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Thorpe Park | Hyperia | Mack Hyper Coaster | 2024

Now this is entirely my opinion rather than a reasoned argument 😂

The main reason I rate the RMCs I've ridden so low is the trains. I cannot stand the lap bars on Zadra (and Iron Rattler is just a poor ride sans the first drop) the layout was pretty good but the ride was ruined by those trains.

When I was at EG on a very quiet day I rode Zadra twice and that was enough (and this is coming from someone who's top 10 is almost all highly intense rides) where as I probably had 10 plus on formula and hyperion. And it was a similar story with Rattler. One ride on that and 5 plus on Superman and Goliath.

I'm sure one day when I ride some more RMCs (damn you covid) I might change my tune but so far I haven't got the hype.
You’re definitely not alone in that, a lot of people struggle with the restraints… Probably the most common complaint I’ve heard!!!

As a larger, and more importantly, taller person, I find them to be some of the more comfortable out there. I struggle mostly with over the shoulder, and trains with less leg room like millennium flyers…

But I can totally understand why a train being uncomfortable to you would put you right off. I can think of a couple where I don’t actually mind the roughness, enjoy the layout, but cannot abide the restraints… Colossus for one! I will never, ever ride that coaster again, not because it’s rough, and I actually like the layout, but because the restraints try to break my shoulders and ribs every time!
 
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With the amount of water in that lake in the middle of where the Loggers Leap site is, I would probably suggest a water coaster. It would put another family coaster in the park that would use that space to a pretty good extent due to the lake and has the potential to look impressive in the area with the splashdown. Also, it might have the possibility to not be a shade of white or black!
 
With the amount of water in that lake in the middle of where the Loggers Leap site is, I would probably suggest a water coaster. It would put another family coaster in the park that would use that space to a pretty good extent due to the lake and has the potential to look impressive in the area with the splashdown. Also, it might have the possibility to not be a shade of white or black!
Have you seen the water in that lake? I wouldn't even dip my finger in it, let alone sit on a coaster that'll soak me with it! I really can't see a water coaster happening tbh, not at this park.
 
Have you seen the water in that lake? I wouldn't even dip my finger in it, let alone sit on a coaster that'll soak me with it! I really can't see a water coaster happening tbh, not at this park.
I don’t think they even need a water coaster in their lineup… As far as UK parks go of late, they’re doing just fine for water rides with The Rapids and Tidal Wave…





… arghh mannnnn… This means they’re getting a water coaster doesn’t it 🙈😂
 
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I like to visualise this kind of stuff. "If a hyper were to happen, what would the skyline look like?" and I think I found a way for the hyper and Stealth to coexist without the hyper dwarfing Stealth - for Stealth to be in the area of the hill's valleys.

View attachment 14072
(The colours are dark so it's easy to see, perhaps the real thing would be better with a Shambhala-type colour scheme)
See, this looks great. It's exactly what Thorpe needs.

The lift hill and first drop probably wouldn't even need to be that far to the left, it could go where you've put the first camel back hill and would still look balanced.
 
I meant more in terms of space; if Blackpool could cram the Big One into their tiny plot of land, then surely Thorpe could fit a hyper in?
EDIT: I’ve just had a very vague look on Maps, and using Mako as an example, that ride’s leftmost point (the ending turn over the water) could fit around where Rocky Express is located at most (it could potentially go further into the site), with the turnaround going somewhere in Thorpe’s lake, roughly parallel with the middle of the Colossus ride area.
I managed to get it to fit on the reclaimed land behind Swarm when I played round with the idea in No Limits. Check it here if you want to see:
 
My bet is on a GCI, if a coaster is even going in the loggers spot that is. If Merlin worked with them for Wickerman, and things went smoothly overall (I think it has mostly?) then I guess it's a possibility. Feel like that's wishful thinking, though.
 
My bet is on a GCI, if a coaster is even going in the loggers spot that is. If Merlin worked with them for Wickerman, and things went smoothly overall (I think it has mostly?) then I guess it's a possibility. Feel like that's wishful thinking, though.
To be honest, I think it’s more likely than most things suggested here… And if they go for a bigger, more thrilling, GCI, I would be over the moon!!!
 
