Skyscraper
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Or could they reuse Loggers Leap's station, widening the openings if necessary?
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Thorpe Park: General Discussion
Matt N
TS Member
The idea was that a hyper would likely stretch out of Logger’s Leap’s area and into a different part of the park, either over the lake or around the back of the park. Logger’s Leap’s area/Old Town would function as the main plaza for the ride, with the queue, station, lift hill, brake run etc. being located there and the main body of the ride going elsewhere.
In terms of support rides, I’d argue that a hyper being built in this manner would open up more possibility of these coming than something else (for instance, a woodie or RMC or whatever) that stayed exclusively within Logger’s Leap’s area. I think the way that hypers often tend to be built (long and thin) would leave a fair amount of space around Loggers’ area and the general Old Town section.
This ride could very well be world-class, for all we know; nothing has been revealed yet!
It’s likely just a PR statement, though; for what it’s worth, Wicker Man was also marketed as world-class during its early teasing stages. I wouldn’t read too much into it, personally.
Skyscraper
TS Member
Being world-class wouldn't matter as a B&M Hyper or RMC Hybrid would be a UK-first.
more importantly it might well be the UK's tallest. although technically true that it would be the B&M hyper most people aren't going to know what that means.Being world-class wouldn't matter as a B&M Hyper or RMC Hybrid would be a UK-first.
Matt N
TS Member
Problem is, I’m not sure your average Thorpe Park visitor would necessarily put much stock into “the UK’s first B&M Hyper” or “the UK’s first RMC”. As much as those things excite enthusiasts, I think your average visitor would be more excited by more material things on the surface, such as a UK record or a UK first.Being world-class wouldn't matter as a B&M Hyper or RMC Hybrid would be a UK-first.
In terms of that post; I’m not saying that it being world-class did matter, but my point was more that I’d advise reserving judgement at least until the consultation. We know nothing; while I of course understand keeping your expectations grounded to prevent overhype, I personally feel it’s a little too soon to be declaring this a missed opportunity or another insult often directed at Merlin coasters.
Whatever it ends up being, it could very well be world-class for all we know, and I certainly think it could be something to get really excited about, personally!
Matt N
TS Member
That’d be pretty cool, actually; the current record is Fury 325 at 325ft, and I think such a ride would make a huge splash if it were built, as that is quite a legitimate world record! Not to mention that Fury has had nothing but rave reviews since opening!
That would be Fury 325 I believe which is annoyingly 325ft tall.
I'm not sure Thorpe would be able to build that high but I would be really cool. Oh and really expensive, Carowinds happens to be very close to where B&M track is produced if I'm not mistaken so that inevitably made it cheaper.
Edit: oh and of course someone's beaten me too it, seems like a recurring theme at the moment. Latest culprit @Matt N
Alsty
TS Member
I think that's a fair point. Manufacturers don't mean anything to most people. However don't forget Wicker Man was the first coaster to "fuse fire with wood", and that was a marketing success. The world/ Europe/UK first doesn't have to actually be anything significant, just something to catch people's imagination.
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Matt N
TS Member
That’s very true; they could come up with something a little more out-there with which to market such a ride if it didn’t have a big first or record!
In terms of the “average visitor not caring about manufacturers” point; for me, a ride that evidenced that was Icon at Blackpool. “UK’s first Mack mega coaster” probably sounded like a sure fire hit in the eyes of enthusiasts prior to Icon’s opening, and it certainly got Britain’s enthusiast crowd tied up in knots with excitement, but it didn’t really get the average visitor excited. As much as I love Icon to bits, I’ll admit that it wasn’t really very successful in terms of capturing the imagination of the British public.
I suppose they could get away with 'the first of its kind' in the UK or whatever but I'd prefer they went for the UK height record if possible.
Matt N
TS Member
I think the UK height record would certainly get people talking more!
Matt.GC
TS Member
If it turns out to be a big RMC then there's no reason why it couldn't be designed to be world class. But if it's a B&M hyper it certainly won't be "world" class. Both would be unique experiences to the UK but even a well designed hyper wouldn't match most of the other offerings in the states.
As you articulated well, it's almost certainly PR hot air. I wouldn't complain about the UK getting a B&M hyper (although I don't think Thorpe deserves one, there's just no where else I can think of where one could possibly be built). Wickerman was indeed pushed as "World" class and although it's decent enough, it certainly doesn't fit that description.
Matt N
TS Member
With regard to the bolded; what makes you say this with such certainty, out of interest? If Thorpe did get a B&M hyper, then surely it would have just as much of a shot at being a well-received ride as any US hyper?
I'm not criticising you by any means; I'd just be really interested to know!
Matt.GC
TS Member
Because they won't be building some 400ft airtime machine. That's not to say that they can't build a perfectly decent coaster, they certainly can. But they can't afford and don't have the space to go for a hyper that's "world" class. The US is a country where you can waltz around outside your local school with a gun in your pocket and build whatever monstrosity you want into the clouds if you like in the name of "freedom" (except for the freedom of the kid who gets shot or whoever's house you overlook with your coasters first drop). Parks don't have the leeway to build whatever adrenaline inducing apparatus they like here in the UK and Merlin certainly don't have the cash and/or appetite to do it properly.
Sometimes this is a blessing. Nemesis would probably have been some meandering car park coaster had they not had restrictions to contend with whilst designing it. But if we're taking about a hyper here, I can't see something that stands on the world stage being built in the UK. Good and notable, yes. Unique to the UK? Certainly. But with hypers they'd be playing with the big boys here, parks who could just build a giga whenever the hell they like if they have the finances to do so. Some of them, like SeaWorld, even have the cash to theme them properly too.
The problem with a hyper at Thorpe is that they either won't have the cash, space or planning to make it stand up on the world stage. Another coaster type, yes. But not a hyper, that's some seriously tall and expensive hardware we're taking about. Unless they manage to do something truly unique with it, but aren't height and floater airtime the main reasons you would want to build one in the first place? Otherwise you end up with the Big One or Silver Star, both of which are lackluster.