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Thorpe Park: General Discussion
My take on Thorpe Park is one of someone who has still never been and won't do for at least a couple more years.
I have two children an 11 and 7 year old. Both love rollercoasters but my 7 year old is on the small side.
We have done pretty much every main theme park in the UK apart from Oakwood and Thorpe Park.
The problem being that there is just not enough to entertain my 7 year old at 128cm height who has a mentality to rollercoasters of an adult enthusiast.
We went to Alton last Sept and going again in June and with Thirteen, WM and Spinball Wizard there is plenty for my 7 year old to make him feel like his older brother. At Thorpe there is pretty much sod all to do for this age range to warrant spending so much money on a day ticket.
I know their strategy has been targeted at an adult market but it is stopping families like mine from entertaining the idea of driving two hours in the car and spending in excess of £200.
I know people are crying out for another major rollercoaster but I think if they were to invest it is the 1.20m range of coaster they should be looking at. Even SeaWorld have realised this when eventually opening Ice breaker.
I have two children an 11 and 7 year old. Both love rollercoasters but my 7 year old is on the small side.
We have done pretty much every main theme park in the UK apart from Oakwood and Thorpe Park.
The problem being that there is just not enough to entertain my 7 year old at 128cm height who has a mentality to rollercoasters of an adult enthusiast.
We went to Alton last Sept and going again in June and with Thirteen, WM and Spinball Wizard there is plenty for my 7 year old to make him feel like his older brother. At Thorpe there is pretty much sod all to do for this age range to warrant spending so much money on a day ticket.
I know their strategy has been targeted at an adult market but it is stopping families like mine from entertaining the idea of driving two hours in the car and spending in excess of £200.
I know people are crying out for another major rollercoaster but I think if they were to invest it is the 1.20m range of coaster they should be looking at. Even SeaWorld have realised this when eventually opening Ice breaker.
Matt N
TS Member
I reckon something like a GCI would work wonders at Thorpe, actually. You could still make a GCI really thrilling, but they also have a very wide appeal due to their low(er) height restriction; Wicker Man is 1.2m, and I think some GCIs like Joris at Efteling may even be 1.1m (correct me if I’m wrong there)!
AstroDan
TS Team
We'll see.
Oktoberfest at TP was basically a cut-down version of ATR. The event next months looks like a cut-down version of Mardi Gras (although we await to see what ATR's summer holiday event is).
Good that they are doing things, though.
Oktoberfest at TP was basically a cut-down version of ATR. The event next months looks like a cut-down version of Mardi Gras (although we await to see what ATR's summer holiday event is).
Good that they are doing things, though.
Matt N
TS Member
Wait, ATR is doing a summer holiday event? Is this something they’re planning to announce?
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
They've said they're doing one but they haven't given any details yet...
Matt N
TS Member
Interesting… I guess we’ll have to wait and see what it is!
I’m equally intrigued to see what ParkVibes at Thorpe entails… I’ve just realised that I’m actually going to be at Thorpe on one of the ParkVibes days (I’m booked in for a visit on 11th July), so I’m interested to see what it’s like!
I’m wondering whether it’ll be similar to Mardi Gras at Towers, or whether it’ll be different entirely…
Matt N
TS Member
Sorry to double post, but I was just reading this really interesting review on Coaster Kingdom of X:\ No Way Out: http://www.s104638357.websitehome.co.uk/html/nowayout_main.htm
You might be asking why this is relevant. Well, the reason I bring it up is because the reviewer says that they felt X grew “better with age” due to it becoming a support attraction as Thorpe’s arsenal of thrill rides grew as opposed to the headliner that it originally was, and that its flaws became more forgivable when its status was lowered.
So my theory is; as much as Derren Brown’s Ghost Train is currently slated by many, could it get better with age like X:\NWO apparently did, and gain more praise (or at least, less criticism) once it gets a bit older, and isn’t the newest thing at the park anymore? Based on what the reviewer said in their appraisal of X, it and DBGT actually seem to share some quite similar traits, and some quite similar flaws in the eyes of many, despite being vastly different in complexity and scale.
Sorry if this seems slightly random; I just thought it might be an interesting thing to consider!
You might be asking why this is relevant. Well, the reason I bring it up is because the reviewer says that they felt X grew “better with age” due to it becoming a support attraction as Thorpe’s arsenal of thrill rides grew as opposed to the headliner that it originally was, and that its flaws became more forgivable when its status was lowered.
So my theory is; as much as Derren Brown’s Ghost Train is currently slated by many, could it get better with age like X:\NWO apparently did, and gain more praise (or at least, less criticism) once it gets a bit older, and isn’t the newest thing at the park anymore? Based on what the reviewer said in their appraisal of X, it and DBGT actually seem to share some quite similar traits, and some quite similar flaws in the eyes of many, despite being vastly different in complexity and scale.
Sorry if this seems slightly random; I just thought it might be an interesting thing to consider!
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jon81uk
TS Member
Probably not as the ride type and maintanance/upkeep is so different.
X got better as it went from being the main coaster in the park back in 2000 to being one of the lower height restriction coasters in the 2010s. The coaster experience doesn't really change much no matter the surroundings.
