THE SWARM: Construction Updates

[AstroDan]

I am so happy that Thorpe Park is to be nuked! Maybe they can start again and make a nice new park!But seriously, interesting stuff. Although if it looks like X Raptor then I won't be THAT impressed. I expect to be let down as it's Merlin - so whatever does happen hopefully it'll be decent. They seem to be intent on advertising every new ride as the most scary/death defying etc. thing ever these days...

[rollerross11]

I'm very excited, I think it could be awesome if they used similar theming to Terminator Salvation which is now called Apocolaypse, and maybe flame effects like X2.

[Cjw]

I don't see the logic in advertising a ride a year before it will open

Oblivion? Current theme looks pretty cool.

[Lewis.]

Trying & failing not to get my hopes up right now

[ZC2009]

Personally I am really excited about this. I know it's still a long way away, and it's not even confirmed yet, but it seems like a long time since Thorpe got a big new ride. I can't wait to see how this topic developes.

[mccoaster]

It going to be about the whole worlds going to end it 2012 thing. I really hope its not because what happen after the whole thing has passed. Surly Thorpe aren't that narrow minded!

[Lewis.]

Well we might not be here in 2013 so what does it matter? Merlin might know something we don't :)I don't see the harm in milking the 2012 end of the world thing a little, if that even is the theme.

[alexandercameron]

Exciting stuff, hopefully further developments with 'LC12' will boost further interest in this forum, I must admit I haven't paid much attention here since Saw: The Ride's construction. I would like to see a ride named something like, 'The Event' based on some nuclear apocalyptic disaster. Great news, how many hours of time is this thread going to take away from my life in the months to come...

[rickydoodle]

I don't see the logic in advertising a ride a year before it will open, before the park is open for the preceding season and before they've got confirmation they can build the ride.

They're not advertising 'a ride' - they're hinting that a new project is on the way, the same as they always do. We knew about Inferno before the construction of Colossus was complete.

[JoshC.]

They're not advertising 'a ride' - they're hinting that a new project is on the way, the same as they always do. We knew about Inferno before the construction of Colossus was complete.

I'm sorry, that is an advert.The fact that they have a tagline, an image and 'Thorpe Park 2012' means that it can't be a simple hint. Also, I'm interested to how they've always hinted to a new project.. Whilst I'm unfamiliar with Inferno's construction, just because we knew about it before Colossus was finished, doesn't mean it was advertised?Also, taking all my post in context, I see no logic in advertising a ride a year before it opens unless they have a year long strategy for marketing it...

[mbizzle]

Looks awesome. Really can't figure out the designs though, they look really weird cos theres a massive drop then the rest of the ride is really close the ground... Unless it went underground, I really don't get it...I think the 2015 coaster could be a dive coaster, as it sort of works when you look at the plans... As someone suggested it could be a sequel to Oblivion, like Nemesis Inferno was a sequel to Nemesis...So now I have a name for the 2015 coaster!OBLIVION INFERNONah lol just kidding, they have to be a BIT more original than that!

[Luke_A]

I think it will be quite a while before we get told anything else about LC12, I agree with most people in saying that it may have an 'end of the world' sort of theme, and I think it will be a B&M. As for the 2015 coaster, I hope it is an Intamin Blitz coaster, similar to Maverick or Cheetah Hunt at BGT. - Although that is too far ahead to start guessing too much.

[Coaster XTREME]

Looks awesome. Really can't figure out the designs though, they look really weird cos theres a massive drop then the rest of the ride is really close the ground... Unless it went underground, I really don't get it

That's not the actual layout, it just indicates how big the ride might be to the council.

[trippy]

cant Thorpe do a kind of jolly less depressing theme I mean they have just done a serial killer theme now the world ending... bit misrable to me :L

[mccoaster]

I think Thorpe might be jumping the gun a bit because they have not even submitted the plans to the council yet and they are already advising it. What happens if they have to postpone the project for a year due to them not getting the permission for what they wanted?

[A-Kid]

^Well they have permission for rides on the islands of X and Y hights. The previous plans given to the council were approved. If those rough plans were approved, its highly likely the real designs will get approved, surely? All the council would probally give one about is if theres a change in max hight, the visual impact, the after effects of this new ride (more traffic, etc) and estimated noise made.

[MikeyT]

As already mentioned, it is not uncommon in this business to start planning things before approval is granted. It definately happens with smaller projects, where planning applications will be sent in during the construction process if they can almost guarantee that it will be granted. A lot of research is done on this process and they would never start anything unless they were almost certain it would get the go ahead.Don't forget, this is a very vague bit of viral advertising that doesn't really hint at much apart from a general mood/ theme. In the mainstream, not a lot of people know that there is a coaster planned for 2012 or where it'll be located, it is only people like us that will know. Rumours may be passed on through word of mouth and that's how this kind of marketting works, but until there is solid promotion on either park property or official advertisments then most of the mainstream guests will have no idea about it.

