What's new

My second visit to Thorpe - PTR 14/08/09

Brookes

Giga Poster
Firstly, because this is a Thorpe trip report, I expect some people to not read it, but I am not someone who goes a lot so this report may show different opinions and thoughts to those, and may make an interesting report.

Anyway, the first time I went to Thorpe was last year in Easter, and it was totally empty. Everything was walk on, which I expected to be very different this time. Last time Inferno was my favourite, and then Colossus, and then Stealth, but I didn’t get the other credits. So this year I needed to go back for them, and of course Saw- the Ride.

So on Thursday we left at around half 4 for the 3 hour journey to Thorpe. We booked in the Travelodge then went to have a lovely meal at an Italian. Yum. We then went to bed to be ready for a long day at Thorpe on Friday.

So we got up at 7am, had breakfast at Starbucks which was nice, then headed off to Thorpe to get there for the 9:30 opening.

When we got there it was packed, I queued with my family as they needed to get their tickets with Tesco clubcard vouchers, and then we were in just as it turned 9:30.

First, we headed to Saw, but soon realised it was already 45 minutes and was having technical difficulties and I didn’t want to wait at that time, so just went straight to Colossus, which had hardly any queue.

DSC02804.jpg


DSC02806.jpg


We queued for around ten minutes, and got on the front row as it was shorter than the normal queue which was weird. I really enjoyed Colossus and I find it strange how people say it is so rough. I had no head banging whatsoever and thought it was fantastic, keeping its place at no 9 in my top 10. I also bought a photo pass for £18, and here is the Colossus ORP (had to take a picture of it as I had no scanner - I'm left as you see it, with my dad on the right):

DSC02834.jpg


DSC02808.jpg


Then we headed off to Inferno to find it closed with an ambulance outside, no idea what had happened there. So we went to Stealth to find a 15 minute queue which we joined.

DSC02785.jpg


DSC02786.jpg


DSC02789.jpg


We queued for front row as I really loved it last time, and this time was even better. It is a brilliant ride, taking my favourite at Thorpe at this point.

DSC02790.jpg


DSC02791.jpg


DSC02835.jpg


By now my mum and dads’ friends and their children had come, so we went on the rapids which were great. Really fun and better than Alton’s in my opinion.

I then saw Inferno running and went over to it to find a 45 minute queue which we thought we might as well queue for.

DSC02810.jpg


DSC02780.jpg


DSC02782.jpg


We got front row on this as well, it was a really great ride, but not as forceful as I remembered dropping it out of my top 10. I still think it is a brilliant ride, just not as good as the others. Stealth gives more of a thrill to me which I enjoy more, and I prefer Colossus as I love the barrel rolls and I find the overall ride better.

DSC02784.jpg


DSC02836.jpg


We then took a ride on the tea cups, usual fun, and then queued about 10 mins for Flying Fish. Nothing special in my opinion just another kiddie ride.

By now we were all hungry so went and had a Burger King which was ok. We then went and did Logger’s leap as it was straight after dinner. I really wanted to do this as I remember it being great last time, and it didn’t fail to impress this time. That last double drop is fantastic, even if we had to queue around 30 – 40 mins.

So now I thought it was about time to go on Saw, so we went to the entrance and it was 90 min queue, great. I really couldn’t be bothered to queue for anything at this point and was just annoyed at how big all the queues were. All the good flats at least 40 mins, with the coasters being 60 mins or more. So, I just went round and took some photos here are a couple of Tidal Wave and Det:

DSC02794.jpg


DSC02795.jpg


Then I went and had an ice cream which was nice. By now I was in a better mood and thought I might as well go and queue for Saw. So, we got there and it wasn’t running again. It seemed to break down so much in the day, but this time someone had been sick on it. So, we waited a couple of minutes and the queue opened, with already loads of people in the queue.

