JoshC. Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 Closed Season is upon us, and sooner or later, the forums will descend into chaos (read: the forums will become dead quiet as we have nothing to speak about). To stop that happening, here's the 2016 Thread, where we can discuss all non-WC16 2016 Thorpe things. Share ideas for what you'd like to see Thorpe do for next season, post the few-and-far-between updates on any other updates for 2016, and views on those new things. And to repeat, any WC16 stuff should remain in its own thread. What I'd like to see... -Rumba Rapids work. Almost as infamous as a Colossus repaint, but this is surely a cheaper project, and is just as needed. -Introduce themed areas again. If the pop badges are anything to go by, Thorpe seem to already have some sort of plans for themed areas. Introduce them again, even if it's just on the map or something, to pave the way for stronger identities to these areas in later years. -Rebrand the whole park. The park feels like how it did in 2009, with a mixture of brands that conflict one another. There's some 'Island Like No Other' branding around the park, but still lots of fat head branding about. They need to get rid of all the fat head stuff, and really go all-out on the Island branding, which seems to have worked for the park so far. -A strong Easter event. Thorpe have gotten Summer and Halloween events pretty spot on, but have always played about with Easter events, with varied degrees of success. A strong Easter event, which they could potentially bring back each season, would help do the park wonders, and help kick start their season. It's by no means a necessity, but it would really help the park. There's, of course, plenty of other things I'd like to see. Colossus repaint / general work is one, Entrance area re-done, Tidal Wave work, going full-out on themed areas, etc. But given the current situation at Merlin, along with the fact there's a big-shiny new attraction coming to the park next year, it feels just a tad unrealistic to see some of those bigger projects being done for next season. pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 I'd personally want to see SAW have some sprucing up! It did have quite a bit of freshening up this year in terms of effects (eg. station announcements, including the old offload announcement), but I think it still needs more. They can start with possibly moving the police car back to its original location by the area entrance. Remember when it had its own sound effects while it was still there? I'll always remember the odd wail of the siren, followed by various panicked radio messages, such as "We have no idea what's going on in there" and "Do not enter the building alone! I repeat! Do not enter the building alone!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 My prediction for next year is WC16 being opened, and no other major noticeable positive improvements/changes made - purely because of the dire year Merlin have had. And if the rumours are true regarding possible removals from the ride line up next year for all or part of it (Loggers, X, Slammer), then WC16 needs to be seriously good, as does reliability/availability and operations in general - so I reckon Thorpe will be focusing on that during closed season (Hence early Stealth closure this year) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 I think X will stay. Specially now it is popular with GP. and it is fun now. Loggers leap IMO shouldn't leave, the flume is way more in need of removal. I think Slammer or Samurai could leave. Both might fall apart. IAC will most likely get boring, and the effects will start to brake and Merlin will do nothing about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraX Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 I'd like to see two train operations everyday. The Inferno mist, Swarm water effects fixed and working ALL season. NO closed all season rides (or lower prices to show they aware having rides closed all year is pretty ****e). All very reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 2016 hmmmm, Repainted Colossus, Rumba Rapids refurbished Canada Creek reopened Tidal Wave fire is back Top Spin Slammer is closed Loggers Leap 'actually' has a brand new tunnel Vengeance is built in Pirates Not like these ideas aren't original In all seriousness though, I don't think there will be many changes aside from WC16 tbh (please prove me wrong)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 Someone needs to take a broom and bucket into Loggers over the winter and give it a good scrub, should get it clean by next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 Colossus repaint, Top Spin, new show in arena, get rid of all Fastrack, rumba rapids retheme, loggers getting its tunnel back. BenC and OldFarmerDean 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 Colossus repaint, Top Spin, new show in arena, get rid of all Fastrack, rumba rapids retheme, loggers getting its tunnel back. Can't believe you've just leaked all that top secret info The Derren Brown themed Top Spin is supposed to be on a need-to-know basis... Tom and Ryan 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieN Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 I would like... A refurbishment of all the water rides as they could all be cleaned and improved (especially rumba Rapids) Colossus to be repainted and theming to be added. Also as much as I love slammer, it seems to be closed for half the season so replacing it with a top spin seems like a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 I would like to see several things, and whilst realistically they can't all happen at once, this is an outline of things I would like to see in 2016 in order of importance. - Reliability and capacity