The Future Of Events

[Olistjj]

obviously this is very personal but I'd like a summer concert from 7 till early in the morning with just AVICII DJ'ing and it all to be sponsored by Dr.Pepper and then AVIVII will ride on all the rides with me dont think that'll happen though for some reason

[Coaster]

I'd really like to see a February half term event, or failing that a Christmas one.

[darkadder312]

I would love to see them do a Feb half term one as long as X is on the ride list and a couple more coasters and flats.

[Cal]

After recent contact with Thorpe Park, I found this at the bottom of there email pretty interesting...

 

'Special events including Fireworks' Not sure if the park are planning a fireworks event for this year, but I think one would be great! I never went to the firework event they used to hold, but Alton's one looks great. 

 

This obviously isn't confirming anything, but they didn't have that last season when contacting them. Also worth noting they have Easter, and there isn't an Easter event at the moment.

[pluk]

I recon that is a Merlin park-wide cut and paste job. we can hope though!

[Olistjj]

If it was a general Merlin thing why would they specify fright nights? Ooooooooo I'm hoping we gunna get fireworks!!!!#!! :D

[Benin]

But it mentions Easter but there isn't a specific Easter event...

 

I'm with pluk, cut and paste in terms of what can be seen as special events...

[JoshuaA]

I would do a event with young cutsie pop artists on a cheap  stage and call it "island beats"

Or even better how about a chav gathering?

[Merry-go-girl]

In the summer holidays an area around Neptune's beach should be declared the Danger Zone and water guns should be supplied for Battle Royale style warfare. 

[pluk]

I don't know how much can be read into it this far out, but the 'Fright Nights' tab on the main page (which I think should actually be 'events') currently lists only:

 

Fright Nights

Ministry of Sound

VIP Experiences

 

No mention of Summer Nights or Island Beats. Or any Easter event for that matter, although they often seem to be more of a last minute and low key addition anyway.

 

So is that the end of these events? What else could take their place, if anything? I don't think Island Beats was much of a success so I wouldn't be surprised to see the back of that, Summer Nights was probably better overall, but is so very weather dependent. 

 

I think whatever they do they just need some consistency. This year was a mess of events and ticketing. Summer nights through the summer with a specific event each Saturday would probably be a much greater success, much easier to get a clear marketing message across.

[JoshC.]

Island Beats wasn't officially announced until April (too late in my opinion), so I wouldn't read into things too much just yet.

 

They're probably still considering some options and ideas, and still in the process of updating the website fully.  The Fright Nights tab is the same as it has been since September for example, which is why there is no mention of any summer events. 

[Ian-S]

The Summer Nights URL for reference, which is giving a 404 right now.

https://www.thorpepark.com/events-experiences/events/summer-nights/

I do hope they continue Summer Nights in some form, if they don't then I may not renew our MAP's, there are some unfortunate circumstances that prevent us from visiting during the hot summer days, and the evening events were ideal for us.

[OldFarmerDean]

well fright night dates are confirmed online on the opening times basically... all summer is 9.30-6pm, so it's possible it could make a return - it didn't seem any quieter this year, and they clearly deemed it popular enough to make money back in 2014 to do it again this year, so even if island beats doesn't return I still think summer nights will... they obviously just don't even know what they're doing themselves yet so leaving it closer to the time again... an easter event would be nice, but don't really know what they could do. I'm still praying for feb half term.

[JoshuaA]

Really hope we see Brainiac return somehow..

It was a great show both years. If not Feb Half Term maybe they can do it at Easter like they originally did.

[Han30]

Brainiac Live is a fab show so a return of that would be good (when I saw it I expected it to be boring but I was pleasantly surprised)

 

Summer Nights - Maybe they will add this to the line up at a later date, who knows.  I would honestly be gutted though if it doesn't return.  The first year that Summer Nights ran was significantly quieter than the past 2 years so it has obviously gained popularity.  On my first Summer Nights back in 2013 I didn't have a pass and paid the full £15 and got on so many rides I felt it was good value (especially when you consider that if you went on busy day you could only buy 3 fast tracks for that price and then queue on top of that).

