From my visit yesterday I think they do need to do a couple of things. The entrance to the park is absolutely awful. All those temporary metal fences make the entrance look entirely confusing for anyone who hasn't been before and they are very unsightly.
As for inside the park. I think the dome is quite a nice way to enter the park but I have never been on a really busy day so I would hate to think what it would be like in the morning with hoards and hoards of people rushing through there. I agree that the beach part of the park near the dome is wasted space and as someone rightly said it is rarely used when it isn't hot, which is most of the time to be honest!
The next thing I would like to see done is X:No Way Out. It really is a poor, poor coaster.
Thorpe Park Resort - The Future
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Khanage
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Thanks to Adzy for the sig & av.
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amcmaster1
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Octopus gardens should be taken out.
I think they could really develop ranger county into a nice family area now that they have taken out fungle safari. As including the arena it occupies quite a big piece of land and they could go for a creepy jungle amazonia theme and build a new dark ride themed on ancient aztecs or something similar.
I think they could really develop ranger county into a nice family area now that they have taken out fungle safari. As including the arena it occupies quite a big piece of land and they could go for a creepy jungle amazonia theme and build a new dark ride themed on ancient aztecs or something similar.
Wishing i was back in the Caribbean
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Dara
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It would seem though, with the gradual winding down of the 'ranger' theme, that it is thorpe's plan to keep octopus garden and have Ranger County merged with Calypso Quay, rather than as a stand alone area.
If the area is used for anything, it is likely to be Fungle Safari's area used for a new development, and the rest of Ranger County will be an overflow of this, as the space which Fungle left is too small for any significant development
If the area is used for anything, it is likely to be Fungle Safari's area used for a new development, and the rest of Ranger County will be an overflow of this, as the space which Fungle left is too small for any significant development
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AstroDan
They should never have closed Fungle Safari until the end of the season. Surely it didn't cost much to operate... and frankly having a ride in full view just looks rubbish now.
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Dara
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Yeah it does look pretty poor- alot of people have mistaken it for being still open but broken down, wich is the last thing thorpe need at the moment.
They could have at least put up a fence in front of the ride so it wasn't so obvious. The only thing that's been done is the cars removed and the sign taken down. All the rest is exactly the same
They could have at least put up a fence in front of the ride so it wasn't so obvious. The only thing that's been done is the cars removed and the sign taken down. All the rest is exactly the same
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amcmaster1
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Im a big Thorpe fan but I do think that is a really poor show just leaving it like that - especially when this is such a big year for Thorpe.
But who nows maybe they have got plans for it.
But who nows maybe they have got plans for it.
Wishing i was back in the Caribbean
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Mattia
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Well plans or no plans they could've waited till the end of the season. I really want the beach to go - it's nearly always closed except for the summer months and really has no purpose. Octopus gardens will go soon i hope too - they want to focus solely on the thrill seeking market. Keep X thorpey just give it more money and TLC please 
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Islander
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[quote=""Mattia""]I really want the beach to go - it's nearly always closed except for the summer months and really has no purpose.[/quote]
See, that's what I thought until I went to Thorpe last Sunday - it was open, and absolutely packed. It's clearly very popular...
See, that's what I thought until I went to Thorpe last Sunday - it was open, and absolutely packed. It's clearly very popular...
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CoasterCrazyChris
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[quote=""Mattia""]Octopus gardens will go soon i hope too - they want to focus solely on the thrill seeking market. [/quote]
No they don't - it clearly doesn't work.
No they don't - it clearly doesn't work.
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thorpeparkjunkie
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TP is far from perfect even I know that and its my favorite theme park and I love it to bits.
From my last visit I took notice of things I would do if i was in charge:
- The entrance metal pen has to go
- NI and Colossus are screaming out for a general cleanup and repaint in certain areas
- Removal of all Tussauds signage
- Remove Miss Hippo's Fungle Safari it looks terrible for TP's ride reliability because some guests may not be aware of its closure. I still think that they should have removed it last winter
- Colossus needs new trains or wheels to make the roughness as minimal as possible although I personally do not find it any rougher than most coasters I do however understand its what people want and feel strong about.
- Eventually I think that the whole beach should stripped done to bone and replaced with a new family area, maybe still keeping the water theme either by adding a Battle Galleons type attraction or a underwater submarine style ride.
