Crazycoaster
Giga Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
What is this about a length limit?
What is this about a length limit?
Thorpe Park | Derren Brown's Ghost Train | VR Attraction
- Thread starter pitchnoir
- Start date
CoasterCrazy
Giga Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
^^He wasn't implying that they should build a £30 million dark ride... :wink:
^And that is a very good question. I'd always thought some of Thorpe's Rides were awkwardly short...
Of course a park can be both - most financially successful parks do indeed have rides which satisfy both thrillseekers and families alike, but every successful business needs a clear, defined 'breadwinning' demographic, which is the most economically rewarding for them. In Thorpe's case, it's history has branded it as a park with some of the most extreme rides in the UK. Of course it makes money on family investments - but, judging by the parkgoers, I would assume the teen demographic would be far more lucrative.
For Thorpe therefore, their prime focus should be thrill rides, with family/flat rides filling the 4 year gap between major new coasters. I fear to turn Thorpe into another Alton Towers, which just makes no sense at all.
May I also point out, they would know exactly what to add if they actually asked parkgoers (and enthusiasts too of course :wink: ), or used social media in a way other than to state: 'Give us money by coming to Thorpe Park because of x'. Why not bash around a few ideas around on Facebook? That'd get people excited! (Just look at the response they got when they posted a picture of...dare I say it...a coaster, made of WOOD!)
^^He wasn't implying that they should build a £30 million dark ride... :wink:
^And that is a very good question. I'd always thought some of Thorpe's Rides were awkwardly short...
Radaxian said:
Of course a park can be both - most financially successful parks do indeed have rides which satisfy both thrillseekers and families alike, but every successful business needs a clear, defined 'breadwinning' demographic, which is the most economically rewarding for them. In Thorpe's case, it's history has branded it as a park with some of the most extreme rides in the UK. Of course it makes money on family investments - but, judging by the parkgoers, I would assume the teen demographic would be far more lucrative.
For Thorpe therefore, their prime focus should be thrill rides, with family/flat rides filling the 4 year gap between major new coasters. I fear to turn Thorpe into another Alton Towers, which just makes no sense at all.
May I also point out, they would know exactly what to add if they actually asked parkgoers (and enthusiasts too of course :wink: ), or used social media in a way other than to state: 'Give us money by coming to Thorpe Park because of x'. Why not bash around a few ideas around on Facebook? That'd get people excited! (Just look at the response they got when they posted a picture of...dare I say it...a coaster, made of WOOD!)
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
I think he meant "height limit", but since you need height to give the train kinetic energy, and you want your coaster to be reasonably thrilling, a limit on height would also put a limit on how long the coaster could be. That is, unless they work in launches somehow, but even then you'd run into a "cost limit" after a while.Crazycoaster said:
Ethan
Strata Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
There actually is a length limit though, or at least there is on the next coaster and The Swarm.
In their MTDP they stated that both coasters wouldn't go over a specific length, I think it was 2500ft or maybe 3000ft, I can't remember exactly but I'll dig it up again.
There actually is a length limit though, or at least there is on the next coaster and The Swarm.
In their MTDP they stated that both coasters wouldn't go over a specific length, I think it was 2500ft or maybe 3000ft, I can't remember exactly but I'll dig it up again.
Nemesis Inferno
Strata Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
The problem with such plans is that they change considerably...
Indeed, did the plan call for just an arena development and a ride replacement for Fungle Safari? Where as now we're getting rumours that both will be involved in the same development...
Plans, and limits change (bar the height limit since Heathrow)...
The problem with such plans is that they change considerably...
Indeed, did the plan call for just an arena development and a ride replacement for Fungle Safari? Where as now we're getting rumours that both will be involved in the same development...
Plans, and limits change (bar the height limit since Heathrow)...
cjbrandy
Hyper Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
If the dark ride rumour actually happens and costs around £30 million, that would be a very risky decision. If it 'fails' like The Swarm and doesn't significantly increase attendance, a huge amount of money has been wasted. I know one can't be built but I'm pretty sure that £30 million could get Thorpe a giga coaster.
If the dark ride rumour actually happens and costs around £30 million, that would be a very risky decision. If it 'fails' like The Swarm and doesn't significantly increase attendance, a huge amount of money has been wasted. I know one can't be built but I'm pretty sure that £30 million could get Thorpe a giga coaster.
Darren B
Giga Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
I understand that they said that the coasters wouldn't go over a specific length, but they're not restricted though, unlike height.
And in regards to the MTDP - That's pretty much null and void now. We're nearly in 2015 and hardly anything on the MTDP has has come to fruitation.
Ethan said:
I understand that they said that the coasters wouldn't go over a specific length, but they're not restricted though, unlike height.
