Thorpe Park Resort

[DiogoJ42]

Anyone would think you wanted queues Dan

[Dylan]

I left about five tonight and the car park was pretty much full (apart from the grassy bit at the back). So definitely not a bad day, but still very short queues.

[Islander]

Anyone would think you wanted queues Dan

Well, we do from the point of view that we want parks to actually be successful...

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.

A bit weird, too. Why would their visitor numbers suddenly take a nose dive? Since last year, there's been no big price increase, no change in marketing, and a large new attraction to pull in new visitors. Bizarre.

[JoshC.]

Must admit, in the times I've been this season, it hasn't felt overly busy.  However, the car park has been pretty full.  Every time I've passed the park, it's been quite full too - the car park reaching to the grassy bit, but not onto it. 

The park has been a quieter at times this season.  Maybe the recent bad weather hasn't helped, but it is all very strange.  Also, I guess with the park expanding in size a little bit, it may feel slightly quieter at times..

[Charlee]

I was there today, I was surprised how dead it was! we were talking to one of the staff members and he said that today was supposed to be busy because of the weather. My friend went yesterday and said the park was dead, everything except the swarm was a walk on.

[Bote]

It is very strange, I've heard the same from quite a few people, that the carpark seems to be heaving but once in the park it feels dead. When I went the carpark looked near enough full on arrival. However, once in the park the queues weren't too bad, and the general areas of the park weren't too busy (Swarm's island being the exception)

[Alex.D]

hmm, this may be that the bad weather is affecting things,or that the people are simply more spread out and the ride queues have decreased as everyone is around the swarm.

[AstroDan]

The construction of The Swarm would not suddenly cause queues to be reduced by such massive amounts.

Added to the fact that Thorpe Park are much less strong operationally (in terms of throughputs etc.) than Alton Towers, then you have to start asking the question.

The park is not having a good season in terms of visitor numbers. Now, that doesn't mean there has been a "nose dive" by any means, but with a massive new state-of-the-art rollercoaster, you'd expect the place to be busy, or busier. But my visits to Thorpe this year have been some of the best I have ever had. Because it's been almost dead every time.

Why? The weather hasn't helped, but still.

[thefatone]

Almost entirely the weather, and the recession. BOGOFs aren't doing too well.

I think merlin understood this anyway, as at beginning of the year opening hours were cut at both thorpe and towers.

[jamesc]

As for the Car Park some cars could be staff cars and the others only 1 or 2 people in them not carrying large familys.

[Dormiens-Dave]

The main car-park is quite small, if that's full its really not a huge number on park, especially as unlike Alton where a lot of people come in groups of 4 per car (families) Thorpe has a lot of couples come. Also Thorpe always feels busy on the paths because its quite small but if the queue's are short its not a massive assumption that the park isn't doing amazing. Anyway word on the grapevine is that Thorpe are under performing.

In contrast Towers is performing stronger which is worrying because Thorpe should be having a great year considering they just opened a roller-coaster. Wonder if the recession is hitting London a bit hard at the moment.

[Dylan]

As for the Car Park some cars could be staff cars and the others only 1 or 2 people in them not carrying large familys.

This is true, but this would always have been the case.

It was strange today. Very busy car park, very busy walkways around the park, very short queues.
Apart from Inferno, where loading was quite slow, staff were really pushing throughputs on most coasters. It's honestly one of the best days I've had at Thorpe Park. It actually felt ...... Nice.

[CoasterCrazyChris]

Their visitor numbers have been slowly dropping since their peak in 2010.

So much for the thrill approach being a big success...

[Jammydodger]

2012 was always going to be an off year for anything not directly related to the Olympics.
I understand that its right next door to London, but the only things on the general public's minds right now are jubilee celebrations, and the Olympic games. That's what they're saving their money for, and until then they'll be carrying on with their everyday lives.

I think a lot of people are underestimating how massive this event is for such a small country, and that it's going to completely shake up most of the UK's businesses. Hopefully for Merlin's sake, they'll get a nice influx of visitors during the summer when the events kick off.

[Dormiens-Dave]

If the Olympics are the cause then that's bad planning by Merlin putting a huge coaster investment in the same year when for the last 2 years they have invested the bare minimum.

[djtruefitt]

It might all mean that they will have a really really busy summer. Maybe people who would normally go around this time of year, but are planning on visiting London during the summer for the Olympics will also be visiting places like Thorpe at the same time, rather than heading to London twice? I suppose the horrible weather we have had so far this year wont have helped.

When I have been to Towers this year its been a bit like that, the park seems really busy, but the queues are fairly short.

[Benzin]

It might all mean that they will have a really really busy summer. Maybe people who would normally go around this time of year, but are planning on visiting London during the summer for the Olympics will also be visiting places like Thorpe at the same time, rather than heading to London twice?

I would say this really, many tourists will be over and I do hope the London parks have some ideas for heavy marketing...

Whilst Towers can advertise to Londoners to get AWAY from the capital...

[Walla13]

Went last Friday and first thing The Swarm's queue was around 45 mins.  There was a staff member standing right out side the queue selling fast track passes.  I saw a few people buy them but the normal queue moved quite quick so didnt bother.  We went back a couple of hours later and it had gone down to 5 mins, so could get on as much as possible and just couldnt help but laugh at the people from the morning who had payed 5 pound each and waste there money.

When we arrived at the park there were long ques to get in and lots of school trips about but it was actually really quiet and The Swarm was the longest queue first thing.  All the other rides were 5 or 10 mins, so manged to get on everything that I wanted quite quick.  Overall it was a good day and The Swarm was the highlight.  On the first ride, we were lucky to be sent to the front row as the bag area was holding lots of people up, and walked off with a huge smile which is what it's all about.

[Benjy Alton Towers Kid]

As Diogo mentioned in another topic,why can't we have one Thrill dedicated park in this country? I'm so sick and tired of these "Family" Theme parks in this country.

If teenagers (who by the way don't have much MONEY) and thrill seeker attractions were the only attractions at Thorpe Park, the attendance would plummet.
Teenagers couldn't go to the park becuase a group would have to save up a load ojust to enter M£rlin's park and with most modern day families having over 1 child, families wouldn't go there because Little Kids would have their childhood ruined: Having a happy day trip turned to a miserable day of bordem.

[jackgcse]

I am not the ultimate lover of the Swarm, and I have tried all ride positions, however its not really a ride that I will say 'I have to ride whilst Im here' its not like Stealth or Saw, which I would be disopointed to miss, however the Swarm is not a bad ride, its just not worth (in my view) much more than a 30-45 minute queue.
I do like the theme and effects, however the ride just simply is not on my top 10, by a long way! However I wonder if SW7 will be a better step in the right direction.
(remember there just my opinions)