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The Crash Pad


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Hmm I kind of with Marc on this one. For a significant portion of Thorpe's target audience this is actually quite awesome.

..... many won't care about the type of accommodation. After all travelodge is hardly the height of luxury either.

This is my problem. What is with just putting up with half arsed, mediocrity? The fact is Merlin have come in and introduced cutting at every corner and, because this has been the multi-million £ companies ideology since day dot we've just grown to accept it?

Why do we sit here and let this happen? Doesn't anyone, anyone, ever think where has your 35£ entry gone towards? A few shipping containers for a demographic you're not even a part of?

Pffft. At least Travelodge will never claim to be Shangri-la like Merlin like to be compared to Disney.

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Got my room for £75 with annual pass discount to see what it's all about. That's with breakfast for 2 people.

We forget that this isn't aimed at theme park enthusiasts it's more for teens as this is the parks target audience. I bet they make a killing on it!

We forget that theme parks or thrill parks are run as a business, it's not run for enthusiasts

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Got my room for £75 with annual pass discount to see what it's all about. That's with breakfast for 2 people.

We forget that this isn't aimed at theme park enthusiasts it's more for teens as this is the parks target audience. I bet they make a killing on it!

We forget that theme parks or thrill parks are run as a business, it's not run for enthusiasts

If anything we are never allowed to forget that the park isn't run for enthusiasts. But then on the other hand people forget that enthusiasts are just as much the general public as the teenagers are. I wouldn't stay at this for SIlverstone or a festival and I certainly wouldn't stay in it for a theme park visit.

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I agree, I'm staying once and once only! Hopefully it'll give them an idea as to whether or not people will stay in it. My point is, just because enthusiasts won't, doesn't mean the target audience won't.

I'm normally the first to start slating decisions like this but it doesn't really affect my experience, I just won't stay more than once! Besides...it's difficult to justify more than a day at a time at Thorpe anyway!

Bell rock it isn't, cash cow...it could well be

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Got my room for £75 with annual pass discount to see what it's all about. That's with breakfast for 2 people.

We forget that this isn't aimed at theme park enthusiasts it's more for teens as this is the parks target audience. I bet they make a killing on it!

We forget that theme parks or thrill parks are run as a business, it's not run for enthusiasts

I'm not the biggest enthusiast anymore - I just think that if a company believes to be as good as or better than Disney they need to prove it.

Again, I'm not arguing that the crash pads were a bad idea. Shipping containers to be re-used as over night stays is a fantastic use of rescorces - but would it hurt to make something look pretty these days? The whole job of a theme park (in my eyes) is to take you away from a bleak, boring typical day into a different world... just my gripe.

This'll probably be a sucess and it'll just prove how we will bend over and be shafted by a bussiness.

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IanNem, I'm sorry but your logic makes no sense. You're telling me I should just ignore the cheapness thrown into a theme park just because I won't use the hotel...? So by that you've never had a complaint about anything in your life? It's very childish to say ''well, if you don't like the party you're not invited!! Nuuuuuuuuhhhhh!!!!!''

What if I wanted to have an overnight stay at the park? For years I've looked forward to the prospect of a hotel being built - it never happened, but what did happen is Thorpe Park decided to cater for a demographic that alienates me from wanting an overnight stay because I feel that I don't want to squat in such a depressing environment... and so because we're used to half arsed Merlin I should just put up with it, spend my money on the park a couple of times this year for next years investment in another disappointment?

I don't think you see the bigger picture to what I'm saying, the idea is a good one, the execution is considerably poor. Lets stop twisting words also. Merlin own Thorpe Park? Yes? Merlin have said many times they like to compare themselves to Disney.


You certainly can't please everyone, I know. But who really are they pleasing with... this grey thing? (apart from that guy ^ ! Seriously! Piss on my argument! :P ) Again, it'll probably be a success and it'll just help stamp that we LOVE mediocre ambitions.

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...Fine. See, I understand the point what Thorpe Park are trying to do - I think I've stressed that enough here. I'm not saying I'M only right, but as a customer I can have an OPINION. Sorry if it conflicts with yours, I just won't put up with ''Merlin do what they do.. live with it''.
I won't go on, clearly I'm in the minority and I'm fine with that. Just adding my 2cents. Albeit a lot of cents being thrown at the forum, but still... discussions discussions.

