Inferno Posted January 7, 2023 Report Share Posted January 7, 2023 As much as yet another "year of thrilling events" absolutely sucks, I think honestly it's justified this year, considering they're literally spending millions on the UK's tallest coaster opening next season. I'm sure all focus will be on that. I do hope they can at least manage some sort of general tidy up though. The park isn't in great condition in general. Fingers crossed, Colossus will be looking better (or some of it at least), they'll fix some of the fences and at least try to remove some graffiti, and they'll put a bit of effort in to hyping up the new ride across the park. Derren closing will make next to no impact on the park what so ever, and as much as Slammer's corpse laying there for all to see is sloppy, there's no major rush to get rid of it I suppose (although while clearance work is happening, with all the gear and people on site, why not now?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterverse Posted January 7, 2023 Report Share Posted January 7, 2023 3 hours ago, JoshC. said: Interesting. It's still on the main website, for now at least: https://www.thorpepark.com/explore/theme-park/rides/derren-browns-ghost-train/ But yes, one would imagine it takes a certain level of direct intent to remove a ride from the app. So it will be interesting to see if it's a goner or if they're planning a retheme. As I've said prevuously, they can't leave it in the state it was in at the end of last season. Rocky Express is not returning. Highly unlikely. If Thorpe were getting a new flat ride, it would almost definitely have required planning permission. And if they wanted to open it for this season, we would have seen a planning application by now. Not even just at the end of last season to be honest - I rode it both at the very start and near the very end and it was in a dire state both times. I really hope it's not "the end of the line" for DBGT - Thorpe really do need a good quality dark ride and the space is plenty big enough for one. Hopefully at the very worst it'll sit SBNO for a while and during a period of investment have the guts ripped out of it and a brand new dark ride installed in its place. As much as the ride itself won't be missed, I personally enjoyed it as a bit of a break from all the other thrill rides - it was a nice change having a dark ride to ride away from all of the coasters. JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endsop Posted January 10, 2023 Report Share Posted January 10, 2023 Obviously we are gonna see the Colossus retrack, but I think it wont be ready for opening in March and might have a later opening in May or June. Hope they get rid of either ghost train, TWD or black mirror to make way for a new and permanent staged area for events. Refurb the freestyle machines, because the last few times I visited in 2022, the majority of the machines were not working. Revamp of SAW queue line to replace rotting wood and to incorporate the new single rider queue with the ride. MattyMoo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted January 10, 2023 Report Share Posted January 10, 2023 TWD and Black Mirror - the latter especially - are going nowhere for now, I would imagine Black Mirror is a 5 year IP licence, and would expect maybe for them to tweak it a little before that runs out. I could even see TWD staying put once the IP goes, it just becomes a generic zombie ride of sorts? Or would that finally be the nail in the coffin for that pyramid to be removed? Obviously that would be the same time as Black Mirror removal, so maybe that area could be earmarked for the next coaster after Exodus... unless they finally use the island behind Swarm - which would have not been cheap to create and sit there unused, make no mistake. Agree about SAW queue line, but also add into that the abysmal state of Swarm's queue and station walls that need attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Posted January 10, 2023 Report Share Posted January 10, 2023 Its been confirmed via the pass holder group that the single rider queue trial on SAW last year was successful and they're looking at what other rides they can expand it to this season which is great to hear. I can't see this working well on any other coaster apart from Stealth, but having this even on SAW and Stealth and maybe a couple of flats would be great to see! 8 hours ago, MattyMoo said: Agree about SAW queue line, but also add into that the abysmal state of Swarm's queue and station walls that need attention. They've also confirmed a lot of work is currently being carried out in the Swarm queue line, including replacing the damaged queue line and station panels, removing graffiti and replacing and repairing the queue line TVs. MattyMoo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 11, 2023 Report Share Posted January 11, 2023 10 hours ago, Cal said: Its been confirmed via the pass holder group that the single rider queue trial on SAW last year was successful and they're looking at what other rides they can expand it to this season which is great to hear. I can't see this working well on any other coaster apart from Stealth, but having this even on SAW and Stealth and maybe a couple of flats would be great to see! This can also be filed under "posts that could be from 10 years ago". Single rider on Inferno in mid 2000s was fantastic fare. Cal and JoshC. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted January 11, 2023 Report Share Posted January 11, 2023 Saw's single rider trial came as a result of a lot of pushing and campaigning from a Rides Team Leader I believe. Was a bit of a passion project in some sense. Glad that's paid off and they're looking at rolling it out further. Agree that, in practicality, Stealth is the only ride which has the capability to have a single rider queue (re)introduced, mainly because it was designed to have one in the first place. I guess a couple of flats could too. I hope that they see the worth in it and can consider some minor changes to Exodus' queue lines and include one for that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ML27 Posted January 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 I remember in 2021, Jack asking Russ about the new sign posts! How they were no longer named after the areas, he said it wasn’t necessarily moving away from them. Well as of today, we found out the following: A bit contradictory to what Russ said in 2021. I understand that Thorpe doesn’t have defined lands to that extent because of how small. But they are equally as willing to call it “angry birds land” and surely