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Thorpe Park: General Discussion

venny said:
It’s no shock that Thorpe have decided to change direction. Again.

Wouldn’t be Thorpe if they had a clear vision which they stook to.
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Danny said:
Looking forward to the next change in direction they'll have in 2 years time. :)
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I think there was a vision, but when they began delivering it, it didn't work so they have deviated from it. That's what you do in business, no?
 
Do we know what the vision was? The fact that everyone is so confused by it would suggest that whatever they were trying to deliver, they didn’t do it very successfully.

You can have whatever vision you like, but if you don’t deliver it well, it’s probably not going to succeed.

They should focus on delivering proper quality and stop blaming an incorrect vision for their failings.
 
Rick said:
I think there was a vision, but when they began delivering it, it didn't work so they have deviated from it.
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I would agree, except that they never began delivering it in any tangible way. They changed the signs a bit and came up with a new slogan. The only thing they did was DBGT, which was such a misfire that it didnt suit any demographic, the rest was more tired fad IPs.

I think if they really committed then they could make a measurable difference and reap the rewards long term?

The new vision, from an outsider, seemed to run out of steam even quicker than Chessington's 'new vision' in 2010.. paint the entrances beige, add some jeeps and run adverts making out its Disney's animal kingdom. The only real difference to the park was a grey revamp of an existing area and another hyped up flop, Zufari. Only in recent times is there any hint of the big development its long needed.
 
Rick said:
I think there was a vision, but when they began delivering it, it didn't work so they have deviated from it. That's what you do in business, no?
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I think there is a real danger in being overly reactive even in business. Sometimes a change requires a while to bed in before it pays dividends. Merlin are not happy to think long term, they always react and often those knee jerk actions cause more problems.

This is why it baffles me that Merlin bother developing LTDP’s as they never follow them.
 
Dave said:
I think there is a real danger in being overly reactive even in business. Sometimes a change requires a while to bed in before it pays dividends. Merlin are not happy to think long term, they always react and often those knee jerk actions cause more problems.

This is why it baffles me that Merlin bother developing LTDP’s as they never follow them.
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Has there actually been a long term development plan since ghost train? The park has seemed to have no sense of direction for years now
 
So Thorpe want the park to be completely unrecognisable in 10 years time? That surely means that they have plans for a fair few ride removals as there really is not that much space to play with.

I'm sure the new management team have good intentions but will Merlin give them the budget to carry out such major changes? I'm not so sure!
 
Rob said:
So Thorpe want the park to be completely unrecognisable in 10 years time? That surely means that they have plans for a fair few ride removals as there really is not that much space to play with.

I'm sure the new management team have good intentions but will Merlin give them the budget to carry out such major changes? I'm not so sure!
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Colossus and saw need to either go or get a retrack/new cars. Both are far too rough now and the colossus cars are just plain uncomfortable. Everything else still standing up to the test of time though and inferno is if anything getting better as it ages. Would love to see vortex replaced with one of those Giant Gyro Swings like Loki at Lieiberg
 
Doublethink said:
Colossus and saw need to either go or get a retrack/new cars. Both are far too rough now and the colossus cars are just plain uncomfortable. Everything else still standing up to the test of time though and inferno is if anything getting better as it ages. Would love to see vortex replaced with one of those Giant Gyro Swings like Loki at Lieiberg
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I'm always interested what age you are when you say colossus is rough? I remember it opening and to this day find it is not an issue. Are you a big or a small person? I'm a very broad person and I'm not sure if it's all my rugby playing that's bulit up my neck but I've never had an issue.
 
6f2 78kg male so tall and quite skinny and I find it very rattly with head strikes on both sides of the OTSR. My partner is 5 ft 8 and experiences similar issues. Particularly noticed from the 2016 season onwards
 
Hi doublethink. Intresting, I don't find it an issue at all. Saw for me is not nice. Did you ever go on the corkscrew? Because that was horrible, even the black hole was painfull... Especially the stop! Maybe the younger generations are used to smooth B&M coasters? I think colossus is not even halfway through its life. It was the defining coaster of Thorpe.
 
I have been on some of the first gen b&m coasters like Kumbra and honestly they are still a lot smoother than 5-10 year old intamin and especially Gerslauer rides and as far as I'm aware no retracking has been done on them. I did go on corkscrew but it's too long ago for me to vividly remember now sadly....
 
I think then maybe you are of the generation that expects smoother rides maybe. I always enjoyed the older rides with a bit of a bite and that have a bit of character. Both in my books (smooth and rough (within acceptable levels)) have space in my life. I would write off a dull smooth rollercoaster just as quick as a rough and exciting one. I mean I'd take colossus over Rita anyday.
 
SuperMuscleMan said:
I think then maybe you are of the generation that expects smoother rides maybe. I always enjoyed the older rides with a bit of a bite and that have a bit of character. Both in my books (smooth and rough (within acceptable levels)) have space in my life. I would write off a dull smooth rollercoaster just as quick as a rough and exciting one. I mean I'd take colossus over Rita anyday.
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Hmmm I do still enjoy a ride with a bite for example space mountain at MK is one of my favorite rides despite being a bit of a rattler but what I don't like is one's that are so jolty that they are headache inducing and both Saw and Colossus the last few rides have made me need to break out the paracetamol. Rough is fine for me, particularly jarring jolts such as the cobra on colossus and the track joint between the beyond vertical and inversion on saw are not.

I do appreciate that CAD has brought in an age of butter smooth rolercoasters now and in fact some new rides, B&M particularly fallinging into this trap, can be over smooth and forceless
 
Perhaps your height might contribute to why you don't particularly enjoy Colossus, as taller individuals often have problems with those Intamin OTSRs; my dad is 6ft 6 and was too tall to even fit into Colossus!

Having said that, I was probably under 5ft when I last rode Colossus and I still didn't like it...
 
RicketyCricket said:
Colossus would be the best coaster in the UK if it had modernised trains without the shoulder restraints.

*books Flamingo Land 2020 mega trip*
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Oh I fully agree some minor retracking and the lap bar trains and it could be fantastic. Its what makes it a frustrating ride. Perhaps not better than swarm or nemesis but would be up there in my top 5
 
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