Thorpe Park: General Discussion

[Secret Weapon]

Just checked the Thorpe app out of boredom.

A new rise and shine package? Be the first to ride of your choice to start the day. Starting at £30pp but including breakfast.

Money grabbing at its finest. But the worrying thing is people will pay it! After all you get an exclusive certificate and badge! Wowzers.

Maybe it would be worth it if you wanted a particular seat?

I'm still holding out hope for Slammer 2.0. maybe another manufacturer can have a go at a modern Sky Swat without the problematic air compression.

I heard a rumour that that Slammer was scrapped because the park was worried that they'd be unable to evacuate people if they were stuck upside-down in the middle of a power cut, but I don't know if this is true.

Given that Rush also used air cylinders, why was the park able to continue with Rush but not Slammer?

 

[Poisson]

Rush without power will (eventually) stop at the bottom with no issues.

 

[Islander]

Maybe it would be worth it if you wanted a particular seat?

I heard a rumour that that Slammer was scrapped because the park was worried that they'd be unable to evacuate people if they were stuck upside-down in the middle of a power cut, but I don't know if this is true.

Given that Rush also used air cylinders, why was the park able to continue with Rush but not Slammer?

You’ve just stated (from a rumour, no less), that Rush was removed for evac reasons. Why then would the use of air cylinders have anything to do with it..?

 

[JAperson]

Just checked the Thorpe app out of boredom.

A new rise and shine package? Be the first to ride of your choice to start the day. Starting at £30pp but including breakfast.

Money grabbing at its finest. But the worrying thing is people will pay it! After all you get an exclusive certificate and badge! Wowzers.

Sounds like the new global head of fastrack and add ons or whatever they are called has had another brainwave.

 

[Secret Weapon]

Sounds like the new global head of fastrack and add ons or whatever they are called has had another brainwave.

In fairness, it's not a bad idea from Merlin's perspective. I agree that it's terrible value for money, but if people are willing to pay a premium for it (perhaps if they have flown in from overseas and specifically want a front-row seat on Hyperia) then it's a good idea for the park to offer it as it literally costs them nothing (besides the negligible cost of the paper).

It's also clever because the park doesn't get busiest until mid-day or so, and so you are charging premium price for something that actually isn't even all that special.

 

[JAperson]

In fairness, it's not a bad idea from Merlin's perspective. I agree that it's terrible value for money, but if people are willing to pay a premium for it (perhaps if they have flown in from overseas and specifically want a front-row seat on Hyperia) then it's a good idea for the park to offer it as it literally costs them nothing (besides the negligible cost of the paper).

I was mostly joking and in a way you are sort of right. But, and it's a bit but, its money grabbing, considering they used to give early ride time to certain guests anyway, and guest experience/value for money of the ticket used to be a big focus for Merlin/Tussaurds, it just stinks to customers as money grabbing. They already have to put up with people who can afford fasttrack getting on the rides quicker than them, extremely expensive with low quality food, expensive parking and even photo packages being up sold to you when all you want is a theme park ticket. Booking a day at a Merlin park these days feels like booking a flight with Ryanair rather than booking the best day out of the year.
I have no issue with companies like Merlin wanting to make good money out of their parks, but I do think they need to be more careful at avoiding looking like they JUST want money of customers.

 

[Call_um]

I heard a rumour that that Slammer was scrapped because the park was worried that they'd be unable to evacuate people if they were stuck upside-down in the middle of a power cut, but I don't know if this is true.

Given that Rush also used air cylinders, why was the park able to continue with Rush but not Slammer?

Not the reason for its closure, no.

Slammer didn't open one year for that exact reason, H&S wouldn't sign it off due to the evacuation procedure if it was to get stuck upside down. Thorpes engineers created a system in house to resolve this and it re-opened.

Slammer was planned to open for the 2017 season. It had completed its winter maintenance, was on the park map and had new signage. Unfortunately it had some last minute issues during testing and in May they announced it won't be reopening.

The decision was made that it was no longer viable to keep it running. Parts had to be sourced elsewhere as S&S stopped supplying them, and it just got to a point that they didn't want to continue chucking money at it.

Big shame, it'll always be one of my favourites and 2016 it had one of its best ever seasons reliability wise.

 

[Secret Weapon]

Not the reason for its closure, no.

Slammer didn't open one year for that exact reason, H&S wouldn't sign it off due to the evacuation procedure if it was to get stuck upside down. Thorpes engineers created a system in house to resolve this and it re-opened.

Slammer was planned to open for the 2017 season. It had completed its winter maintenance, was on the park map and had new signage. Unfortunately it had some last minute issues during testing and in May they announced it won't be reopening.

The decision was made that it was no longer viable to keep it running. Parts had to be sourced elsewhere as S&S stopped supplying them, and it just got to a point that they didn't want to continue chucking money at it.

Big shame, it'll always be one of my favourites and 2016 it had one of its best ever seasons reliability wise.

That's interesting; was 2013 the year that it had to close for the new evacuation procedure to be designed? If so then it makes me wonder why the HSE allowed it to open for 8 years before then suddenly realising that this might be an issue? (did nobody think of this before?)

Also: I am wrong, as I mistakenly thought that it closed at the end of 2015 (along with many other Merlin rides), but you are right that it actually lasted for another year beyond that!

I wonder why they didn't attempt to sell it, instead of leaving it installed on site for another 7 years (maybe nobody wanted it?).

 

[Call_um]

That's interesting; was 2013 the year that it had to close for the new evacuation procedure to be designed? If so then it makes me wonder why the HSE allowed it to open for 8 years before then suddenly realising that this might be an issue? (did nobody think of this before?)

Also: I am wrong, as I mistakenly thought that it closed at the end of 2015 (along with many other Merlin rides), but you are right that it actually lasted for another year beyond that!

I wonder why they didn't attempt to sell it, instead of leaving it installed on site for another 7 years (maybe nobody wanted it?).

Unsure what year that was, could've been 2013.

No one would've wanted to buy it, it was a maintenance nightmare. It was the only one left in the world and S&S wouldn't supply parts for it. Thorpe did well keeping it going as long as they did!

 

[Secret Weapon]

Unsure what year that was, could've been 2013.

No one would've wanted to buy it, it was a maintenance nightmare. It was the only one left in the world and S&S wouldn't supply parts for it. Thorpe did well keeping it going as long as they did!

I wonder why S&S could supply parts for Rush, but not for Slammer?

I can't remember whether Blackpool used S&S for the refurbishment of Ice Blast / Launch Pad, or whether they used a different supplier.

Incidentally: I don't know if this is true, but I think that S&S began as a husband and wife duo who made simple air equipment, and so it's incredible that they have grown to such heights! (Ditto for Vekoma, who began by making farm equipment)

 

[Call_um]

I wonder why S&S could supply parts for Rush, but not for Slammer?

2 completely different ride types.

Rush is a screamin swing which they still sell and supply parts for today.

Slammer was a Sky Swat, they sold 2 of them which both had major problems so they stopped selling them and later decided to stop supporting / supply parts for them too.