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Thorpe Park: General Discussion

IanSR said:
Ketamin is so last century, doesn't the kool kids do laughing gas now?
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You can ask around in the Angry Birds 4D batching area for confirmation, but I think the general idea is that the popularity of one doesn't negate the other. :p

Anyhow, as I get older and youth culture begins to feel alien to my sensibilities, I'm glad I'll always have Thorpe Park to look toward for an idea of what's cool and what's lame. Currently: Zombies = Cool! Log flumes = Lame! Got it, fellow kids.
 
Is anyone going to, or has anyone been to in the past, the TP friends and family event?

I’m going on Saturday and wondering what ride availability is likely to be like.
 
Fairly much as any other passholder /npreview type day, expect slow dispatches, lost looking staff, plenty breakdowns but mostly a full compliment at most stages of the day.

These days are essentially 'live' staff training days, so don't expect 100% availability and fast dispatches and you won't be disappointed.
 
^ as @IanSR said, but I'd say that if something is known to be unreliable there's every chance it will be more unreliable on Saturday.

Is Colossus still looking like a scaffolder's training centre?
 
We usually saunter in about 2.30 just about when those that have been there since 10 are so frustrated with operations they decide to go home, and usually just as the newbies are hitting their stride and running operations faster.

Last time I went Colossus did indeed look like a scaffold exhibition and smelt like a broken down lorry.
 
I think the snow is scheduled to be more severe in the East, so Alton shouldn't be affected.

Also, what was the "fun thing" that they wanted people to do yesterday or today? I also had to giggle at the "highest concentration of thrill rides in the UK". What does that even mean?
 
What kind of level of snow, ice etc does it tend to take to make coasters unavailable to operate?

Just wondering how much of this closure is due to the weather and how much is an opportunity to save cash on a weekend with less money being generated from entry fees, food, merc sales etc.
 
I should think access around the park paths is more of an issue than ride hardware, my first experience of Stealth was on a sub freezing snowy February half term some years ago, I know times have changed but I'd think the first priority would be paths.
 
Josh555 said:
What kind of level of snow, ice etc does it tend to take to make coasters unavailable to operate?

Just wondering how much of this closure is due to the weather and how much is an opportunity to save cash on a weekend with less money being generated from entry fees, food, merc sales etc.
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Wow, do you genuinely think Thorpe are just trying to save money?

They make plenty of money. AP holders will see new merch and flock to buy it. Food is generally bought by the majority. And still being on the cold side, things like hot chocolate and donuts will be popular. So money and profit isn't a concern.

Whilst it's true that in the past they ran rides at cold temperatures / in the snow, they have changed their operating procedures (as anyone who visited the park on a windy or cold day last year). That was a decision made following Smiler.

So if Sunday is going to be a cold, windy, they won't open many rides. No point opening the park for a preview day if there's nothing to preview.
 
Josh555 said:
What kind of level of snow, ice etc does it tend to take to make coasters unavailable to operate?

Just wondering how much of this closure is due to the weather and how much is an opportunity to save cash on a weekend with less money being generated from entry fees, food, merc sales etc.
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It is different from ride to ride.

The taller the ride the more likely it' going to have a frozen lift mechanism, ice on the tracks on a wooden coaster that can be track walked can be sorted easier than (for example) ice on an invert.

I remember an occasional at BPB a number of years ago (must have been 09 or 10 because the RollerCoaster was SBNO) when the Avalanche needed to be pulled into the brakes after a role back, the Big One was frozen at the top and the Grand Nationals brakes wouldn't fire up. After speeding a reasonable amount of time on these 3 rides someone decided to open up the Coaster in the interest of ride availability, after a track walk and a few empty runs it was open without a problem despite the track being covered in snow on the turn out of the station.
 
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