This year I went to 9 Summer Nights in total - yes it was busier than usual but still a great event (apart from the ticketing problems on days where Island Beats was on) - it was even  more value for money for people without passes as the time for Summer Nights was 4-10pm differing from previous years where it was 7-10.  Made it much cheaper for people to spent time at the park - I did often wonder if anyone paid entrance price (even using BOGOF) to be at the park from 9.30/10am until 6pm when they could shave a considerably amount and just turn up at 4 - with the added bonus that the queue times were reduced in the evening.

 

Although Summer nights were slightly busier this year (could be due to some of then tying in with Island Beats) I do wonder how much the park actually made from the events.  Island Beats never looked very successful and I can't see how they could have made much profit from it (unless I'm being a doughnut which is a possibilty). But from a budget point of view, keeping rides open until 10pm means extra runnings costs aswell as staff wages etc.  Pretty sure a lot of people who went to the events would have been pass holders which, if you are Premium are free - even if everyone paid the £15 I don't know how viable it would be from a profit point of view when you consider that the event has limited availability.  I have a standard pass and personally had no problem paying a fiver each time because of the amount of rides I got to go on - much rather that than succumb to buying fast track!

 

I hope SN returns but wouldn't be at all shocked if it doesn't - although I may cry a little

[Ian-S]

I heard lots of people over SN say they paid a fiver for it having been on park during the day and they got an Island Beats wristband too. Went about 8 times in total, yet our MAP & Eventbrite tickets were only ever scanned the once, so as I think I said before, I hope they don't base their future decision making on the event on how many booked versus used tickets there was.

[Han30]

Your MAP and tickets were only scanned once?!  Ours were scanned every time - maybe I just look dodgy or it might be due to not turning up until around 4ish.  I know events are free for premium pass holders and there was a bit of an uproar about the whole £1 booking fee for FN to guarantee entry but honestly I think even if they charged everyone a small fee it is still a bargain - would rather pay a fiver to spend a few hours at a relatively quiet park than the event not even being available - can see a lot of people being displeased if SN doesn't return - but then IF they were to charge everyone to access the event that would probably go down like a lead balloon too

[pluk]

I'd be amazed to see the return of Island Beats, I just hope its lack of success has not tainted Summer Nights in their eyes and they realise they just got the offering wrong on that front.

Keep it simple, one event per evening.

[Ian-S]

Your MAP and tickets were only scanned once?!  Ours were scanned every time - maybe I just look dodgy or it might be due to not turning up until around 4ish.  I know events are free for premium pass holders and there was a bit of an uproar about the whole £1 booking fee for FN to guarantee entry but honestly I think even if they charged everyone a small fee it is still a bargain - would rather pay a fiver to spend a few hours at a relatively quiet park than the event not even being available - can see a lot of people being displeased if SN doesn't return - but then IF they were to charge everyone to access the event that would probably go down like a lead balloon too

First time the guy with the scanner had gone to the toilet, so the other guy just gave the wristbands, second time the girl just looked at the passes and tickets and handed over the wristband, pretty much rinse and repeat for all, the only time anything was done 'to book' was the last time when they made us goto the advanced ticket office to get our wristbands because they'd run out on the gate, everytime (apart from the last night) we had just walked up to the Annual Pass entrance at about 7pm and been waved through, they did look at the eventbrite tickets and our MAP's, but just handed them back immediately with the wristband.

Apart from once on Swarm with Mr Magoo, we were also only ever asked to show our wristbands at X (every dam week too lol), there was one time we expected it on Nemesis and the ride op came walking up to us, but all they asked was where was my wife, aparantly she'd left quiet an impression celebrating her first ride earlier in the week lol.