[2024] Thorpe Park: Hyperia - Mack Hypercoaster

[Coaster]

There is very clearly an issue with overreaction.
How many people are actually making a fuss about this?
Very few.
Sense of proportion required here for a queueline that shut half an hour early, when (we presume) all the other rides were still open.
Big high new ride, special rules apply, for all sorts of reasons, as with every new ride, for the first season or two.
Terms and conditions.
Warnings from the start of the season.
Issues from first opening.
It happens.
Often.
Suck it up.
Or find a more reliable hobby.
This is meant to be fun.

Huge numbers of people arrived to the area after 8:30pm, only to be turned away. If communication could be improved and a better last impression left, why not do it? This is a new policy for Thorpe, and has never happened before even with new coasters.

T&C's cover a park legally but they don't determine whether something is good or poor customer experience. If you're happy accepting mediocrity from a billionaire corporation then that's fair enough, but don't tell me how to react.

 

[PJUK]

That's not quite how the licencing act works. Your licenced hours are those in which you have to operate and sell alcohol. If your licence says you can serve until 23:00 and you're still selling alcohol at 23:01 you've broken your licence.

The amount of time given for "drinking up" varies depending on the licence given to the premises. Some specify how long customers can stay after the final sale of alcohol, some don't (leaving it up to the licencee's discretion.

Similar practices happen with temporary event licensing. Some licenses will state how long the venue / event has to close / get people out after the event has ended, some won't.

In practice, many licensed premises have longer permitted hours to serve than they advertise. Your local pub is most likely licenced until 00:00, but will still call last orders just before 23:00. This gives the pub the ability to serve those few extra stragglers just past 23:00, and not break the law, and gives ample drinking up time.

I'm unaware of the particular conditions on the license held by Thorpe Park, but it is a public record which can be requested from Runnymede council. - https://www.runnymede.gov.uk/entertainment-licenses/premises-licences-certificates

That was exactly the point I was making. To clear the "queue" in a public house, in an ordered way, you would "call last orders" appropriately. A really busy pub, maybe 30 minutes before closing, to clear the "queue" by closing time. A quiet pub, maybe 5 minutes before. As in dynamic based on how busy the pub is, and giving people a sensible warning to manage people "queuing". Not much point shouting "last orders" in a heaving packed out pub, with just 1 minute to go, queue would go mental. Dynamic common sence queue management, according to the spirit of the law (ignoring obvious pun). Thorpe Park with Hyperia are doing the same thing, in principal. Calling last rides, get in the queue, and we will honour it, even if the last ride is at 21:30. Exactly my point, the ride stays open, for a reasonable time to clear the queue. The actual queue itself would/will close to ensure that extra time (aka drinking time/riding time) is kept to a reasonable level. Benefits both staff who want to get home to family/friends, and local residents. At the same time as ensuring those who have queued for the ride, actually get to go on it. The ride itself is open, well past the advertised closing time of 9pm, people can still ride it, as promised on the publicity material and on social media posts by Thorpe Park. However, the queue is managed dynamically according to demand, to benefit all stakeholders, staff, riders, residents etc; as would be the same principal of public houses.

As per my point, the police and local licencing would not be impressed wth a pub who pushed the boundaries. A serving 1 minute past, does break the law, but far more importantly, such boundary pushing risks licencing restrictions in the future. In the same way the opening hours of Thorpe Park would have objections from stakeholders if boundaries were similarly pushed.

The important point, if you visit on Saturday, get in the queue line in good time to get a ride in the dark - its the last one of the summer. Likely to be much busier this weekend, as the weather forecast is so much better than forecast for last Saturday.

Opening times at Thorpe Park rely, in part, on the good will of residents etc. Over its history, complaints have been made, and the local council have to balance the needs of all sides, staff, residents, visitors and Merlin etc.

 

[rob666]

Coaster...I haven't told you, or anyone, to do anything, at all.
Reel your neck in.
I'm saying there has been an overreaction, that is my opinion, and I will continue with that opinion.
Huge numbers...how many?
New policy...what policy!
How many were so bothered they ranted about it repeatedly on the internet?
How many just shrugged their shoulders and went to another ride instead?
How many thousands of people turned up for the lovely new Ghost Train and left dissappointed, either because it wasn't working at all, or not properly.
Thorpe have had problems with new rides, repeatedly.
Something you should be used to by now.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

If you're happy accepting mediocrity from a billionaire corporation then that's fair enough, but don't tell me how to react.

