Thorpe Park 2023

[Matt 236]

Thing is though are there any UK parks that be solidly called a two day park if you excuse breakdowns and poor operations? 
 

Thorpe to an extent may be on the better leg of this currently because nothing seems to warrant more than a long days visit currently. 

[MattyB]

I suppose Alton could be considered 2 days if you factor in a visit to Cariba Creek- so 1 day in the park and a day/ 1/2 a day in Cariba Creek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ML27]

I Noticed in Silkstones Vlog about containment going. He says that it’s good to see them cleaning and removing old attractions as they are investing in *new rides*.

 

Hard to look too deep into this… but I will anyway. There’s clearly going to be a ride after exodus. What this will be, idk but I feel like the park is entering a new phase of investment. 

 

They have a lot of “brownfield” sites now, removed attraction sites which will be either left or paved over (such as containment and saw alive)

 

Slammer will be removed at some point, there’s another site. It will go from having no space to having a lot of space. Then the argument for not having space is invalid. With a ride or attraction sitting SBNO, it makes sense why an attraction isn’t put there. However, when a ride is removed and then the space is available it makes no sense why the space isn’t used for a ride. (E.g Submission’s site at Alton Towers) 

 

Surely Merlin will now go round the whole park completely changing the older areas drastically to bring them up to modern, less run down spaces. It would make sense to do exodus, then rip out everything between the old town toilets and the bar and grill. Drastically change the layout of the paths to accommodate a big dark ride building and modernise the area. 

Are we going to enter a phase of multiple consultations every time a ride is built at thorpe in a short space of time? 

 

 

 

[Glitch]

I would expect so, the old finance director didn't see rollercoasters such as  Wickerman as a bad investment. Now all the old thinking is gone it seems as if its only a positive way going forward. 

[coasterverse]

2 hours ago, ML27 said:

He says that it’s good to see them cleaning and removing old attractions as they are investing in *new rides*.

 

Yeah I personally wouldn't look too much into that - I feel like he's probably talking about Exodus and Ghost Train, although it is fairly obvious that they're clearly looking to continue investing. I suppose they wouldn't decide to just remove old SBNO attractions like Containment without at least a slight plan for what could go in its place!

[Benin]

There's a lot of areas at Thorpe which if they removed the stuff sitting there they could do a decent amount of things with.

 

Assuming the infilling plans are limited these days they'll have to remove things anyway. And there's a lot of old crap that could be binned.

[Mark9]

28 minutes ago, Benin said:

And there's a lot of old crap that could be binned.

 

Thats no way to talk about Depth Charge and Rumba Rapids.

[Benin]

43 minutes ago, Mark9 said:

 

Thats no way to talk about Depth Charge and Rumba Rapids.

 

And Storm Surge, Colossus, Saw, Ghost Train, Samurai, Zodiac, Walking Dead, Stea............

[coasterverse]

1 hour ago, Benin said:

 

And Storm Surge, Colossus, Saw, Ghost Train, Samurai, Zodiac, Walking Dead, Stea............

 

[Stuntman707]

I predict a patch of dirt will replace Containment for the 2023 season. Maybe will have some puddles if we're lucky too. Still can't be worse than the chlamydia pill bots in the planned trips and reports section.

[Mark9]

6 hours ago, coasterverse said:

 

 

Hes not wrong with Saw. its an absolutely atrocious ride.

[coasterverse]

15 hours ago, Mark9 said:

 

Hes not wrong with Saw. its an absolutely atrocious ride.

 

Can't disagree more. As a coaster it's doesn't offer much due to its pretty short layout, sure, but as a complete package it's a fantastic coaster. By far the best themed coaster at the park (I'd even place it above The Swarm to be honest), you get a fairly good amount of airtime (especially after the trims which are never switched on) and it's fairly intense.

 

I think it only gets a bad rep because it's got that typical Gerstlauer rattle, but what do you expect out of a Gerstlauer from 2009?! 

