because time and time again this idea proves wrong and eventually wears thin. Benin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 True, however does Maverick with it's hidden launch devalue Top Thrill Dragster?  No, but then the launch on TTD is over twice as powerful as Maverick. It is an event in itself. Stealth, in the scheme of things, has an average launch which would likely be near equaled by another launch coaster, so would no longer stand out against a ride which lasts longer than 15 seconds and does a whole lot more than a launch and one top hat.  Although I am thinking more from a marketing to the GP point of view, not my preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlesberg Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 My idea is that they should extend Stealth, then it would become the best ride in the park. It wouldn't look like a miniature Kingda Ka anymore. Plus a B&M of any kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 My idea is that they should extend Stealth, then it would become the best ride in the park. It wouldn't look like a miniature Kingda Ka anymore. Plus a B&M of any kind. Didn't stealth only just get planning permisson for 205 feet? And anyway I think it would be a pointless addition to a already great ride, for me Stealth needs more theming, Not extending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Stealth doesn't need anything, it's fine how it is and any changes would bring in very few people compared to cost. A multilaunch could be a good addition if done right. However I don't think it should be there next investment. They really need something which is more family friendly. An airtime machine is what they need. Something with no inversions so youngsters will be willing to ride it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GladiatorFanKyle Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 was Stealth not meant to have a layout very similar to Xcelerator at Knotts but got scrapped due to cost??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 was Stealth not meant to have a layout very similar to Xcelerator at Knotts but got scrapped due to cost??? I swear it was split between Rita and Stealth.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Rumour has it they built the full layout for Stealth with top hat and figure of 8, then realised it wouldn't fit, so they chopped it up and went back in time to install the twisty bits as Rita in Alton Towers and the top hat at Thorpe Park. Â Best fan myth ever Morgan.B and pognoi 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holtjammy16 Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 was Stealth not meant to have a layout very similar to Xcelerator at Knotts but got scrapped due to cost???   I swear it was split between Rita and Stealth..  pretty sure in one of the planning docs it had the same layout as Xcelerator edit: Tom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 To clear up some facts... Stealth's layout is as it was on the plans. The picture holtjammy16 posted was from the MTDP in 2004, which was used to show the council the rough size and location. The Stealth/Rita rumour is a staff favourite on VIP tours it seems. They say that Stealth and Rita were originally one ride, but were split between the two parks because neither could accommodate this super ride. This of course sounds very odd, since the parks choose and design their rides individually. Presumably there is some truth behind it. Given that Rita was a very forced ride and relatively rushed compared to other Alton coasters, I wouldn't be surprised if it was something along the lines of Thorpe were planning a launch coaster for a long time, Towers needed a new major coaster, then the big names at Tussauds were able to wrangle a bit of a 'deal' if you will with Intamin, leading to Rita. Of course, this could be completely wrong, but I expect there's some sort of validity to the rumour.. Tom, holtjammy16, JoshuaA and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 ^ The 'discount' rumour is very likely, I remember another rumour about Rita being for another park but it fell through so that's why Towers got it on the cheap. Â Unknown why Thorpe didn't go with the full Xcellerator layout, but space and cost are obvious suggestions. Â But the idea of Rita and Stealth supposedly being fused together is just the talk of idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holtjammy16 Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 To clear up some facts... Stealth's layout is as it was on the plans. The picture holtjammy16 posted was from the MTDP in 2004, which was used to show the council the rough size and location.  ah I thought it was on the MTDP, couldn't find it though   I think Stealth without the figure 8 has a generally more imposing look than it could've had with it, would've been nice to have a longer ride time but imo Stealth does exactly the job it needed to do.  -on topic- I really do hope they have have another coaster with a launch next, something like that recent intamin family launch ride (can't remember the name, begins with J) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 DIC Tussauds would have commisioned 2 coasters from Intamin, because launches hadn't really been done much before in the UK, they're dead easy to sell and they'd put basically the same concept in 2 parks - stagger them by 1 year to get more profit from each new attraction in turn. Rita is a custom layout made only for the Ug Land area and Stealth, once proper planning got underway, had dropped the idea of a figure of 8. It seems staff on the VIP tours know as much as a theme park enthusiast would (and are just as reliable too!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 One of the things I remember from VIP experience was the 'Stealth & Rita were supposed to be one ride' thing and though there are things that make sense, I'm still struggling to believe this potential myth. Back on topic, Thorpe's next big thing should be a coaster but one that aims towards the thrilling end for families. Something along the lines of Blue Fire & Helix with good theming and marketing could work, or even a woodie, Plopsas getting one and that's a park that attracts a similar age group to Paultons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretchy Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 I think one of us is slightly misrembering Matt, I thought the guy on the VIP behind the scenes said that it was the budget of one ride. I think I was then wittering about that they should just stick Rita on the end of stealth and maybe it would make a half decent coaster.. <waits for Stealth Fanboys to attack> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastercallum Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Thorpe need an RMC or a Mack megacoaster, both are relatively family friendly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 An RMC is family friendly????? They don't look family friendly to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Thorpe need an RMC or a Mack megacoaster, both are relatively family friendly Nah I disgaree, RMC's for me anyway are thrill rides.. And I've been one one, for me a GCI would be perfect. A GCI would attract thrill seekers and familys alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlesberg Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 For whatever comes after WC16 I want it to be one of the following B&Ms: - Flying (they're fun) - Hyper (they're even funner) - Floorless (could be fun) - Standup (with new vest restraints (could solve the problem)) I don't really want a dive coaster because dive coasters at Merlin parks seem a bit inferior. There's something I don't quite like about RMCs, I'm not sure what it is and my opinion may change when I actually ride one but at this moment I don't think an RMC would be the best addition from my POV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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