We all accept mediocrity from multi-billion pound corporations, but I don't think any of us are particularly happy about it. It's capitalism.

Huge numbers of people arrived to the area after 8:30pm, only to be turned away.

If the numbers were as large as you're insinuating, the level is clearly unmanageable and the park did the correct thing in closing access to the queue early.

If communication could be improved and a better last impression left, why not do it? This is a new policy for Thorpe, and has never happened before even with new coasters.

Hyperia, in the app, has had the following disclaimer since May: "Due to our Golden Goddess' popularity and the current wait times, all Hyperia queue lines will close prior to the advertised park closure time. This is so that we can ensure anyone in the queue isn't waiting unnecessarily and gets to find their fearless before the end of the day."

The communication is there. It doesn't even say "may", it says will. The signs, as you enter the park, warning you that Hyperia's queue will close prior to the advertised park closure time are also hard to miss.

Where is more appropriate to communicate early closure times than as a static warning, on your app, or on signs throughout the park? Perhaps it's being on Twitter/X since early 2008 that's given me this mindset, but the last place I would look to get up to date information about any company is on their social channels. Social media account managers / users can be anywhere in the world, they don't have to be on site, they're human, they're often outsourced and under resourced and never given accurate information from the powers that be.

Incidentally, as you demonstrated, even if you were to give an exact time of when access to the queue would close, you would still end up with the a huge swell in last minute numbers the park is deliberately trying to avoid.

There isn't "poor communication" from the park. It's people unwilling to recognise their own mistakes and admit their shortsightedness. They're aware of the warnings, the possibilities that the queue will close early, but ignore them or presume that they won't apply to them. They'll be the lucky ones. They'll sweet talk whichever ride host. No one else will have the same idea as them. They're onto a winner.

 

[Coaster]

I think perhaps you may have missed the screenshots in my original post; the ones where Thorpe Park guaranteed that it would be open to 9pm on that specific day.

In what way is that not poor communication? If the queue wasn't open to join, the ride wasn't open to 9pm as promised.

The only "mistake" guests made on that day was believing that Thorpe would keep to their word.

 

[otterly_mischievious]

I think perhaps you may have missed the screenshots in my original post; the ones where Thorpe Park guaranteed that it would be open to 9pm on that specific day.

In what way is that not poor communication? If the queue wasn't open to join, the ride wasn't open to 9pm as promised.

The only "mistake" guests made on that day was believing that Thorpe would keep to their word.

I was there last Saturday and got to ride Hyperia in the dark The queue closed at 8:30 with lots of people still in the queue. When I left about 9:20pm Hyperia was still going around so the ride itself was open past 9pm.

 

[Smiley]

As a TP (and theme park) regular, my understanding has ALWAYS been that the queue closes at park close time. For all rides. I have no problem it being different, but it needs to be communicated effectively, clearly and consistently.

Not sure why that's contentious?? Again it's a lack of focus on the customer experience.

 

[Coaster]

I was there last Saturday and got to ride Hyperia in the dark The queue closed at 8:30 with lots of people still in the queue. When I left about 9:20pm Hyperia was still going around so the ride itself was open past 9pm.

Parks have always deemed closing time to mean the time the queue closes, e.g., when closing time comes around at Alton Towers, Chessington etc, the ride boards and app are marked as "closed" while the rides run off their queues.

Having the ride queue actually empty by the park closing time has never been the policy at Merlin parks, up until Thorpe this year with Hyperia.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

I think perhaps you may have missed the screenshots in my original post; the ones where Thorpe Park guaranteed that it would be open to 9pm on that specific day.

In what way is that not poor communication? If the queue wasn't open to join, the ride wasn't open to 9pm as promised.

The only "mistake" guests made on that day was believing that Thorpe would keep to their word.

I didn't miss them. The screenshots you've posted are responses/replies to individual users. Unless you're following Thorpe Park, and the user Thorpe is replying to, and on the X "Following" tab, you're not going to see these posts. They are not public statements, they're not posts in the traditional sense. The only other way you'd see this is if you were to go to Thorpe's account, click on "With Replies" and scroll down until you find it.

