Car Parking

[Mr. Fish]

Hi Everyone

Just been got back from Thorpe Park today, and the car parking is now £4!!! every year it goes up another pound

Just thought id let you know

[Benin]

Or don't do that as it is against the park rules and regulations...

If you're that desperate not to pay the parking charges, buy a Premium AP... We have been lucky enough in the UK not to be charged it for so long in comparison to the other countries really...

[pluk]

You are aware that tourism in and around london is phenominal. With Thorpe Park, Chessington and Legoland being in close proximity to the London Orbital (M25). I'd say that they are not in the middle of nowhere being right next to the capital of England.

You're kidding, right? They are a decent length train ride from London, there is nothing else to do there that you would use they Merlin car parks to access. From a tourism point of view the space is about as premium as parking outside my house in Essex. My road does not have parking restrictions and it is about quarter mile (much closer than any Merlin car park) from the direct to London line station.

I note with interest that Chessington garden centre don't need to charge for parking to control the use of this not in demand space, nor does the pub a quarter of a mile or so from Thorpe. The reason? They are in the middle of nowhere. At Blackpool, people want to be by the sea whether they are visiting BPPB or not, so charging for parking is kind of necessary to manage demand and availability for guests.

[Fred]

Chessingtons easy to get to from inner london, train 35mins.

I can understand chessie in a way cos it's just overflowing with public transport which noone uses cos noone visits the park, but still..

[AstroDan]

Alton Towers introduced a car parking charge quite a number of years ago now, which rises by £1 every 2 or 3 years. It currently costs £6.00 (has done since March 2011) which is very expensive, considering the very poor public transport option. To avoid paying the charge, just hang around in one of the hotel bars for an hour or so (drink lime and soda for 50p if you have to!) as then the barriers all rise, usually around 90 minutes after ride close.

Most European parks charge between €4 and €10 for parking (£3.20 - £8.00) depending on location, with Astérix, Efteling and Disney being the worst offenders to my knowledge (Disney are actually well over €10).

Add in the fact that Merlin have no money for their theme park operations at the moment (we see cost cutting across the division), it is no wonder they are trying to bleed more from guests with "stealth charges" effectively.

Sad, but true.

[Fred]

Can kinda see why they charge car parking - they entice people in with the bogof or sun free ticket offers, then try and claw it back a bit by charging parking and fastrack.

Wonder if thorpe give staff free parking if they visit, like towers have now officially done.

[Mark9]

Most European parks charge between €4 and €10 for parking (£3.20 - £8.00) depending on location, with Astérix, Efteling and Disney being the worst offenders to my knowledge (Disney are actually well over €10).

Add in the fact that Merlin have no money for their theme park operations at the moment (we see cost cutting across the division), it is no wonder they are trying to bleed more from guests with "stealth charges" effectively.

Sad, but true.

I noticed that Asterix was €8. But then no fastrack so horses for courses.

[coolskin]

to think Alton charge £16 for their front of house parking !!! I could not believe it, would like to know how many pay for v.I.p parking over a season...

[dj olly c]

The way to get round car parking is, if you're a standard pass holder and go when Thorpe opens at 10am and just go at about 12:30 - 1:00, they usually let people out for lunch, (but the barriars are manned after about 2pm). That's what I do but then again I do go on a week day so there's hardly anyone there, but if I do go on a weekend I drive and just let the girlfriend pay.