[Benin]

43 minutes ago, coasterverse said:

I think it only gets a bad rep because it's got that typical Gerstlauer rattle, but what do you expect out of a Gerstlauer from 2009?! 

 

*laughs in Novgorod*

[Mark9]

6 hours ago, coasterverse said:

 

Can't disagree more. As a coaster it's doesn't offer much due to its pretty short layout, sure, but as a complete package it's a fantastic coaster.

 

It does kind of matter to me that a rollercoaster has substance to it. When you say, it doesn't offer much, then I think my description of atrocious is justified.

[Matt 236]

Stealth has an iconic top hat element 

 

Swarm has that drop inversion 

 

Inferno is just bliss, with its volcano 

 

Colossus was the ride that put Thorpe on the map (more-so) as a major park.

 

Saw, Erm. Sorry, I’ll just pass for now. I mean the airtime hill is quite I guess. 
 

 

[coasterverse]

2 hours ago, Exodus Matt said:

Saw, Erm. Sorry, I’ll just pass for now. I mean the airtime hill is quite I guess. 

 

Excuse me, SAW is the WORLD'S FAST HORROR MOVIE THEMED ROLLERCOASTER!... because that's definitely a niche other theme parks are dying to explore (if you'll pardon the pun)

[Theme Park Fanatic]

Following the fire it suffered l July Scourpeon Express has been SBNO. Currently the ride is being repaired and refreshed. Does anyone know if the theming from Old Town will be relocated to Chessington? Mexicana the area where Scorpion Express is located has a similar theme to Old Town at Thorpe Park. Adding some theming from Old Town to Scorpion Express would enhance the ride. It’s evident that Thorpe and Chessington  exchange things. Some examples are Eclipse left Thorpe while Samurai arrived at Thorpe and Chessington gained Timber Tug Boat.

 

I think the transfer of Timber Tug Boat was at Chessington’s gain and Thorpe’s pain. This Rockin Tug is an enjoyable ride no matter the age of the rider. Timber Tug Boat now Trawler Trouble is a surprisingly forceful example. Trawler Trouble is more thrilling than most Rockin Tugs. The spin is insane and the backwards and forwards motion exhilarating. 

[JoshC.]

12 hours ago, Exodus Matt said:

Saw, Erm. Sorry, I’ll just pass for now. I mean the airtime hill is quite I guess. 

 

The beyond vertical drop..?

 

8 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said:

Does anyone know if the theming from Old Town will be relocated to Chessington?

I don't know for absolute certain, but there's very little theming from Old Town which could realistically be moved to Mexicana and thematically fit. So I'd say the answer is "Nothing have been relocated".

[Theme Park Fanatic]

1 hour ago, JoshC. said:

 

The beyond vertical drop..?

 

I don't know for absolute certain, but there's very little theming from Old Town which could realistically be moved to Mexicana and thematically fit. So I'd say the answer is "Nothing have been relocated".

@JoshC. Old Town was vertically Thorpe’s Mexicana. I know that Old Town was themed too a Canadian Town and Mexicana is a Mexican Town. Despite this both areas shared a similar appearance. An example of theming I think could be relocated is the man who stood at the centre of Rocky Express. 
 

You cannot guarantee Theming won’t be relocated because of a different theme. The vehicle that was the operating booth for Ripsaw,in Forbidden Valley,at Alton Towers made its way to The World Of Jumanji. 

 

[Matt 236]

Ok. Right, so you can probably tell Saw isn’t my favourite coaster. I wonder why. 
 

But there is a very good reason to ride Saw this year. 
 

Exodus construction, if you can excuse the torture from being knocked around like a shopping trolley. 

[Theme Park Fanatic]

I’ve heard the beloved,Thorpe Park classic was sacrificed due to Granfather rights. Can someone please explain what this means? I’ve not heard this terminology before. If Grandfather rights prohibited Thorpe from relocating Rocky Express why was Lumber Jump allowed to be relocated to Amity and rethemed to High Striker.
 

