They just need to scrap it now. It does nothing for anyone, it's costly, it has a terrible atmosphere with ride hosts shouting down the PA and down megaphones all the time. It's also an awful ride that barely gets you wet. Opening 3 hours after park opening?

Get rid. Not worth the effort. 

I know what you mean, it hardly seems worth it.

 

I have to say though I’d rather it this way until it’s replaced with something rather than it sat there SBNO for ages.

johnny, remember me! yes I'll always remember, and I'll be splashin' in the slosh of the water, until you hear the cry, rumbaaaaaaaaa, remember me!

I don't like lakes, I don't like trees, I don't like tunnels and I'll tell ya why, budgets little rapids loves shortnin' shortnin', budgets little rapids loves shortnin' costs

bye bye rapids, thank you for the splashy splashes

What does everyone think about Rumba's fate then?

There have been people saying the rafts are still stripped down and lined up along the fence in their usual winter spot.

I thought this was always the case around this time of year, and nothing out of the ordinary, but I suppose it could be the end for Rumba?

With all the cost cutting, I suppose it would make sense to ditch an old ride like Rumba given the number of staff it needs, and apparently the amount of energy required to run it.

That said, if they were planning on ditching it, why go through the effort of removing all the boats and stripping them down?

I expect it'll be open again this year, even if it is on reduced hours and only during the summer months (except school trip season). They might as well keep the capacity there while there's nothing lined up to replace it, unless money is just too tight.

I wish they'd just bin it off, riding it is embarrassing these days. The problem is there no obvious replacement in the pipeline (that we know off).

Well if Parm Pap says it is so, it must be true...

It's such a weird one. Subjectively, from a ride perspective, t's pretty rubbish these days. But there's no denying it has a place, or at the very least a use, since it can absorb people. At the same time, it's staff-intensive for comparatively little reward.

I know they've talked about closing it down in the past. And obviously effectively turning it into a seasonal attraction is a by-product of that.

My biggest issue is if they close it without replacement, it seriously dents both the water ride and the 'calmer' ride selection at the park. Okay, it wasn't a great 'wet' water ride, but now you're left with Tidal Wave (overly wet), Storm Surge (equally not a great water ride) and Depth Charge (fine, but not a big player). For a park that just over 10 years ago prided itself on having the best water ride selection in the country, it's a fall off.

Even if it stays, the park are in dire need of a new water ride in my opinion. If it goes, they reach a critical point where a new water is a must.

Rumba is a strange one, considering its a a substandard support/water ride that offers something for groups and less intense, but given running costs (including higher staffing requirements) and risk/safety assessments with such rides, it does seem closure is highly likely, if not imminent.

I have fond memories of Rumba, from its early Ribena years to when I worked on it, during my year at the park. It’s an interesting one with a noticeable amount of history, especially being one of the park’s first major rides as Thunder River in the early/RMC (not that RMC) days. Especially after nearly 40 years of operation.

Should it close permanently, I’d like the park to put in another water ride somewhere, maybe a water coaster. However given current circumstances especially with Merlin, that seems unlikely.

it all depends on the budget, the cutbacks are rapid and the first thing to go is the intensive costs

if lizards happen on the stairs, bom will close the door, a ch ch

6 hours ago, Parm Pap said:

it all depends on the budget, the cutbacks are rapid and the first thing to go is the intensive costs

if lizards happen on the stairs, bom will close the door, a ch ch

Genuinely the best post you have ever made.

I've seen some pictures on social media of fencing surrounding Rumba, and a digger parked on the path by the wave machine.

If they have gone to the effort of putting up a substantial fence, this must mean that RR has been made inaccessible for either a decent refurb during the season, or it's being blocked off for good.

My money is on Rumba's site being the preferred location for the next major ride. I wonder if we are seeing the very early stages of prep for it to be decommissioned, to make way for something else. And if that is the case, I would bet they'd want to open it before Universal, so I would bet probably 2029 or 2030.

Could we see land clearance happening towards the end of the year I wonder?

Either way - they certainly wouldn't be putting that fence up around a ride that they're expecting to re-open soon...

I did say.

