Alton : Thorpe

General discussion regarding the UK's No.1 Theme Park. Talk about anything and everything Alton Towers here.

Alton Towers : How long will the glory last? Does anybody actually think that Thorpe Park will take Altons place in the next few years? . . . . .

Poll runs till Mon Jul 22, 2041 12:03 pm

No! Never! Nemesis Inferno? Pft.
58
72%
Yes! All the way 2008 Coaster!
23
28%
 
Total votes: 81
Ant

I agree Amity Cove is a fantastic area up there with Tussauds Best shame about the effects all not working though sort of lets the area down a bit. I still feel thorpe has no atmosphere I mean when I get to Alton even though ive been alot of times this year I still feel really excited when I get there same with CWOA which is like a mini Alton to me. But the first time I got to thorpe this year and drove into this massive concrete car park and seeing all the park on show diddnt quite feel the same.
Last edited by Ant on Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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symone
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[quote=""Thirst""]People, people, cut with all of this but what about the magic crap. To tell you the truth all the GBP give a "meep" about is what park has the biggest coaster!

They don't go "Well Im going to AT because TP dose not have the magic that AT has" they go "TP has that new coaster that looks better" and get in the car.[/quote]

no not at all, i live closer to thorpe than AT but i would go to AT even if thorpe had the worlds best ride.

It depends on age as well i suppose, i think that younger people want rides rides rides and older people who maybe have children or go in a big group prefer the whole experience.Thorpe is ok for a day but what else does it have to offer, there are no historic buildings, no beautiful gardens to look at (not that i am into gardens but they are really well kept), thorpe isnt even big enough to have a sky ride!

While the type of ride has an impact on where and why you go it isnt the reason most people go to theme parks.
Anonymous

[quote=""Ant""]I agree Amity Cove is a fantastic area up there with Tussauds Best shame about the effects all not working though sort of lets the area down a bit. I still feel thorpe has no atmosphere I mean when I get to Alton even though ive been alot of times this year I still feel really excited when I get there same with CWOA which is like a mini Alton to me. But the first time I got to thorpe this year and drove into this massive conacrete car park and seeing all the park on show diddnt quite feel the same.[/quote]

Well what do you want the car park to be made out of? Chocolate?
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Ketchup
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[quote=""symone""][quote=""Thirst""]People, people, cut with all of this but what about the magic crap. To tell you the truth all the GBP give a "meep" about is what park has the biggest coaster!

They don't go "Well Im going to AT because TP dose not have the magic that AT has" they go "TP has that new coaster that looks better" and get in the car.[/quote]

no not at all, i live closer to thorpe than AT but i would go to AT even if thorpe had the worlds best ride. [/quote]

Well to be fair, if your posting on an Alton Tower's forum, your not really part of the park going public, your one of the more enthusiatic people who looks at the park beyond the rides.

Fair Do's though, i'm sure some people choose atmosphere over rides just not the majority of people.
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symone
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[quote=""Thirst""][quote=""Ant""]I agree Amity Cove is a fantastic area up there with Tussauds Best shame about the effects all not working though sort of lets the area down a bit. I still feel thorpe has no atmosphere I mean when I get to Alton even though ive been alot of times this year I still feel really excited when I get there same with CWOA which is like a mini Alton to me. But the first time I got to thorpe this year and drove into this massive conacrete car park and seeing all the park on show diddnt quite feel the same.[/quote]

Well what do you want the car park to be made out of? Chocolate?[/quote]

Now if that was the case i would be there like a shot! LOL
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timmy1372
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It depends on what level you consider either park to be the best, On Purely visitor numbers i think Thorpe may take it soon, but Alton will always hold something special, The natural setting is outstanding.

Its all personal preference really, some of my freinds prefer the closeness of Thorpe and argue it takes less time to all the rides because there closer together rather than less of them, I however prefer the setting and walking between areas of Alton.

Some of Thorpes themes are superb, Amity Cove and NI are both very good and last time i visited i noticed how good the setting does look, surrounded by lakes like its an island away from everything else.