From my last visit I took notice of things I would do if i was in charge:
- The entrance metal pen has to go
- NI and Colossus are screaming out for a general cleanup and repaint in certain areas
- Removal of all Tussauds signage
- Remove Miss Hippo's Fungle Safari it looks terrible for TP's ride reliability because some guests may not be aware of its closure. I still think that they should have removed it last winter
- Colossus needs new trains or wheels to make the roughness as minimal as possible although I personally do not find it any rougher than most coasters I do however understand its what people want and feel strong about.
- Eventually I think that the whole beach should stripped done to bone and replaced with a new family area, maybe still keeping the water theme either by adding a Battle Galleons type attraction or a underwater submarine style ride.
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CoasterCrazyChris
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[quote=""thorpeparkjunkie""]- Removal of all Tussaud's signage[/quote]
Well that does seem logical, but I can tell you for one thing for sure - the Tussauds signage and logos are/were a damn sight better than the current ones...
Well that does seem logical, but I can tell you for one thing for sure - the Tussauds signage and logos are/were a damn sight better than the current ones...
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thorpeparkjunkie
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- Location: Ipswich
[quote=""CoasterCrazyChris""][quote=""thorpeparkjunkie""]- Removal of all Tussaud's signage[/quote]
Well that does seem logical, but I can tell you for one thing for sure - the Tussauds signage and logos are/were a damn sight better than the current ones...[/quote]
I prefer the old logo myself however it just makes it confusing still have the old signs up.
Well that does seem logical, but I can tell you for one thing for sure - the Tussauds signage and logos are/were a damn sight better than the current ones...
[/quote]I prefer the old logo myself however it just makes it confusing still have the old signs up.
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Mattia
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[quote=""CoasterCrazyChris""][quote=""Mattia""]Octopus gardens will go soon i hope too - they want to focus solely on the thrill seeking market. [/quote]
No they don't - it clearly doesn't work.[/quote]
They're making money, that's all they care about. Why bother making it family with chessington and legoland down the road? It does work, Thorpe just don't execute it well. If they did, i could see them making a lot of money. The octopus gardens just seem to be plonked there, it tends to shut earlier than the rest of the park sometimes and it's just a waste. The farms gone, fungle has gone, all the family elements are going. Depth charge, the carousel, banana boat and Flying Fish is mandatory in my eyes for the families, they at least need a small selection - that appeals to all.
Thorpe have done family, and each year they've moved further and further away from that market. In 2000, Tussauds didn't know what to do with the park, slowly over the nine years, they've realised and they now have their own image and identity which they are trying to settle into and make stronger, it's taking time and Thorpe need to have a clear indication of what to do in order to do it right.
No they don't - it clearly doesn't work.[/quote]
They're making money, that's all they care about. Why bother making it family with chessington and legoland down the road? It does work, Thorpe just don't execute it well. If they did, i could see them making a lot of money. The octopus gardens just seem to be plonked there, it tends to shut earlier than the rest of the park sometimes and it's just a waste. The farms gone, fungle has gone, all the family elements are going. Depth charge, the carousel, banana boat and Flying Fish is mandatory in my eyes for the families, they at least need a small selection - that appeals to all.
Thorpe have done family, and each year they've moved further and further away from that market. In 2000, Tussauds didn't know what to do with the park, slowly over the nine years, they've realised and they now have their own image and identity which they are trying to settle into and make stronger, it's taking time and Thorpe need to have a clear indication of what to do in order to do it right.
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FallingStar
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After having visited thorpe for the first time, I think I know what the problem is... Ride operation. The visit was on a very busy day, but the whole thing had gone to pot by dinner time.
The ride operators seem to think that there is no need to dispatch the rides quickly and efficiently. Colossus was one of the worst, with poor operation leading to a queue of over two hours, and the rapids operators were having a water fight
Many of the rides had staff stood at the entrance, doing nothing in particular, and it is obvious that many of the staff either only worked there because it was down the road, or did not actually speak english.
Another fail was the fastpass and single rider systems. The fastpass holders were always sent through immediately with no apparent rotational system, resulting in longer queue times, and the same was of single rider queues.
I actually believe that this is not an issue that can be solved by thorpe staff alone, but also by merlin as a whole, as exactly the same also happened at legoland and subsequently chessington. Merlin seriously need to have a look at their operations across the U.K., or they could lose very many customers - The queues for guest services were around an hour long at the end of the day at all the parks I visited. The general public can see that something isn't right, let alone us enthusiasts.
