Thorpe Park Resort
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Dan says hi
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Any news on what’s happening with Vortex? I’m going in a few weeks and I was wondering if any work is going on with It?
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Swarm Chris
I haven't noticed anyone working on it over the last few weekends.Dan says hi wrote:Any news on what’s happening with Vortex? I’m going in a few weeks and I was wondering if any work is going on with It?
I didn't look very much into it today, but with tech services concentrating on Samurai today, I'm guessing nothing happened today either.
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Swarm Chris
The park was very quiet today and looking at the queue times now it must be nearly empty. Given it was a sunny bank holiday Saturday, with extended opening and the club night, I expected it to be pretty packed.
Great for me on getting on things without queing, but a little sad that the new events we have this year didn't seem to be draw in the crowd quite as much as I'd expect.
Great for me on getting on things without queing, but a little sad that the new events we have this year didn't seem to be draw in the crowd quite as much as I'd expect.
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Dom
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I think the weather forecasts haven't helped as a lot were saying torrential rain and thunder storms
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Swarm Chris
Quite possible this is the issue.
Easter was also empty due to the weather, although it did actually rain then. A lot!
Easter was also empty due to the weather, although it did actually rain then. A lot!
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Dungeon-X-Smile
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I would heavily assume that Vortex would be returning at some point this season because of the pins (I think they're new but I'm not certain because I only started collecting pins this year).Dan says hi wrote:Any news on what’s happening with Vortex? I’m going in a few weeks and I was wondering if any work is going on with It?
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Swarm Chris
On a scale of 1 to 10, just how scary was The Walking Dead: Living Nightmare Extreme Maze?
Bonus option: 0?
:lol
Edit: I'm slightly sleepy this morning - but thought I'd posted this on Project 0? Speculation. Oh well...
Edit 2: My browser history seems to agree :sus: :lol
Bonus option: 0?
:lol
Edit: I'm slightly sleepy this morning - but thought I'd posted this on Project 0? Speculation. Oh well...
Edit 2: My browser history seems to agree :sus: :lol
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
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Swarm Chris
Well if that becomes the missing 0 we need later on... 
:lol
But on topic, I gave them a 7.
Still think given the crowd they may have made a mistake on trying to hype up the scare factor in this one. A lot of guests just didn't want to go in. Maybe Thorpe has now reached the horror threshold that guests are interested in and we'll get something different next!
:lolBut on topic, I gave them a 7.
Still think given the crowd they may have made a mistake on trying to hype up the scare factor in this one. A lot of guests just didn't want to go in. Maybe Thorpe has now reached the horror threshold that guests are interested in and we'll get something different next!
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Ladyofthelake
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I got to experience this today and sadly it just didn't live up to my expectations. As I can't really explain some of my thoughts without spoilers I'll pop my thoughts in spoiler tages below.
Sadly, for me, this maze still isn't living up to its potential and I am concerned for how it will be at Fright Nights if it reverts to the version with fewer actors.
Spoiler
I'll start with the positives. The slightly re-worked first scene worked well with Negan picking people off to send into the maze in ones and twos. This meant you were almost certain to face an actor upon leaving the first scene. There were a lot of actors in there, in some sections there were 3 or 4 within a small space which helped create some very close encounters. It did seem that in some parts some of the pathways had been made slightly narrower to make it harder to avoid the actors, but that may just be my memory playing tricks on me.
Now for the not so good. The maze lacked any sort of intensity. Whilst there were alot of actors in there, at times it almost seemed like they weren't quite sure exactly what they should be doing - at one point when I approached the prison section there were a group of 5 actors stood in a group having a chat and not in any way paying attention to the guests coming through or in character. They seemed to notice guests were there at the last minute and made a half hearted attempt to scare me. Whilst I appreciate information does need to be communicated to the performers, this should not be to the detriment of the guest's experience. The flow of the attraction also seemed to be very poor. Due to how the first scene now works, this means it takes much longer and consequently means there is a longer wait outside the maze. There was a good 15 minute wait in the tunnel before entering the maze, which in today's 26 degree heat was almost unbearable and at one point I almost felt like I was going to pass out. Personally, if batching is going to be slow, there needs to be two groups maximum in the tunnel, with the rest held outside.
Now for the not so good. The maze lacked any sort of intensity. Whilst there were alot of actors in there, at times it almost seemed like they weren't quite sure exactly what they should be doing - at one point when I approached the prison section there were a group of 5 actors stood in a group having a chat and not in any way paying attention to the guests coming through or in character. They seemed to notice guests were there at the last minute and made a half hearted attempt to scare me. Whilst I appreciate information does need to be communicated to the performers, this should not be to the detriment of the guest's experience. The flow of the attraction also seemed to be very poor. Due to how the first scene now works, this means it takes much longer and consequently means there is a longer wait outside the maze. There was a good 15 minute wait in the tunnel before entering the maze, which in today's 26 degree heat was almost unbearable and at one point I almost felt like I was going to pass out. Personally, if batching is going to be slow, there needs to be two groups maximum in the tunnel, with the rest held outside.
