Thorpe Park 2015 Coaster?

[BigAl]

I think I'd rather see Thorpe push their coaster back to 2016 and add something other than coasters in the meantime. There's a whole host of new flat rides that could work well with their current line-up (i.e. rides that don't create the same sensations as those they already achieve with their current hardware), or perhaps they could create a small dark ride experience to test how their average guest might receive something a little larger further down the line?

 

[djtruefitt]

Thorpe is certainly lacking in the dark ride department. Infact they have one indoor ride and that is X! Yet they do have a perfectly good 4D cinema, and two horror mazes sat their empty for most of the time!

I would rather they also left the coaster for a little while and sorted a few other areas out first, Canada Creek is now pretty much just the log flume, Rangers county just doesn't fit into Thorpe at all, and neither does the water area in front of the dome. Ill rather they redid these areas and put some flat/smaller rides in.

 

[Dave]

Thorpe have badly neglected any sort of mid-level investment.... They seem to install solid roller coasters then tripe in-between. I would like to see them tackle a decent filler attraction.

 

[Scott]

Do we know whatever happened to the rumoured Swarm-based dark ride/attraction?

 

[Quetzal]

I believe that was only ever rumoured.

Planning documents for the ride said that a support ride was an option to further promote the ride in the future, as the park did with SAW Alive. However, it seems like turning the back rows aruond was done for this exact reason, so the support attraction never materialised.

I really have no clue what the next coaster at the park will be. From what I've heard from the park, another merlin 3 B&M was perhaps on the cards after Krake, Swarm and Raptor. Obviously with Heide getting their new B&M this is always an option, but I'm not too sure.

Two coasters that I feel would add to the line-up would be a wooden of some sort (would probably have to invert for merlin to invest), or a Mack or Intamin Blitz/Megacoaster type ride, with multiple launches and inversions.

Oddly, I have a weird suspicion that it'll be a smaller scale/budget ride after the success of a certain Wingrider. I'm thinking a Zac Spin, or Spinner maybe?

Considering that 2 years before Swarm it was already speculated that Thorpe were getting a Wingrider, being at the same point in time, with with absolutely no clue is a little different. Hopefully it'll be a nice surprise when we find out what they have planned. There's obviously always the chance that the ride has been pushed back to 2016.

 

[AirFAN]

Forget a ride and spend £18m on landscaping.

 

[Anonymous]

It's most likely to be an Intamin.

 

[BigAl]

Hopefully without inversions and just loads of ridiculous airtime hills!

 

[josht]

I reckon the worlds first 14 loop coaster called the failure

 

[Sam]

It's most likely to be an Intamin.

[citation needed]

Saying that, an Intamin plug'n'play woodie would be nice. It would neatly sidestep the 'wood is crap' problem, as those things can be built so they look absolutely insane anyway. They can pretty much be built as a steel coaster...

If any UK park are going to redefine the public's perception of a woodie, with an absolutely massive balls-to-the-wall world-class maximum-intensity beast, it's Thorpe.

 

[Anonymous]

It's most likely to be an Intamin.

[citation needed]

Saying that, an Intamin plug'n'play woodie would be nice. It would neatly sidestep the 'wood is crap' problem, as those things can be built so they look absolutely insane anyway. They can pretty much be built as a steel coaster...

If any UK park are going to redefine the public's perception of a woodie, with an absolutely massive balls-to-the-wall world-class maximum-intensity beast, it's Thorpe.

Hey, I was the first person to report that Thorpe were building a Wing Coaster... I have my sources and I trust them. They are looking at other tenders, but Intamin looks to be the one they'll opt for, although, what coaster type, I couldn't tell you, at the moment anyway.

 

[Quetzal]

I'd heard from various engineers at the park that Merlin had lost confidence in Intamin after problems with Stealth, Rita and Thirteen. I took that with many pinches of salt, but I thought it should just be pointed out.

If Thorpe are poised to build an Intamin airtime machine I shall be one happy bunny.

 

[DiogoJ42]

A cross between a blitz and a mega could be epic. Just imagine EGF with a launched lift hill!
I just hope that whatever it is, Intamin can come up with a new, better restraint that their usual "lap bar + pointless plastic blades at neck level" crap.

 

[TheMan]

I'd heard from various engineers at the park that Merlin had lost confidence in Intamin after problems with Stealth, Rita and Thirteen. I took that with many pinches of salt, but I thought it should just be pointed out.

If Thorpe are poised to build an Intamin airtime machine I shall be one happy bunny.

Yes, because the other manufacturers have proven to be faultless in design & process

Seriously though. Rita is very popular, Stealth is just freaking awesome, and bar the teething problems what exactly is wrong with Th13teen? It is a damn reliable, queue busting, intensely popular ride with some serious, serious technology!

It was easier to get open than The Smiler AND for that matter, air!

If I had to choose to keep only one manufacturer for me it would be Intamin all day long. I love Oblivion & especially Nemesis obviously, but I'd give them up for Colossus, Th13teen, Stealth & Rita and future Intamins especially over B&Ms.

