JoshC. Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Bit of an 'out there' suggestion, but if we're looking at a high-budget dark ride, perhaps one of these - http://www.dynamicattractions.com/products/sfx-coaster/ Whilst it's a coaster at heart, I'm sure if can primarily focus on being an immersive dark ride. I'm sure Thorpe and Dynamic Attractions could work together for a custom layout too. Sure, it will be expensive, and there's plenty of other options for a dark ride experience, but if this is the route they decide to take and they can splash the cash, I wouldn't complain! Kerfuffle and OldFarmerDean 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Bit of an 'out there' suggestion, but if we're looking at a high-budget dark ride, perhaps one of these - http://www.dynamicattractions.com/products/sfx-coaster/ Whilst it's a coaster at heart, I'm sure if can primarily focus on being an immersive dark ride. I'm sure Thorpe and Dynamic Attractions could work together for a custom layout too. Sure, it will be expensive, and there's plenty of other options for a dark ride experience, but if this is the route they decide to take and they can splash the cash, I wouldn't complain! I would like the SFX coaster - Gringotts meets Saw's indoor section to be Thorpe's next big ride. I hope it could go in the Fungal Safari area, I don't know how big the area is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mah boi Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 If Thorpe Park want to go all out, will a robo-coaster be a possibility that Thorpe will pick. I have heard people say Universal hold the rights to that ride system, but it appears that any park can have it now, since Paramount has included it in their concept art for their kent park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pognoi Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Something like that would be great! But Josh if you remember back to the Wardley interview, he said that rides tend to take up to 5 years to plan, design and make. This company (I believe) Weren't around in 2010/2011, or were extremely small, making them a less likely option. Of course there is always the high chance I am wrong and these ride concepts and designs will be used. I'd love to be wrong in this occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Something like that would be great! But Josh if you remember back to the Wardley interview, he said that rides tend to take up to 5 years to plan, design and make. This company (I believe) Weren't around in 2010/2011, or were extremely small, making them a less likely option. Of course there is always the high chance I am wrong and these ride concepts and designs will be used. I'd love to be wrong in this occasion. Whilst that's true, remember that up until the middle of 2012, the plan was (as far as we know), to have a coaster open in 2015. Plans have changed an awful lot since then, so whilst there may have some initial ideas back a few years ago, any plans for a potential major ride in 2016 would have only really come into swing in the past couple of years! pognoi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Smiler didn't take 5 years to plan out, about 3 years tends to be the average these days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pognoi Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Yeah looking back at it now I worded it wrong, replace 'tend to' with 'up to' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted October 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Smiler didn't take 5 minutes to plan out... If there is a dark ride, and if it' s for 2016 (both still big if's atm), I do hope they haven't rushed the planning. That seems to have been a common theme in recent years, It's not long ago we were all quite certain a coaster was coming. Surely it takes longer than a few months to plan something on the scale we are hoping for and do it properly?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 In fairness, we've known for a couple of years that the "2015 coaster" has been delayed. From there, it's still natural to assume the next big thing would be a coaster. But it could well be possible that the park decided then to have delayed that for a few years and get a non-coaster major investment before then. It's nice that whatever is happening, we have no real indication what it could be. (Unlike Swarm, where we basically knew what we were getting from 2010). So it's nice that that's happened at least! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 There is nothing to say this thing won't be a coaster... The Mummy is an amazing dark ride coaster combo and same looks like it can be said for the SFX coaster. They just need to be careful if they go down the dark ride coaster route to treat both aspects equally so one element doesn't overrule the other (like Wonder Mountains odd coaster section) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slendercat Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Thorpe Park has begun work on a large development – a new attraction set to open in 2016. The development will see the closure of Studio 13, the Arena, Mr Monkey’s Banana Ride, Chief Ranger’s Carousel, Calypso BBQ, and the Nemesis Inferno shop. Whether the Ranger County attractions will reopen in other areas of the park is currently unknown, although Studio 13 will probably be located elsewhere in 2015. So far, work done includes some tree demolition on the site of the past Miss Hippo’s Fungle Safari ride, and the seats in the Arena are being removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Are we not already discussing that statement? Personally I dont think that the entire area will become a dark ride. Thorpe are pushed for