Canada Creek Railway: The Bear Hunt

[Benin]

It's heading that kind of way tbh. There is a domino effect from this. The more family rides are taking way, the more families realise younger children aren't welcome anymore. The less younger children go, the less small rides like this will be ridden and Thorpe will start to lose money on operational costs like they have here. Then inevitably, more rides will be closed. Give it 10 years, it literally will only be thrills, thrills and thrills.

Exactly...Problem is, you shun away the families from coming, and you actually lose the most likely audience who will spend massively in comparison to the actual target market Thorpe have...Thorpe is literally going to turn into a massive themed funfair at the rate it's going tbh...

[Mattgwise]

Actually shocked too hear this, as others have said it is a great attraction to just relax on and a great part of Thorpe's history. Maybe there should be a petition to save it

[Mattgwise]

Here is a video that someone has uploaded to youtube:

[Marc]

Whilst I'm gutted its going I'm not in the very slightest surprised, its VERY costly to run, has its own problems which I guess would be costly to sort out and is not atall popular with the guests. It was always nice they bought it back and it actually lasted longer than I expected it too. I'm sure it will upset guests, as did Octopus Gardens but they do make it crystal clear what their target audience is and do strongly advise family's they should consider CWOA .

[DanMn]

Such a bad decision. There's no other way in the park of being able to just sit down and relax for at least 5 minutes, without rides and chart music in your face. Majorly gutted.

It's like they want to annoy their guests and deny them peace!

Exactly...Problem is, you shun away the families from coming, and you actually lose the most likely audience who will spend massively in comparison to the actual target market Thorpe have...Thorpe is literally going to turn into a massive themed funfair at the rate it's going tbh...

Are you all serious? I think the management at Thorpe Park are in a better position to say what's good and bad and will know more facts than you, not just guessing.

[pluk]

Are you all serious? I think the management at Thorpe Park are in a better position to say what's good and bad and will know more facts than you, not just guessing.

Just because someone has managed to get high up in management does not mean they are not an absolute idiot who will make stupid decisions. I have worked for and with 'managers' who are morons of the highest order who make continuous bad decisions, but it can take a long time in a large company for the disastrous results of those decisions to show their full effect (which in my own experience has included the collapse of a major highstreet name around me). Short term gain often leads to long term pain.

Having said that, it might be completely financially unviable to continue CCRs operation, there might be outstanding maintenance issues that just can not be resolved within a reasonable budget. But I highly doubt that, I think they have driven the family audience so far away that the cost per passenger to run CCR is too high even though they are just the same costs as they have always been. The decision to completely drive away the families is another issue altogether which a long way down the line I think will come back and bite them on the bum.

What do we think they will do with it? Will they spend money removing the track and the station? No, they will leave them there rotting so to first time visitor guests (which there should be many of next year with The Swarm) will look at it and think "Oh, that's broken. Poor reliability here. Some of this place looks a bit run down, doesn't it".

[ste193]

Slightly of topic but I hope the park gets a new management and Chessington, with the three top UK parks all being run by the same company there is literallly NO competition anymore and it shows in the quality of our parks really. Thorpe could be a great park for everyone if the right new managment came along and competed with Alton towers for that overall family market, this would improve the spending on the parks (which chessington gets a lack of), I haven't been but looking at the photo's of the park and hearing of no real new developments for god knows how many years seems sad and why?All because they are owned by one company, they don't want thorpe to compete with alton because they don't want their parks in competition, the same goes with all three of the parks, each would really benefit from seperate management who could put in the time, money and effort to compete with one another and make the UK Theme Park industry as great and competitive as in Europe and around the world.If they did Thorpe wouldn't have to remove great family attractions such as CCR for the benefit of it's owners, it's been the same with Tussaunds running all three, I really hope that we get some seperate owners some day to own each of the parks and repair whats left of the UK Theme Park industry.

[DanMn]

Just because someone has managed to get high up in management does not mean they are not an absolute idiot who will make stupid decisions. I have worked for and with 'managers' who are morons of the highest order who make continuous bad decisions, but it can take a long time in a large company for the disastrous results of those decisions to show their full effect (which in my own experience has included the collapse of a major highstreet name around me). Short term gain often leads to long term pain.

They have done well for the past 10 years or so I see no reason that they would suddenly have no idea. It depends what you class as long and short term, with the business Thorpe Park are in they can easily have a not so good year (so 2011) install a ride, and I expect next year to be packed again, as they say "build it and they will come".

Having said that, it might be completely financially unviable to continue CCRs operation, there might be outstanding maintenance issues that just can not be resolved within a reasonable budget.

I’ve heard this may well be the case actually, that and the ever increasing price of diesel can’t help.

What do we think they will do with it? Will they spend money removing the track and the station? No, they will leave them there rotting so to first time visitor guests (which there should be many of next year with The Swarm) will look at it and think "Oh, that's broken. Poor reliability here. Some of this place looks a bit run down, doesn't it".

I expect with CCR gone they will extend the service road at the back of the park, they also now have a rather large storage shed which can be put to good use.Dont get me wrong, I will miss CCR but I can see why its going.

[Dan9]

Are you all serious? I think the management at Thorpe Park are in a better position to say what's good and bad and will know more facts than you, not just guessing.

Out of interest did you actually read my post at all?

[Mark9]

Here is a video that someone has uploaded to youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=861_gm_AS5Y

My first reaction was.. awesome. It was then.. yeah that music is rather apt. I wish I could say I wasn't surprised by the decision. The way Thorpe has been going the last few rides, it was only a matter of time. One wonders how long the remaining RMC rides have left. I always feel liks Depth Charge, Neptunes Beach, Chief Rangers Carousel and Mr Monkeys are on borrowed time anyway.I just can't see a park where the only family rides are Flying Fish, Storm in a Teacup, Rumba Rapids and Loggers Leap though. They can't really just bulldoze down everything that young kids can get on..

