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Thorpe Park: General Discussion

Didn't they give X a Towers style TLC makeover earlier this year? That would be typical of Merlin.

Mind you the X rumour has been around for a few years, they have Project 2020 and that's got to go somewhere, the same guy that broke the loggers news also at the time said the next plan was to close X, Slammer and Colossus at the end of this year and redevelop that part of the park, but I don't think anybody truly believed they'd close Colossus even though it's slowly sinking into the lake.
 
Matt N said:
So do I! Worst roller coaster I've ever ridden out of 39 coasters!
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In fairness with better trains and a refurbished track Colossus could be a brilliant ride again.

It is second only to Nemesis in terms of its landscaping, theme music and the way it interacts with its environment and clone or no clone it's a decent length coaster with a good layout.

Certainly better than Saw and even The Swarm in my opinion.

I would be very sad to see it removed.
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
In fairness with better trains and a refurbished track Colossus could be a brilliant ride again.

It is second only to Nemesis in terms of its landscaping, theme music and the way it interacts with its environment and clone or no clone it's a decent length coaster with a good layout.

Certainly better than Saw and even The Swarm in my opinion.

I would be very sad to see it removed.
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In all fairness to you @CoasterCrazyChris, I first rode in July 2014 when the ride was already 12 years old. And I do also think that the ride would be better without those trains, because they also ruin Rita, and to a lesser extent Cheetah Hunt as well. I also like the ride's landscaping and theme tune, but I'm not sure why they went with white as a colour scheme. However, I don't agree that it's better than Swarm. The Swarm is personally my favourite UK coaster, just topping Nemesis *cue the cries of "Blasphemy!" from every other TSTer* because of its unique seating position, stunning theming and because I think it still carries a good force throughout the ride. I can't comment on Saw as I've never had the opportunity to ride.
 
I get the whole ride length, landscaping, interaction, spectacle thing with Colossus. I was walking around it earlier tonight thinking of it in comparison to the flat pieces of land Swarm and Saw are sat on.

I also have a soft spot for coasters (including The Smiler) that at least try to give you a decent amount of ride time. That's what annoys me so much about the Swarm, it's all well and good until it finishes quicker than a teenage boy with his best mates hot mum.

But let's face it, Colossus has always been far better to watch than to ride. It's a fantastic spectacle seeing it negotiate the cobra roll, twisting through those heartlines right next to you and thundering underneath as you look out of the shop window.

But the (cloned) layout is all show and no substance to ride. After a strong start with the first drop and loop it almost immediately let's itself down by rattling it's way over the most pointless camel back ever, which gives you about as much air time as gently driving over a speed hump. The Cobra is uncomfortable but bearable. Everything else is just pain and discomfort for the hell of it.

Also, no wonder the park ended up going with a Saw movie coaster. If jigsaw tried putting a Colossus restraint on a victim in one of the Saw movies, it would likely be banned by the BBFC for scenes depicting excessive human suffering. As for Saw the ride itself, at least it offers some sort of thrills whilst it's beating the hell out of you in true Gerstlaur style, Colossus on the other hand all pain and no gain to me.
 
Am I the only one who thinks Merlins mentality goes a bit like this:

"Wow we have made so much money at Thorpe this month, but how can we make even more?

Let's close another ride".

New ride or not, we all know that X will be SBNO for at least a season or 5.
 
I really dont understand the hate for colossus. I remember riding it in the first week of operations and it really did change thorpe into the place it is today. X:\NWO was the biggest coaster before that! I rode it last year and although a little jolty i thought it rode well compared to that of much newer Saw. It seemed to flow through the track and lasts a good amount of time. Your also forgetting you 'clone haters' that it was the first 10 looping coaster! Yeah it had variation on the 8 loops but its been coppies many times since. The landscaping is so unique for thorpe id hate to see it go, x on the otherhand id be happy to see it go. Its nice to have an indoor ride but these days it does not know what it is.
 
Also both Colossus and Nemesis (Alton Towers) had strong involvement with John Wardley. It was the first coaster Tussauds put into Thorpe Park (Tidal Wave was their first big addition there after purchasing the park). I remember John on Tomorrows World doing an "experiment" with some guests queing for an hour watching the ride and other guests being locked in a room before riding to see if your excitement levels on-ride were affected by watching it first. John Wardley strongly believes in coasters that interact with non-riders.

It would be a shame to lose X as Thorpe needs more non-water family rides, but the original premise of the mid-ride stops and "helicopter sounds" and all that was pretty rubbish. Recently it was an OK coaster in the dark, but I'm sure something better could fit in the building.

Also Derren Brown Ghost Train (I haven't experianced it yet) could have been a decent indoor thrilling but family friendly (think Spider-man or Transformers at Universal) dark ride, but instead they went with the VR fad that won't be reliable long term?
 
These are just rumours of course but I've heard X will be closed and SBNO in 2018 and the Walking Dead Living Nightmare scare maze will become a permanent attraction.

I hope neither are true, but it wouldn't surprise me if they turn out to be true.
 
Colossus trains are awful if you are anything other than a small person
I’m 6’3 18 stone and can only just about fold myself into the seats but the ride is awful on them trains


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Went on Colossus for the first time in September and actually quite enjoyed it, could still do with new restraints and/or trains. Same with Stealth and Rita were they'd both be improved by TTD or red force style lap bars.

My experience of Saw on the other hand was just painful (same with the last time I went on The Smiler).
 
When Colossus first opened it was something special, this is true. Unfortunately it has not aged well at all. It developed it's signature head-banging by the time it was two years old, and is only getting worse with age.
 
Colossus is only bearable as either a front or back row passenger, anywhere else and the thing is excruciatingly painful. Saw is even worse.
 
I read defensive comments a lot about Colossus when someone attacks it. It gets defended for its landscaping and interaction with spectators and I fully accept that.

Then comes the nostalgia argument of "putting Thorpe on the map". I get its nostalgic value as well, although I wouldn't imagine there was anyone here wishing Corkscrew was still limping on today for the same reason.

As a last resort, John Wardley usually gets mentioned, as if that automatically makes it good by default.

However, I notice very few people (I can't recall ever actually) defend it for its ride experience. The closest anyone usually gets to this is "well such and such a coaster is even worse".

By the way, I'm not actually suggesting that Colossus should be removed, just that it's awful to ride and I know deep down that most of you agree with me.
 
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