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2013 Changes


daboywunda

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Not that I know anything, but just adding one more family ride doesn't necessarily mean Thorpe are changing or rearranging their target market. Obviously I don't know for sure, especialy as Thorpe are often full of surprises, but I really think people are reading to much into it.

Personally I think they are just trying to regain a fanbase for the ride in one of the only ways they can; by making it more comfortable for people by switching the trains forward. Still, who knows?!

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Thorpe realising that shunning families is not exactly great for income (as seen in how crap it's done the last two years)...

Families are THE target market to grab the most money out of, because of the disposable income, most teens don't exactly have that, so really, it's in Thorpe's best interest to have SOME stuff for younger/shorter families...

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Well if thorpe do change to a family-orientated theme park they better keep all the big rides including samurai rush vortex etc need to be kept!

I don't see them changing to a family-orientated theme park any time soon, what with the club night events. That's not to say they won't try and accommodate for families enough to take all their monies.

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I would like to see an emphasis on families. Maybe 2-1 to thrill-seekers and families. I don't think Vortex or Rush at all and when you have rides like Zodiac and Quantum, you can see how family-thrilling some of the rides are.

You have Storm Surge as a family-type addition and I can see XNWO being a family-ride and later replaced with an indoors rollercoaster. Speaking of coasters, I think the next big rollercoaster will be an air-time coaster or a wooden coaster because it's something that is appealing to thrill-seekers and also to families but I'd also like a rollercoaster like Maverick. Either of the way would be great

Edited by Will
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Am I the only one who thinks Quantum is a bit too intense to be in the 'thrilling and fun section'

I went on it for the first time at Fright Nights expecting it to be some tame kiddie ride, but instead it wasn't far off making me sick. it really got my stomach.

Anyway, back on topic. While it isn't necessary to completely change their target market, I don't think adding a few smaller family rides would be a bad move. Not as small as the old octopus garden rides but maybe something along the lines of the Banana Boat.

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I could agree with that, it really is quite a violent ride. In a good way, now they've stopped it jerking about like crazy, but probably a bit much for the younger ones.

Just because they provide something new for people outside of their core target market does not mean they are necessarily changing direction. However much they want to cater for one demographic they know not to completely ignore the wider audience, if they did think like that the likes of banananana boat and carousel would have gone long ago, as they've been aiming at the yoofs for years now.

As for the X changes, while the lowering of the height restriction might be a very nice side effect I'm sure that is not the driving force behind the switch around. It is simply that the ride as it is is pretty much knackered and one of the things they have a big problem with is people being sick because of the disorientation, so if work needs doing anyway they might as well resolve that problem while they're at it.

Personally I think it is a shame. I enjoy the odd sensation of backwards in the dark and am lucky to never get any sort of motion sickness, but can understand why some don't like it and it might be a good idea overall. I'm not expecting anything spectacular from any referb it gets, but am just hopeful they market it appropriately. If they've gone to town on it with effects and music and a real experience then shout about it and promote it. If they've just turned it round, given it a lick of paint and and a clean up then it would be better if it just sort of happens unannounced, let people discover it, like it's the nothing new that it is. Just embarrassing and disappointing otherwise.

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My guess is they will give X a major shout out even if it is a really rubbish refurb....

I have been thinking though, if the rumours of ministry of sound sponsoring it meaning that X will become a ride with strobe lights and loud music it is not really going to be for the young kids- my guess is they are going to do something special to X but only time will tell ;)

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They wouldn't remove the pyramid. For one thing, it is still standing at the moment and to be honest X:/ No Way Out would be dire if it was outdoors.

It works well as a dark ride in my opinion, I am looking forward to seeing what they have done with it (if anything) but it definatley won't be outdoors.

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Doubt lower height restriction is just an added benefit, as supposedly they're getting individual lap bars to allow this. Seems weird getting individual lapbars when the other ones worked perfectly well for a 1.4m restriction.

Unless they had to scrap the trains, and get generic vekoma boomerang style trains instead. But then the ride could easily be 1m tall to ride!

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Speaking of coasters, I think the next big rollercoaster will be an air-time coaster or a wooden coaster because it's something that is appealing to thrill-seekers and also to families but I'd also like a rollercoaster like Maverick.

I don't think we'll be seeing a woodie soon. It's been debated for years, especially to put one in at Thorpe, and with John Wardley now retired, the chances are even bleaker for any Merlin attraction.

Well if thorpe do change to a family-orientated theme park they better keep all the big rides including samurai rush vortex stealth swarm saw etc!

I can't see a family-orientated park on the way. Not when they have Ministry of Sound and all these other crappy events (the only one that appealed to me last year was a M.O.S one where it stayed open until 3am, I never went). And all this investment, they've put so many new rides in that to convert it to a family-orientated park would mean removing a lot of them, and that would be pointless and a waste of money!

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Well if thorpe do change to a family-orientated theme park they better keep all the big rides including samurai rush vortex stealth swarm saw etc!

Of course they would keep their big rides! Swarm is only a year old lol!

I think that Thorpe should make themselves appeal to all target audiences, therefore making more money.

But that wouldn't mean removing any thrill rides/coasters.

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I don't think we'll be seeing a woodie soon. It's been debated for years, especially to put one in at Thorpe, and with John Wardley now retired, the chances are even bleaker for any Merlin attraction.

I think anything can happen to be honest in the next few years, I know this is getting a bit off topic but is all the designing for thorpe parks rollercoasters/rides done by a separate design team, not merlin? I was just wondering because with merlin being sold off we could be seeing a complete different approach and I really wonder what is happening to the merlin annual pass! For all we know thorpe park could be sold to another company and taken off the merlin pass! If that happened I would complain and ask for a full refund... But I can't see thorpe being sold of any time soon.

Also I kinda think in my head that chessington has a bigger chance of getting a woodie than thorpe, but I wouldn't mind seeing a b&m flyer or something cool at thorpe ;)

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lol, I wasn't suggesting that they WOULD remove the pyramid btw, just one of my random thoughts I have every now and again..

Thorpe wouldn't remove the pyramid. It is after all the park's giant closet for odd bits and bobs. There is quite the assortment of stuff strewn in there. Think of X as the space beneath your bed where you cram stuff to make your bedroom look tidy :closedeyes:

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