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Thorpe and Towers coasters- Have Thorpe reached a level that Towers can't equal?

Both parks aren't competing with each other. It is a disadvantage to Towers that they have the height restriction, but rides such as Nemesis show Towers' ability to build brilliant rides despite their restrictions.
 
zeock said:
Both parks aren't competing with each other. It is a disadvantage to Towers that they have the height restriction, but rides such as Nemesis show Towers' ability to build brilliant rides despite their restrictions.
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Question is can they keep that up. Will they ever build a coaster as unique as Nemesis again? I doubt it
 
They don't need to keep anything up, as the majority of us seem to agree, because the parks are not in competition.
Dead horse truly flogged.
 
They're both kind of equal but I still prefer Alton's line up. It has a bit more unique rides and experiences.

The feeling of diving into an underground tunnel after a vertical drop at Oblivion, flying at Galactica, the gimmicky free fall at Thirteen or riding a wood structure on fire at Wickerman has no match at Thorpe Park yet. It offers good raw coasters but that's about it.

Rita is the most "Thorpe Park style" ride at Alton and it's often despised by Alton fans. Even though it's probably the most intense ride at the park.
 
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One of the best inverted coaster in the world
Worlds first vertical drop coaster
Worlds first true flying coaster
Worlds first drop track coaster
Most inversions on any coaster in the world
Best themed wooden coaster in the world



In the setting of Alton Towers, with the restrictions it has, that line up is outrageous. And totally unique

As others have said, Thorpe and Alton serve totally different markets, generally established since the Tussauds days. And rightfully so.

If Alton was near London I suspect it would get closer to 4m visitors a year. Transport and it’s location are both one it’s best features and what holds it back.

Alton is a national park, Thorpe isn’t, and within reason never will be. Alton tell stories, creates rides with character which is why the lasts.

The biggest danger to Alton is it losing that “special” status with a new CEO, park manager and marketing team. And they chuck IPs in.
 
Ethan said:
Question is can they keep that up. Will they ever build a coaster as unique as Nemesis again? I doubt it
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Can't see it happening anytime soon but look at how good the Intamin launch coasters have been in recent years with Taron, Velocioaster, Taiga, Toutatis and Gothy Citz.

They could have a lot of fun designing one of those at Towers. A small top hat (maybe dig down slightly) and a creative, low to the ground, high speed coaster with some good airtime.
 
RicketyCricket said:
Can't see it happening anytime soon but look at how good the Intamin launch coasters have been in recent years with Taron, Velocioaster, Taiga, Toutatis and Gothy Citz.

They could have a lot of fun designing one of those at Towers. A small top hat (maybe dig down slightly) and a creative, low to the ground, high speed coaster with some good airtime.
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I’ve always thought if the rapids were ever to be removed it would make an incredible pit for a “jungle” themed launch coaster. Station somewhere behind Pizza Pasta/the tunnel with it having a winding half and much twistier second half a la velocicoaster
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
Granada studios wants you to hold their beer.
en.wikipedia.org

Skytrak - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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As only a couple of hundred paying punters rode the sodding thing, I'm not sure it counts.
I tried very hard, every day it was open, to ride it, and failed.
I only know one person who did.
At least I got a full refund, in cash, for my last two attempts.
Never saw it actually working, and I would love to know the actual cost to Granada per rider.
Bet it was about £10,000 per rider.
 
Thorpe and Towers are nothing alike and should not be going down the route of the same attractions. Thorpe is a glorified amusement park with the occasional bit of theming... not that it is a bad thing - it suits their market. Alton Towers is a family resort (I am stopping short of saying it's a Theme Park, because it isn't in the true sense of the word). I think you will see more of a focus on all-round family attractions (hopefully well themed) at Towers and more thrill rides a Thorpe.

Ash said:
One of the best inverted coaster in the world
Worlds first vertical drop coaster
Worlds first true flying coaster
Worlds first drop track coaster
Most inversions on any coaster in the world
Best themed wooden coaster in the world
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On a side note - I really do hope that there isn't another 'world's first' at Towers anytime soon. World's firsts are prototypes/ pro
ofs of concept. I think towers needs to me more experience focused instead of led by gimmicks. Look at the likes of Oblivion - fun, but compared to what Dive Machines do now it is irrelevant.
 
Dave said:
Alton Towers has a national profile, most people in Yorkshire barely even know Thorpe Park exists, most of London know Towers exists.
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I agree that most people in Yorkshire barely know Thorpe exists, but I've lived in London for a few years now and whenever I mention Towers to people (even people I've been to Thorpe with), they've never heard of it
 
benpicko said:
I agree that most people in Yorkshire barely know Thorpe exists, but I've lived in London for a few years now and whenever I mention Towers to people (even people I've been to Thorpe with), they've never heard of it
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I'm not saying you're lying ... But I find this hard to believe. Everyone knew about Alton Towers when I was growing up around London and they still do now.

Even in 'recent' years, The Smiler incident was a huge national news story.
 
Bowser said:
Had never heard of this! Looks ridiculous:


From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grEuNzoDdFg




With stats like that could be a contender for Chessington's next big ride.
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I don't think it ever ran at a rate of more than twenty people per hour.
With the complex single person loading and unloading system, coupled with the very limited numbers on the actual track, I would guess actual throughput, on the very few days that it was actually open, was never more than fifty people per hour.

So perfect for Chessington.

Edit...
Just been reading up for fun...
Only five cars, two on the track at any time...
Correction to throughput, about ten people per day, it usually broke down after the first hour...that was my personal experience over about a dozen planned visits.
Nine days out of ten it was closed all day, it should have opened in May, but actually opened in October, with big adverts on all the busses, NOW OPEN!
I set off twice as it was open and working at eleven am, only to be closed by my arrival...for the rest of the day.
Two full cash refunds at the entrance!
That bad!
 
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RicketyCricket said:
I'm not saying you're lying ... But I find this hard to believe. Everyone knew about Alton Towers when I was growing up around London and they still do now.

Even in 'recent' years, The Smiler incident was a huge national news story.
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Yeah i'm not sure how you'd measure it either way but i'd feel confident a survey of people in London/The South with even a passing interest in theme parks is at least aware of Alton Towers.

Advertising for new rides was always promoted nationally for example (and presumably still is, as relevant as that is in the internet age).

Plus there's a reason they have multiple hotels compared to the other theme parks in the UK.

Not to mention i believe that AT has the highest visitor numbers per year despite being in a less populated region.

And finally... if you ask ChatGPT which is the most famous theme park in the UK, AT wins ;)

In conclusion, if your London friends haven't heard of Alton Towers then you need better friends (just kidding).
 
I know Alton Towers certainly advertise around here (the South West, or more specifically Gloucestershire), and pretty much everyone I know with a passing interest in theme parks has heard of it, from my experience.

I’d also say that all four of the other Merlin parks advertise around here and are certainly in the public conscious. I’ve certainly seen adverts for Thorpe Park, Chessington and Legoland on TV around here. I’d also say that Drayton Manor and Paultons Park are known to a fair amount of people around here and do advertise around here.

Some of the more Northern parks like Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Flamingo Land don’t really advertise around here and aren’t well known around here, though.
 
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