I think really, Nemesis & Oblivion were two beautiful moments of joint creation and brilliance, but when you take those additional factors away and just plonk a coaster straight on the ground, Intamin wins.

 

[Quetzal]

I'd heard from various engineers at the park that Merlin had lost confidence in Intamin after problems with Stealth, Rita and Thirteen. I took that with many pinches of salt, but I thought it should just be pointed out.

If Thorpe are poised to build an Intamin airtime machine I shall be one happy bunny.

Yes, because the other manufacturers have proven to be faultless in design & process

Seriously though. Rita is very popular, Stealth is just freaking awesome, and bar the teething problems what exactly is wrong with Th13teen? It is a damn reliable, queue busting, intensely popular ride with some serious, serious technology!

Yeah, I completely agree, that's just what I've heard. This was a few years back though, when Thirteen was having major teething issues.

 

[Rob]

If I had to choose to keep only one manufacturer for me it would be Intamin all day long. I love Oblivion & especially Nemesis obviously, but I'd give them up for Colossus, Th13teen, Stealth & Rita and future Intamins especially over B&Ms.

I think really, Nemesis & Oblivion were two beautiful moments of joint creation and brilliance, but when you take those additional factors away and just plonk a coaster straight on the ground, Intamin wins.

Intamin also win in the category of most likely to kill you!

On a serious note, I have to disagree. Intamin do make some brilliant coasters (and 3 of my top 4 coasters are actually Intamin's, El Toro, I305 and Kingda Ka) but they so often get it totally wrong when building coasters. Just look at I305 which had to have massive re-profiling work. And Thirteen, with huge design flaws meaning trims had to be added. I believe there were problems with Skyrush as well.

Nemesis and Oblivion are much better coasters than any of those Intamin coasters you mention there (although I know this is a matter of opinion). I don't feel we really have a good Intamin coaster in this country. Stealth is ok but it is now very shakey and when you have been on a much faster launch it does feel slightly boring. B&M consistently make better coasters than Intamin with a far superior quality and service. But for some reason a lot of enthusiasts dislike B&M now for "coasters by numbers" which I once again disagree with.

In terms of Thorpe's next coaster though, I would indeed be happy with an Intamin. An Intamin woodie would be brilliant as they give you crazy airtime.

 

[TheMan]

B&M consistently make better coasters than Intamin with a far superior quality and service.)

Better? Yes. More exciting? No.

I like Swarm, but Stealth is my favourite ride on that park. Now, B&M obviously rule towers, for their two world class classics (as they now are).

That though, is equally down to the brilliance of the design and surroundings. Otherwise, why does everyone take the pee out of inferno? I think it's a far more decent coaster than people give it credit for, as in fact is Swarm, so I am far from anti-B&M. Indeed, I love them all bar air - which I really don't like.

Some of the most daring and insane coasters on this planet are built by Intamin. They do get it wrong. But B&M just do not push the boundaries anymore like they used to. Think of the variation that Intamin use, and are still developing crazy ideas like the pneumatic drop system. B&M would never do something like that.

For bravery, innovation, sheer insanity, I would always go for Intamin. Though you know the likely hood is that in 10 years time they'll be, er... yeah lol, where as over all B&Ms will go on for as long as you maintain them well.

B&Ms are very, very classy, and I like them a lot but I'd definitely rather have some Intamin madness - even if it isn't a woody!

 

[Laura]

As much as it needs one, I can't see Thorpe getting a dark ride...at least not one without some 'thrill' aspect like Sub Terra - and even then I wouldn't expect it would have much re-rideability.

I think the park already has quite a good ride lineup - I'd echo the comments that money needs to be spent tidying up old areas of the park like Ranger County (seems weird seeing it there surrounded by all the gritty urban destruction themes) and the old pool area (which I think is just used for scare mazes now?)

As I'm not a fan of wooden coasters I can't think what else might naturally come next for Thorpe. Many people have implied it 'needs' to invert, but I would've thought there'd be a gap for something like Millenium Force at Cedar Point or Shambhala at PortAventura. I can see both space and money being an issue though, those are big, expensive rides.

 

[alee298]

I shall add my moneys worth. I really do hope Thorpe get an intamin wooden or a GCI wooden as they seem to be very good. Or if not one of those a good airtime coaster by intamin. Not another boring, unimaginative B&M. B&M seem to be going for quality and smoothness, not excitement or g-force like they used to. Intamin will soon enough beat B&M in innovativeness and fun. And another thing, Thorpe don't need anymore inversions
They need an airtime coaster or a good solid dark ride. I only see Thorpe getting more inversions so that they can get most inversions in 1 park record.

 

[djtruefitt]

I think the park already has quite a good ride lineup - I'd echo the comments that money needs to be spent tidying up old areas of the park like Ranger County (seems weird seeing it there surrounded by all the gritty urban destruction themes) and the old pool area (which I think is just used for scare mazes now?)

The pool area is still open from about May or late summer, then its used for the scare mazes in October. I would have thought its days are numbered, but there are also loads of other areas of the park which I think their days are numbered such as ranger county and Canadian Creek.