There is a point when queueing crosses over to ridiculous. Half an hour to queue for a hot dog or a refill, only to be told the machine is broken?
SORT IT NOW MERLIN
[/rant over]
that is all
The ride operators seem to think that there is no need to dispatch the rides quickly and efficiently. Colossus was one of the worst, with poor operation leading to a queue of over two hours, and the rapids operators were having a water fight
Many of the rides had staff stood at the entrance, doing nothing in particular, and it is obvious that many of the staff either only worked there because it was down the road, or did not actually speak english. Another fail was the fastpass and single rider systems. The fastpass holders were always sent through immediately with no apparent rotational system, resulting in longer queue times, and the same was of single rider queues.
I actually believe that this is not an issue that can be solved by thorpe staff alone, but also by merlin as a whole, as exactly the same also happened at legoland and subsequently chessington. Merlin seriously need to have a look at their operations across the U.K., or they could lose very many customers - The queues for guest services were around an hour long at the end of the day at all the parks I visited. The general public can see that something isn't right, let alone us enthusiasts.
There is a point when queueing crosses over to ridiculous. Half an hour to queue for a hot dog or a refill, only to be told the machine is broken?
SORT IT NOW MERLIN
[/rant over]
that is all
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yop0f
- New Member
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[quote=""RC3_Taz""]
There is a point when queueing crosses over to ridiculous. Half an hour to queue for a hot dog or a refill, only to be told the machine is broken?
SORT IT NOW MERLIN
[/rant over]
that is all[/quote]
I work in one of the shops at Thorpe Park, and am sometimes told to spend the day in the Coke Refill station, never have I seen (or heard) about a 30 minute wait. Slight exagguration perhaps?
There is a point when queueing crosses over to ridiculous. Half an hour to queue for a hot dog or a refill, only to be told the machine is broken?
SORT IT NOW MERLIN
[/rant over]
that is all[/quote]
I work in one of the shops at Thorpe Park, and am sometimes told to spend the day in the Coke Refill station, never have I seen (or heard) about a 30 minute wait. Slight exagguration perhaps?
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Rollercoaster5000
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My friend knows what thorpe are planning over the next four, but won't tell me. But I do know what's leaving the park in a few years but I really can't say since thorpe want everything to be kept secret.
Last edited by Rollercoaster5000 on Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Chris W
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[quote=""Rollercoaster5000""]My friend knows what thorpe are planning over the next four, but the incompetent fool won't tell me. But I do know what's leaving the park in a few years AND I AM NOT TELLING ANYONE HA HA HA HA [/quote]
Oh well, luckily we are an Alton Towers fan site so don't care all that much about Thorpe Park.
[/quote]Oh well, luckily we are an Alton Towers fan site so don't care all that much about Thorpe Park.
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Rollercoaster5000
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But i have found this on thorpe park guide
[url=http://www.thorpeparkguide.com/parknews ... psep06.jpg" target="_blank]http://www.thorpeparkguide.com/parknews ... psep06.jpg[/url]
It may be a first draft of the plan then they added the rides to the newly infilled islands. The plan is old and cotains SAW's old flying coaster layout, but notice the islands they could very well be included on the new plan.
But my friend did give me a few indications as to what rides will be built. A ride will be linked to the hotel and a roller coaster will be built across the lake. But I really can't say what's leaving since thorpe asked my friend to keep everything secret.
[url=http://www.thorpeparkguide.com/parknews ... psep06.jpg" target="_blank]http://www.thorpeparkguide.com/parknews ... psep06.jpg[/url]
It may be a first draft of the plan then they added the rides to the newly infilled islands. The plan is old and cotains SAW's old flying coaster layout, but notice the islands they could very well be included on the new plan.
But my friend did give me a few indications as to what rides will be built. A ride will be linked to the hotel and a roller coaster will be built across the lake. But I really can't say what's leaving since thorpe asked my friend to keep everything secret.
Last edited by Rollercoaster5000 on Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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AstroDan
[quote=""Rollercoaster5000""]My friend knows what thorpe are planning over the next four, but the incompetent fool won't tell me. But I do know what's leaving the park in a few years AND I AM NOT TELLING ANYONE HA HA HA HA [/quote]
Welcome to TTF - posts like this aren't welcome here, so please adjust your posting style.
Thanks.
AstroDan
Team TTF
[/quote]Welcome to TTF - posts like this aren't welcome here, so please adjust your posting style.
Thanks.
AstroDan
Team TTF