[JoshC.]

I'm sure it will upset guests, as did Octopus Gardens but they do make it crystal clear what their target audience is and do strongly advise family's they should consider CWOA .

I knew it would be a matter of time before someone bought this old argument into this. I don't want to regurgitate the same old points about this, but really when you consider how much the actually park at Chessie has stagnated the past 6-7 years, I can see why families chose Thorpe over Chessie sometimes, regardless of how clear each park advertises to their target markets.

The way Thorpe has been going the last few rides, it was only a matter of time. One wonders how long the remaining RMC rides have left. I always feel liks Depth Charge, Neptunes Beach, Chief Rangers Carousel and Mr Monkeys are on borrowed time anyway.I just can't see a park where the only family rides are Flying Fish, Storm in a Teacup, Rumba Rapids and Loggers Leap though. They can't really just bulldoze down everything that young kids can get on..

I completely agree with all of this. Depth Charge is 21 next year, so really that's coming to an end of its life span anyway. And with Storm Surge being similar to it, I really can't see that lasting much longer. Neptune's Beach, though popular in summer, could be used much better I think, and the rest of Ranger County is waiting to close really. Also, considering how CRC is closing at 3pm on Fright Nights shows that it's an attraction they can afford to close. The trouble with the 'family rides' is that SIATC and Loggers Leap aren't really 'family' rides any more, with their new height restrictions. So, really, the only 'family friendly' rides will be for kids that are 7 years and up at this rate. Still a shame at how CCR is closing; absolutely gutted.

[Tom]

Depth Charge is 21 next year, so really that's coming to an end of its life span anyway.

Vampire says 'I am 21 and have many years left'.

[Ryan]

Vampire says 'I am 21 and have many years left'.

Vampire vs Death Charge though

[Tom]

^ True!Weirdly Depth Charge still pulls big queues though, unlike CCR, most likely because it's near the entrance!

[Mark9]

Hi, I'm 88 years old and I still pull the queues

[Tom]

My woodie brings all the chavs to the park, damn right it's better than yours.

[Mark 64]

You know, I have never been on CCR but after hearing about it's imminent demise and watching that video with it's sad music, I really feel like I've missed out. It's a shame that I won't be able to make it to the park before the season ends to at least have one ride on it... I don't suppose there's much chance of it coming back is there? Firstly, as someone has already mentioned, they'll probably just leave the track in place and secondly, they brought back the Flying Fish and that hardly fits their thrill/teen target audience.

[JoshC.]

^ True!Weirdly Depth Charge still pulls big queues though, unlike CCR, most likely because it's near the entrance!

That, and Depth Charge has pretty bad capacity. To be fair, even in its heyday, I don't remember a 'queue' as such for CCR, at Canada Creek or the farm,

I don't suppose there's much chance of it coming back is there? Firstly, as someone has already mentioned, they'll probably just leave the track in place and secondly, they brought back the Flying Fish and that hardly fits their thrill/teen target audience.

I doubt they'll bring it back. Fish was a complete different situation (ie, having to be removed to make way for a new ride, not due to costs / lack of people on it), and is one that can be enjoyed by everyone, even the thrill audience (granted, more as a relaxing-ish ride). Not saying it definitely won't happen, but I can't see any reason for them to bring it back after closing it.

[Mark 64]

I doubt they'll bring it back. Fish was a complete different situation (ie, having to be removed to make way for a new ride, not due to costs / lack of people on it), and is one that can be enjoyed by everyone, even the thrill audience (granted, more as a relaxing-ish ride). Not saying it definitely won't happen, but I can't see any reason for them to bring it back after closing it.

Yeah, I did think I was kind of clutching at straws there. I hope they don't just chuck the trains away. I know I didn't go on the ride but I still appreciate it as a part of Thorpe's history and would hope something could be done with them (even if they're dulled a bit colourwise and used as part of the destruction in the Swarm area ).

[JoshC.]

Interesting to note how today, on both of my rides, CCR was practically full, and there was a small queue outside for most of the trains I saw.Coincidence of the fact it is now closing, or showing that it's not necessarily unpopular?

[TraX]

OR the park is getting busier and busier and people see it as a rest from standing in another long Fright Night queue?

[Sidders]

OR they're just the wimps.Naughty Thorpe.

[JoshC.]

OR the park is getting busier and busier and people see it as a rest from standing in another long Fright Night queue?

Which would, in a way, be a reason as to... not remove? (I do get why they probably want to remove it, just for the record).However, on a pre-book only FN date, when you're getting train fulls of visitors (the majority of whom where families with non-teenage children), it seems that it is not an unpopular attraction in that sense.

[TraX]

Whilst I'm sad to see it go (hell, I remember the park before CCR arrived), the fact that it's busy a few peak days out of an otherwise empty season, I think it was just a matter of time until we lost another bit of old Thorpe.

[Fred]

I was honestly expecting depth charge to disappear before this (and on that note, WHY hasn't it? Awful throughput, awful thing, sticks out like a sore thumb... or have I gotten sidetracked onto their most recent "investment"?).Killing the calm rides... killing the relaxing areas and the genuinely nice areas to be around... is typical thorpe. Yeah, sure, one day they'll have just teens and twenties odd coming in... but with high unemployment for the youngens, worsening economic climate.. and the cycle thorpe has put itself in to constantly invest to keep people coming back.. will hurt eventually.I think the best part of growing up as a kid is becoming tall enough to ride rides you've been amazed with since a young age, and therefore bringing about a repeat audience. This is what families are about, and what thorpe is missing a trick with. Advertising and word of mouth can only go so far (and if you cock up, you're screwed).