CGM
TS Member
I had never been to Thorpe before so I thought I should go and see what all of the fuss was about. Unfortunately, we inadvertently decided to visit on a bank holiday weekend, on the day of an event which meant the place was packed. It made it quite difficult to enjoy the park as wait times for all major attractions were well over an hour. We had to resort to using Fast-track tickets to get everything done which I hate because I believe that they were instrumental in causing the queues and it cost us extra money.
So, overall impressions of the park; It's certainly very different to Alton with its skyline full of coaster track and its flat, open plan layout. I was a little disappointed by the overall theming which for whatever reason looks a lot better in photos. They seem to have given up on themed areas completely with nothing to indicate them on the map or in the park. To be honest, if I didn't know about the areas at Thorpe, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Amity Cove and Calypso Quay. The Lost City theme doesn't really work either. Despite this, the planting at the park is excellent which I feel often goes unappreciated.
One aspect that I didn't like was the music being played throughout most of the park. The soundtrack to the day was made up of top-40 pop songs and club tunes. I would expect it at a fair or a smaller park but at a serious park like Thorpe, it just kills any atmosphere and makes it feel cheap. I don't know if this is standard practice or if it was just for the Ride and Rave event. Either way, I'd prefer proper soundtracks that set an atmosphere. The area around The Swarm was the only real exception to this.
The staff for the most part seemed quite friendly and helpful but ride operations were painfully slow and inefficient. Many of the rides seemed under-staffed with poor loading procedures. The huge number of Fast-track customers didn't help as they took priority over regular guests meaning that the queues crawled along.
Thorpe's Fast-track policy makes my blood boil as in a situation like our visit, if we did not eventually opt for Fast-Track Tickets, we would have got on just 4 rides which at full gate price makes it £10.50 per ride with an hour and a half wait for each.
This pretty much forces you to pay over the odds or spend all day queuing. Obviously, from Thorpe's point of view, it's great as it produces huge profits but as a customer, I felt a bit cheated. They really should put tighter limits on the number of fast track tickets they sell but of course, they won't.
The rides
The Swarm
My first impression of the coaster was that it looks fantastic. Whilst it's nowhere near as tall as its neighbour Stealth, it's much more imposing and commands more attention as the huge train gracefully navigates the lofty elements. I can't think of many coasters that provide such a visual spectacle and for a change, it wasn't just me that was gawping at the train as it made its way round the course.
I always thought that the theming in the area was in some ways a bit lazy. They essentially spent a lot of money on some old vehicles, then smashed them up a bit. However, the end result is very effective in creating a scene of devastation and the news reports are a nice touch.
As for the ride, the dive-loop opening is spectacular with the slow roll into it really giving you a sense of how high you are. The inversions that follow look quite leisurely and slow from the ground, but on the ride, they play to the coaster's strengths giving you extended inverted views of the surroundings as you're seemingly suspended in space.
One thing that I didn't expect is that in the back row at least, I found it to be pretty forceful, particularly in the turn around the helicopter. Despite this, I wouldn't say it's a particularly intense coaster but that's not the idea of wing riders, they offer a very different kind of ride experience.
The only downsides I can think of to this coaster are the length (or lack of it) and the fact that none of the "near misses" seemed particularly near. Overall though, it's a fantastic new addition for Thorpe and for me, it's probably the second best steel coaster in the UK which is no mean feat.
Rating: 8.5/10
Nemesis Inferno
I think that the problem with Ninferno is that with its name, it's hard not to think of it as the Diet Nemesis. It's a shame because if it were allowed to be its own ride, the direct comparisons wouldn't be necessary and it could be appreciated for what it is.
I found it to be a very high quality mini B&M invert. It's not massively forceful and the loop is a complete non-event but the zero-G-roll and wing overs have that distinctive whip over the top and the final helix did have the blood rushing to my legs a tiny bit. I think that this could be a coaster that will get much better as it continues to age.
I think it compliments The Swarm perfectly. The swarm is a huge, sprawling coaster with long drawn out elements which barely makes a sound as it passes. Ninferno is compact with quick fire inversions and a hearty B&M roar.
Rating: 8/10
Stealth
I still think that Stealth's name makes absolutely no sense at all as it's a very conspicuous 200 ft rollercoaster themed around drag racing. Anyway, on our visit, they were running a silent disco in the queue which made the wait slightly more entertaining and I'd like to see parks trying out more ideas like it.
Stealth's launch lacks the kind of punch found on Furius Baco but the tophat has a really interesting mix of forces and offers spectacular views of the surrounding area. The brake hill offers some great ejector airtime but I wish that the layout continued beyond it. If it did, it could be an amazing coaster. As it is, it's just too short and I much prefer Rita.
Rating: 7/10
Colossus
The years haven't been particularly kind to Colossus. It's currently in dire need of a repaint as its colours are fading and it's covered in oil and dirt. The train bumps and rattles its way round the course rather than gliding round as most modern Intamin coasters do.
