To be honest, to me, Thorpe Park has never really been that much of a family-orientated sort of park. They may have had rides of that caliber in the past, but it has always really made the park look kind of tacky. Alton have always done a great job when it comes to those sorts of attractions (Spinball, Th13teen, Cbeebies etc) striking a good balance so that both adrenaline junkies and families can visit the park, and they've been kept in top-notch quality. But Thorpe...they should stick to what they do best: thrills. Families are a huge draw and do add to the resort earning more cash, but I mean, come on. It is sort of apparent by now that overall, the place isn't really for young kids as it houses three horror-based IP's (Saw, Derren Brown, TWD), large coasters such as Swarm and Stealth and only really has a few smaller, gentler rides for that demographic. After all, let's remember, this isn't Gulliver's World. It's the UK's joint-first best park. The 'Island Like No Other' which makes it different to AT, Chessington, BPB etc. And to keep it in great quality...well here are a couple of ideas for the future:
2019
For starters, this year, the park would need a general tidy-up, similar to that of Alton Towers' 'Tower Loving Care' program. They should also change the trains on Colossus and Saw, especially the latter because it's restraints lately haven't been particularly brilliant when it comes to comfort. Yesterday when I rode it I found my head banging all over the place. As for Colossus, the seats are a bit worn out and need replacing. I'd also say that this year they should probably close Colossus just to give it a repaint and also give it's station an overhaul, replacing the somewhat tired, dated looking walls with a wall of fresh mosaic-like tiles and the lights above the queue. However, to stick to it's original theme, they should make the station look like Atlantis-style ruins (cracks in the tiles, flickering light-bulbs etc). Finally, they should swap the rusty gears operating the lift hill on Tidal Wave for newer, more reliable ones to ensure it does not break down frequently as lately it has been breaking down a lot, leaving many boats stuck at the top.
2020
The main focus this year would obviously be Project 2020, which I'd really like to be the park's first ever RMC hybrid, similar to that of Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point. I'd put this coaster in Old Town, probably on the land where currently Zombie Hunt and the outdated Western part of it stand. Therefore, we'd see the closure of The Rocky Express, Lumber Jump and Tug Boat. There wouldn't be any IP and the ride would be themed around an abandoned mine shaft. The name would probably be something along the lines of 'Trespasser' as you are entering a sectioned-off, prohibited area formerly ran by a fake company called 'Thorpe Mining Co.', there would be a high amount of emphasis on theming/special effects and a pre-show similar to that of DBGT and Wicker Man. Storm Surge closes and is either demolished or re-located to another park. Also this year, Colossus re-opens after it's one year overhaul/refurb and a second on-site hotel is built next to Thorpe Shark.
2021
To ensure there isn't totally a park deprived of family-based rides and attractions for younger kids, Angry Birds Land (which I'd change to Angry Birds Street) gets an expansion with a smaller drop tower next to Detonator (maybe Lumber Jump, but re-themed), a smaller family coaster similar to that of Flying Fish and an interactive dark ride in the place of Storm In A Teacup, which would close to make way for it. Nemesis Inferno gets new plantation around it to make it even more jungle-esque and the volcano is repainted/restored. The park also announces an upcoming ride which would be an expansion for The Dockyard.
2022
Adding to Thorpe's ever-growing list of horror-based attractions, The Dockyard is completed with the announcement of the addition of either an indoor Poltergeist house-themed dark ride/coaster, based on the original 1982 film, a The Ring interactive experience/horror maze or an indoor Intamin hyper coaster based on Predator or depending on the success of the upcoming film, The Predator. It would likely be the third. It would also feature live actors and the makeup used would be extremely alike to that used in the films. The pre-show would be about the ship used to signal the Predator being activated and the creature now being on the loose, hunting humans for 'sport'. Finally, this year, Saw's theming is restored and Swarm gets additional theming/smoke effects.
2023
The long-awaited wooden RMC coaster 'Trespasser' opens late in the year. Samurai is removed and replaced with a Top Spin flat ride. The Lost City area gets additional theming to make it look even more like ancient ruins. TWD:TR's current coaster track is demolished and the ground inside the pyramid is lowered deeper to make way for a more thrilling indoor ride, with the track having bigger drops and inversions. The theming is also improved with even more references to the TV show added. Finally, Thorpe's 2nd on-site hotel opens and the park becomes a full-fledged 'resort'.