amity is easy enough. I’d like lands back, but I have a feeling Thorpe are in their amusement park phase again. the lands thing didn’t last long…. coasterverse 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inferno Posted January 12, 2023 Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 It’s all a bit whiplash with TP all the time isn’t it. I’m sure all the land-themed signs and info boards will remain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted January 12, 2023 Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 The "we're a small park" excuse is rubbish. Go back 20 years, when the park was (excluding The Farm) technically smaller, and they had defined areas, with portals and signage. Look at a park like Phantasialand, which is small and compact, and they have some of the most well-defined, high quality themed lands out there. The simple and honest reason why the park don't do themed lands is because they don't want to. That's fine too, if that's the case. But let's face, it's not because they couldn't. ML27, CharlieN, Matt 236 and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 12, 2023 Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 More U-turns than a Tory government. ML27, StevenVig, Inferno and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenVig Posted January 12, 2023 Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 They just simply can't be bothered, and that means they can just theme anything to whatever without any care or reason. Exodus will be a rundown theme, which they will not have to maintain for the next 30 years, 100000% guaranteed Second only to Disney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted January 19, 2023 Report Share Posted January 19, 2023 Surprised there's been nothing official teasing the 2023 season yet from Thorpe to be honest (other than messing about with things on the app to wind up enthoooosiasts). coasterverse 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyRocket Posted January 26, 2023 Report Share Posted January 26, 2023 Comments on this Reddit post suggesting Thorpe having been testing a new logo on the website. I mean, it can’t be… can it?!? It looks like a school project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 27, 2023 Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 Worse than the recent Bobbiejobbieland one if true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted January 27, 2023 Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 Surely not. Just, no. I know they've been looking at changing the logo for a few years now. I'd hoped that every time they have looked into it, they've realised they don't need to fix something which isn't broken. But who knows... In other news, Thorpe have confirmed in their Annual Passholder Facebook group that they're removing the Saw Alive queue line, and turning that area into a picnic area. They're also looking at moving the Saw Alive boat (a task which is easier said than done). Would be a very nice area if they could do that. Also, the removal of that queue line creates a nice space for a tent / shipping containers for Fright Nights and a new indoor maze to replace Creek Freak; just saying... Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemmyinferno Posted January 27, 2023 Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 Found on Instagram. The logo has since returned to the old style logo. What is going on? Are they trolling us or is this actually the new logo? 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted January 27, 2023 Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 57 minutes ago, JoshC. said: In other news, Thorpe have confirmed in their Annual Passholder Facebook group that they're removing the Saw Alive queue line, and turning that area into a picnic area. Just leave the fencing and random props/junk there and it becomes the World's First Horror Themed Picnic Area: New for 2023. Merlin, sign me up! Talking of horror themes - that logo. Cripes. Bet they were tempted to even use Comic Sans. coasterverse and Inferno 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted January 27, 2023 Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 3 hours ago, JoshC. said: They're also looking at moving the Saw Alive boat (a task which is easier said than done). You're right Josh, it is easier said than done. I was part of the team that moved the Belle from its old location across the lake to where it sits now. It was extremely challenging and that was when it was fully buoyant! I would be surprised they don't demolish it in situ as that is going to be a nightmare to move JoshC. and MattyMoo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewickerman Posted January 27, 2023 Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 New logo is fake - confirmed by the park on twitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ML27 Posted January 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2023 The current state of Swarms station, I know this forum has been really critical of general upkeep and they are finally doing it (aka getting the budget) HOWEVER *prepare for hypocriticalness* I can just see these repairs only last a year before they go back to before and that’s not the parks fault. Unless they really keep on top of it but that’s slightly impractical for Merlin. Really good to see, hopefully it will feel fresher and park have confirmed they have done similar upgrades in other queue lines. I wouldn’t assume it’s on the same scale. FYI, it’s a work in progress at the moment. It will get weathered and all that I assume Inferno and MattyMoo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 Consider me impressed. I wonder if they are going to box in those RSJs though to make them look like wooden beams as before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 How will I found Sj95's instagram now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobF Posted January 29, 2023 Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 14 hours ago, MattyMoo said: Consider me impressed. I wonder if they are going to box in those RSJs though to make them look like wooden beams as before. There is scaffolding up to that height so who knows …. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuntman707 Posted January 29, 2023 Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 Maybe that’s why they abandoned looking after the Swarm station last year knowing it was getting refreshed. It was disgusting and in such a sorry state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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