DSC02802.jpg


DSC02807.jpg


The 90 min queue was horrible, it’s so confined and just goes on forever. It didn’t help we had some chavs behind forever knocking into us and being annoying. And I don’t get why they sell drinks after like an hour of queuing, then you go into the building 2 minutes later, and it says no drinks beyond this point. Stupid. So after about a bit over an hour queuing, we finally go into the building. I thought the theming and effects in the queue were ok, I expected a bit more really. It’s not really a brilliantly themed queue, you queue ages for outside with some old machinery, then go in and there’s not much at all really.

DSC02803.jpg


So we finally get on, back row it was just nice to have a sit down. This being my first eurofighter, I found the seats really big and comfy. We were in the second car so got the puppet talk from jigsaw then off we go. I thought the inside bit was fantastic with all the theming and the first drop is so steep.

Then we came outside for my first vertical lift hill. I thought it was brilliant and then the 100 degree drop was amazing. I did feel the bump at the bottom of the drop but it didn’t detract too much from the ride. The rest of the layout was good I felt but there were a couple of bumps here and there.

Overall I thought it was a great ride, but I expected more from the queue, and didn’t feel it game as much as a thrill as Stealth or Colossus, which I preferred to it. Obviously, I only got one ride so after more I may find it different, but I have to judge on only going on it once for now.

DSC02837.jpg


I did think the eurofighter drop was awesome, but I prefer the dive machine how you turn a corner slowly then it hangs you over. The eurofighter lift and drop just seem to go too quick.

By now we didn’t have long left and I still needed to get on X:\ No way out. But first my sister wanted to go on the rapids again to get a good photo. So we went on again good as before, then went to X:\ No way out. I actually started queuing for this earlier in the day and it was an hour queue, thank god I walked out of it. We queued about 10 minutes and I thought it was just weird. Thought it was pretty crap really, and it was annoying how it had to stop on every break run.

Then I went a bought a Thorpe Park mug in the mega store, annual pass discount for the win. Then we left the park, went to get some tea at a pub, then did the 3 hour journey home. Overall, I think Thorpe is a great park, but not run as well as Alton. I think Alton is more organised and more efficient that Thorpe, even though I prefer Thorpe’s coasters overall.

So I had a great day at Thorpe, even if queues meant I had to miss some flats I wanted to ride, but I would have had to do them on my own anyway.

Ride count:
Colossus x1
Stealth x1
SAW: The ride x1
Nemesis Inferno x1
X:\ No way out x1
Flying fish x1
Storm in a teacup x1
Rumba Rapids x2
Logger’s leap x1

Thanks for reading!
 
Looks like a pretty miserable day weather wise. I went to Chessington on the Saturday (15th) and Thorpe yesterday (16th) was blisteringly good weather, first time at both.

Sounds like you didn't get to go too much, but when I was there the queues were horrendous too, reminded me why I usually choose to go outside of the school holidays. I also had to wait 1h30 from starting queuing to getting off Saw and got terribly sun burnt in that queue outside; should have bought a fast track.

I was really disappointed with Nemesis inferno, it's so much worse than Nemesis, which is probably my favourite ride at Alton, I was expecting more of the same. Maybe it should be renamed Nemesis Inferior. Stealth was pretty awesome, one of only two rides we went on twice, the other being Colossus, probably my favourite ride of the day.

The rapids shut down for the day just as we walked over, which was a shame, though they didn't look much from looking at the 'track'; but even Altons don't seem that good any more.
 
It was actually quite sunny for most of the day, I think it's because I took all the photos at the same time and it was a bit cloudy then.

I thought it was a good ride count seeing what the queues were like most of the day and I'm glad I got on all the coasters as that was what I really wanted to do, and I wasn't that bothered about missing some flats. We went to get a fast track for saw after seeing the queue, but there were none left.

I pretty much agree with you, Nemesis Inferno wasn't as good as I remembered it to be, as I remembered it being just behind Nemesis in terms of force and enjoyment, but it just wasn't as good this time. My favourites were Stealth and Colossus aswell with Stealth just edging it for me.