space and I really dont think they will be wanting to turn that entire area into a massive box containing a ride. It would mean the movement or destruction of some of the very little family rides they have. In my opinion I dont think it would be a wise move to convert that entire area into a dark ride. Also I dont think merlin would be able to pull it off. If history tells merlin anything people dont care for themeing. There least successful investment (sawrm) was the most themed, and their most successful investment (saw) was a dead IP closly followed by their other half themed ride of the smiler. Based on those rides we could see a building made of shipping containers with some yellow pipes stuck on the side with a tv show theme from the 70's. A dark ride is risky and I dont think it will be a success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 It would mean the movement or destruction of some of the very little family rides they have. Loggers Leap, Rocky Express, Rumba Rapids, Teacups, Dodgems, Angry Birds 4D, Depth Charge, Zodiac and Quantum are all family rides, and are under no rumoured threat. Carousel and Mr Monkey are very old rides which have very little appeal any more. It would be a shame to see them go, but there are plenty of other family rides and attractions... If history tells merlin anything people dont care for themeing. There least successful investment (sawrm) was the most themed, and their most successful investment (saw) was a dead IP closly followed by their other half themed ride of the smiler. Based on those rides we could see a building made of shipping containers with some yellow pipes stuck on the side with a tv show theme from the 70's. A dark ride is risky and I dont think it will be a success. Success is a funny word, especially how Merlin use it. 2012 was a quiet year for the park, quieter than expected most probably. That doesn't mean Swarm wasn't a success. I bet it is one of the better received attractions on park now, so looking at in the long term, it's clearly been a good investment. Saw is very well received, but remember that it is nicely themed around an iconic film series which is due a new film in the next couple of years. So I do think your comparison is a bit unfair in honesty. A dark ride would be a bit of a risk, yes. However, I'd expect that Thorpe have done a lot of research and if that whatever they add in the future will respond to public demand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Merlin BLAMED Swarm for the lack of success, forgetting that one new addition does not a park make... 2012 was a crap year for all the parks as well, but of course it was the new ride's fault rather than the biggest sporting event in the capital taking place (and the crappy weather)... pluk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project LC Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I would agree that the failure of the swarm was not the swarms fault. It had some contribution but the olympics and weather I think get most of the credit. Personally I dont think there is a demand for a dark ride in the UK. If people want a dark ride, they will go to universal of disney where the budgets match what is required. Also this entire dark ride thing has only come into creation at the earliest time of the end of 2012. Up until then a coaster was planned. Also if it is going to be an IP that reduces the time frame even more and will take a large section of the budget. Look at nemesis sub terra, one of merlins only dark rides and some park benches are more thrilling than that. The idea of a massive dark ride for £30m containing an expensive IP and including the cost of the movement of what is already there. Also adjust for inflation we are only looking at a budget which is slightly larger than the swarms to build something which should be in the realm of $100m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Back when the parks (looking at Towers and Chessie here) first started, was there a demand for a theme park of the levels they built the rides at? The current namby-pamby safe option choices is more of a hindrance to the parks development than actually helpful... It's a similar situation with a wooden coaster, the parks won't build one because they don't think the GP would enjoy it, BUT if they took the risk on a modern one, then the odds are that the GP would enjoy it and then suddenly your park is behind the one that built it first... In this modern day of advertising as well, there is zero excuse for Merlin (or any park) hiding behind the "there is no demand for this style of ride", because there is only no demand because it either doesn't exist, or the experiences of the visitors are limited enough that they don't care for it... Perhaps instead the park should look to what Towers and Chessie did back in the days of their growth, where they pretty much expressly told the guests that these are the top class rides you can expect from us... Give people something they never knew they wanted, rather than just a tick box exercise, and things become a LOT more interesting (but of course, an unique idea isn't as marketable as Dr Who, it is a shame that parks in the UK are solely marketing focused)... Also, will cost affect it? Whilst Thor's Hammer wasn't the best dark ride in the entire world, it's still better than anything the UK can put up against it... The cost? $8.5 million... If the budget is £30m (though knowing Merlin, that'll be the entire total budget, not just the cost of the ride), then they could buy 3 Thor's Hammers! The only thing stopping Merlin from creating such an attraction is their own personal limitations that they seem to put on their projects to stop them from being 'fantastic' instead of 'good'... As an