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Chris
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I just don't see the appeal of having a Halloween attraction open in the height of summer.
I don't want to celebrate 'The Walking Dead' when it is 28c outside - it's for October. I want to hear happy, exciting music when walking over the bridge, not zombies, screams, and a morbid theme song suitable for a cold Autumn day.
Having to wait in the complete sweatbox of a tunnel for 15 minutes today annoyed me before I even got to the maze. We were then faced with the typical 'don't touch the actors or you'll be thrown out the park' speech from a staff member who clearly just wanted to go on break. Same maze as at Fright Nights, with four actors having a mother's meeting in the middle who are then startled to actually see me, and attempt to then scare me. Too late to recover any sort of professionalism.
Universal and Disney etc don't have a Halloween event all year, so I am not sure what Thorpe are thinking.
Clearly from how quiet it was this weekend I doubt many people care either.
Seriously Merlin, everyone is over horror EVERYTHING. Start investing in exciting, colourful, immersive, well themed attractions which people will want to ride over and over again.
I don't want to celebrate 'The Walking Dead' when it is 28c outside - it's for October. I want to hear happy, exciting music when walking over the bridge, not zombies, screams, and a morbid theme song suitable for a cold Autumn day.
Having to wait in the complete sweatbox of a tunnel for 15 minutes today annoyed me before I even got to the maze. We were then faced with the typical 'don't touch the actors or you'll be thrown out the park' speech from a staff member who clearly just wanted to go on break. Same maze as at Fright Nights, with four actors having a mother's meeting in the middle who are then startled to actually see me, and attempt to then scare me. Too late to recover any sort of professionalism.
Universal and Disney etc don't have a Halloween event all year, so I am not sure what Thorpe are thinking.
Clearly from how quiet it was this weekend I doubt many people care either.
Seriously Merlin, everyone is over horror EVERYTHING. Start investing in exciting, colourful, immersive, well themed attractions which people will want to ride over and over again.
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ScorpionExpress
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Morning.
I have a 5 year old who adores any ride she’s tall enough for. And loved to watch big coasters etc.
She’s only 1.13m so a trip to Thorpe Park isn’t high on our list but I was thinking if I can get us cheap tickets I could take her for a day and we can enjoy the stuff she is big enough for and she’d love watching the bigger rides.
I’ve not been to TP since before we had her and the only things on my radar were the extreme rides so I never paid attention to things like the flying fish queue time etc.
Am I right in assuming the smaller rides could be quite quiet on busier days? Would we get on all the 1.1m things in a day during school holidays?
I have a 5 year old who adores any ride she’s tall enough for. And loved to watch big coasters etc.
She’s only 1.13m so a trip to Thorpe Park isn’t high on our list but I was thinking if I can get us cheap tickets I could take her for a day and we can enjoy the stuff she is big enough for and she’d love watching the bigger rides.
I’ve not been to TP since before we had her and the only things on my radar were the extreme rides so I never paid attention to things like the flying fish queue time etc.
Am I right in assuming the smaller rides could be quite quiet on busier days? Would we get on all the 1.1m things in a day during school holidays?
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Swarm Chris
Here's my take, having seen the reducing interest in all things horror:
Phase 1: Realign the parks theming.
The park currently plays on it being on an island and there being a more tropical type resort at the start, but that ends really quickly.
Firstly Angry Birds goes. In the interim, add back pirates 4D. Slowly make that area fit the theming of Nemesis Inferno.
Nemesis Inferno stays as is, this island has a volcano on it. Similarly Colossus stays for this phase, with just some refresh on the ruins.
Swarm Island: Keep the plane and helicopter, but remove the fire engine, ambulance and telephone box. Add some more trees and give a more jungle type appearance. Planes crash on this island, could take some ideas from Lost and make the Swarm monster a part of island lore.
Saw: Ditch the IP, but can keep most of the theming. Turns into crazy research lab that exists on the island.
Stealth: Not sure much could be done to realign this.
Derren Brown: re-theme of the story to fit being on an island, not London.
Storm Surge: Removed.
Walking Dead: Screen off the area with trees or bamboo until it can be replaced.
Phase 2: Next big ride.
B&M hyper coaster with entrance on the island behind Swarm island. Area screened off from the rest of the park with trees and the area is designed to be a relaxed, beach type environment. Restaurant and bar added with outdoor seating. Overall a more relaxed Caribbean type vibe. Lots of sand and Caribbean island beach hut type buildings.
Phase 3: Repairs and facilities
Loggers leap refresh, repair, reinstatement.
