• 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.

The Retrosquad: General Discussion

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
SuperMuscleMan said:
It was 2.5 new rides (after the fire they rushed in zodiac for the remainder of that season) then brought vortex and det. It was 2000 I think or maybe 2001. (They year prior to colossus). It was marketed as the POWER OF 3. And started cementing the idea thorpe was a thrill park. I believe this was the 3rd or 2nd year the park was owned by Tussaud's.

I don't know if you agree but these rides really do add to the lineup. I also believe rush and eclipse were both brought in at the same time? Thorpe does have a far more dynamic range of rides and filler attractions and these cheap fairground rides have stopped me from wanting to visit Alton the last 2 years. I want an immersive experience not a cheap knock off 'theme' park.
Click to expand...
I think this is a good point, the flat rides at TP feel like they're meant to be there and they're as much a part of your day out as the coasters are.

The retrosquad are just something to do when the coaster queues are unacceptably long. It's not the same thing at all.
 
rob666 said:
Because I didn't want to ride them, I barely noticed the retrosquad rides on my last visit, and I certainly wouldn't avoid visiting because of them.
There is no compulsion to ride them, and they simply make the coaster queues that little bit shorter.
Click to expand...

But a complete day out for me includes flat rides and theming. A highly themed flat ride is a theme park experience to me. Something that resembles a fair has no place to me in a 'theme' park. It makes the place look tacky and dated.

NuttySquirrel said:
I think this is a good point, the flat rides at TP feel like they're meant to be there and they're as much a part of your day out as the coasters are.

The retrosquad are just something to do when the coaster queues are unacceptably long. It's not the same thing at all.
Click to expand...

I bet if you could track visitor numbers when the power of 3 was launched Thorpe's increased. All three of those rides blend brilliantly with the area they were put in and don't feel like fairground attractions.

It's why I think they followed that with the samurai and then rush and quantum.. all of which blend into the surroundings and make a complete theme park day out.

They support the coasters, offer mixed thrill levels and don't look like a cheap fairground ride. Samurai sticks out a little for me but it replaced the carnival looking Calgary stampede. Thorpe has gone in the right direction, Alton is just to me a coaster park with a mad house that sometimes works.
 
They really need a spectacle ride, much like Ripsaw was and how Talocan still is for Phantasialand. I'm not saying it has to be bringing a Huss TopSpin back, but something that makes people want to ride it just as much as they want to share it on social media. No marketing required. It speaks for itself.
 
Danny said:
They really need a spectacle ride, much like Ripsaw was and how Talocan still is for Phantasialand. I'm not saying it has to be bringing a Huss TopSpin back, but something that makes people want to ride it just as much as they want to share it on social media. No marketing required. It speaks for itself.
Click to expand...
Yes, surely something like this would be good to have. Huss TopSpins are the likely candidate, but there must be other spectacle flat rides.
 
zeock said:
Yes, surely something like this would be good to have. Huss TopSpins are the likely candidate, but there must be other spectacle flat rides.
Click to expand...
Vortex was a spectacle ride when it opened. I think it still is in some ways. It's a fun ride to watch from the dome at the end of the day. When submission or boneshaker was in the park they were quite spectacular. Although the randomness of ripsaw and Ramses revenge are the best form of rider/audience spectacle.

I remember festival park and that part of park looking cheap and thrown together compared to say the magic carpet at Chessington.
 
SuperMuscleMan said:
I don't know if you agree but these rides really do add to the lineup. I also believe rush and eclipse were both brought in at the same time?
Click to expand...
Eclipse was brought in 2003, then left at the end of the year and was traded with Samurai from Chessington for 2004, which replaced Calgary Stampede.

Rush and SLAMMER (everyone seems to be forgetting this awesome ride?!) both opened at the same time in 2005… well, Slammer TRIED to but was plagued with downtime at the start of its life.

RIP Slammer 💔
 
deanW said:
Eclipse was brought in 2003, then left at the end of the year and was traded with Samurai from Chessington for 2004, which replaced Calgary Stampede.

Rush and SLAMMER (everyone seems to be forgetting this awesome ride?!) both opened at the same time in 2005… well, Slammer TRIED to but was plagued with downtime at the start of its life.

RIP Slammer 💔
Click to expand...
My bad I ment the magic carpet whatever it's called and Rush.
 
zeock said:
I can certainly agree with this. I have definitely noticed that it has been running much slower in the past couple of years or so.
Click to expand...
I rode it in 2013 and 2022. In 2013 it was a lot faster and more forceful than it was last year. Apparently that's to reduce wear and tear.
 
Danny said:
They really need a spectacle ride, much like Ripsaw was and how Talocan still is for Phantasialand. I'm not saying it has to be bringing a Huss TopSpin back, but something that makes people want to ride it just as much as they want to share it on social media. No marketing required. It speaks for itself.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with that. Something outside of coasters and Hex that'll be remembered.
 
When done well, flat rides can become integral to the land they are in. Tornado Springs at Paultons has a number of these. However, the Retrosquad do not do this. They at least eat up capacity a little, but I hope permanent flat rides are swiftly installed after the contract with the respective showmen expires.
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top