• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Thorpe Park: General Discussion

Matt N said:
On a random note, has anyone seen any hints from Thorpe regarding Project 2020? I still think it will be some sort of large hyper coaster, hopefully B&M. To quote the Wicker Man pre-show (or an edited version of it, at least):
THE TIME HAS COME FOR B&M TO RISE!
TOGETHER, WE SHALL FEED THE 2020 THORPE HYPER!
..... Let the construction commence.
Click to expand...

Yep... B&M Hyper station on the Loggers Leap site, not much taller than Steath a la Mako.
 
If that was to be our ride, then I reckon that we could see deconstruction of Loggers begin in September 2018 and finish with decent time to spare before an opening in March 2020.

The only thing about a B&M hyper, though, is that it would cost a lot of money. And Merlin have reduced CAPEX by £100m in their RTPs. So maybe one of these new Vekomas or something would be a better choice? I'm sure Vekoma would be willing to build a decent-size hyper, as I believe they did a tender for Hyperion at Energylandia before Intamin was chosen.
 
Will there definitely be a 2020 coaster though? At the 'Meet the Makers' event Q&A Bradley Wynne said Thorpe are currently considering a various options for their next major coaster. If there was to be a coaster in 2020 the decision would have already have been made by now. Wouldn't it?
Do they not need to put in a planning application before the end of the year since construction would have to start next year for a 2020 opening?
 
An air time machine would fit Thorpe perfectly. Station on the logger's site, with the out and back running behind the park along the old railway track bed. It would make a perfect backdrop to the park's skyline as you enter. Hell, it might even tempt us jaded enthusiasts back to the place! :p
EDIT: Preferably one of the newer style B&M "speed hypers" like Shambles, Leviathan etc.
 
Last edited:
Guys come on, we all know they have their eyes on a Game of Thrones attraction. They have walking dead but I must admit I'm surprised they haven't got a Breaking Bad edition. Would suit that place peeerrrfectly.
 
I personally think that this might be an original theme. Merlin's major thrill rollercoasters don't normally tend to have IPs (aside from the obvious example of Saw), as they are marketable enough on their own. A hyper coaster, depending on scale, would almost definitely be marketable with an original theme.

However, if they did want to go for an IP, then I reckon one of those drama series on Netflix would be right up Thorpe's street. I can imagine Orange is the New Black: The Ride or Riverdale: The Ride going down a storm at a place like Thorpe. I've never watched any of these, so I can't really comment on how they would translate into a large outdoor rollercoaster, but as the park went with TWD, it wouldn't surprise me if they went with this sort of IP.

Or maybe... they could go with Stranger Things: The Ride. It's a highly popular Netflix series, AND the title would imply that the show even lends itself to Merlin's favourite sort of theme... the sort where strange things are discovered "during recent excavations"! ;) I've never actually watched Stranger Things, mind, so I could be talking a load of utter garbage!

The only Netflix IP I have watched that I would like in a theme park is Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. The show is great and the books are all fantastic, too! But I think this would be better as a dark ride or enclosed coaster. Also, it strikes me as more of an IP that Alton or Chessington would go for than one that Thorpe would go for, if you get what I mean.

But I reckon Project 2020 will be an original theme, because a massive roller coaster doesn't exactly need an IP to market it, does it? I hope that Thorpe takes inspiration from the level of theming of Wicker Man and applies it to this coaster, whatever it is. Anyway, I reckon that whatever Project 2020 is, it will be a huge hit for Thorpe. Merlin now have a good idea of what works at Thorpe and what doesn't, so they will be refining this attraction to make sure that Thorpe's target market love it.
P.S. Sorry for the long post.
 
Matt N said:
However, if they did want to go for an IP, then I reckon one of those drama series on Netflix would be right up Thorpe's street. I can imagine Orange is the New Black: The Ride or Riverdale: The Ride going down a storm at a place like Thorpe. I've never watched any of these, so I can't really comment on how they would translate into a large outdoor rollercoaster, but as the park went with TWD, it wouldn't surprise me if they went with this sort of IP.
Click to expand...

Yes, with it's themes of transphobia, racism, addiction, depression, anxiety and civil rights abuse, I'm sure Orange is the New Black would translate perfectly to a mid-scale RMC at Thorpe Park.
 
Plastic Person said:
Yes, with it's themes of transphobia, racism, addiction, depression, anxiety and civil rights abuse, I'm sure Orange is the New Black would translate perfectly to a mid-scale RMC at Thorpe Park.
Click to expand...
Ah. Ignore what I said, then. I said I'd never watched any of these! I thought that Orange is the New Black was just a programme about a prison. I only used it as an example; there are many other popular Netflix series that they could use.
 