improvements.Thorpe has the potential to be very good at handling crowds, but unfortunately it has suffered a lot from high downtime in recent years (well, and in past years as well actually!) I would like to see this improved by having all rides open most days as well as the coasters being on capacity unless the park is dead. - Major overhaul of several rides and areas The park is in a bit of a state to be honest, with Rumba, Loggers, Colossus, Inferno (to a lesser extent) and several other rides looking in dire need of some TLC. I would like to see a major refurbishment or one of these rides and heavy duty clean-ups of the others. Several park areas are also in a state such as the area underneath Storm Surge. X's queue also needs a cleanup. - Bring back all the individual ride Themes! This is something that would cost Thorpe next-to-nothing to do, but would improve the atmosphere of the park so much. Why does Inferno play IAC music in the queue when it has its own fantastic theme? (I miss the days of this playing throughout the queueline: https://youtu.be/UEMd-zxpjSM ) - Reopen CCR. With the reintroduction of a family approach this has a place at the park again IMO, but I would see it renamed to something along the lines of "Thorpe Park Express." - Bring back FRIGHT nights! (As opposed to this year's "mildly dark and not particularly scary" nights). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 I would like to see several things, and whilst realistically they can't all happen at once, this is an outline of things I would like to see in 2016 in order of importance. - Reliability and capacity improvements. Thorpe has the potential to be very good at handling crowds, but unfortunately it has suffered a lot from high downtime in recent years (well, and in past years as well actually!) I would like to see this improved by having all rides open most days as well as the coasters being on capacity unless the park is dead. - Major overhaul of several rides and areas The park is in a bit of a state to be honest, with Rumba, Loggers, Colossus, Inferno (to a lesser extent) and several other rides looking in dire need of some TLC. I would like to see a major refurbishment or one of these rides and heavy duty clean-ups of the others. Several park areas are also in a state such as the area underneath Storm Surge. X's queue also needs a cleanup. - Bring back all the individual ride Themes! This is something that would cost Thorpe next-to-nothing to do, but would improve the atmosphere of the park so much. Why does Inferno play IAC music in the queue when it has its own fantastic theme? (I miss the days of this playing throughout the queueline: https://youtu.be/UEMd-zxpjSM ) Agreed with all. The last few years have been blighted with a few essential niggling problems. I want the park to explode into life in 2016. Get rid of the money black holes like Slammer and Samurai and get the core rides back to their best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge2002 Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 I'd really like them to push forward with the planning for a bricks and concrete hotel next year. The shark hotel has proven more than adequately that the park deserves one. I really can't see how else Merlin expect the park to push for growth, if they're insistent on not taking away from Chessington's family market. If they develop a hotel around year-round entertainment like their club nights etc. then they could really start pushing forward after what have been quite a few stagnant years, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted November 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 I'd really like them to push forward with the planning for a bricks and concrete hotel next year. The shark hotel has proven more than adequately that the park deserves one. I really can't see how else Merlin expect the park to push for growth, if they're insistent on not taking away from Chessington's family market. If they develop a hotel around year-round entertainment like their club nights etc. then they could really start pushing forward after what have been quite a few stagnant years, in my opinion. The most recent plans (from May last year) said that construction would start in Summer 2016, with the intention of a 2018 opening. Small round up of the plans here: http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/news/16-05-2014/Resort-Submit-Hotel-Plans I haven't heard anything to suggest the hotel isn't going ahead, and I don't think they've encountered any more problems since then. So touch wood all should be fine from now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenVig Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 new show in arena Erm... Dont know if you've heard? pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Erm... Dont know if you've heard? Someone's completely missed the point of my post, I just listed the stuff that's asked for every single closed season pluk, Kerfuffle, MattyMoo and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Tuckwell Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 I'd personally love to see Rumba get some attention. It's looking old, out of place and run down (read: Typically Merlin "themed"). It could be themed to fit in with Nemesis Inferno as the river that runs alongside / down the volcano.. The queueline needs to be re-routed around the pond and interact with the ride (like Congo does at Alton), the exit path re-routed and the photo kiosk moved (that's the worst bit of the dilapidation). While they are at it, they could also re-route the rapids and work on the theme a lot more.. But given that we still haven't got a tunnel on Loggers or a Colossus repaint, I think any of this will be too far fetched. Thorpe need to increase their ride portfolio