Benin Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Towers Street Restaurant offers breakfast too, and Chessie used to when they still had Greedy Goblin... Both worked though because people would be in those points of the park before opening, Thorpe does not have that space to play with... People arrive later, but leave early... It's a very strange trend from the UK market... The amount of late openings you used to see where there's pretty much no-one in the park and everything is walk-on... I think Chessie still does this at 6pm during Halloween time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 And I know about 9.30am opening is normal, the rides aren't actually ready usually at 9.30 though. So I wonder if all rides will be open on time for 9.30 now it's advertised.I had a peek at 10am today and over half the rides weren't open yet according to queue-times.com, so much for a 9:30am opening...As for fright nights, I wouldn't be surprised if they reduced hours to 9pm as this years fright nights is likely to have a much lower attendance figure than last year. With the majority of mazes staying the same, and minimal locations for a new one, it looks like we are going to be seeing an event with a similar scale to last year. With the other merlin parks upping their game on halloween events, attendance is likely to be significantly lower at thorpe without a major draw to this years event. With the disaster we had at thorpe last year with it being an absolute nightmare due to high attendance, low throughput mazes, reserve n ride and fastrack along with the fact that the event is unlikely to expand this year, there really isn't much incentive for anyone to return for another go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 I take it by what you're saying, you've decided Thorpe is in worst case scenario mode.. JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Users Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 The underlying problem is that the parks are losing money by staying open. This shouldn't be the case. JoshC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 It was inevitable, with the recent situation with The Smiler filtering to sister parks and many years of questionable service it was a mere waiting game before the park's suffered enough to cause this. Merlin have had a hold of the 4 parks for almost 10 years, 10 years of poorly made decisions, poorly executed projects, questionable service and availability. One day service may well be top quality, but many other days the service would be enough to make the devil look a saint. With all of the above, I'm surprised this didn't happen many years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 People do if the option is available. Fair point. I guess it comes down to the park and it's opening hours. Still doubt many people will take it up at Thorpe, but nice to have the option available I guess. As for fright nights, I wouldn't be surprised if they reduced hours to 9pm as this years fright nights is likely to have a much lower attendance figure than last year. With the majority of mazes staying the same, and minimal locations for a new one, it looks like we are going to be seeing an event with a similar scale to last year. With the other merlin parks upping their game on halloween events, attendance is likely to be significantly lower at thorpe without a major draw to this years event. With the disaster we had at thorpe last year with it being an absolute nightmare due to high attendance, low throughput mazes, reserve n ride and fastrack along with the fact that the event is unlikely to expand this year, there really isn't much incentive for anyone to return for another go. I'd be very surprised if they reduced hours back to 9pm. It wasn't a popular decision in 2012 and there were a few nights that the coasters and mazes stayed open till 10 anyway. The park are still opening late with Island Beats, so I don't see why they wouldn't match that with their biggest event? With the majority of mazes staying the same, and minimal locations for a new one, it looks like we are going to be seeing an event with a similar scale to last year. With the other merlin parks upping their game on halloween events, attendance is likely to be significantly lower at thorpe without a major draw to this years event. Nothing wrong with the event being a similar scale to last season - last season's event was huge and one of their most popular ever! The Lionsgate films will still be a huge draw, and Towers' re-investment and Chessington's new attraction won't detract that much from Thorpe's crowds. With the disaster we had at thorpe last year with it being an absolute nightmare due to high attendance, low throughput mazes, reserve n ride and fastrack along with the fact that the event is unlikely to expand this year, there really isn't much incentive for anyone to return for another go. Fright Nights has always had high attendances and low throughput attraction. Reserve n Ride was trailed on 3 days of a 16 day event. Fastrack, on the whole, was probably no worse than any other of the past few Fright Nights. If you really think that anyone who went last season won't have the incentive to go this season, you are very much mistaken! And don't forget, there will be thousands of people itching to go to their first ever Fright Nights, or their first Fright Nights in so many years. Fright Nights has been the park's busiest periods for years, one slightly quieter year won't change that. I also don't think it's wise to right off this season's event yet. In all likelihood, we'll see something done to 'Fright Night-ify' I'm a Celeb. I'm personally expecting Studio 13 (or The Motel) to reappear in some way. If My Bloody Valentine is going to go over to the island next to Swarm, which is a possibility, then they'll probably want a second attraction next to it to make it worth people's while to travel that far. So I do think that we will see something 'new' in some sense. There's still plenty of time for us to be surprised! Also, a serious question for you - if you believe that it will be the case that there's not "much incentive for anyone to return for another go", will you be going to FN again this season? If so, why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Closing at 6pm in the height of summer is ridiculous, it really is a case of taking people's money and kicking them out as soon as possible. Very, very poor show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Let's all be thankful the park is not shutting at 4:30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Let's all be thankful the park is not shutting at 4:30. Why would it be closing at 4:30 during summer holidays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 At the end of the day hours being cut is always far from ideal, but they are ultimately a business, if the numbers to justify 7pm closures are not visiting then they obviously have to address this. Thorpe have always been good at extending hours when needed and ive no doubt if the park is busy enough they will extend back to 7pm when its needed. Also gives us an extra hour of Summer Night queues on Fridays and Saturdays! Jack F 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Why would it be closing at 4:30 during summer holidays? Hyperbole (/haɪˈpɜrbəliː/ hy-PUR-bə-lee; Greek: ὑπερβολή