2024
A B&M flying coaster which acts as an expansion to Swarm Island is announced, which is set to have the same apocalyptic theme as The Swarm and is classed as it's 'sister coaster'. The ride would also duel with a section of TS ensuring that both are linked to each other. The name would be 'The Rebellion' and would focus on the human rebel 'resistance' 's fight against the aliens. The Predator indoor coaster opens and the area of The Dockyard is completed. The 'Megastore' and it's toilet block closes to make way for a state-of-the-art Amityville mega shop with a restaurant and toilets attached to it. Flying Fish gets a repaint and a small family ride similar to that of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish at IOA opens next to it.
2019
For starters, this year, the park would need a general tidy-up, similar to that of Alton Towers' 'Tower Loving Care' program. They should also change the trains on Colossus and Saw, especially the latter because it's restraints lately haven't been particularly brilliant when it comes to comfort. Yesterday when I rode it I found my head banging all over the place. As for Colossus, the seats are a bit worn out and need replacing. I'd also say that this year they should probably close Colossus just to give it a repaint and also give it's station an overhaul, replacing the somewhat tired, dated looking walls with a wall of fresh mosaic-like tiles and the lights above the queue. However, to stick to it's original theme, they should make the station look like Atlantis-style ruins (cracks in the tiles, flickering light-bulbs etc). Finally, they should swap the rusty gears operating the lift hill on Tidal Wave for newer, more reliable ones to ensure it does not break down frequently as lately it has been breaking down a lot, leaving many boats stuck at the top.
2020
The main focus this year would obviously be Project 2020, which I'd really like to be the park's first ever RMC hybrid, similar to that of Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point. I'd put this coaster in Old Town, probably on the land where currently Zombie Hunt and the outdated Western part of it stand. Therefore, we'd see the closure of The Rocky Express, Lumber Jump and Tug Boat. There wouldn't be any IP and the ride would be themed around an abandoned mine shaft. The name would probably be something along the lines of 'Trespasser' as you are entering a sectioned-off, prohibited area formerly ran by a fake company called 'Thorpe Mining Co.', there would be a high amount of emphasis on theming/special effects and a pre-show similar to that of DBGT and Wicker Man. Storm Surge closes and is either demolished or re-located to another park. Also this year, Colossus re-opens after it's one year overhaul/refurb and a second on-site hotel is built next to Thorpe Shark.
2021
To ensure there isn't totally a park deprived of family-based rides and attractions for younger kids, Angry Birds Land (which I'd change to Angry Birds Street) gets an expansion with a smaller drop tower next to Detonator (maybe Lumber Jump, but re-themed), a smaller family coaster similar to that of Flying Fish and an interactive dark ride in the place of Storm In A Teacup, which would close to make way for it. Nemesis Inferno gets new plantation around it to make it even more jungle-esque and the volcano is repainted/restored. The park also announces an upcoming ride which would be an expansion for The Dockyard.
2022
Adding to Thorpe's ever-growing list of horror-based attractions, The Dockyard is completed with the announcement of the addition of either an indoor Poltergeist house-themed dark ride/coaster, based on the original 1982 film, a The Ring interactive experience/horror maze or an indoor Intamin hyper coaster based on Predator or depending on the success of the upcoming film, The Predator. It would likely be the third. It would also feature live actors and the makeup used would be extremely alike to that used in the films. The pre-show would be about the ship used to signal the Predator being activated and the creature now being on the loose, hunting humans for 'sport'. Finally, this year, Saw's theming is restored and Swarm gets additional theming/smoke effects.
2023
The long-awaited wooden RMC coaster 'Trespasser' opens late in the year. Samurai is removed and replaced with a Top Spin flat ride. The Lost City area gets additional theming to make it look even more like ancient ruins. TWD:TR's current coaster track is demolished and the ground inside the pyramid is lowered deeper to make way for a more thrilling indoor ride, with the track having bigger drops and inversions. The theming is also improved with even more references to the TV show added. Finally, Thorpe's 2nd on-site hotel opens and the park becomes a full-fledged 'resort'.
2024
A B&M flying coaster which acts as an expansion to Swarm Island is announced, which is set to have the same apocalyptic theme as The Swarm and is classed as it's 'sister coaster'. The ride would also duel with a section of TS ensuring that both are linked to each other. The name would be 'The Rebellion' and would focus on the human rebel 'resistance' 's fight against the aliens. The Predator indoor coaster opens and the area of The Dockyard is completed. The 'Megastore' and it's toilet block closes to make way for a state-of-the-art Amityville mega shop with a restaurant and toilets attached to it. Flying Fish gets a repaint and a small family ride similar to that of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish at IOA opens next to it.