massively.. as their queues are starting to get to the complaining days of Alton back in the day.. Quiet days seeing an hour (on the rides that ARE on full capacity of course)... I can see the GP slowly growing tired of that.. So, they could just go all out one year and add flats like they did with Detonator , Vortex and Zodiac (just without the PR nightmare that followed it).. As for where you'd put them... ummmm... I'd love to see construction on the new coaster too.. That should be kicking in soon, surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 I have always wondered why Merlin have pulled back from the Thorpe hotel previously, especially that we would receive plans but then nothing would happen. Would like to know where the setback is there especially Towers will be getting a third hotel alongside the Enchsnted Village, Chessington getting glancing (ugh) aside their two hotels & Legoland building a second one for 2017. Not to mention further rumours suggest Towers receiving yet another hotel near 2020, Legolsnd likely getting an eco village (on newly bought land) and Chessington likely doing at least another hotel or Enchsnted village equivalent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.S217 Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 BRICK WORK THROUGH OUT THE PARK <3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted November 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 I have always wondered why Merlin have pulled back from the Thorpe hotel previously, especially that we would receive plans but then nothing would happen. Would like to know where the setback is there especially Towers will be getting a third hotel alongside the Enchsnted Village, Chessington getting glancing (ugh) aside their two hotels & Legoland building a second one for 2017. Not to mention further rumours suggest Towers receiving yet another hotel near 2020, Legolsnd likely getting an eco village (on newly bought land) and Chessington likely doing at least another hotel or Enchsnted village equivalent. There have been many small issues that have cropped up with the Thorpe Hotel which is why we've seen so many delays. Plans were first submitted in 2006 for a planned 2009 opening, but they fell through for some reason (don't know why). New plans were submitted again in 2009/2010 I think, but despite them being approved, some of the smaller details of the hotel were not finalised or something, and some possible problems with the piping / sewage arose (from what I understood anyway). Then there were concerns about whether a hotel would be financially viable given the economic climate, Thorpe's target market, etc. So, to test the idea of on-site accommodation, and because there were problems with getting plans re-submitted for the hotel, we ended up with Crash Pad / Shark Hotel. Eventually we've ended up where we are now, with plans for the Thorpe Hotel submitted and approved, all little details sorted, and are on track to have construction start next summer. Touch wood that it little over 2 years, we'll see that infamous Thorpe Hotel! OldFarmerDean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles1 Posted November 16, 2015 Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 I have always wondered why Merlin have pulled back from the Thorpe hotel previously, especially that we would receive plans but then nothing would happen. Would like to know where the setback is there especially Towers will be getting a third hotel alongside the Enchsnted Village, Chessington getting glancing (ugh) aside their two hotels & Legoland building a second one for 2017. Not to mention further rumours suggest Towers receiving yet another hotel near 2020, Legolsnd likely getting an eco village (on newly bought land) and Chessington likely doing at least another hotel or Enchsnted village equivalent. Maybe being stupid, but what do you mean by Eco village for Legoland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Hutson Posted November 16, 2015 Report Share Posted November 16, 2015 A village made of sustainable lego bricks (kidding... I've got no idea what it means) Maybe there isn't much demand for a hotel as they originally thought. Or they want to do the entire re-brand, re-theme and open the big star ride and then concentrate on the hotels. Who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Thorpe's Annual Pass Day is on 13th March. WHO'S READY! As we prepare to re-open for the 2016 season join us for our CELEBRATION WEEKEND on the 12th and 13th March at Chessington and the 13th March at THORPE PARK Officiall as we open our doors early for Merlin Annual Passholders! This event is strictly for Merlin Annual Passholders and local Annual Passholders and everyone MUST have a pre-booked ticket and a valid Merlin Annual Pass to gain entry. All Passholders must present their pre-booked ticket aswell as their Merlin Annual Pass in order to gain entry into the attraction. Please note friends and family are unable to pre-book tickets for this event. To top off this celebration Chessington have an EXCLUSIVE hotel offer starting from just £79 available to book here:https://bookings.ihotelier.com/bookings.jsp… TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE LATE FEBRUARY SO PLEASE KEEP CHECKING FOR UPDATES! https://www.facebook.com/merlinannualpass/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPGG Posted February 3, 2016 Report Share Posted February 3, 2016 So is the first normal open day that normal people can ride the Ghost Train the 14th March? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted February 3, 2016 Report Share Posted February 3, 2016 No they've already said it won't be open until later in the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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