This is also evident when you ride it. You can tell that there is a good coaster underneath but it is masked by the roughness it has picked up over the years and poor restraints. The more traditional opening inversions are taken with quite some speed and feel very different to a B&M multi-looper, then the insanity of the four consecutive heartline rolls sets in. Some people hate the rolls, but I loved the hangtime they offer whilst seemingly skimming the ground.
If Thorpe gave this coaster some TLC , it could be much better. It deserves it as it's the coaster that made Thorpe Park what it is today. For now, it's still pretty good.
Rating: 7.5/10
Saw: The Ride
Well, after having experienced Saw, I'm not hugely optimistic about SW7.
I've heard a lot of praise for Saw's theming but the cynical part of me believes that Thorpe decided to go with the Saw industrial wasteland theme as it's easy to do and requires almost zero maintenance. Any weeds that grow, any wear and tear or any vandalism that occurs can simply become "theming". Also, whilst ride themes can be dark and disturbing, I believe that they should be aesthetically pleasing in some way. Saw is just a large ugly box with a coaster attached to it.
As for the ride, I enjoyed the indoor section despite a few broken effects. Outside the box, the lift hill builds great tension and is surprisingly unsettling. The drop is good but all too brief and has nowhere near the feeling of free fall that you get on Oblivion. The first Immelmann is smooth but after this, the ride becomes very painful. I got battered by the restraints in just about every element. It totally destroys any thrill that it would otherwise offer and makes you forget the early good portion of the ride.
I just hope that Gerstlauer can sort out the roughness and capacity issues for SW7.
Rating: 5/10
Vortex
This ride was annoying more than anything. The ride sequence was so short yet the faffing about in between cycles took so long. Why does the ride take so long to stop? Why must the floor take an age to raise and lower? Why do the restraints try to kill you when they close? KMG Afterburners are brilliant rides but compared to Eagle's Claw, Vortex was frankly pathetic.
Rating: 4/10
Tidal Wave
I've been on similar rides but nothing has ever given me such a soaking before. There's nowhere you can hide, water comes from everywhere! I'm just glad it was warm, I'd hate to ride it on a cold, windy autumn's day.
Rating: 8/10
Rumba Rapids
A fairly sedate rapids ride with an interesting indoor section and a wave pool. It's not particularly wet.
Rating: 6/10
Overall, Thorpe is a strange park. I feel that the park's theming and layout haven't really kept up with the ride investment it's had in recent years. I also wish that they'd put more effort into being a quality theme park rather than trying to be a "down with the kids" thrill park.
And if you actually read all that, I salute you!
So, overall impressions of the park; It's certainly very different to Alton with its skyline full of coaster track and its flat, open plan layout. I was a little disappointed by the overall theming which for whatever reason looks a lot better in photos. They seem to have given up on themed areas completely with nothing to indicate them on the map or in the park. To be honest, if I didn't know about the areas at Thorpe, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Amity Cove and Calypso Quay. The Lost City theme doesn't really work either. Despite this, the planting at the park is excellent which I feel often goes unappreciated.
One aspect that I didn't like was the music being played throughout most of the park. The soundtrack to the day was made up of top-40 pop songs and club tunes. I would expect it at a fair or a smaller park but at a serious park like Thorpe, it just kills any atmosphere and makes it feel cheap. I don't know if this is standard practice or if it was just for the Ride and Rave event. Either way, I'd prefer proper soundtracks that set an atmosphere. The area around The Swarm was the only real exception to this.
The staff for the most part seemed quite friendly and helpful but ride operations were painfully slow and inefficient. Many of the rides seemed under-staffed with poor loading procedures. The huge number of Fast-track customers didn't help as they took priority over regular guests meaning that the queues crawled along.
Thorpe's Fast-track policy makes my blood boil as in a situation like our visit, if we did not eventually opt for Fast-Track Tickets, we would have got on just 4 rides which at full gate price makes it £10.50 per ride with an hour and a half wait for each.
This pretty much forces you to pay over the odds or spend all day queuing. Obviously, from Thorpe's point of view, it's great as it produces huge profits but as a customer, I felt a bit cheated. They really should put tighter limits on the number of fast track tickets they sell but of course, they won't.
The rides
The Swarm
My first impression of the coaster was that it looks fantastic. Whilst it's nowhere near as tall as its neighbour Stealth, it's much more imposing and commands more attention as the huge train gracefully navigates the lofty elements. I can't think of many coasters that provide such a visual spectacle and for a change, it wasn't just me that was gawping at the train as it made its way round the course.
I always thought that the theming in the area was in some ways a bit lazy. They essentially spent a lot of money on some old vehicles, then smashed them up a bit. However, the end result is very effective in creating a scene of devastation and the news reports are a nice touch.
