February 11, 201411 yr comment_176312 If there's one positive thing Merlin have done is realising that good quality park merch will be purchased by guests... So this can only be a decent call...
February 11, 201411 yr comment_176314 Stealth was definitely built in the short lived days of "Merch doesn't matter". It's stealth range was probably the biggest it had at the time, yet was still so poor in comparison to what you can get nowadays.
February 11, 201411 yr comment_176317 Good news! I always wondered why stealth never had a shop and the other big coasters did
February 11, 201411 yr comment_176320 This is good news IMO considering it was also the only major coaster at the park without a shop. Glad to see it will be an actual structure/building rather than a shipping container, which have now become a cliche due to their frequent use. 2014 looks like it could be another good year for the park.
February 11, 201411 yr comment_176324 Good move, and from the plans it looks avoidable which is also good.
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176338 This is good news, more people in the shop - less people in the queue!
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176341 There's also quite a large extension to the Stealth Diner, meaning more indoor seating! http://planning.runnymede.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningPK.xml&PARAM0=187208&XSLT=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Runnymede_AA/xslt/PL/PLDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/SiteFiles/Skins/Runnymede_AA/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176342 Seems the Stealth area is getting quite a bit of attention! I can't believe it's taken 8 years for it to get a shop and this new Diner should be even better especially if they make the inside feel like an American diner. Hopefully they'll also repaint the Stealth sign. It's not much but that's 3 park improvements already for this year (Stealth shop, diner and Mexican Cantina extension) so hopefully lots of other things are also happening around the park.
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176348 Great that this becomes a proper eatery rather than what was really a large stall. I've always liked the authentic look of it though, it's hard to tell from the plan exactly what it'll look like. It looks a bit nondescript UPVC box, I hope it's not and remains on theme.
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176349 I think its fantastic how the park seems to be improving the stealth area for 2014 and expanding this outlet can only be a good thing. I did think they could've done more to the area as it did seem a little wasted considering there was loads of open space, but this should improve things there. Great to see stealth receiving more improvements year upon year. Who knows, maybe we'll receive that original awesome queue line plan in the future which was sadly scrapped/cut back.
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176351 I doubt we'll see the grandstand queue ever surface; it was scrapped so they get a third train, which don't come cheap of course! Thorpe will want to improve little things and the like, but I don't think they'll spend about £1 million (which I believe was the number thrown about around the time) to put a new queue for a ride.
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176352 Bring back the DJ I say! Shows how little effort was put into the parks during those Tussauds days that 8 years later the park find the opportuinity to add a shop and some badly needed indoor seating...
February 12, 201411 yr comment_176382 This is fantastic news, many people will be wanting a new coaster, but to be honest Thorpe needs lots of work done all over the park, so better shops, food outlets and general maintenance is what we need. do we believe this will be in place this year? I am guessing if given authorisation and it is a shipping container, we could see it in place for the main season. But if they are building a popper building, then I am guessing next year.
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176385 What was the grandstand going to be? It was going to stand where the main queue for Stealth lies now. Essentially, it was a glorified cattlepen shaped like a grandstand, so each row would make you go slightly higher up, and you'd always be able to see the ride clearly. Image from TTP. This is fantastic news, many people will be wanting a new coaster, but to be honest Thorpe needs lots of work done all over the park, so better shops, food outlets and general maintenance is what we need. do we believe this will be in place this year? I am guessing if given authorisation and it is a shipping container, we could see it in place for the main season. But if they are building a popper building, then I am guessing next year. I expect they'll be in place this season. They're not difficult to install, and I bet work will have already started / be starting very soon (for example, with the billboard for Swarm last year, that was pretty much complete when the planning approval came through...). It would be a bit silly, and unnecessarily long-minded, of the park to apply to build a couple of small buildings a whole year before they could actually implement them, in my opinion.
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176391 The grandstand, as nice as it would've looked, would've been absolutely horrible to queue in. Much better the way it is now.
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176394 In the forgotten bog-land? I agree it probs would have been awful to queue in though, imagine being face to crotch to some of Thorpe's guests? Ewwwwww... Should've stolen TTD's spectator grandstand though for sit down based times...
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176422 I don't think that Grandstand would have been very good to be honest. The queueline it has now could look good with a bit of TLC.
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176428 As has been said, it would been lovely to look at, but not fantastic to queue in!
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176435 I don't agree tbh.. as already said; it's 'forgotten bog-land' queue is nothing to be proud of. The grandstand queue would have really stood out, rather than another dull wooden fence queueline.
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176439 I love the Stealth Queue line...for the same reason I love the extended Colossus queue. Its so scenic and out of the way
February 13, 201411 yr comment_176443 Maybe a new food chain could be introduced inside the new food outlet?
February 14, 201411 yr comment_176446 Maybe a new food chain could be introduced inside the new food outlet? Merlin have not copied Subway, so they have the option of a sandwich shop...
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