And in regards to the MTDP - That's pretty much null and void now. We're nearly in 2015 and hardly anything on the MTDP has has come to fruitation.
coasterboy
Mega Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
£30 million for a dark ride?
If true, maybe something like this....
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja8Ii01CQuw[/youtube]
Kill 2 birds with 1 stone - killer dark ride with roller coaster elements
£30 million for a dark ride?
If true, maybe something like this....
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja8Ii01CQuw[/youtube]
Kill 2 birds with 1 stone - killer dark ride with roller coaster elements
SaiyanHajime
CF Legend
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
£30mill wouldn't even buy you a small, crap version of Gringotts.
The problem with Merlin, seems to be, that they obsess over short term patterns of return without actually thinking about the long term picture.
In my opinion, investment is only a tiny part of why people visit parks. And of that, the investment needs to hit the correct area, and that need changes constantly. No park can keep up or get it right 100% of the time.
Take the 2012/13 seasons as a prime example. 2012 was a crap season for the whole of the UK, Swarm failed to draw people to Thorpe en mass in large part because of the weather, economy, Olympics and god knows what else. Nothing they could have opened that season would have made its forecast.
They, rightly, blame external factors for Swarm's initial failures (anyone remember that council letter attached to planning application for Swarm theming modifications for '13), but come 2013 when the weather is delightful, and Zufari is deemed a huge success at Chessington, who manage their most successful summer in over a decade.
Dark rides are always going to be hard to market without an IP and worse still is how difficult and expensive it is to make a dark ride good. Where a coaster is enhanced by theming and narrative, but will be fun regardless of its quality, dark rides are reliant on quality theming and story telling and enhanced by tech. It means that its very costly and very creatively challenging to create even a mediocre dark ride. Getting an IP costs money that cuts into budget. Merlin's IPs are outdated because it's all they can afford, and look at the crap standard of the attractions as a result? Saw is their biggest success in this department, but its worlds away from Mystery Mine or Novgorod in the thematic, narrative, hardware and ride layout standards.
I'd be interested to see a dark ride at Thorpe, but I think it will have an IP and not be as good as Sub Terra as a result.
I want to see Spinball moved to Thorpe. I know there's one only down the road, but it'll be good for the under represented audience at Thorpe, still be fun for grown ups and it sticks out like a sore thumb at Alton.
£30mill wouldn't even buy you a small, crap version of Gringotts.
The problem with Merlin, seems to be, that they obsess over short term patterns of return without actually thinking about the long term picture.
In my opinion, investment is only a tiny part of why people visit parks. And of that, the investment needs to hit the correct area, and that need changes constantly. No park can keep up or get it right 100% of the time.
Take the 2012/13 seasons as a prime example. 2012 was a crap season for the whole of the UK, Swarm failed to draw people to Thorpe en mass in large part because of the weather, economy, Olympics and god knows what else. Nothing they could have opened that season would have made its forecast.
They, rightly, blame external factors for Swarm's initial failures (anyone remember that council letter attached to planning application for Swarm theming modifications for '13), but come 2013 when the weather is delightful, and Zufari is deemed a huge success at Chessington, who manage their most successful summer in over a decade.
Dark rides are always going to be hard to market without an IP and worse still is how difficult and expensive it is to make a dark ride good. Where a coaster is enhanced by theming and narrative, but will be fun regardless of its quality, dark rides are reliant on quality theming and story telling and enhanced by tech. It means that its very costly and very creatively challenging to create even a mediocre dark ride. Getting an IP costs money that cuts into budget. Merlin's IPs are outdated because it's all they can afford, and look at the crap standard of the attractions as a result? Saw is their biggest success in this department, but its worlds away from Mystery Mine or Novgorod in the thematic, narrative, hardware and ride layout standards.
I'd be interested to see a dark ride at Thorpe, but I think it will have an IP and not be as good as Sub Terra as a result.
I want to see Spinball moved to Thorpe. I know there's one only down the road, but it'll be good for the under represented audience at Thorpe, still be fun for grown ups and it sticks out like a sore thumb at Alton.
pitchnoir
Mega Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
Plans have been submitted
http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/news/30-10-2014/2016-Attraction-Plans-Released
Plans have been submitted
http://thorpeparkmania.co.uk/news/30-10-2014/2016-Attraction-Plans-Released
pitchnoir
Mega Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
God knows what this could be, but do they need to declare if they are digging down and not building upwards, as that building does not look that tall!!!!
Also got to keep in mind that this will have a pre show aswell situated in the building, either way, let the speculation commence.
God knows what this could be, but do they need to declare if they are digging down and not building upwards, as that building does not look that tall!!!!
Also got to keep in mind that this will have a pre show aswell situated in the building, either way, let the speculation commence.
owentaylor121
Giga Poster
Re: Thorpe Park construction?
Hopefully a indoor launch coaster.
Hopefully a indoor launch coaster.