[Ricky]

As already mentioned, it is not uncommon in this business to start planning things before approval is granted. It definately happens with smaller projects, where planning applications will be sent in during the construction process if they can almost guarantee that it will be granted. A lot of research is done on this process and they would never start anything unless they were almost certain it would get the go ahead.Don't forget, this is a very vague bit of viral advertising that doesn't really hint at much apart from a general mood/ theme. In the mainstream, not a lot of people know that there is a coaster planned for 2012 or where it'll be located, it is only people like us that will know. Rumours may be passed on through word of mouth and that's how this kind of marketting works, but until there is solid promotion on either park property or official advertisments then most of the mainstream guests will have no idea about it.

Luckily Thorpe are in the position that they offer the most employment in a single business in the area and bring a lot of tourism to the area. Which in the eyes of the Council is a major plus. With the park developing more and more more things can surface such as employment levels which inevitably will only go up decreasing, unemployment in the area. I would be shocked if Runnymeade where to decline a project which has only plus sides to it. I have been told relationships between the park and the borough council are quite signicantly good. You mention about the picture being subtle advertising.. I wouldn't in my eyes class this as advertising purely because it wass directed only at the forums and only clears the project name and possibly the theme. This is more an annoucment of the rides base. Not showing off what they havent as of yet got. But that's my take on the picture.

[Smiffy]

dont get why there's such a fuss whether this is advertising or not. The idea for a new coaster has been in the works for a while, its in the medium term development plan, so its not like its announcement will come as a suprise to the council or anyone else nor will it have affected thorpe adversely either

[JoshC.]

dont get why there's such a fuss whether this is advertising or not. The idea for a new coaster has been in the works for a while, its in the medium term development plan, so its not like its announcement will come as a suprise to the council or anyone else nor will it have affected thorpe adversely either

You're looking at that from such an enthusiast perspective. The majority of the general public probably have no idea what the MTDP shows, where to find it or possibly what it even is. Also, I highly doubt you've got loads of members of the council who are avidly looking at sites like this. However, when you type 'Thorpe Park' into google or most search engines, this site is usually in the first 15 or so results. People can easily access this and see it. So, for those thousands upon thousand of people who don't look on fansites every day or are keen searchers of planning applications of random councils, then this will be a surprise. This will be an announcement. This will be something to go 'oooh' or 'wow' over. This will be something to spark interest. In my eyes, that is advertising. And the fuss then lies on if the planning application is actually passed, because if it isn't, then Thorpe could be in a bit of pickle, don't you think?

[Mark 64]

You're looking at that from such an enthusiast perspective. The majority of the general public probably have no idea what the MTDP shows, where to find it or possibly what it even is. Also, I highly doubt you've got loads of members of the council who are avidly looking at sites like this. However, when you type 'Thorpe Park' into google or most search engines, this site is usually in the first 15 or so results. People can easily access this and see it. So, for those thousands upon thousand of people who don't look on fansites every day or are keen searchers of planning applications of random councils, then this will be a surprise. This will be an announcement. This will be something to go 'oooh' or 'wow' over. This will be something to spark interest. In my eyes, that is advertising. And the fuss then lies on if the planning application is actually passed, because if it isn't, then Thorpe could be in a bit of pickle, don't you think?

I'd say that you're still looking at it from an enthusiast perspective though. If you don't look at Thorpe fansites everyday then are you really going to remember what Thorpe said in 2010 that they were going to be building in 2012 when it actually is 2012? It's not as if they're encouraging anyone to buy tickets for 2012 either with this picture so they're not misleading or 'robbing' anyone if it never does get built.And to be fair to Thorpe, what does this 'advert' actually say? That it is called LC12 and it is coming in 2012. It doesn't even say what it is! How can you be annoyed if something doesn't get made when you don't even know what the something is? I don't see how people can be having a go at Thorpe for just announcing what the project for 2012 is called to an enthusiasts' website.

[JoshC.]

And to be fair to Thorpe, what does this 'advert' actually say? That it is called LC12 and it is coming in 2012. It doesn't even say what it is! How can you be annoyed if something doesn't get made when you don't even know what the something is? I don't see how people can be having a go at Thorpe for just announcing what the project for 2012 is called to an enthusiasts' website.

The reason why I'm saying it's advertising the ride is because it has a tagline; creating a build up - hype, if you will.If this ride doesn't come, then I personally won't be annoyed, it'll just be the ride that never was.And I'm not having a go at Thorpe either. The image there is great! However, I'm just hypothetically saying, IF this ride cannot be constructed, then Thorpe could be it a bit of a pickle with a few people. This website is read by many many more people, not just enthusiasts.

[Benin]

If this ride doesn't come, then I personally won't be annoyed, it'll just be the ride that never was.

So the original SW6 at Towers with it's 'unofficial' image in the valleys basically?Yeah, I think you're looking into this not happening way too much... I doubt they would bother sending a fansite a teaser flyer if they didn't have some inkling that they could build it... I doubt their marketing people are THAT stupid...

[Laelda_95]

Think about the Mayans predicting the end of the world, and the mayan theme would really fit with Colossus and the lost city, so they might put it in lost city. I am probably wrong , because I don't have alot of indepth knowledge about rollercoasters and the park, lol.

[Ryan]

Think about the Mayans predicting the end of the world, and the mayan theme would really fit with Colossus and the lost city, so they might put it in lost city. I am probably wrong , because I don't have alot of indepth knowledge about rollercoasters and the park, lol.

It's going on the island behind Stealth.