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Thorpe Park: General Discussion
- Thread starter Ted
- Start date
Steve74
TS Member
That's horrendous. And some people have the cheek to moan about Alton Towers' entrance - their's is like Disney's in comparison!Abandoned motorway service station, or entrance to one of the UK’s biggest theme parks?
I know there is a lot to fix at TP and they can’t do everything in one winter, but when you are heading into your biggest season for over 10 years, for this to be your guests first impression. It’s pretty grim.
Source
I'm sure I've seen that shot on one of Auto Shenanigan's videos about abandoned roads...
Tim
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Air / Blue Fire
Honestly I don't see what the big issue is. That's how the entrance has looked for years. It's closes season and the arch is being worked on, which doesn't help, but it's no worse than it normally looks this time of year.
It's rather ironic skimming through this topic, seeing several posts about how the investment has been spread too thin, followed by others saying the entrance should have also been included.
It's great to see the park getting more investment. But let's be honest it would take more than one closed seasons and many millions to bring the park up to the standard it could be. I'm just happy to see them starting to make the right changes (except the logo, what were they thinking...)
It's rather ironic skimming through this topic, seeing several posts about how the investment has been spread too thin, followed by others saying the entrance should have also been included.
It's great to see the park getting more investment. But let's be honest it would take more than one closed seasons and many millions to bring the park up to the standard it could be. I'm just happy to see them starting to make the right changes (except the logo, what were they thinking...)
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Ug Bugs
I love spending two hours in a cattle pen, so I can spend all day in a cattle pen. Really sets me up for the day.
KolonelKlink
TS Member
mo237
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Symbolica
When I last went (scorcher in early September, thought I'd missed the school crowds but went the day before it went back to normal), we queued a good 40mins to get in, and the whole experience was woeful. I was with friends who weren't overly familiar with the park and it really wasn't a good first impression for any of us.
This is something that's needed sorting for years, and the longer they leave it, the more guests enter the park feeling bemused. The entrance needs a total overhaul - a proper security checkpoint that's well staffed, a queueing area that's shaded and decorated - it would make a world of difference.
This is something that's needed sorting for years, and the longer they leave it, the more guests enter the park feeling bemused. The entrance needs a total overhaul - a proper security checkpoint that's well staffed, a queueing area that's shaded and decorated - it would make a world of difference.
My issue with the entrance is that it's looked like that for years and it's awful - I don't particularly think that their big failing is that it wasn't included in this year's Project Sparkle update, but that it's been allowed to look like that at all. I think it should be their next big investment down the line. As others have said, you do get used to it if you've been a few times but you also can't wait to be past it and into the park proper, and if you go to Thorpe with people who haven't visited before it's just embarrassing.
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Tim
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Air / Blue Fire
I also agree with that.
2025 should be the year to "coast" off of Hyperia and rather than adding new rides actually do something to make the park a pleasant experience.
Don't get me wrong, the entrance currently is terrible, but that's not news to anyone, and I don't know why anyone expected it to be better this year.
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
Ultimately, in my opinion, Sparkle is a series of remedial works that realistically should have not been needed had the park not been allowed to fall into such a poor state to begin with. However, it has become necessary as much like Towers we are seeing a decade or more’s worth of neglect and ‘bodging’ all coming home to roost.
It’s going to take several years for them to get everything sorted, but much of the work so far is at least buying them time and providing a stopgap until bigger plans can be put in to place (e.g. repainting work for the Angry Birds replacement, refreshing of the entrance archway, etc.). There is an effort being made to smarten the place up and I’m just grateful for that. Hopefully, if Hyperia works out for them it will mean we’ll see more substantial works taking place in the near future, such as levelling the abysmal entrance in favour of something more up to date and fit for purpose or more extensive renovation of crumbling facades.
It’s not really that different to the situation at Towers, except that Thorpe isn’t saddled with ride hardware approaching or at the end of its serviceable life, owing to the fact the combined age of Thorpe’s flat rides is still less than that of Blade
It’s going to take several years for them to get everything sorted, but much of the work so far is at least buying them time and providing a stopgap until bigger plans can be put in to place (e.g. repainting work for the Angry Birds replacement, refreshing of the entrance archway, etc.). There is an effort being made to smarten the place up and I’m just grateful for that. Hopefully, if Hyperia works out for them it will mean we’ll see more substantial works taking place in the near future, such as levelling the abysmal entrance in favour of something more up to date and fit for purpose or more extensive renovation of crumbling facades.
It’s not really that different to the situation at Towers, except that Thorpe isn’t saddled with ride hardware approaching or at the end of its serviceable life, owing to the fact the combined age of Thorpe’s flat rides is still less than that of Blade
Abandoned motorway service station, or entrance to one of the UK’s biggest theme parks?
I know there is a lot to fix at TP and they can’t do everything in one winter, but when you are heading into your biggest season for over 10 years, for this to be your guests first impression. It’s pretty grim.
Source
Look at entrances for comparative European theme parks
I genuinely think Merlin don’t/didn’t fundamentally understand what a good theme park entrance looks like
Thorpes entrance has gotten worse, temporary barriers. Huge queues. And a shoddy car park surfaces
Alton’s entrance has gotten worse - tents. Huge single queue added. Decorative elements removed.
Chessington’s has probably improved.
But none have the sense of arrival found elsewhere around Europe or the world.
Sorry to say it again, but this is why I hate cheap season passes.
No weekends, no weekdays in the school holidays, because some punters are getting in for a few quid.
Most days at most Merlin parks are now queue heavy...and the above is very common.
(Not the Goose, I may add, the situation...goosey is of a much higher class.)
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Ug Bugs
How long before Thorpe starts selling Express/Fastrack park entry?
AT86
TS Member
Because they are heading into their biggest year investment wise in a decade and have spent millions on upkeep over the winter.
These new and returning guests lured by the shiny images of the new coaster will see a concrete jungle with cattle pens for miles. It’s not too much to ask for them to spruce this up to make a good first impression on arrival.
AT86
TS Member
You don’t need a drone to know the entrance is awful. Still looks crap from ground level.
Photo from @djtruefitt post 2023.
Adthoms
TS Member
You don’t need a drone to know the entrance is awful. Still looks crap from ground level.
Photo from @djtruefitt post 2023.
I agree the temporary fencing is naff, but I feel like that's the only glaring issue at the moment? Realise this is completely subjective!
Heavy security at Thorpe is a necessity given past incidents, so I feel like they'll need a sizeable queueing enclosure no matter what for the morning crowds. Would a permanent cattle pen improve things drastically, or does a temporary solution (albeit presented a bit better) allow the park to remain flexible as demands change? Once again, realise this is a subjective matter.
Dave
TS Founding Member
The Lidl car park vibe with the flooring also doesn’t exactly help.
The whole entrance to Thorpe is dire, and it was made worse with the big screen. Fact is it could be made into something special with the bridge over the water and getting rid of the dome for a nice plaza.
Hopefully one day.