aside, I like Sub Terra, I liked that it was something different, that it was story-driven and more of an experience with a ride... Also the internal theming is really good... Shame they ruined it with a cheap corridor... TraX, TPJames, Matt 236 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 ^^I thought Nemesis Sub-Terra was great. Apart from at the beginning, where the annoying music and screen kept repeating itself, the rest of it was great and all that the general public would want for a dark ride. I know this as a fact, as everyone else in my group was really enjoying it and was running out as if it was a real emergency evacuation. The drop ride was decent, and it had a great ending to make something which is a perfectly good dark ride. No one said thorpe had to create a major scale dark ride. Remember, the general public aren't looking for something disney standard. Swarm is a great success now and is gaining 120min queues on peak day mornings, an IP brand isn't needed to make something good. Something along the lines of the nemesis sub-terra standard would do it for most of the public, of course not the same experience, a classic dark ride like mystic manor or even Arthur would be good. I don't see why everyone here thinks that this dark ride has to be something amazing, it just has to be an immersive experience with a nice theme and just a decent attraction overall. I would like a dark ride, as long as it isn't a shooting gallery like duel or tomb blaster. Also, it better not set the coaster back too many years as in 2016, it will already be 4 years since a new rollercoaster and I don't think the public will enjoy having to wait a further three years for a major coaster. However, that would take the new coaster to 2019 so maybe thorpe are waiting to pull out all the stocks for the opening of paramount park? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I would agree that the failure of the swarm was not the swarms fault. It had some contribution but the olympics and weather I think get most of the credit. Personally I dont think there is a demand for a dark ride in the UK. If people want a dark ride, they will go to universal of disney where the budgets match what is required. Also this entire dark ride thing has only come into creation at the earliest time of the end of 2012. Up until then a coaster was planned. Also if it is going to be an IP that reduces the time frame even more and will take a large section of the budget. Look at nemesis sub terra, one of merlins only dark rides and some park benches are more thrilling than that. The idea of a massive dark ride for £30m containing an expensive IP and including the cost of the movement of what is already there. Also adjust for inflation we are only looking at a budget which is slightly larger than the swarms to build something which should be in the realm of $100m. I want a dark ride, but I can't magic up several hundred pounds to go to Universal to ride one. Just because something is elsewhere, it doesn't mean Thorpe (or indeed, anywhere in the UK) can't make something that's good in its own regard. jon81uk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 They can't get rid of Calypso BBQ! Kerfuffle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 They can't get rid of Calypso BBQ! ...or Studio 13! I dread to think that it'll be reduced to shipping containers...therefore the maze experience will just be another My Bloody Valentine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 ...or Studio 13! I dread to think that it'll be reduced to shipping containers...therefore the maze experience will just be another My Bloody Valentine! My guess is that it will go in the conference tent near The Swarm. Does this really mean that a huge section of the park will be closed off for the whole of the 2015 season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatever Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Does this really mean that a huge section of the park will be closed off for the whole of the 2015 season? ...Didn't think of that one. The already tiny park will have NO space. And also, if the Inferno shop was to be taken out, how are people gonna get off the ride? Will they re-direct the exit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HermanTheGerman Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I'd expect the exit to be re-located to being next to Ruma, sounds likely with the planning application for the workshop extension... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Will they re-direct the exit? Yes. If I remember correctly, there's a gap between Inferno's lifthill and the shop building, so redirect through there I guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 ...Didn't think of that one. The already tiny park will have NO space. And also, if the Inferno shop was to be taken out, how are people gonna get off the ride? Will they re-direct the exit? If the Inferno shop does go, they will of course redirect the exit. Given the on ride photo booth is also housed in the Inferno shop, they will need to find a different place for that as well. Remember, it's still a big if at the moment. I'd expect the exit to be re-located to being next to Ruma, sounds likely with the planning application for the workshop extension... There's been no planning application to extend the Inferno workshop? It was mentioned on the MTDP, but it seems very unlikely to actually ever happen! If the Inferno shop goes (and personally, I'd be very surprised if it does!), then I'd expect the exit will simply be the same, except just last a little longer and take you round just past the Mr Monkey area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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