I am really worried that Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat is on borrowed time. Rocky Express and Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat opened within a year of each other. The loss of Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat would be a bigger punch in the guts. This ride is the sole surviving ride themed to the iconic Thorpe Park Rangers. Furthermore it’s a great attraction that can be appreciated by every generation. Should Thorpe Park redevelop Mr Monkey’s Banna Boat I hope it’s relocated. Ideally Thorpe Park would see sense and keep Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat until it’s irreparable. I hope that in the future Mr Monkey becomes the mascot of Thorpe Park. When the Angry Birds IP expires I would like it to be replaced by an area themed too The Thorpe Park Rangers. This area could include a relocated Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat,rethemed King Pig's Wild Hog Dodgems and a film of The Thorpe Park Rangers in the 4D cinema.

 

Does anyone else think the Thorpe Park Rangers should be given an area upon the redevelopment of Angry Birds Land?

 

[coasterverse]

53 minutes ago, Theme Park Fanatic said:

I’ve heard the beloved,Thorpe Park classic was sacrificed due to Granfather rights. Can someone please explain what this means? I’ve not heard this terminology before. If Grandfather rights prohibited Thorpe from relocating Rocky Express why was Lumber Jump allowed to be relocated to Amity and rethemed to High Striker.
 

I am really worried that Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat is on borrowed time. Rocky Express and Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat opened within a year of each other. The loss of Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat would be a bigger punch in the guts. This ride is the sole surviving ride themed to the iconic Thorpe Park Rangers. Furthermore it’s a great attraction that can be appreciated by every generation. Should Thorpe Park redevelop Mr Monkey’s Banna Boat I hope it’s relocated. Ideally Thorpe Park would see sense and keep Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat until it’s irreparable. I hope that in the future Mr Monkey becomes the mascot of Thorpe Park. When the Angry Birds IP expires I would like it to be replaced by an area themed too The Thorpe Park Rangers. This area could include a relocated Mr Monkey’s Banana Boat,rethemed King Pig's Wild Hog Dodgems and a film of The Thorpe Park Rangers in the 4D cinema.

 

Does anyone else think the Thorpe Park Rangers should be given an area upon the redevelopment of Angry Birds Land?

 

 

I don't really think it was anything to do with grandfather rights, only that the attraction was very old and very difficult to move due to the way the attraction was built (being actually embedded in the ground) and a very short timeframe that Thorpe had to make a decision to either retire or relocate before Exodus construction began.

 

I would imagine that Rocky Express' age, difficulty to move and urgency to move to make way for Exodus construction were all elements that resulted in its eventual demise. It just didn't make sense to move that attraction, it would've been a bigger pain than it was worth.

 

Mr Monkey's Banana Boat, however, is located in an area of the park that currently is seeing no big development. Therefore I would imagine it'll stay for as long as possible until the park need to utilise that area for a new attraction. It'll likely be ran into the ground until it's no longer viable to repair, at which point it'll either be demolished along with other rides in the area for a bigger attraction, or simply replaced with another flat ride.

[Portvls]

Only something small but upon going to book a visit at the end of the month, I've just noticed that the Vibes restaurant format has now changed to an all you can eat buffet dinner? I can only hope this will be better than the previous offerings...

[Cornflakes]

5 hours ago, Portvls said:

Only something small but upon going to book a visit at the end of the month, I've just noticed that the Vibes restaurant format has now changed to an all you can eat buffet dinner? I can only hope this will be better than the previous offerings...

On a visit in August 2022, Vibes (And every other in house restaurant) was closed. Here’s hoping they can even be bothered to open the place this year 

[ML27]

They are opening a bunch of new places this year. All doing different things, fair enough not having both donut stands open but you’d think they’d have all the new stuff open all season