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Thorpe Park: General Discussion

The Angry Birds press release says:

8 January 2014 - An amazing new Angry Birds themed land is preparing to nest this Spring at THORPE PARK Resort, promising a world first must see experience for families, and fans of all ages of the feathered flocks and piggy characters made famous by Rovio Entertainment Ltd, creators of one of the world’s most exciting and iconic digital games’ franchises.
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I expect we will see a new logo at some point and maybe some re-branding on park to reflect this and their new target audience? Saying that it usually takes a few years to fully change the brand across the whole park
 
Lottie. said:
The caps make me think to shout THORPE PARK then calm down for Resort.

:p
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I posted that somewhere too lol! When I read it to myself, I always SHOUT THORPE PARK, then whisper Resort...

And giving that more thought, that is exactly what they should do, WHISPER it, so no one hears they are trying to get away with claiming they are one!

No one seems to have spotted a slight irony about this either. They are taking a scary ride, Detonator, and placing in the "family area"... which means, if everything else is correct, we have a 4D cinema experiences and some dodgems, to try and welcome families back...

So they have succeeded in irritating many of their "Thrill Seeker" base, and providing next to nothing to welcome families back?

There is no way I would recommend this place to families right now, I always suggest Towers.

I do feel sorry for them with The Swarm though in terms of not attracting visitors. I bet they just got told they were having a Wing Rider, and I also feel it is under rated as a coaster. I genuinely really enjoy the ride experience, and for me that dive loop start is really fantastic - one of the most unique in the UK.
 
It's nothing to do with the Swarm.

The reason Thorpe are suffering is due to the period 2007-2011, when guests were taken, quite literally, for a ride and families became alienated by the decisions made and the marketing.
 
At the end of the day The Swarm is better than Air yet Air was a huge success for Towers, as Dan said Thorpe are struggling because they alienate the spenders and over sell FT and make a busy day at their park intolerable.

A day at a theme park should not be more stressful than going to work.
 
AstroDan said:
It's nothing to do with the Swarm.

The reason Thorpe are suffering is due to the period 2007-2011, when guests were taken, quite literally, for a ride and families became alienated by the decisions made and the marketing.
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Funny how that coincides with the Merlin era and the transition period before the takeover isn't it?

The DIC Tussaud's might have been unkind on Alton Towers but at least they looked after Thorpe.
 
I've had a little think about the Angry Birds theme… and actually, I think it might not be a bad theme after all.

It's associated with things moving quickly, and also it's full of colour, which the park desperately needs.

But with the direction Thorpe are going in, I wonder if merlin would be better to cut their losses, and invest much more heavily in Chessington.
 
cdd89 said:
I've had a little think about the Angry Birds theme… and actually, I think it might not be a bad theme after all.

It's associated with things moving quickly, and also it's full of colour, which the park desperately needs.

But with the direction Thorpe are going in, I wonder if merlin would be better to cut their losses, and invest much more heavily in Chessington.
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Cut their losses? The way both parks are at the moment it would take a complete polar-reversal investment level from Merlin to bring Chessington back to the way it was in its glory days.

Also, regardless of how suitable the Angry Birds IP is, the actual content it will bring next year to the park is beyond pitiful. Some dodgems and a old 4D cinema will make little to no difference to the visitor levels - and if people are somehow drawn in by the marketing and do visit they will ultimately end up disappointed once they realise what it actually consists of.
 
It's not so much investment (although there is a severe lack of it at both parks - Chessington moreso), it's what is being done with the money. Like in Thorpe's case it looks, like someone else put it (cannot remember who), the park is like a Rollercoaster Tycoon game. They're just throwing things here and there with no direction. There's no bold statement of yes, we cater for families and thrill seekers, in 2014 we are bringing this for families and it will be amazing.

Even with this Angry Birds thing there's nothing mesmerising about it. No new amazing family attractions or rides that will amaze. A 4D cinema is the only thing that can be classed as a good attraction - but that's not good enough. Especially for a park like Thorpe that doesn't seem to know what it's doing.
 
It's very short termism, something Merlin seem to love...

I think Swarm's lack of success was down to other external factors in 2012, but it has led to this rather blind panic from Thorpe realising they're not as good as they seem to think they are in the wider eye...
 
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Thorpe park have posted up some concept art on Facebook asking for feedback- Possibly new next year with the "Waterfront hotel"?
 
So where does this fit in with... anything?


Why is it a shark? Why will this entice people (especially families) to stay over in the "Resort" hotel? Why does it look like it's meant to be made from scrap?

Will it be made from scrap? :p
 
BigAl said:
So where does this fit in with... anything?


Why is it a shark? Why will this entice people (especially families) to stay over in the "Resort" hotel? Why does it look like it's meant to be made from scarp?

Will it be made from scrap? :p
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You know.. It easily fit's with Amity Cove... Oh wait... Half of it is being butchered for Angry Birds...

Could be a joke.. We are Scrap(ping) Amity Cove ;)
 
Isn't it obvious?

The Angry Birds destroy half of Amity Cove, taking over half the area while the other half is 're-built' from the destruction and devastation.

Classic Merlin. ;)
 
I'm all for interesting new additions, and this looks interesting, but where does this fit in? Is it a random theme with the container hotel or is the container hotel receiving a theme of some kind? If the current accommodation is only temporary and this is being built for that, will this last long? More importantly, will the short time the container hotel is in the park be reflected in the amount they spend on this?
 
I think it looks fab... Reminds me a bit of the Zombie Bar thing they have at Walibi in the the middle of the lake...

This is the sorta thing I want to see from Merlin, imaginative concepts that are original and unique to the park...

Bear in mind as well that (in their infinite wisdom) the Waterfront will be made to look like a batch of shipping containers it strangely fits in...

Better idea than Angry Birds...
 
Looks like Forbidden Valley meets Jaws. :p

I'm more interested in what's behind the shark though.

This kind of thing would go with some kind of Waterworld atoll (you know, the floating scrap islands). Granted to build something like that would cost far more than a simple entrance for what I presume will be a bar located in one (or more) of the containers?
 
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