CSLKenny said:
Will there definitely be a 2020 coaster though? At the 'Meet the Makers' event Q&A Bradley Wynne said Thorpe are currently considering a various options for their next major coaster. If there was to be a coaster in 2020 the decision would have already have been made by now. Wouldn't it?
Do they not need to put in a planning application before the end of the year since construction would have to start next year for a 2020 opening?
Click to expand...

I might be wrong but I believe Thorpe already have outlining planning permission for a coaster to go on the reclaimed land behind Swarm and the only reason it hasn't been built yet is because they are waiting for the ground to settle. Going from 'outlining' to official is just a formality that would take no more than five minutes at the next council planning meeting.
 
Midfright at Thorpe Park, midnight opening for 1000 people to ride The Walking Dead.
Yes an indoor coaster opening at midnight...

For the first time in our 38-year history, we will open our gates at midnight on Tuesday 24th April 2018 for 1,000 lucky fans to experience NEW FOR 2018 The Walking Dead: The Ride for FREE.

All that visitors will need to do to qualify for the unique experience is to come to THORPE PARK Resort dressed as a zombie and be prepared to act in a zombie-like manner in the queue line. Visitors must be in the queue by 11pm on 23rd April.

Tickets for Midfright will be available via Eventbrite from 23rd April at 10am and will be limited to 1,000.


Meet you at the Safe Zone...
Click to expand...

https://www.thorpepark.com/midfright
 
Went on walking dead the other day and in a nut shell it was ok. I didn't expect anything too exciting as I thought this might be planned as a temporary attraction, so I didn't expect state of the art animatronics or actors on the trains.

It will be great for fright nights as I'd expect them to have actors leading up to the station and the interior I feel they've done a really good job.

Overall I think it's the right decision for a retheme and I'll take it over X.

That's my short review anyway :)
 
Plastic Person said:
Yes, with it's themes of transphobia, racism, addiction, depression, anxiety and civil rights abuse, I'm sure Orange is the New Black would translate perfectly to a mid-scale RMC at Thorpe Park.
Click to expand...
Would certainly bring the punters in though, can you imagine the media firestorm?
 
AstroDan said:
I don't see the point.

Thorpe Park have failed to increase guest numbers with any of the past few large investments...
Click to expand...
I guess the point would be you need to invest to keep guest numbers flat. Cedar Point hit 3.6 million visitors in 1994 with the opening of Raptor and it would be 22 years until they hit that attendance again in 2016 with Valravn, despite opening some of their headline rides like TTD, Maverick (Mavis?) & Millennium Force and dropping sub 3 million in the process.

If you don't invest (and you don't have the nostalgia factor) American Adventure syndrome kicks in.
 
Visited Thorpe yesterday, Operations were good with the exception of Walking Dead and Nemesis Inferno (Didn't ride Saw so can't comment).

Finally got to ride DBGT and rather enjoyed it, not sure why so many people hate it, I'm a celeb was weird but enjoyable once or twice maybe but anymore than that and I can see it getting annoying and dull.

There was one point where Stealth, Nemesis Inferno and Colossus were all down, but aside from that I had a really good trip.
 
MattyH said:
Visited Thorpe yesterday, Operations were good with the exception of Walking Dead and Nemesis Inferno (Didn't ride Saw so can't comment).

Finally got to ride DBGT and rather enjoyed it, not sure why so many people hate it, I'm a celeb was weird but enjoyable once or twice maybe but anymore than that and I can see it getting annoying and dull.

There was one point where Stealth, Nemesis Inferno and Colossus were all down, but aside from that I had a really good trip.
Click to expand...
That's great to hear, and really fills me with confidence for our trip this year (sometime before the 24th June, as that's when our MAPs run out.)!
 
Sorry for double posting, but I have heard a rumour regarding Project 2020 at Thorpe that I love the sound of... I was reading through TTSP's Project 2020 topic, and someone on there posted a screenshot of a conversation on Twitter between Attraction Images (the people who provided the aerial images of Wicker Man during construction) and an enthusiast. This enthusiast was saying that they wanted an RMC at Thorpe, but Attraction Images said that Thorpe has already signed... a B&M hyper for the next high CAPEX (presumably 2020). They said that they didn't have concrete confirmation, but that their source was reliable. Here's the link to TTSP's topic: http://forum.towerstimes.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=115&t=41878&start=40

If this is true, then I am jumping with joy. I absolutely adore the only B&M hyper I've ridden (as you can probably tell by my favourite ride! ;)) and even though this isn't the UK's first RMC, this will still be a jaw dropping attraction, possibly even better than if RMC had come to Thorpe.

I am slightly surprised, however, after Merlin stated that they want to reduce CAPEX spending between 2018 and 2021, because I can't imagine that a B&M hyper comes cheap. I reckon Merlin might be easing up on budgets a bit, though.

In conclusion, I think that this will be fantastic for Thorpe if it is a B&M hyper, and I can imagine that a B&M hyper with a Wicker Man level of theming would be an utterly sublime experience! Colour me excited for Project 2020!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top