hyperbolē, "exaggeration") is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It is used in poems to create emphasis on a situation. Kerfuffle, pognoi, JoshC. and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hyperbole (/haɪˈpɜrbəliː/ hy-PUR-bə-lee; Greek: ὑπερβολή hyperbolē, "exaggeration") is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It is used in poems to create emphasis on a situation. Yes I do know what Hyperbole is thank you, but it just seemed strange to say "well at least it isn't closing at 4:30" as if we should be grateful for 6pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Yes I do know what Hyperbole is thank you, but it just seemed strange to say "well at least it isn't closing at 4:30" as if we should be grateful for 6pm. Probably a reference to Towers' half 4 closures. Let's not forget that parks don't shorten their opening times for the sake of it. They've had the intention of opening at 7pm but obviously realised that the predicted crowd numbers aren't enough to justify that cost. It's not good that they've cut an hour away, same for Chessington, and it's probably ringing just as many alarm bells for the parks as it is for us. Let's hope that at least the park does decide to stay open till 6:30/7pm on some nights if there's demand. At least they've changed their opening times in advance as well. For example, when some of us visited Bobbejaanland a couple of weeks ago, they had it on their site they were open till 7, but then one small poster hidden by the entrance said that park close had changed to 6. Not the best thing to find out really. So there's at least been some thought that's gone into Merlin's decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Yes I do know what Hyperbole is thank you, but it just seemed strange to say "well at least it isn't closing at 4:30" as if we should be grateful for 6pm. True. Go to Europa Park instead. Currently at 9am-7pm closing, with all of August at minimum 8pm closing. Then again, it's a better theme park run by a much more efficient, reliable, customer focused company. And that's not a dig at Merlin, it's just the truth. TraX 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 True. Go to Europa Park instead. Currently at 9am-7pm closing, with all of August at minimum 8pm closing. Then again, it's a better theme park run by a much more efficient, reliable, customer focused company. I wish! Sadly it's not that simple to go abroad just for a theme park. Then again, it's a better theme park run by a much more efficient, reliable, customer focused company. No need to rub salt in the wound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Users Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Don't buy a MAP. Use that money to go abroad. Simple. Tom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Still short of a few hundred pounds if you want to go for more than 1 day which presumably you would. Merry-go-girl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Don't buy a MAP. Use that money to go abroad. Simple. Yes but I enjoy visiting theme parks regularly too much to not own a MAP, and one theme park trip (no matter how good) doesn't win over a whole year in my opinion. OldFarmerDean and Cal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted July 24, 2015 Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 Yes but I enjoy visiting theme parks regularly too much to not own a MAP, and one theme park trip (no matter how good) doesn't win over a whole year in my opinion. It really does. I'd rather spend more money having an amazing time then go to theme parks repeatedly that I have constant complaints and criticisms over. It's not like trains were you have to use a particular service because its the only company that runs that line. You don't have to put up with sub-par theme parks just to fill an urge to visit them regularly. pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted July 24, 2015 Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 I thought I'd miss visiting Merlin parks this year after I didn't bother to renew after the 'sale' fiasco... Rather glad I didn't in the end... It's been nothing but problem after problem this year... Cutting the hours shows the poor performance of the park, but rather than there try and be a positive response (say, reducing prices, increasing the value for money of the parks, improving the maintenance, etc), we just get a decision made by the accountants... But it's ok, because Shrek opened in London this year... You can always tell the difference between parks run by accountants and people who are truly into it... Ian-S and Cal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pognoi Posted July 24, 2015 Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 Yes but I enjoy visiting theme parks regularly too much to not own a MAP, and one theme park trip (no matter how good) doesn't win over a whole year in my opinion. I have rarely seen you defend any park and for the most of your posts all you do is moan and critique merlin about how they are not as good as other parks.. Then you say this? Once you go to a place like Disney, or Phantasia, or any other of these gloriously themed parks, you'll see that annual passes for merlin can have the money used spent elsewhere. Disney is the reason I have a passion for theme parks, despite the fact I had visited chessington and legoland years before. Phantasialand is probably what shaped my passion for immersive experiences over ride experiences, not thorpe park or towers. Don't get me wrong I love visiting them, but I have been truly inspired by ones found elsewhere. Single trips can literally change your life. You won't know that until you try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Not overly busy on the park but Colossus on one train, Colossus on one train. Swarm island closed but was on one train. Yet to see nemesis inferno but guess one train too. Half the park was still closed at 10:15. Loggers closed and samurai closed all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt10 Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Typical.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Nemesis Inferno was the only one on two trains and therefore the queue was short and walk on from 4:45ish. Everything else quite slow. Stealth was advertised at 45 minutes and 1 hour 15 minutes later, finally there. The fasttrack queue was half full and reserve and ride had 40 - 50 people waiting. Was painful! At least the flats all had short queues and despite the poor one train operation on most coasters still had an enjoyable day. Good news though for Tidal Wave. It is back to two boats running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt10 Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 If a ride is on reduced capacity, the queue is bad enough as it is, but if it is, RnR should be turned off on that ride are there should be significantly less RnR spaces available and when a ride is on reduced cap, the queue time should show as longer then expected, such as a normal 1 hour queue on two trains for Colossus, should be advertised for about 1.5 hours on reduced capacity.... And a good improvement would be that on the queue sign there was a message stating how many trains were running and other stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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