And I think the rapids at Thorpe are a bit better than Alton's as you get wetter because of the tunnel which was great fun.

Thanks for the comment!
 
Looks like you had a fun day and an ok ride count considering you were with family. You know the photo pass thingy you bought, did that give you unlimited photo's? Or just one of each?
 
Yeah it was a good day, and it gives you 5 photos for £20 or £18 if you have an annual pass. Pretty good really considering photos are £7 each.
 
Brookes said:
My favourites were Stealth and Colossus aswell with Stealth just edging it for me.

Do you mean with Saw just edging it. :lol:

Nice PTR. :) I went there in late July after not having been there for a year and it was really busy but I managed to do most things including Rush, Stealth, Slammer and Colossus twice. The best thing to do is go straight to Saw when you arrive as I only waited about half an hour but I'd imagine the park would be alot busier in August. Oh yeah and for some reason I found Inferno quite forceful when I rode but I was sat in the backrow so that could be why.
 
DjTommyB said:
Brookes said:
My favourites were Stealth and Colossus aswell with Stealth just edging it for me.

Do you mean with Saw just edging it. :lol:

Nice PTR. :) I went there in late July after not having been there for a year and it was really busy but I managed to do most things including Rush, Stealth, Slammer and Colossus twice. The best thing to do is go straight to Saw when you arrive as I only waited about half an hour but I'd imagine the park would be alot busier in August. Oh yeah and for some reason I found Inferno quite forceful when I rode but I was sat in the backrow so that could be why.

I also sat on the back row; still felt very slow to me; was disappointing.

Would have liked to have gone the rapids though. :(
 
I find Inferno performs best in rows 3 + 4, on the right (air gate) side. Thoses seats have a nice even amount of force and pace and excitement.

I find the back row lags behind and feels like its crawling through elements. The front is just a good view really. Its one of those rides where you get a different experince to each seat. Middle seats are the silky smooth seats and provide a good floater in places like the 0G roll.
 
DjTommyB said:
Brookes said:
My favourites were Stealth and Colossus aswell with Stealth just edging it for me.

Do you mean with Saw just edging it. :lol:

No I meant with Stealth just edging it, as in Stealth just being better than Colossus for me.

DjTommyB said:
Nice PTR. :) I went there in late July after not having been there for a year and it was really busy but I managed to do most things including Rush, Stealth, Slammer and Colossus twice. The best thing to do is go straight to Saw when you arrive as I only waited about half an hour but I'd imagine the park would be alot busier in August. Oh yeah and for some reason I found Inferno quite forceful when I rode but I was sat in the backrow so that could be why.

Thanks, but I was with family who want to do other things aswell so hard to get on everything I want. And I did go straight to Saw as I mentioned, it was broken down with already a 45 min queue... and everything else had no queue so it evened out in the end. And I can't remember where I rode Inferno last time when I really liked it, I think it was middle seats aswell as the front which might be why I didn't find it as good this time, as A-Kid says the middle seats are best. It's weird how Nemesis and Inferno are opposites, on Nemesis the back row is brilliant and the middles are a bit tame, where as on Inferno it must be the other way round.

Thanks for the comments!
 
No Rush? Boo!

I agree that Inferno hasn't been as good as it used to be last year, maybe less so having been on its biggest brother. Colossus on the other hand is a ride I find enjoyable every ride, even if it's a tad bumpy.

It looks like you had a great day though and I'm pleased you got on Saw. (Same can't be said for Rush. :wink: )
 
Thanks for the comment, I agree with you I have loved Colossus every ride I have had on it, and Inferno isn't as good as it was. And I am pleased I got on Saw aswell haha seeing as it was probably the main reason for going. I did want to go on Rush but it would have meant queueing on my own for like 40 mins and I just couldn't be bothered as I was with family and they wanted to do other things etc. Will definitely do it next time, not sure when it will be though.
 
Rush, ah, that was a fun ride. I found it over a little too quick though. I would say Rush is a must ride.
 
Top