Thorpe Park Resort

[AstroDan]

I don't massively rate it either. It's good fun but doesn't do that much for me. Can't put my finger on it.

Still a great ride though, and great for the park!

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[BigAl]

That's generally what happens when you ride a roller coaster for the first time. Your next few goes always seem more tame and not as good as you remember it.

[----reece----]

I went thorpe park Tuesday 8th... amazing day not a Que in site i even stayed on the swarm for 3 rides in a row surprisingly all together rode it 8 times that day.. best seat is right hand side back row i got really wet a couple of times too... i agree with above just wanted it to be a little more forceful but still best coaster at TP..
One thing that really irritates me is that by 3pm they like to form ques by changing stealth and swarm to just one train but still not a long wait but obviously would prefer a walk on haha!
Also a ride attendant said they fixed the fire but it wasnt working that day (if that makes sense:\)
Altogether id give the ride 8/10 =]

[JoeGibbon]

^the fire was never broken, it just hasn't been signed off by health and safety yet

[DiogoJ42]

I honestly doubt we will ever see the fire work.

[Rocket]

I honestly doubt we will ever see the fire work.

I'm hoping it will at least be used during fright nights

[AstroDan]

I am not sure if it has been mentioned, but following Chessington's announcement that Wild Asia and Mystic Each will open each day at 11:30am, Thorpe Park have followed suit. As part of the cost savings across the Resort Theme Parks division; Flying Fish, Detonator, Depth Charge and Storm in a Tea Cup now open daily at 11:00am.

Shame, but if money has to be saved... it has to be saved.

[Pennywise]

But... Detonator and Depth Charge regularly have very long queues throughout the day (Depth Charge is right next to the entrance so instantly generates a queue)? Unlike Chessington's cost cutting exercise, I fail to understand this whatsoever. Surely, if this has to occur, the likes of Tidal Wave or Rocky Express would be far better suited to the later opening times, rather than popular attractions with poor throughput?

And, you say this is a daily... so even on weekends? This is far worse than Chessington opening areas of the park later on days so quiet that nobody notices. Far, far worse.

[Adz]

I think its more to do with the staff group required to operate those rides. I'm not sure exactly how the 'areas' work at Thorpe Park anymore but those rides may fall under the same team.

[AstroDan]

According to the post on TPM,  it just says "daily".

I do also find the choice of rides bizarre. Tea Cups yes - but Fish (as a coaster), Depth (it gets queues) and Detty (it's a thrill ride, and gets queues) seem odd. Rocky Express? The water rides?

Alton Towers have closed their Water Rides (Flume/Rapids) until 11:00am for several years now. Would have been more logical, surely.

[djtruefitt]

I would guess it must be to do with the staff teams, otherwise its just a random selection of rides which all require very few staff members to operate.

Do you think we could see something like this at towers soon? I know Rapids and Flume already open at 11am, but could more rides have late opening?

[DiogoJ42]

Shame, but if money has to be saved... it has to be saved.

Honestly not trying to be a dick here, old bean, but that seems inconsistant with what you said last week RE: Chessington...

I do believe that Chessington ought to close on some of the quietest weekdays. I am certain that, if they did so even for barely a dozen days through the season, they would probably save their required money there and then and then they could ensure a permanent, 100% offering when the park is open.

Is it a case of Chessie gets "may as well close the whole park then", while Thorpe gets "oh well, could be worse"?
Like I say, no trolling intended, mate I love both parks, so I don't want to sound like an irate Chessie fanboy here :P Just trying to clarify things.


Personally speaking, I'd rather some "lesser" rides opened late than the park closed on quiet days. It's not ideal by any means though. I take it as yet another sign that Merlin is in trouble. If they stopped buying up pointless attractions on the other side of the world they would have a lot more cash to put into the attractions they already have.

[AstroDan]

It's called sarcasm.

I am totally against this, as it's a worrying trend... - but if Merlin need to save the pennies because they aren't getting the guests through the doors, then well... they need to save! Clearly their business plans and what they want is not working at the moment at their UK theme parks (possibly LL excepted?).

I hope we don't end up with more of these "cuts" making their way to Alton Towers...

[DiogoJ42]

I'm with you 100% mate. Unfortunately I can see such cuts being only a matter of time at Towers.

[thefatone]

I am totally against this, as it's a worrying trend... - but if Merlin need to save the pennies because they aren't getting the guests through the doors, then well... they need to save! Clearly their business plans and what they want is not working at the moment at their UK theme parks (possibly LL excepted?).

Awful weather in April. Legoland would be interesting if they delayed ride opening - but honestly they wouldn't save much money. In the weekdays they run as little amount of staff as possible already... Though the park has been heard of delayed openings before.

[Stelios7]

That stress announcement is oddly placed, either make the "stunt" in the Summer where many can go or with The Swarm's heated pre-opening day publicity. It would of been a nice follow up to the "horrific terror" of armless dummies. Anyone know why they chose now? It sends a bit of a cry for guests message for Thorpe.

And I could only see all Merlin water riders and maybe all in the UK following a later opening time, it's rather logical and saves money and the job of someone filling it early.

[Islander]

Legoland would be interesting if they delayed ride opening - but honestly they wouldn't save much money. In the weekdays they run as little amount of staff as possible already... Though the park has been heard of delayed openings before.

Legoland have delayed opening of Pirates Landing in the past plenty of times, until 11am (not that many would arrive before then anyway). Thought they were still doing it tbh, but it's a long time since I checked.

[Dormiens-Dave]

I'm with you 100% mate. Unfortunately I can see such cuts being only a matter of time at Towers.

Alton was hit first and based on rumour it is the best performing of the non-Lego UK Merlin parks at the moment. Thorpe is supposedly doing very badly considering the targets they will have based on the investment this year.

Just based on experience Alton had a medium weekend over the bank holiday compared to Thorpe being very quiet.

[Dylan]

Just back from a day at Thorpe Park.

I have to say I was concerned when I arrived, with the rapidly filling up car park and warm weather, followed by what was advertised to be a 70 min Swarm queue.
The queue was about 20 mins as it turned out, and although the park seemed pretty damn busy, queues were really light most of the day.
10 mins for Stealth and Colossus, with the Swarm queue down to about 15 at the end of the day.

There was also a great vibe on the park today. I wonder wether Thorpe Park have finally got their act together, as well as the right collection / number of coasters to eat up the queues. Storm Surge was closed all day but other than that everything was running well with good throughputs.

Seems like the park to be at this season.

[AstroDan]

It's not doing well this season in terms of guests. Queue times just don't seem very big at all. Concerning given they have a big, expensive new toy.

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