Thorpe Park Resort - The Future

Swarm Chris · Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:34 pm

I'm not sure there's enough space to put something interesting in the back area of the park. They could run an out-and-back hyper along where the Loggers drop is, but I'm not sure where it would end up after that with all the water, buildings and Inferno if they continue alongside the park boundary. Building out on the water would push the cost up and make planning harder with the flood assessments.

A GCI woodie is possible if Merlin bought on bulk again. But they may have thought it too big a risk to have two in the UK, especially if Wicker Man had disappointed. But if they did go for one, my guess is it would be a faster and rougher ride so it doesn't get labelled as a family coaster, as I don't see Thorpe putting a big investment into the family audience.

But we should be seeing planning permissions going up soon, as Wicker Man's went up in May 2016.

My money is on a B&M hyper. They need high capacity and high reliability. But saying that, Merlin will surely add an RMC in somewhere soon. I could imagine a 3 park deal of Thorpe, Heide and Garldaland being made to try prevent other European parks getting ahead on the RMC hype.

Sat Jun 16, 2018 8:18 pm

With Loggers, there is a lot of land which could be used. If Sticky Sister, Slammer, the toilet block, Burger King, and Old Town was to go, along with Loggers then that is a lot of land with a lot of potential. Any impact on the park from the construction would be minimal due to the access behind Inferno.

Hopefully, we'll hear something soon. It will be nice for Thorpe to get a new coaster!

Swarm Chris · Sat Jun 16, 2018 8:42 pm

Well I didn't consider them ripping all of that out! But you're right and they have been slowly but surely closing that entire area down. The two rides they did add have never been integrated fully into the park and look like temporary attractions.

Sun Jun 17, 2018 10:55 am

Thorpe have loads of land to use. Bear in mind they could build a coaster with a station next to I'm a celeb, running all the way down to the former train maintenance garage. Not to mention the Slammer site, and the route of Loggers.

If Merlin actually have the best interests of the park in mind, they will start on this soon. Otherwise, put the parks out of their misery and sell them.

Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:03 pm

Thorpe do have a few different potential locations for any new coaster. As welll as the areas already mentioned, there is also the island behind The Swarm, and if I recall correctly the Resort have also identified the area behind The Dome, where the current Thrills Workshop sits, as a possible location for at least part of a potential rollercoaster.

In terms of timescales for seeing signs of development I think there is still a bit of time for Thorpe to submit plans/release details. If we look at what could be classed as the last two major developments (Derren Brown's Ghost Train and The Swarm), plans for DBGT were not submitted until October 2014, with work not really commencing until the start of 2015, and plans for The Swarm were submitted in February 2011 (although as I didn't follow that construction I am unsure if there were signs of construction prior to plans going in). If there are no plans submitted by the time Thorpe Park opens for the 2019 season, then I'd be worried we won't be getting a large scale project for 2020.

Swarm Chris · Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:27 pm

Yes, the island behind Swarm island and the area to the side of the Dome are part of the current planning submission, with a 50m and 40m coaster penciled in respectively.

Sun Jun 17, 2018 2:41 pm

The land has been tested behind The Swarm, however, I don't think the next coaster will be located there. Possibly 2024?

Swarm Chris · Sun Jun 17, 2018 3:04 pm

Any insider information you're aware of there then?

Didn't they want to put their full standing hotel on the land behind the island behind Swarm island? Would make sense to have both projects at least agreed upon internally before starting one. The Shark hotel I seem to remember is on a temporary structure planning permission which expires soon.

Sun Jun 17, 2018 3:27 pm

No insider information. They openly said that the ground had been tested behind The Swarm when I was on a lift hill climb last year, but nothing more.

With regards to the permanent hotel, this is actually located over the lake, towards the car park and Annual Pass building. Ground has been broken, but nothing has happened since.

Swarm Chris · Sun Jun 17, 2018 3:50 pm

That's a shame then.

There's an absence of any sign of construction or potential construction across the park. Even the walled off area by I'm a celebrity has been completely cleared bar a couple of stands.

Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:03 pm

Yeah, I noticed that when I peered over the fence a couple of weeks ago. A lot of activity seems to be happening around that area in one way or another, so hopefully we'll get something concrete to focus on soon!

Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:41 pm

I have recently participated in an engineering Jack Petchy run challenge sponsored by Thorpe Park.

I haven't won but whoever wins the finals will help Merlin Magic Making theme the new attraction near Old Town, or in it, possibly on the Logger’s Leap site.

