Thorpe Park 2023

[Mattgwise]

2 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said:

@JoshC. 

@JoshC. is the ride open now then?

Yes! 

[tactic]

19 hours ago, ML27 said:

Take this with a pinch of salt as it’s coming from a customer service assistant.

 

However I thought it’s interesting how they’ve described their park as aimed towards teenagers. I assume can’t go once past 19 and they are pointing people towards other parks 

I’m convinced the park have an identity crisis about the age range of their park every season. They should just choose something and stick too it.

 

Also I think young adult also means people from like 19-25 or something but I don’t really know, it feels counter productive excluding certain people in my opinion.

[Benin]

They pushed for young adults then realised they barely spend anything once on park.

 

Sure next year it'll be back to themed areas again.

[tactic]

Well this is fun…

[Cal]

Stealth is back open thankfully 

[MattyMoo]

Hope the Fish isn't doing a Scorpion.

[Theme Park Fanatic]

How’s Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat currently operating? I ask as it was broken and out of order for months. Do you know why buying a replacement part for Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat was so difficult? I ask as my local Theme Park Camel Creek have a swinging Pirate Ship called Pirates Of The Seven Seas. Pirates Of The Seven Seas is the same as Mr Monkeys Banana Boat. Unfortunately  Pirates Of The Seven Seas has been broken for months. When I asked what was happening to the ride,I was informed Camel Creek were waiting for a new part. To cut a long story short I’m asking as I would like to know what the future looks like for 

[ML27]

They are waiting for a new part then….

[Theme Park Fanatic]

On 8/22/2023 at 3:55 PM, MattyMoo said:

Hope the Fish isn't doing a Scorpion.

@MattyMoo I don’t think Flying Fish will follow in the footsteps of Scorpion Express. Mechanically Flying Fish is over a decade newer than Scorpion Express. Prior to its reopening in 2007 Flying Fish was overhauled. Many of the aging mechanics were renewed. The Fish is like Trigger’s new broom. Due to this Flying Fish is safer,more reliable and easier to repair. Although Scorpion Express only opened in its current form in 2014 the hardware is original from the days of The Runaway Train. Scorpion Express’s reliability was dropping for a few years prior to the fire last July. Flying Fish is a different story the ride is largely reliable.

I don’t think Flying Fish braking signals its permanent closure. All things break occasionally. You could have a brand new Car that breaks down.

 

[JoshC.]

2 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said:

How’s Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat currently operating? I ask as it was broken and out of order for months. Do you know why buying a replacement part for Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat was so difficult?

 

Mr Monkey is running fine.

 

The replacement part took a long time due to high demand with the manufacturer (they had many projects at the time), increased time on making parts due to expenses in sourcing raw materials and increased time in shipping due to Brexit.

[Theme Park Fanatic]

Hi is Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat ride very fast. My Grandparents,Cousin,Mum and I went to Thorpe Park around 2002. I was about 2 so don’t really remember much. My Mum and Elder Cousin went on Mr Monkeys Banana Boat Ride. My Mum said the ride made her feel very unwell/sick. I find this weird as my Mum’s been on larger Pirate Ship Rides since,this includes The Jolly Rocker that is located at Legoland Windsor, my Mum’s been fine after riding all of these. I know it sounds ridiculous but as Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat Ride is smaller than other Pirate Ships does it have a powerful swing. I know that sometimes smaller things are more powerful than larger things.

[JoshC.]

3 minutes ago, Theme Park Fanatic said:

Hi is Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat ride very fast. My Grandparents,Cousin,Mum and I went to Thorpe Park around 2002. I was about 2 so don’t really remember much. My Mum and Elder Cousin went on Mr Monkeys Banana Boat Ride. My Mum said the ride made her feel very unwell/sick. I find this weird as my Mum’s been on larger Pirate Ship Rides since,this includes The Jolly Rocker that is located at Legoland Windsor, my Mum’s been fine after riding all of these. I know it sounds ridiculous but as Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat Ride is smaller than other Pirate Ships does it have a powerful swing. I know that sometimes smaller things are more powerful than larger things.

 

It's not really any different to any other pirate ship. 

 

However, everyone reacts differently to different rides. It's not too uncommon for people to be okay on larger pirate ships and feel queasier on smaller ones.

[Benin]

Flip Flop at Mingoland is far more sickly than say Loke or Maelstrom.

 

Though being at Mingo is vomit inducing at the best of times.

[Cal]

Couple of updates re Stealth single rider and fire effects

 

 

Understandable regarding Stealth, I know they've put a lot of work into improving its throughput this season and that's clearly worked. I do hope they still manage to add this in the closed season though, the single rider works great on SAW and theres no reason that Stealths wouldn't too if its in the right place. 

The fire effects comment has got to be a joke surely? I'll believe it when I see it

[JoshC.]