I'm going for Thorpe, I think it has the most potential and with its London location has the ability to get huge visitor numbers with its ease of access, Chessington being so close also helps offering the family rides, it will continue to progress at an alarming rate, Alton whilst being fantastic has a limited future with very difficult planning restrictions, Progress at Alton now seems at the expense of other rides, whilst Thorpe at the moment seem to be able to push the boundaries, Altons if anything are closing in. Thorpe was pointless but the progress at Thorpe since say 2000 has been outstanding, if that continues............

The Question of this topic is in the next few years so.......
Alton right now the best..... YES
Thorpe with the most potential to take it...... YES

Oh and seeing rides from the car park, only increased the excitement for me, but chocalate would be good :D , Vortex looks stunning
Last edited by timmy1372 on Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ant

[quote=""Thirst""][quote=""Ant""]I agree Amity Cove is a fantastic area up there with Tussauds Best shame about the effects all not working though sort of lets the area down a bit. I still feel thorpe has no atmosphere I mean when I get to Alton even though ive been alot of times this year I still feel really excited when I get there same with CWOA which is like a mini Alton to me. But the first time I got to thorpe this year and drove into this massive conacrete car park and seeing all the park on show diddnt quite feel the same.[/quote]

Well what do you want the car park to be made out of? Chocolate?[/quote]

lol I dunno a few trees maybe I suppose thats not the parks fault that when you drive through the gates your in a massive car park theres nothin that can be done about that as theres not much space .
Anonymous

To whoever said that Thorpe run Samurai on a crap setting obviously hasn't ridden it in recent weeks. It's the ONLY ride that will actually make me feel like I'm going to throw up.

Alton Towers all the way. It's more established, it has a place in a lot of people's hearts. It has the most superior, authentic location. Thorpe can't take that away and can not begin to even challenge that.

I'd go into rides, but I've written so many Alton v Thorpe posts, I've lost heart. :P
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[quote=""timmy1372""].I'm going for Thorpe, I think it has the most potential and with its London location has the ability to get huge visitor numbers with its ease of access, Chessington being so close also helps offering the family rides, it will continue to progress at an alarming rate, Alton whilst being fantastic has a limited future with very difficult planning restrictions, Progress at Alton now seems at the expense of other rides, whilst Thorpe at the moment seem to be able to push the boundaries, Altons if anything are closing in. Thorpe was pointless but the progress at Thorpe since say 2000 has been outstanding, if that continues............

The Question of this topic is in the next few years so.......
Alton right now the best..... YES
Thorpe with the most potential to take it...... YES[/quote]

I think thats debateable. ALl thorpe have been doing is removing attractions that were old and falling apart and replacing them. They aren't expanding there just building more popular attractions with lower throughput. Colossus is probably the only ride there built on something that wasn't there before. Alton will never be beaten. Thorpe is just to small and while it has an impressive collection of rides, I feel on visits theres more a focus to get as much done as possible. Theres no place to relax its a very hectic day. Alton is the opposite. When I go I don't mind missing out Congo River Rapids or Hex, because the quality of the other rides has made up for it. If you want to get away for a bit theres Cred Street, the grass in front of the Towers or the Gardens which offer a bit of relief. Alton is just a much more balanced park with long attractions such as the Rapids, Unplugged, Duel, Hex which give a better day out.

Alton for Winner.
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People, people, cut with all of this but what about the magic crap. To tell you the truth all the GBP give a "meep" about is what park has the biggest coaster!

They don't go "Well Im going to AT because TP dose not have the magic that AT has" they go "TP has that new coaster that looks better" and get in the car.
So why does Disney get so many visitors?
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Why are people so obsessed with thorpe vs alton? The way some talk, it's like thorpe is challenging alton's birth right or something?
Anonymous

CJW, I think it's a hot topic because it does look like Thorpe is challenging Alton Towers and because most of us here are here because of our love of Alton Towers, obviously this isn't a desirable thing, so people like to defend AT to the death.

