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[2024] Thorpe Park: Hyperia - Mack Hypercoaster

tayspru said:
It’s not spectacle … it’s just big. In fact, I don’t think it looks very tall at all when compared to the impact other Hypers have on their skylines
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It might not appear like one to you, but personally, I'm often gobsmacked by its height as I'm entering my local park and approaching the ride's plaza. It still does look pretty tall given that each of the mediocre coasters behind (and under) it are more or less the same height as family or family/thrill coasters. Having seen Silver Star in the flesh for the first time last week, I didn't think that had too much impact on Europa Park's skyline within the park given its placement in the car park (not that it should have that kind of an impact of course since it would taint the beautiful sightlines of all the theming and landscaping). Hyperia on the other hand is pretty dramatic on Thorpe's skyline in quite a few areas of the park, though some sightlines from Stealth are more uninspiring.
 
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On the old gits ramble down Monks Walk the night before first riding, we weren't particularly impressed by the height perspective, didn't look as tall as the Big One in the landscape.
And coming in from the Thorpe village side of Monks Walk, you can hardly see it until you are under it.
Monks Walk...immediate level up on the thoosieometer.
 
Hyperia is a spectacle. It’s big. It doesn’t look like any other coaster anyone here as ever seen before. People are impressed by it. It dwarfs every other coaster in the park.


And no, it doesn’t look too impressive from monks walk but it looks massive from everywhere else. Every non-enthusiast friend I’ve gone with certainly have a Jurassic park style double take and look like this;
AC89E7C3-2B6A-4FE6-81CF-997653EFB055.gif
 
Nice video - weird how the people getting off the coaster changed gender midway through the ride 😂 And no queue!

My only question is: why wasn't this video "centre stage" at it's launch?? It's the best thing I've seen of Hyperia - almost makes me want to go to TP!
 
Smiley said:
Nice video - weird how the people getting off the coaster changed gender midway through the ride 😂 And no queue!

My only question is: why wasn't this video "centre stage" at it's launch?? It's the best thing I've seen of Hyperia - almost makes me want to go to TP!
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Almost.
 
Smiley said:
Yes it is. Probably peanuts compared to the cost of seats. Some people see problems, others see opportunities.
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Smiley said:
As for cost, all COTS parts. Speakers, amp, music player, power, bit of string to connect them together... 😁 So yes, compared the cost of a "seat" it probably does add very little.
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Not really, the amount of equipment required is really expensive, unlike your car audio they have to work reliably undergoing multiple G's of force, so will probably be rated for the force (also want the mounting secure and tested so an amp doesn't fall on someone's head) and anyone who knows the aerospace industry knows that comes with a cost.

but not only do they need speakers and amps they also need batteries (or super capacitors), computers for the audio (which are able to track where the train is throughout the layout), pickups in the station etc.
all of that doesn't just come with a cost, but there is another problem there weight. Disneyland space mountain had in seat audio added in post, the added weight caused increased stress on the track requiring the ride to close for years to refurbish the track
 
I believe any backwards seat for Hyperia would have challenges practically to implement.

1. Should it be one or both trains? If it's both, then the back seats would be lost to the backwards seat experience which is a desired seat for a lot of riders much like the front row.
2. It would have to be paid similar to Enso as I can imagine that queues will be through the roof for the backwards seat experience with the ride's capacity. I think the best way it'd work would be a paid timeslot.
3. Where would the queue go? Would it be through the exit or would they have to change the queue to accommodate for backwards seats?

I am dreading that Merlin may choose to scrap the single rider queue in favour for the backwards seat although I'm hoping not. I think the best way they could do it would be to install a queue in the exit path and a ride host will batch the two backwards seats from the exit side.

I personally think there'd be an uproar if they did the back two seats and just batched people like they currently do so those seats are ridden purely on luck. I thought the Front Row queue was bad enough but think backwards would be worse as more people will want to ride it backwards.
 
I think people are reading a little too much into that post, personally.

I don’t personally see Thorpe providing a different POV perspective as proof that they’re looking into turning the back rows backwards; it’s just a fun thing that they’ve put on social media to offer a different perspective of Hyperia.
 
owenstreet7 said:
1. Should it be one or both trains? If it's both, then the back seats would be lost to the backwards seat experience which is a desired seat for a lot of riders much like the front row.
2. It would have to be paid similar to Enso as I can imagine that queues will be through the roof for the backwards seat experience with the ride's capacity. I think the best way it'd work would be a paid timeslot.
3. Where would the queue go? Would it be through the exit or would they have to change the queue to accommodate for backwards seats?
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I can imagine other problems with the train, whilst it could be possible I struggle to see how they would modify the current rear rows to be able to have backwards seats, they could swap the car but that would mean the rear 2 rows are facing backwards, a car can't be turned around since it is a trailer design.
some other practical problems are:
structure of seat means the peoples legs are hanging down past the back of the ride
the flooring of the rear would have to be extended with railing added (can't get onto a seat hovering above a track)
and a couple more such as having to move the air gates.

I would imagine a lot of modifications are required to a car, or a new car is required.

an image of the rear rows for context:
1735036768578.png
 
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flyingguitar said:
I can imagine other problems with the train, whilst it could be possible I struggle to see how they would modify the current rear rows to be able to have backwards seats, they could swap the car but that would mean the rear 2 rows are facing backwards, a car can't be turned around since it is a trailer design.
some other practical problems are:
structure of seat means the peoples legs are hanging down past the back of the ride
the flooring of the rear would have to be extended with railing added (can't get onto a seat hovering above a track)
and a couple more such as having to move the air gates.

I would imagine a lot of modifications are required to a car, or a new car is required.

an image of the rear rows for context:
1735036768578.png
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That is true - Enso seems to sacrifice 4 seats in favour for 2 spinning seats at the back.

This wouldn't be ideal for a capacity standpoint either.

I'm not sure that if they modified the train whether it's 2 or 4 forward facing seats that get sacrificed for 2 backwards seats at the back.

That would add to why it'd be challenging to add in a backwards seat to Hyperia.
 
owenstreet7 said:
I'm not sure that if they modified the train whether it's 2 or 4 forward facing seats that get sacrificed for 2 backwards seats at the back.
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good point, I didn't consider flipping the seccond to last row and getting rid of the last row, would require less modification but as you said worse capacity
 
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