"record throughputs" sounds like a slight exaggeration. Or, at least, for a very specific definition of 'record', as I doubt they're getting the best ever. Still, positive to see they're getting good throughputs. Realistically, I'd've thought the introduction of a single rider at Stealth wouldn't make a negative impact to train dispatches, but given at the moment they don't really batch and people just sort themselves out, I can see why a SRQ may cause problems.

 

The fire effects comment goes back to something I've said before. Even though they're saying no promises, there's obviously no indication as to when they may be able to get them operational, and just wishful expectations. Feel like they should just keep stum on that.

[MattyMoo]

Good to get these updates, but at the same time, absolutely incredibly laughable that a new effect can be installed goodness knows how long ago now, and still not be commissioned for whatever reason. Saying nothing and pleading ignorance may have been a better option.

[Mattgwise]

1 hour ago, JoshC. said:

"record throughputs" sounds like a slight exaggeration. Or, at least, for a very specific definition of 'record', as I doubt they're getting the best ever. 

Regularly sending 50 to 55 seconds on Sunday, but wasn't their aim nearer the 40?

 

On the other hand Swarm was also dispatching so fast it stopped several times at the top of the lift, though in fairness there was an odd issue whereby the brake after the inline twist was bringing occasional trains to a stop and then releasing adding around another 20 seconds. 

 

Video... 

 

[Glitch]

Really excited of the new logo launch. This will be the icing on the cake for silkstones crew ownership of thorpe park!

[coasterverse]

15 minutes ago, Glitch said:

Really excited of the new logo launch. This will be the icing on the cake for silkstones crew ownership of thorpe park!

 

Long, LONG overdue in my opinion. Although the infinity symbol and colourscheme is iconic at this point, it's undeniable that a new, refreshed logo is well overdue at this point. The infinity style logo has been around since 2001, and the 'newest' iteration of said infinity logo has been around since 2008, so the industry (and certainly graphic design) has evolved since then. If the new Hyperia logo is anything to go by, I think we're in safe hands for the rebrand.

[Matt 236]

I await with mixed emotions on this new proposed logo.

 

Am actually a fan of the existing logo, the infinity loops really encapsulated what the park was and didn’t seem too dated. 
 

However change is imminent and I guess the old logo has run its course.

[ML27]

It’s been confirmed via the passholder group that the logo, vision, soundtracks for the park will change from next year. 
 

How different, I’m not sure. My immediate thoughts are…

 

1) Island Theme - stays or goes? , they are an island and they can’t change that but they can use it to their advantage. I think island like no other days are gonna be fully gone 

 

2) That soundtrack is quite iconic and is somehow linked with most of their soundtracks

 

3) Branding nightmares, the park will be littered with signage; so hopefully they manage to remove all traces of it.

 

4) will the new logo be as versatile as the current one when it comes to events.

 

5) Will this be the final nail in the coffin for Thorpe park ‘resort’?

 

6) will this logo put an end to Thorpe being a fully themed “theme park”?

[JohnnyRocket]

New soundtracks for rides too? As long as they don’t touch Colossus or WWTP…!

 

So happy the logo’s changing, it’s been awful since they ruined it in 2008

[ML27]

[JoshC.]

I mean, we've been here before. Several times. Change of brand, change of vision, change of direction. 

 

New logo, however, is different. I like the current logo and I'd argue there isn't a need for a change to it. But at the same time, it wouldn't necessarily hurt, and if they're going all in on change, then sure, why not. I know the park have wanted to change the logo for years, so it makes sense to make it fit.

 

If they are going all-in, that means completely new signs, new merch, etc, etc. It's a big job, logistically and financially. 

I guess it depends on whether the new logo is more an evolution of the existing one, or completely new though.

 

 

The main thing for me if that, as I said, we've been here before. Several times. Change of brand, change of vision, change of direction. And it happens for a couple of years, before they decide to slow down with it a bit and then change again a couple of years later. Part of that came down to changing higher-ups. Part of that came down to necessary changes being required. There's a sense of optimism in that the higher-up management at Thorpe and Merlin has been more stable in recent years, which could mean this has been a long-planned process, with people who will then be around for a long-time once in place. But equally, it's cautious optimism on my behalf.

 

With Hyperia, the change in brand and whatever else the park are cooking behind the scenes, this is clearly going to be one of the biggest closed seasons yet for the park.

[Cal]

When I answered the survey last year (or the year before?) I didn't want them to change it, I like the current logo and I'm more of a 'don't fix what isn't broken' type of person. 

 

But you know what, I'm looking forward to seeing this. By the sounds of it, they're going all out here. The current management seem to know what they're doing and this has genuinely been my favorite season in a long time, so I'm looking forward to what they've come up with. I just hope its here to stay and its done properly.

 

Looking forward to hearing the new entrance music. Hoping ride music stays the same though. Original Colossus and Inferno music please, that certainly isn't broken.