Wed Jul 18, 2018 2:33 pm

bendaboss wrote:I have recently participated in an engineering Jack Petchy run challenge sponsored by Thorpe Park.

I haven't won but whoever wins the finals will help Merlin Magic Making theme the new attraction near Old Town, or in it, possibly on the Logger’s Leap site.

Don't wanna sound like a downer, but have any proof? This is pretty big news if true.

Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:38 pm

Adam W wrote:
bendaboss wrote:I have recently participated in an engineering Jack Petchy run challenge sponsored by Thorpe Park.

I haven't won but whoever wins the finals will help Merlin Magic Making theme the new attraction near Old Town, or in it, possibly on the Logger’s Leap site.
Don't wanna sound like a downer, but have any proof? This is pretty big news if true.

No physical proof but, I know the winners were promised a two day visit to Thorpe Park to work with Merlin Magic Making, and once it’s made it will have their names on a plate on the attraction so that would would tell us if its true.

We were also sent a video by Merlin about all the details. And the challenge was about who would be the best engineer.

And also Jack Petchy are a big serious company and I doubt that would make up that they were being sponsored by Thorpe Park. they had proper Merlin workers there at the night too so I doubt it’s fake.

Also the challenge is run by IET and is called the ‘2018 Thorpe Park Faraday Challenge’.

Loads of schools across the whole of the UK are taking part. There are some websites on it but dont reveal the grand prize, which is kept secret which is why I decided its too big news to keep secret from you guys. The challenge idea was made by Thorpe Park itself so i doubt its fake.

Go do some research if you’re still not convinced.

Swarm Chris · Thu Jul 19, 2018 5:13 pm

Is this the competition?

IET Faraday Challenge Days 2017-18

The 2017-18 season of Faraday Challenge Days is set to be our biggest season to date! These events will be aimed at Year 8 (England) and their equivalents across the whole of the UK.

The challenge this year will be kept under wraps until we arrive at your school, but as it's our 10th anniversary year we have partnered with Thorpe Park and can guarantee it will be bigger and better than ever! You don't need to worry as we will be bringing everything that your students need to complete the challenge with us. The season will start in late September 2017 and run right through to June 2018.

The National Final is in July

The winning team from each event will take home an Amazon voucher for themselves as well as gaining a place on the league table. The top five teams at the end of the season will go forward into the National Final in July 2018 where they will be treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to Thorpe Park as well as be in with the chance of taking home £1,000 for their school to spend on STEM activities.

Edit: This competition had it's final yesterday. The challenge was to design and pitch a new ride to Thorpe Park, which sounds like a pretty fun challenge.

Thu Jul 19, 2018 6:31 pm

Swarm Chris wrote:Is this the competition?

IET Faraday Challenge Days 2017-18

The 2017-18 season of Faraday Challenge Days is set to be our biggest season to date! These events will be aimed at Year 8 (England) and their equivalents across the whole of the UK.

The challenge this year will be kept under wraps until we arrive at your school, but as it's our 10th anniversary year we have partnered with Thorpe Park and can guarantee it will be bigger and better than ever! You don't need to worry as we will be bringing everything that your students need to complete the challenge with us. The season will start in late September 2017 and run right through to June 2018.

The National Final is in July

The winning team from each event will take home an Amazon voucher for themselves as well as gaining a place on the league table. The top five teams at the end of the season will go forward into the National Final in July 2018 where they will be treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to Thorpe Park as well as be in with the chance of taking home £1,000 for their school to spend on STEM activities.
Edit: This competition had it's final yesterday. The challenge was to design and pitch a new ride to Thorpe Park, which sounds like a pretty fun challenge.

Trust me, it was fun. I know it doesnt say about help theme the new attraction but trust me it was real they said on the second day of the trip we'd meet Merlin magic makers, but I failed miserably.

It’s a shame cause it would have been a dream to help make an attraction. I wonder who won?

Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:05 pm

There's now a page on Thorpe's website to sign-up for news in relation to 2019 and their "exciting plans"...

Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:08 pm

The speculator in me is thinking Rumba Rapids related straight away given the background image of the page

Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:12 pm

Dom wrote:The speculator in me is thinking Rumba Rapids related straight away given the background image of the page

I did have a similar thought, although the Rumba Rapids page now has a line saying it "will return in 2019".

Swarm Chris · Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:15 pm

But they spent literally pounds on making a couple of the rafts have the new gates on them. Surely they won't can all that investment? :lol

Some of the exteriors to buildings in the picture are rotting away. Go down the alley way between Burger King and Angry Birds and all the doorways are destroyed. Tear them out and put something new in there? Or re-theme them?