I'm one of them. :D
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Ketchup
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[quote=""Beaver Dude""]
People, people, cut with all of this but what about the magic crap. To tell you the truth all the GBP give a "meep" about is what park has the biggest coaster!

They don't go "Well Im going to AT because TP dose not have the magic that AT has" they go "TP has that new coaster that looks better" and get in the car.
So why does Disney get so many visitors?[/quote]

Because Disney is aimed at an audience of 4-10 year olds, who aren't tall enough to ride the most impressive of roller-coaster's.
Last edited by Ketchup on Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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timmy1372
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Hows about we stick with the fact which has been said many times before, they are owned by the same company, Thorpe put whatever rides in they do because they cant in Alton for various reasons, Slammer for instance would be tricky to install in Alton, they compliment each other rather than compete, I used to visit only Alton now i visit both and Tussauds get more bucks its as simple as that.

They will always offer completely different experiences as they are in completely different settings, you can compare rides but Altons setting is unique and will always make it the better park in that respect.
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Makusu
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If Thorpe DO take the title of number 1 UK theme park, I really wouldn't care
AT will always be number 1 in my eyes ;)

That was so cheesy~
Anonymous

It was beautiful *wipes tear away*
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[quote=""timmy1372""]Hows about we stick with the fact which has been said many times before, they are owned by the same company, Thorpe put whatever rides in they do because they cant in Alton for various reasons, Slammer for instance would be tricky to install in Alton, they compliment each other rather than compete, I used to visit only Alton now i visit both and Tussauds get more bucks its as simple as that.

They will always offer completely different experiences as they are in completely different settings, you can compare rides but Altons setting is unique and will always make it the better park in that respect.[/quote]I wonder if Tussauds will ever sell Alton Towers or Thorpe Park. I doubt it after recent investments, but you never know?
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Thorpe couldnever take Aton's place because it is so established and I doupt that any other UK themepark will ever gain the reputation that AT has.

I know what Ant is saying about being able to see the rides. This kind of ruins the atmosphere and the carpark is just like an airport taxiway, flat and boring.

It's like this at American park chains like Six Flags or Paramounts.
Yes, Iam guilty of looking at parks past the rides.
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timmy1372
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A car park is exactly that, Altons is no magical paradise, its full of cars.

Alton has to hide its rides from view, Thorpes can be seen, personally i like being able to see some of it from the car park as you come in, like i said the parks compliment each other, Thorpe is not trying to copy Alton it offers what Alton cannot and vice versa, even Chessington is included in this, its not competing with Thorpe and Alton, it offers something different again and completes Tussauds uk Theme park line up.

You can see Air and Nemesis from the car park anyway
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Anonymous

I havent voted, i can't decide. To be honest, neither are better, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. OK, the first thing is AT is in the middle of nowhere and by a load of country narrow unsafe roads. Doesn't affect the park, just the journey there. TP is easy to get to and is simple roads (mostly M25). AT has more coasters and i mainly look for coasters and thrills. They have a top ten in the world coaster (i think) ,Nemesis. And unique types (flying, vertical drop, launch and inverted). TP has the first 10 looping coaster which is a great coaster. Nemesis inferno doesn't beat Nemesis but is still a good ride. Though TP has got the new coaster for 2006 which will probably attract alot more people. An annoying thing about AT is that its really spread out so you have to organize you're day as you can't simply go 'we'll just do whatever whenever'. TP is compact and so you can just see whatever happens to decide what to go on. TP is mainly focused on flat thrill rides. They are really good rides! Vortex is my favourite. TP have more record breaking rides i think but they don't really matter to me.
I really don't know which i prefer because both parks have something for everyone. I get more excited about AT though as i only get to go to that every 3 years where TP is about an hour away so i usually go every year. TP has been improved dramatically in the past 5 years, before then it was mainly for families and kids. AT has always been something for everyone. Not as much as TP has happened at AT recently but they have got Rita and plan for a new coaster in the next 3 years. Maybe they're will be a difference between the two in years to come but at the moment, they seem even to me. :clap: :rock:
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