DBGT relies too much on the VR and gimmicks so if one small part breaks the whole experience can be ruined as it no longer makes sense, there is no coaster to fall back on.
To add, a good comparison is Air/Galactica, even without the VR it is still a good coaster. DBGT without VR is a ride on a tube train.
imanautie
TS Member
I would argue that if it wasn't for covid they could make a fantastic non vr use out of DBGT
pluk
TS Member
How? No more exciting than a couple of stops on the circle line. They've built a train simulator.
Tim
TS Member
The trouble with DBGT is that it cost too much to be allowed to fail. Yet without the VR there's not enough of a ride for it to work.
It was a massive gamble to invest so much on experimental technology. What's worse is that Thorpe Park was not in a position to make that gamble. Their investment strategy of targeting only the thrill market had been proving problematic for a while. It clearly didn't pay off with The Swarm, and I don't think it was that rides fault. Even if its a little tamer than their other rides it's still a great ride, and from a marketing perspective definitely looks like a hardcore thrill machine.
The real problem was that they'd maxed out the potential of the thrill market and alienated the very profitable family market. Families like @Ils mentioned above would be perfect for Thorpe, but there's nothing for them to do.
DBGT should have been a tried and tested ride system with a low height restriction but darker tone (to still appeal to the thrill market). Tower of Terror and Mystery Castle come to mind. Both non coaster thrill rides that would have also matched the Darren Brown tie in much more than the ride we got.
Instead we have a ride, that isn't a ride taking up a prime spot in a park with limited space. Exactly the opposite of what Thorpe Park needed.
It was a massive gamble to invest so much on experimental technology. What's worse is that Thorpe Park was not in a position to make that gamble. Their investment strategy of targeting only the thrill market had been proving problematic for a while. It clearly didn't pay off with The Swarm, and I don't think it was that rides fault. Even if its a little tamer than their other rides it's still a great ride, and from a marketing perspective definitely looks like a hardcore thrill machine.
The real problem was that they'd maxed out the potential of the thrill market and alienated the very profitable family market. Families like @Ils mentioned above would be perfect for Thorpe, but there's nothing for them to do.
DBGT should have been a tried and tested ride system with a low height restriction but darker tone (to still appeal to the thrill market). Tower of Terror and Mystery Castle come to mind. Both non coaster thrill rides that would have also matched the Darren Brown tie in much more than the ride we got.
Instead we have a ride, that isn't a ride taking up a prime spot in a park with limited space. Exactly the opposite of what Thorpe Park needed.
imanautie
TS Member
Making good use of actors for one, but I'll be honest I don't think merlin could figure it out
jon81uk
TS Member
Yes you could change it from a theme park ride to immersive theatre, but that would probably be even more expensive to run.
Unfortunately the whole thing was poorly conceived really and using a standard tube train as a base vehicle was a bad idea. At least the Hogwarts Express at Universal is based on a steam style train and offers a chance to be in a world people have read about and are excited about visiting.
Stuntman707
TS Member
I could see DBGT working as a small Dungeons style attraction if / when Derren Brown is removed. Does Thorpe really need to aim at families when Merlin have Chessington and Legoland in such close proximity? I think Thorpe just need a solid, originally themed coaster like Wickerman at Towers.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
The problem with Thorpe is Merlin they got Legoland which got 1 ride over 1.2m tall so that’s the under 7 family market.
Chessington with only 1 ride 1.4m tall is aimed at under 11/12 family market
Thorpe as most rides are 1.4m is aimed at the over 11/12 family market or teens/adults.
My daughter really wants to go to all 3 but to she’s at least 1.4m tall no point buying a Merlin pass but will get the sun free tickets 1st to see if she likes Thorpe park.
Chessington with only 1 ride 1.4m tall is aimed at under 11/12 family market
Thorpe as most rides are 1.4m is aimed at the over 11/12 family market or teens/adults.
My daughter really wants to go to all 3 but to she’s at least 1.4m tall no point buying a Merlin pass but will get the sun free tickets 1st to see if she likes Thorpe park.
jon81uk
TS Member
Thorpe can still aim at families, just those where most children are teenagers. Aiming solely at young adults was their mistake a few years ago. But it is possible to market to families with older kids. They maybe could add an extra 1.2m restriction ride to round out the offering in the park a bit.
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
I remember someone from Thorpe Park Marketing team in an interview saying that the average age for someone 1.4 metres tall is just 8 years.
If this is true, then I’d say all of this worry about needing rides with lower height restrictions is kind unfounded (together with the worry of CWOA’s new coaster’s height restriction, also unfounded)
I’m a pretty small man, always have been smaller than my peers. But I remember being tall enough to ride Nemesis on my 9th birthday. So I’d say he’s probably right.
If this is true, then I’d say all of this worry about needing rides with lower height restrictions is kind unfounded (together with the worry of CWOA’s new coaster’s height restriction, also unfounded)
I’m a pretty small man, always have been smaller than my peers. But I remember being tall enough to ride Nemesis on my 9th birthday. So I’d say he’s probably right.