This is not the park communicating on a general scale, this is you finding a few X posts which align with how cheated you feel about the queue being shut before 9pm (as expressed on official channels) and using them to back up your argument. It's understandable, but it goes against your entire point and reason.

You allege poor general communication from Thorpe surrounding Hyperia's queue closure. Thorpe Park's policy in Hyperia's queue closure has been the same, and consistent, since it re-opened in June. They state clearly on the app, at the entrance, in Fearless Valley, and several other areas around the park: "Hyperia's queue will close before the advertised attraction time".

You found those posts / replies because you went looking for them, specifically after the event. Those replies didn't leave you thinking that you would be able to join Hyperia's queue at 20:59, because they weren't made to you. As far as you were aware, as has been standard throughout the season, "Hyperia's queue will close before the advertised attraction time". You just didn't know exactly when that would be. No one knows. Thorpe doesn't either, it responds dynamically to demand. When a closure decision is made, it's communicated within the immediate vicinity and not any wider to avoid problems. Anyone who wanted a ride, had already been advised several times, to not wait until the end of the day, or toward park closure.

It's not poor communication if people ignore what you say, or don't pay attention.

 

[PJUK]

As a TP (and theme park) regular, my understanding has ALWAYS been that the queue closes at park close time. For all rides. I have no problem it being different, but it needs to be communicated effectively, clearly and consistently.

Not sure why that's contentious?? Again it's a lack of focus on the customer experience.

It is and was - in the app twice on availability and at top of ride blurb. On the web under availability. On signs/notices as you pass through the park. The ride itself was open, the queue line closed. The social media post re-quoted from TP says the ride is open until 9pm, which it was. In hindsight probably would have been wise to put the "queue close earlier" disclaimer on the same post stating the ride will be open. Though even the post was correct, it was open until and beyond 9pm. Its a bit like supermarket shopping on a Sunday. The store closes at 4pm (or 5 depending on area). It never ceases to amuse me, when people turn up at 5 minutes to 4, grab a LARGE trolley, and attempt to go into the store to fill their LARGE trolley - only to be turned away by the security guard. Hyperia is a popular ride (tongue in cheek intended) - they have to manage the queue, otherwise the ride would run well past their nominated park closing times. What about staff and residents, do they not deserve a reasonable time limit?

 

[PJUK]

Having the ride queue actually empty by the park closing time has never been the policy at Merlin parks, up until Thorpe this year with Hyperia.

This is not correct. When I left the area/park last Saturday, the queue was NOT empty, not even close, at 9pm. As I have pointed out, Hyperia was still running as I got to my car at 9:15. Based on the queue length, it is likely it was still running at 9:30 - just I was not there to witness it. Thorpe Park are NOT working towards a zero queue line by closing time on Hyperia. Just a reasonable extra time past the closing time, rather than a free for all to join the queue on mass right up until closing time. That would mean the ride would run well past park closing times due to the current popularity of the ride. Please consider staff and residents.

 

[Coaster]

I didn't miss them. The screenshots you've posted are responses/replies to individual users. Unless you're following Thorpe Park, and the user Thorpe is replying to, and on the X "Following" tab, you're not going to see these posts. They are not public statements, they're not posts in the traditional sense. The only other way you'd see this is if you were to go to Thorpe's account, click on "With Replies" and scroll down until you find it.

This is not the park communicating on a general scale, this is you finding a few X posts which align with how cheated you feel about the queue being shut before 9pm (as expressed on official channels) and using them to back up your argument. It's understandable, but it goes against your entire point and reason.

You allege poor general communication from Thorpe surrounding Hyperia's queue closure. Thorpe Park's policy in Hyperia's queue closure has been the same, and consistent, since it re-opened in June. They state clearly on the app, at the entrance, in Fearless Valley, and several other areas around the park: "Hyperia's queue will close before the advertised attraction time".

You found those posts / replies because you went looking for them, specifically after the event. Those replies didn't leave you thinking that you would be able to join Hyperia's queue at 20:59, because they weren't made to you. As far as you were aware, as has been standard throughout the season, "Hyperia's queue will close before the advertised attraction time". You just didn't know exactly when that would be. No one knows. Thorpe doesn't either, it responds dynamically to demand. When a closure decision is made, it's communicated within the immediate vicinity and not any wider to avoid problems. Anyone who wanted a ride, had already been advised several times, to not wait until the end of the day, or toward park closure.