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Then I serioulsy hope that a lot of forumers won't complain about future developments concerning half baked ideas and half arsed attempts, because... what can we do? There's a lot of topics to what you all think should change, why bother?

I just think it's a sorry state Alton, Chessington and Thorpe Park are in since the Merlin takeover. At least Tussauds looked like they cared.

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Saw them today. As for the outside appearance, well, they look ugly. However, I'll go back to my original views on this when the plans were first released:

As for the look, one thing which I think people forget in general about Island E is the size - it is very big. The actual Snoozebox is to be on the part of the island furthest away from any part of the park currently opened. Being only 7-9m in height (I think), it won't look too intrusive. Granted, it won't blend in, but hopefully it should only really be part of the background and won't draw attention to itself. Having a boardwalk connect it to the bridge will probably be the thing that draws the most attention to it.

In my opinion, it doesn't look too intrusive. When you're on the bridge, you only really see the front (so the blue logo thing), so it does a good job in not drawing attention to itself, even if it doesn't blend in. So yeah, it doesn't look good, but it only looks bad if you go looking for it really. What I mean to say, basically, is if you want to look at it and not go in, you'll see it and see it looks ugly, but if you're not looking for it, you won't see it. Not sure if that makes too much sense, but it's the best way I can describe it. To those who actually use it, yes it will be cramped, but plenty of people won't mind it that much, and will happy to sacrifice some space to sleep on-park.

In general, the Crash Pad is not my cup of tea (I would only really stay there if it was the only / most sensible option), and I know many people who would share similar views. However, plenty of people will be happy with what is there, and I'm sure they'll work well for the park. Hopefully we will get a full-out hotel soon.

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Most of Thorpe's visitors think Saw is an amazing ride...

If anything, they're the ones with the invalid opinions...

Oi, I rate Saw highly, does that mean my opinions are invalid too? ;)

Josh, you live right round the corner (when you're not at uni anyway), so you have no need for Crash Pad ;)

Shhh, I was speaking hypothetically! :P

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To be honest, crash pad (based on 4 people) at £64pp

  • Two days entry to the park worth £49.20 each
  • Breakfast included
  • Evening entertainment

Bringing the park tickets into the equations = £64 - £49.20 = £14.80 - plus breakfast totalling on a normal day around £5/£6. after deductions of what you would pay separately your essentially paying (for the room) a mere £10 roughly.

Travelodge (based on Staines, on four people) - (usual price) £56 for a double room

  • Bed

£56 + £49.20 + Mcdonalds Breakfast at £20 (roughly) = £110.20

Splitting the room bill and breakfast up it comes to £15.25 + park tickets per person for two days is £64.45

Not a massive difference really when you get a bit more than a travelodge. If you want evening entertainment at a travelodge you have to go out and spend more money.

I think Crash Pad isn't ALL that bad.

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The thing Thorpe are selling is the location nothing more and nothing less.

...

I can see these being a good enough option for teen's / uni students planning a visit to the park.

I totally agree with you Ian, they are selling the convenience above all else and they have placed a premium value upon that. The date I was looking at 2 nights and two days is £300 Crashpad, £163 T5 (9miles, no breakfast) or Hilton Bracknell (19 miles, with breakfast). All from Thorpe breaks page.

For my own personal preference though the premium they have placed on it is excessive and the accommodation on offer not acceptable. Save between a third and half of the cost for a 15 minute drive? To a proper hotel with some space, corridors and a swimming pool? Give me the money! And a towel.

They are aiming it at those who are famously short of cash and likely to take the cheapest option for a little inconvenience, but not offering what those with the money are likely to want. So who is going to actually stay?

I want the parks and the things they do be a success, it is in my interest as someone who enjoys visiting. But as you point out, they seem be doing only what is 'good enough' - the minimum that would be acceptable. That is not the way to greatness. I sometimes wonder if they deserve to succeed.

Although none of this actually matters it seems, we can all stay at Josh's place!

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If we say it doesn't matter what it looks like as you won't use it, then we can include all poor decisions then. Like dung heap at towers, noone uses it as it's awful. Oh wells.

Considering they are using this supposedly to "test the market", then by saying you don't have to use it because it looks horrible.. Crash Pad could be a flop, and then hotel won't be built?

Make crashpad attractive, people will consider staying in them, hotel viability becomes apparent.

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