As for the ride, the dive-loop opening is spectacular with the slow roll into it really giving you a sense of how high you are. The inversions that follow look quite leisurely and slow from the ground, but on the ride, they play to the coaster's strengths giving you extended inverted views of the surroundings as you're seemingly suspended in space.
One thing that I didn't expect is that in the back row at least, I found it to be pretty forceful, particularly in the turn around the helicopter. Despite this, I wouldn't say it's a particularly intense coaster but that's not the idea of wing riders, they offer a very different kind of ride experience.
The only downsides I can think of to this coaster are the length (or lack of it) and the fact that none of the "near misses" seemed particularly near. Overall though, it's a fantastic new addition for Thorpe and for me, it's probably the second best steel coaster in the UK which is no mean feat.
Rating: 8.5/10
Nemesis Inferno
I think that the problem with Ninferno is that with its name, it's hard not to think of it as the Diet Nemesis. It's a shame because if it were allowed to be its own ride, the direct comparisons wouldn't be necessary and it could be appreciated for what it is.
I found it to be a very high quality mini B&M invert. It's not massively forceful and the loop is a complete non-event but the zero-G-roll and wing overs have that distinctive whip over the top and the final helix did have the blood rushing to my legs a tiny bit. I think that this could be a coaster that will get much better as it continues to age.
I think it compliments The Swarm perfectly. The swarm is a huge, sprawling coaster with long drawn out elements which barely makes a sound as it passes. Ninferno is compact with quick fire inversions and a hearty B&M roar.
Rating: 8/10
Stealth
I still think that Stealth's name makes absolutely no sense at all as it's a very conspicuous 200 ft rollercoaster themed around drag racing. Anyway, on our visit, they were running a silent disco in the queue which made the wait slightly more entertaining and I'd like to see parks trying out more ideas like it.
Stealth's launch lacks the kind of punch found on Furius Baco but the tophat has a really interesting mix of forces and offers spectacular views of the surrounding area. The brake hill offers some great ejector airtime but I wish that the layout continued beyond it. If it did, it could be an amazing coaster. As it is, it's just too short and I much prefer Rita.
Rating: 7/10
Colossus
The years haven't been particularly kind to Colossus. It's currently in dire need of a repaint as its colours are fading and it's covered in oil and dirt. The train bumps and rattles its way round the course rather than gliding round as most modern Intamin coasters do.
This is also evident when you ride it. You can tell that there is a good coaster underneath but it is masked by the roughness it has picked up over the years and poor restraints. The more traditional opening inversions are taken with quite some speed and feel very different to a B&M multi-looper, then the insanity of the four consecutive heartline rolls sets in. Some people hate the rolls, but I loved the hangtime they offer whilst seemingly skimming the ground.
If Thorpe gave this coaster some TLC , it could be much better. It deserves it as it's the coaster that made Thorpe Park what it is today. For now, it's still pretty good.
Rating: 7.5/10
Saw: The Ride
Well, after having experienced Saw, I'm not hugely optimistic about SW7.
I've heard a lot of praise for Saw's theming but the cynical part of me believes that Thorpe decided to go with the Saw industrial wasteland theme as it's easy to do and requires almost zero maintenance. Any weeds that grow, any wear and tear or any vandalism that occurs can simply become "theming". Also, whilst ride themes can be dark and disturbing, I believe that they should be aesthetically pleasing in some way. Saw is just a large ugly box with a coaster attached to it.
As for the ride, I enjoyed the indoor section despite a few broken effects. Outside the box, the lift hill builds great tension and is surprisingly unsettling. The drop is good but all too brief and has nowhere near the feeling of free fall that you get on Oblivion. The first Immelmann is smooth but after this, the ride becomes very painful. I got battered by the restraints in just about every element. It totally destroys any thrill that it would otherwise offer and makes you forget the early good portion of the ride.
I just hope that Gerstlauer can sort out the roughness and capacity issues for SW7.
Rating: 5/10
Vortex
This ride was annoying more than anything. The ride sequence was so short yet the faffing about in between cycles took so long. Why does the ride take so long to stop? Why must the floor take an age to raise and lower? Why do the restraints try to kill you when they close? KMG Afterburners are brilliant rides but compared to Eagle's Claw, Vortex was frankly pathetic.
Rating: 4/10
Tidal Wave
I've been on similar rides but nothing has ever given me such a soaking before. There's nowhere you can hide, water comes from everywhere! I'm just glad it was warm, I'd hate to ride it on a cold, windy autumn's day.
Rating: 8/10
Rumba Rapids
A fairly sedate rapids ride with an interesting indoor section and a wave pool. It's not particularly wet.
Rating: 6/10
Overall, Thorpe is a strange park. I feel that the park's theming and layout haven't really kept up with the ride investment it's had in recent years. I also wish that they'd put more effort into being a quality theme park rather than trying to be a "down with the kids" thrill park.
And if you actually read all that, I salute you!