It's not poor communication if people ignore what you say, or don't pay attention.

Doesn't matter where it was posted, they were communications from Thorpe Park's official pages; it shouldn't be too much to ask that the park gives out accurate and consistent information.

I saw those posts during the day, not afterwards. The app was showing conflicting information (stating the ride closing time as 19:00 then changing to 21:00), so I trawled Thorpe's social media to see if anyone else had asked about the discrepancy - then I found, low and behold, those two posts guaranteeing that it would stay open until 9pm. On the back of an advertised evening riding event, it made sense to take their word as honest and I find it bizarre that you would put the onus on customers for literally believing what the park said, rather than on Merlin for giving out unclear and conflicting information.

This is not correct. When I left the area/park last Saturday, the queue was NOT empty, not even close, at 9pm. As I have pointed out, Hyperia was still running as I got to my car at 9:15. Based on the queue length, it is likely it was still running at 9:30 - just I was not there to witness it. Thorpe Park are NOT working towards a zero queue line by closing time on Hyperia. Just a reasonable extra time past the closing time, rather than a free for all to join the queue on mass right up until closing time. That would mean the ride would run well past park closing times due to the current popularity of the ride. Please consider staff and residents.

As I've stated, up until this year Thorpe have never closed ride queues early (unless in the event of a breakdown), that includes Fright Nights when the park used to be open until 10pm and rides would run off their queues afterwards. If the policy has been changed, communication should be clear across all channels - that's all I'm saying.

 

[PJUK]

Anyone who wanted a ride, had already been advised several times, to not wait until the end of the day, or toward park closure.

I agree with almost everything in your last post - The only problem last Saturday, and again this Saturday is the rare, novel and dare I say adrenalin of riding Hyperia in the dark. Having been one of the lucky ones, it was well worth it. Myself and partner even got the front seats for our ride in the dark, a totally amazing and mind blowing experience. An inbuilt logistics challenge, as darkness did not "truly" occur until 8:20, you had to leave it until quite late. It was a small window of opportunity.

You quite rightly, along with others, point out the good advice of not leaving a Hyperia ride until late in the day, in case the ride closes due to unforseen circumstances. Its just to ride it in the dark, you have to break every rule in the book, and find your fearless to leave it right to the last. Sorry could not resist the pun.

 

[rob666]

Unfortunately, there are no "rules in the book", as there isn't one.
Pay your money and make your choice.
The simple solution to this mountain of a molehill of closing a queue thirty minutes early...
If you want to ride it in the dark...wait a few months, dead easy.
No big deal, unless you make it into one.
And still ranting days later won't change a situation that the vast majority are quite happy with.

 

[PJUK]

If you want to ride it in the dark...wait a few months, dead easy.

You know what, of course your right. However, the experience is just amazing. Hyperia is a thrilling experience in the day, its mind blowing in the dark. In a few months time, it will be cold, not as nice!!!!!! Riding Hyperia in the dark, on a warm (ish) summers night is REALLY mind blowing. I urge anyone who can, to try and go this Saturday, it is an experience you will treasure for a very long time. Myself and partner are off to Warwick Castle for Dragon Slayer this Saturday, otherwise we would have gone back to ride Hyperia again.

If you go, make sure you get in the queue, and treasure the moment and the memory - it really is worth the effort.

 

[Coaster]

It was awesome in the dark back on opening day, when they kept it open until the time they advertised.

 

[MaxPower]

Well, it's not like Thorpe can go back in time and re-open it an extra half an hour so might as well move on from it....



Lord knows its not the worst thing they've done over the years.

 

[Dhev123]

I think the park was just so dead that evening that if it were busier, and other rides had actual queues, they probably wouldn't have closed hyperia at 8:30

 

[owenstreet7]

I think the park was just so dead that evening that if it were busier, and other rides had actual queues, they probably wouldn't have closed hyperia at 8:30

I think we can find out on Saturday whether that is the case or not

I'm leaning on the idea that it would've closed at 8.30pm anyway and that it was planned.

 

[Alastair]

Well, it's not like Thorpe can go back in time and re-open it an extra half an hour so might as well move on from it....



Lord knows its not the worst thing they've done over the years.

This. Let's move on please!