Thorpe Park: General Discussion

[John_P]

Seems like all the momentum from Hyperia opening has just evaporated, even Alton Towers got the Toxicator to double down on Nemesis Reborn.

 

[The_bup]

Seems like all the momentum from Hyperia opening has just evaporated, even Alton Towers got the Toxicator to double down on Nemesis Reborn.

I think the momentum for Hyperia died halfway through its construction.. as indicated by its lost viewing platform and general unprofessional finish. It feels like they regretted during construction - not a good look for a ride they pride themselves on.

Otherwise Merlin have a good track record for removing rapids, don't they?

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

Otherwise Merlin have a good track record for removing rapids, don't they?

From: https://youtu.be/k5hWWe-ts2s

 

[LF22]

Such a shame it didn’t even open on its last official day of operation last year…

It was a rubbish rapids that could easily be missed if you didn’t walk that way, but it provided the park with something different, rather than coaster after coaster, which I think every theme park needs, even if it is based on thrills.

 

[Secret Weapon]

No one will mourn rumba rapids itself but I feel
this is cost cutting rather than preparing for a new investment.

Plus like Towers how many rides can they cut before you can legit call yourself a theme park?

Didn't even bother to claim it was being removed for future developments.

Perhaps I'm naive (probably), but the fact that they made an official announcement about it made me think that perhaps they have a replacement lined up?

I don't remember how they announced that Slammer was being canned, but I assume that they wouldn't make announcements with much fanfare unless they were certain that they had something else ready (e.g. the huge send-off celebrations for Corkscrew in 2008).

Then again: I'm not sure whether a generic announcement on YouTube counts as much fanfare?

I definitely agree with the posts above that they should have given riders the opportunity to have one last go on it, though.

I never rode it once, and - truthfully - I don't even know whereabouts it was in the park! (By contrast, Tidal Wave is a ride that you can't miss !)

For a long time, I got Storm Surge, Depth Charge, Tidal Wave, and Rumba Rapids all confused, because the names sounded too similar to me!

 

[Hid]

Rumba was by far the weakest Rapids in the UK. Adventure Cove River Rapids and Congo River Rapids are far superior in terms of landscaping and theming as well as interaction with other rides.

Rumba has been operating minimally last few season would rather have a ride that can be up all season

The reason why Rumba has been opening later is due to the amount of energy it requires to pump thst much water which energy costs do bite businesses as well. Combine this with having to station a ride op on certain corners now. It was probably the most expensive ride to operate and with little footfall in recent years its no wonder its being removed.

 

[flyingguitar]

I hope they have a replacment plan in place, but we don't know if they do or don't at this point

I am glad it is closed, it IMO was the worse ride at TP in its latter years, essentially becomming a calm raft ride through a damp tunnel and some concrete troughts, even if it is a few years before it starts, it will hopefully become a nice low ride height ride (1m-1.2m) which can act as a stepping stone and give smaller kids something to do at that park (I would like a wooden ride, similar to but taller and longer than the wickerman.

Seems like all the momentum from Hyperia opening has just evaporated, even Alton Towers got the Toxicator to double down on Nemesis Reborn.

I would agree, AT and chessington have kept up this momentum (with bluey coaster, and somework happening on horizon at AT and all the stuff they are doing at cherssington)

but TP you had a great leadup to hyperia (ghost train retheme, replacment of angribirds, cleaning up of stealth, etc) but then hyperia happened and it effectivly all stopped and the only big news is some ashphalt and benches replacing a land.

 

[Call_um]

Rumba was always showing as 'Returning 2026', so it wasn't planned to close this season. That screams cost cutting to me rather than a replacement lined up.

 

[Ares]

I completely agree with the sentiment that Thorpe Park could do with a GCI Woodie. I also think they HAVE to invest and open a new headline ride with Universal around the corner now. I do think a UK record breaking woodie would be the right call.

 

[Matt N]

Rumba was always showing as 'Returning 2026', so it wasn't planned to close this season. That screams cost cutting to me rather than a replacement lined up.

Both can be true, I feel.

When The Flume closed, Alton Towers only initially announced its closure as a closure “for the season”… but its removal was later revealed early in 2016. And while many thought it was cost cutting and the ride did stand SBNO during 2016, it was replaced with Wicker Man in 2018, so there evidently was a plan in place to replace it.

Perhaps it is an initial cost cut. But I would not take the park’s prior wording as gospel (social media teams and such will be divorced from long-term project planning to a degree), and I would not be surprised if we see a replacement of some description in the next few years.

Also, if it was a cost cut, would they do a cheery promotional announcement via a vlogger? Surely a cost cut is something you’d want to draw minimal attention to, no? I imagine a raw cost cut would have been handled more like the Logger’s Leap closure, where it took them so long to actually announce its permanent demise that very few expected it to ever return by the time it was announced.