Slammer replaced with a Gerstlauer Sky Roller.
Toilet blocks refreshed and the London underground type sinks removed.
The Dome refreshed so the downstairs less resembles a 6th form common room.
New ways for bag storage investigated, such as in queue lockers that can be accessed from the ride exit. Improve throughout and reduce staffing overhead by no longer needing station bins or staff baggage handling.
Colossus has its air gates updated so that looking at them the wrong way while closing doesn't bring the entire ride to a stop. Oh and then it gets torn down...
Phase 4: Next big ride
Colossus replaced with RMC Raptor. Increased theming of temple ruin with more near misses and great photo spots.
Phase 1: Realign the parks theming.
The park currently plays on it being on an island and there being a more tropical type resort at the start, but that ends really quickly.
Firstly Angry Birds goes. In the interim, add back pirates 4D. Slowly make that area fit the theming of Nemesis Inferno.
Nemesis Inferno stays as is, this island has a volcano on it. Similarly Colossus stays for this phase, with just some refresh on the ruins.
Swarm Island: Keep the plane and helicopter, but remove the fire engine, ambulance and telephone box. Add some more trees and give a more jungle type appearance. Planes crash on this island, could take some ideas from Lost and make the Swarm monster a part of island lore.
Saw: Ditch the IP, but can keep most of the theming. Turns into crazy research lab that exists on the island.
Stealth: Not sure much could be done to realign this.
Derren Brown: re-theme of the story to fit being on an island, not London.
Storm Surge: Removed.
Walking Dead: Screen off the area with trees or bamboo until it can be replaced.
Phase 2: Next big ride.
B&M hyper coaster with entrance on the island behind Swarm island. Area screened off from the rest of the park with trees and the area is designed to be a relaxed, beach type environment. Restaurant and bar added with outdoor seating. Overall a more relaxed Caribbean type vibe. Lots of sand and Caribbean island beach hut type buildings.
Phase 3: Repairs and facilities
Loggers leap refresh, repair, reinstatement.
Slammer replaced with a Gerstlauer Sky Roller.
Toilet blocks refreshed and the London underground type sinks removed.
The Dome refreshed so the downstairs less resembles a 6th form common room.
New ways for bag storage investigated, such as in queue lockers that can be accessed from the ride exit. Improve throughout and reduce staffing overhead by no longer needing station bins or staff baggage handling.
Colossus has its air gates updated so that looking at them the wrong way while closing doesn't bring the entire ride to a stop. Oh and then it gets torn down...
Phase 4: Next big ride
Colossus replaced with RMC Raptor. Increased theming of temple ruin with more near misses and great photo spots.
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Swarm Chris
Sounds like batching operations changed from Saturday, where there were never more than 2 groups in the tunnel. Frequently there were only one and a half groups in the tunnel, so they might have gone too far the other way in getting the correct number of people in there.
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Swarm Chris
On the weekends Flying Fish is typically a 5 minute queue. Maybe a little busier on school holidays, but it will always be shorter than the Scorpion Express at Chessington
Lumber Jump, Timber Tug and Rocky Express frequently operate with empty seats.
Banana boat typically walk on.
Quantum may have a 5 to 10 minute queue.
Depth Charge 20-25 minutes depending on the weather. I've never seen it reach the bottom of the stairs anymore.
Rumba Rapids will be walk on typically until midday, then increase to maybe 25 minutes, longer if warmer.
Dodgems likely minimum 25 minute queue.
Storm surge will be at 40 as soon as it opens.
Edit: I don't know all the height requirements on these rides, so just listed the parks more child friendly rides
Also the queue times can be checked outside of the (occasionally unstable) app here:
http://thorpepark.tv
Lumber Jump, Timber Tug and Rocky Express frequently operate with empty seats.
Banana boat typically walk on.
Quantum may have a 5 to 10 minute queue.
Depth Charge 20-25 minutes depending on the weather. I've never seen it reach the bottom of the stairs anymore.
Rumba Rapids will be walk on typically until midday, then increase to maybe 25 minutes, longer if warmer.
Dodgems likely minimum 25 minute queue.
Storm surge will be at 40 as soon as it opens.
Edit: I don't know all the height requirements on these rides, so just listed the parks more child friendly rides
Also the queue times can be checked outside of the (occasionally unstable) app here:
http://thorpepark.tv
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Swarm Chris
It's back open this morningJoel Allen wrote:Whoopie! That means it will be open on the 3rd June when I go fro my birthday. GreatTPC wrote:Maintenance were working on it most of today today and they just started testing it late in the afternoon.
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ThemeCrafter264
I will just say that maybe consider going to Legoland or Chessington or even Paultons instead. Thorpe does have some kiddie rides but compared to those other parks, they are rather basic.