RicketyCricket
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- Taron
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Thorpe Park: General Discussion
- Thread starter Ted
- Start date
MakoMania
TS Member
Thanks to JoshC on another forum (Thorpe Park Mania) for this information.
Back in 2017, the park submitted an application to the local planning authority that would dictate that the park does no longer have to submit for planning permission for ride developments below 82ft in height and building developments below 16ft in height. The application seemingly remained dormant for a few years, presumably as the park had no interest (or more likely budget) in pursuing significant developments. However, out of nowhere, recently the application has resurfaced, with a decision deadline being placed in mid April of this year. It seems for some reason there is now purpose and a desire from the park to having such a request approved.
Back in 2017, the park submitted an application to the local planning authority that would dictate that the park does no longer have to submit for planning permission for ride developments below 82ft in height and building developments below 16ft in height. The application seemingly remained dormant for a few years, presumably as the park had no interest (or more likely budget) in pursuing significant developments. However, out of nowhere, recently the application has resurfaced, with a decision deadline being placed in mid April of this year. It seems for some reason there is now purpose and a desire from the park to having such a request approved.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Some of the Six Flags ones have been up to 100ft, however, so I think the heights of these rides vary!Uh-oh.
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
I do kind of think that Thorpe going back to the idea of being like Six Flags and installing a new coaster every few years wouldn’t be the worst idea for the park going forward.
Ever since Swarm wasn’t the success they expected, they seem to have tried everything else, so being the “coaster capital” wouldn’t necessarily be a bad idea. It seems to have worked for the Walibis.
Installations like a Premier Sky Rocket II and an S&S 4D coaster would allow them to do this without having to cough up the high cost of B&Ms every few years, and could be far more easily marketed to Thorpe’s demographic.
Ever since Swarm wasn’t the success they expected, they seem to have tried everything else, so being the “coaster capital” wouldn’t necessarily be a bad idea. It seems to have worked for the Walibis.
Installations like a Premier Sky Rocket II and an S&S 4D coaster would allow them to do this without having to cough up the high cost of B&Ms every few years, and could be far more easily marketed to Thorpe’s demographic.
Benzin
TS Member
Sky Rocket 2? The park needs another low capacity and mediocre ride like a hole in the head.
S&S 4D? Same thing, low capacity.
No park should add new rides just for sake of it. Which has been one of Thorpe's (and Merlin generally) in recent years. A seemingly belief that you NEED something new to get people to visit every year, whereas a high quality daily experience with occasional expenditure would be fair more beneficial.
S&S 4D? Same thing, low capacity.
No park should add new rides just for sake of it. Which has been one of Thorpe's (and Merlin generally) in recent years. A seemingly belief that you NEED something new to get people to visit every year, whereas a high quality daily experience with occasional expenditure would be fair more beneficial.
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
I’d agree in the case of most parks but not Thorpe.
The 2000- 2009 era of constant new rides seemed to work really well and kept Thorpe’s demographic interested.
Since then, things don’t seem to have been so good for Thorpe. DGBT was a big investment but it didn’t appear to do anything to help the park’s fortunes.
As I say, normally I’d agree that less frequent, more solid, quality investments are preferable. But arguably the only seriously successful period for Thorpe seemed to be when they were adopting the Six Flags approach. The reason I gave those two ride examples is of course because the price tags of B&Ms and other major rides is just not financially sustainable.
Benzin
TS Member
Bear in mind though what did the park have before 2000?
They had essentially a clean slate of park to play with, it's no surprise they had success with yearly additions when the park was continually growing as a result.
Post Saw though (and even 07 & 08) saw a real problem in the "we must have something new every year" really dredge the bottom of barrel. But as I say it's a Merlin trait recently. In amongst repainting something and calling it new.
They had essentially a clean slate of park to play with, it's no surprise they had success with yearly additions when the park was continually growing as a result.
Post Saw though (and even 07 & 08) saw a real problem in the "we must have something new every year" really dredge the bottom of barrel. But as I say it's a Merlin trait recently. In amongst repainting something and calling it new.
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
I think the clean slate was because of the fire, if that hadn't happened then Thorpe's change would probably be a lot slower and we might have kept some more family rides (I bet that if Wicked Witch Haunt hadn't burnt down then they probably would have added guns in the early 00s).
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
According to the Thorpe book I recently read, JW was actually devising a Wicked Witches Haunt retheme in the style of Professor Burp’s Bubbleworks before it burnt down, as he didn’t feel that the omnimover ride system fitted the ghost train theme very well!
Rick
TS Member
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- Crux
On that criteria, I would suggest you could do a lot worse than a Sky Rocket 2, they're great fun, visually impressive and the capacity with the three car model really isn't bad at all. They have worked out pretty well for Seaworld, Busch Gardens etc.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Indeed, a Sky Rocket would not be bad investment at all for Thorpe. Sure it is not exciting for enthusiasts who have ridden the same model elsewhere but 99% of Thorpe's visitors won't even have seen one before, let alone ridden one. They pack a really good punch and do look quite impressive. And probably would not cost a fortune. Give me a Sky Rocket II over Saw any day of the week!
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
A Sky Rocket II with 3 cars rather than 2 gets 700-750pph accoriding to Premier. Not brilliant, but does a pretty good job. Untamed at Walibi Holland as a comparator gets 900pph accoriding to RCDB, so not much better but everyone would be more than happy to see such a coaster pop up at Thorpe!