Post from jack silkstone and the park has just gone up on instagram, Rumba rapids is no more 😮

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVyeQ5yiHaw/?igsh=YXAyZ3FlN3Z5bzFt

Bitter sweet…. it was a ride that you could relax on between rides but also a large ideal area to build a new ride on.

If the park was full with no space at all to build then I could fully get behind it.

However with multiple sites still unused then I don’t really see the full benefits of doing this.

We’ve had 2 years of no SNBO rides and now we have another. That area will feel quiet but at least it wasn’t a major ride and it is out of the way slightly.

This comment on Jacks instagram post is confusing to me

I believe it means that they don’t actually have any immediate plans to replace it and they have no idea as of yet.

The amount of space this leaves could mean a decent replacement will eventually come. I’d like to see a dark ride but can imagine some sort of coaster between there and the island next to swarm

Shame its closing 1 year before its big 40, and we didn't get a last chance to ride (it definitely said returning 2026 on the queue boards) but budgets have clearly changed and forced it to close.

I'm not surprised and do think its the right decision. Its by far the worst rapids in the UK and it's a shadow of its former self. The more recent changes it went through took all the fun it had left out of it, removing the fun soundtrack and changing to dull colours.

Last year, it was hardly open anyway so it just isn't worth the resource getting it open anymore. Whats the point in getting it through winter maintenance and ages staff training for the sake of a couple of months. Then when it is open, you have the huge running costs + heavily staffed. I'd rather have the rapids closed than cuts elsewhere on park.

My favorite memory hands down is when they added that huge fire hose type water effect near the start of the ride. That didn't last long 🤣

Rumba was always good fun in my early years of visiting Thorpe so sad to see another Thorpe classic close. RIP Rumba ❤️

nothing is coming.

Well put Cal - I agree.

Really, since they were never going to invest in it again, it was time for Rumba to go, and I don't think anyone's going to be surprised by that.

It would have been good to have had the opportunity to ride it one last time, but I expect the ever-changing situation at Merlin has meant the decision to close was made after the park closed last season.

As much as it's a shame to see it go, it's not like we have lost one of the greats, like Loggers Leap.

I think really the biggest shame is that Thorpe's reputation for water rides has dwindled so much.

Here's to whatever comes next - hopefully the area won't be left to rot for long.

Had some iconic rides on it over those early enthusiast years. Particularly over Fright Nights.

How long will this grave be left before actual development happens I wonder?

It's disappointing to see it go. It's been a shadow of its self for years now, but there's no denying it was a useful ride to have. And tbh, I did end up riding it most visits it was open.

I get the point of how it would be nice if the park announced its closure in advance. But equally, I find the "one last ride" thing a bit silly. It's an old ride. It's got a place in the park's history, an important one within context, but it's by no means iconic. Very few, if anyone, will think of the rapids ride when they think of Thorpe Park.

That's not to poo-poo anyone here saying that. But I've seen comments on social media saying they should allow people that opportunity because it's important, gives closure, stuff like that. It's simply a silly argument.

I don't believe that this will have been a last-minute, or closed season, decision. I reckon this will have been considered for a while. I know there's been conversations at points over the last few years about its worthwhileness to stay open, and sooner or later it was going to hit that point. This isn't a Loggers Leap situation, where there wasn't maintenance budget to fix it up and then costs spiralled. This is a conscious, clear closure.

As for the future. I guess if Parm Pap says nothing, then nothing is happening. But it's a real shame as Thorpe was once the best park in the country for water rides. Now they've got an over-soaker, a water slide and a verruca pool disguised as a dingy boat ride (of which the latter two barely get you wet). Obviously in general water rides are struggling in this country and closing down. But it's a glaring gap in Thorpe's line up now.

I'd love to see something like Amazonia at Bellewaerde, but fear that might be seen as too similar to Storm Surge.

And I've long said a modern Intamin flume ride (which has individual restraints) would be amazing.

Equally, I'm kind of of the opinion that if Thorpe "Six Flags ified" and went down a coaster-park route, it wouldn't be the worst thing ever. Could be quite good actually.

I also wonder if they could utilise the space in any way for Fright Nights? That gives options to them when space for that is becoming more premium.