I can confirm that staff were told that it was closing for the remainder of the season. Whether they decide to change their minds on this is yet to be seen.

That's a shame.

Unfortunately, I didn't grab a photo of it, but there is now a sign in front of Tidal's entrance saying how it closed for the rest of the 2015 season.  

Gah well I wouldn't personally go on it in this weather but it is always a laugh watching other people

I was planning to do it at fright nights [emoji20]

So was I.

 

Such a shame, the ride creates such a good atmosphere and there is heavy footfall in that area, a closed ride is shoddy - especially when it's that visible.

Thorpe really are in bad times at the moment.

I wouldn't say it was bad times, they have a promising new dark ride coming, are owned by the second biggest theme park company in the world and are attracting a metric s**t tonne of guests right now, as always.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even if 75.68% of those are chavs who "luv Stelf coz its the biggest and the highest m8 its the best roller coaster ever"

Nah I'd say it's in bad times tbh. It's dirty, multiple rides closed (and the reliability of those operating isn't fantastic). There's just not a nice atmosphere anymore whenever I visit, and it's a shame because they have some great coasters and flats at the park. 

 

Shame about Tidal Wave, it looked amazing at Fright Nights and it's one of the main things I remember from my first visit during FN back in 2010 Ugh. Thorpe </3 I want to love the place but I just can't at the moment.

Correction: Chessington's in bad times. Compared to Chessie, Thorpe are in their golden days.

Correction: Chessington's in bad times. Compared to Chessie, Thorpe are in their golden days.

If you think this is Thorpe's golden days, I'd genuinely hate to think what you think bad times are.

Thorpe aren't doing as well for themselves really. From having opening hours cut, to rides not being open, etc. I still love Thorpe and really enjoy out, but they are struggling a fair amount. It's a real shame.

Thorpe's true golden days were way back in 2003. More recently, even the likes of 2009/2010 were a lot better than this year.

I said compared to Chessington lol. Thorpe's golden days were in the 80s, so I've been told.

 

EDIT: I'm thinking of a totally different park lmao. But I know Thorpe are past their golden days.

Imagine what some people would've thought about 2005-2009...

 

*shudders*

do you think there is any chance of it opening for fright nights?

I don't see how a ride closing for extra maintaince over the closed season means the park is in bad times... Everyone would just moan if it opened in April / May.

do you think there is any chance of it opening for fright nights?

 

Nah it's shut for the year now.

I don't see how a ride closing for extra maintaince over the closed season means the park is in bad times... Everyone would just moan if it opened in April / May.

It's the latest in a very long list of reasons why the park is in a bad state.

I don't see how a ride closing for extra maintaince over the closed season means the park is in bad times... Everyone would just moan if it opened in April / May.

 

It's just one of many reasons that together make a bad impression on the park.

 

Samurai is shut, that's a major flat ride that always has a queue. Slammer was down for ages. Tidal Wave is now closed too. Then add all the other reasons me and JoshC have mentioned, and I'd say they're not having the best time currently!

I don't see how a ride closing for extra maintaince over the closed season means the park is in bad times... Everyone would just moan if it opened in April / May.

Totally agree.

But the park are obviously struggling to get the people in (no doubt not helped by Smiler); when I visited yesterday the park felt like a bit of a shadow of itself from a couple years ago.

Whilst considering a main ride at the centre of the park closed for the rest of the season , on what is supposed to be the 2nd best park in the UK is disappointing, it wouldn't put me off visiting regardless of living 5 minutes or 5 hours away from the park as there's the night rides and scare mazes etc. a major closure would but hopefully merlin aren't that foolish.

Considering the smiler accident this year which has also had a small impact on Thorpe & chessie in addition to the massive one at Towers, it is quite understandable of closing a ride that doesn't receive too many guests usually yet costs a lot to run. As long as this does not become an annual affair the park is forgiven as the park's will sadly face operational cut backs as a result of the Smiler.

One must remember flying fish was closed last year though that was a slightly smaller lost cause. Whilst the park has faced a fair few pot holes lately, I don't thinks in a situation as bad as towers or chessie, one that's had a terrible accident on a big ride and the others a mess. Hopefully 2016 will be a successful year for the park having received the lions share investment amongst a likely shake up for fright nights again.

 Hopefully 2016 will be a successful year for the park having received the lions share investment amongst a likely shake up for fright nights again.

 

Next year will be exactly the same as this year, and last year, although with a new ride. All the same sore points will return (not to mention the classic Inferno mist is working/Inferno mist has stopped working discussion).

 

I think it's a shame rides need to close before the end of the season, whatever excuse Thorpe give it's still an excuse, and if it is for winter maintenance, then they need to address why this needs to happen before winter, and why still, Thorpe suffer the most from ride downtime. Staff turnover (and walkouts from engineering), will continue to cause knock on effects (across all Merlin parks), until Merlin treat their staff with acceptable work deadlines, better pay, and less likely to suffer from cut backs, which mean staff have to suffer the pressure as Merlin saves a few pounds.

 

It's a constant cycle with Thorpe, and will be again next year, and every year until Paramount come along to shake things up, and force Merlin to up it's game.

Totally agree.

But the park are obviously struggling to get the people in (no doubt not helped by Smiler); when I visited yesterday the park felt like a bit of a shadow of itself from a couple years ago.

I'm not surprised they are having lower gate figures to be honest! Reliability, operations and overall customer experience have been awful for most of this year.

The trouble is, Thorpe have been used to being able to have the "we don't have to make an effort, you'll come anyway" attitude for years but now people are starting to notice the many faults - I've read/heard loads of complaints from the GP this year about issues that have been the case for many years, but that are steadily getting worse.

At the end of the day, the guests at Thorpe are paying customers and if they continue to provide such poor customer satisfaction then I can't see things improving. The lower gate figures should be a wake up call to Merlin, but instead they're trying to cut back costs even further (11am staggered openings, rides closing before the season is over, even more prominent one train operation, the list goes on).

That is NOT the way to win back customers.

For those thinking it may reopen a note has gone onto the tidal wave page of the official site.

"Please note: Tidal Wave will be undergoing essential maintenance for the remainder of the season and will reopen again for the 2016 season."

https://www.thorpepark.com/rides/tidal-wave/

Shame.  Hopefully they can use this time to fix the long-broken effects!

Shame.  Hopefully they can use this time to fix the long-broken effects!

If it happends..