The more I think about it the more a GCI makes sense…

Not just because of the relationship Merlin have built with them, but as the ‘right’ fit for the park too…

Even a large GCI would have a 1.2m restriction, and be accessible to more people…

A woody would fit the area perfectly, with only a minimal refurb required rather than a brand new area… The plot is also the perfect size and shape for a twisty woodie.

To point out the obvious, Thorpe has nothing like a woodie at all… They have a tall coaster, launch is checked, they have coasters with inversions and an inverted coaster, coasters with vertical drops and an indoor coaster… The biggest holes are family and woodie… Although it could be argued that flying fish partially fills the family gap somewhat…

Finally, it’s no secret that Wicker Man is seen as a huge success… It’s practically solely responsible for everybody completely forgetting 2015!!! Always has a huge queue. And it shifts a crap tonne of merch!!! When you compare it’s impact to Thorpe's last investment (of the same value too) the difference is night and day.
 
My only fear with the Thorpe GCI is that GCI really loves their swooping turns. I'd love to see something a bit (a lot) more airtime based, if the layout's just turns and turns I'll be pretty sad. Wicker Man integrates the turns absolutely fantastically into its layout, but would Thorpe be a different story?
 
The more I think about it the more a GCI makes sense…

Not just because of the relationship Merlin have built with them, but as the ‘right’ fit for the park too…

Even a large GCI would have a 1.2m restriction, and be accessible to more people…

A woody would fit the area perfectly, with only a minimal refurb required rather than a brand new area… The plot is also the perfect size and shape for a twisty woodie.

To point out the obvious, Thorpe has nothing like a woodie at all… They have a tall coaster, launch is checked, they have coasters with inversions and an inverted coaster, coasters with vertical drops and an indoor coaster… The biggest holes are family and woodie… Although it could be argued that flying fish partially fills the family gap somewhat…

Finally, it’s no secret that Wicker Man is seen as a huge success… It’s practically solely responsible for everybody completely forgetting 2015!!! Always has a huge queue. And it shifts a crap tonne of merch!!! When you compare it’s impact to Thorpe's last investment (of the same value too) the difference is night and day.
On the subject of thorpes last major investment Darren browns ghost train do you think merlin have learnt to invest in decent hardware that sells it self unlike the shower of s*&t that is the ghost train (hands down biggest waste of money merlin have ever spent) don't they realise a huge B and M hyper or a RMC kinda markets itself ,when the gp see a 200 foot monster reaching up for the clouds they going to be queuing up at the gates in the thousands like they did when the big one opened no need for half arsed washed out ip's and worlds scariest gimmicks here.
 
My only fear with the Thorpe GCI is that GCI really loves their swooping turns. I'd love to see something a bit (a lot) more airtime based, if the layout's just turns and turns I'll be pretty sad. Wicker Man integrates the turns absolutely fantastically into its layout, but would Thorpe be a different story?
Something like this?

Thorpe GCI 2.jpgThorpe GCI.xjpg.jpg

This was apparently the ride GCI put in for the Saw Tender.
To be honest I'd be happy with this even now. 😂
 
My only fear with the Thorpe GCI is that GCI really loves their swooping turns. I'd love to see something a bit (a lot) more airtime based, if the layout's just turns and turns I'll be pretty sad. Wicker Man integrates the turns absolutely fantastically into its layout, but would Thorpe be a different story?
Hmm ... although it's almost true these days, the idea of a woodie at Thorpe isn't entirely synonymous with GCI or the largely similar designs coming from the Gravity Group umbrella. I wouldn't complain if Intamin picked up their saws and hammers again and made something like Balder at Thorpe, for instance. Martin and Vleminckx also make woodies, albeit mostly in China and I haven't heard much about how they ride.

Of course, one could dream about a British El Toro as well, but that might be a bit too optimistic.
 
what I want to be B&M hyper or a RMC
What I think it will be a Mack spinner similar to Time Traveller or The Ride Into Happiness
 
Hmm ... although it's almost true these days, the idea of a woodie at Thorpe isn't entirely synonymous with GCI or the largely similar designs coming from the Gravity Group umbrella. I wouldn't complain if Intamin picked up their saws and hammers again and made something like Balder at Thorpe, for instance. Martin and Vleminckx also make woodies, albeit mostly in China and I haven't heard much about how they ride.

Of course, one could dream about a British El Toro as well, but that might be a bit too optimistic.
Intamin isn’t a bad shout, didn’t Merlin just work with them again on the Colossus retrack?
 
Something like this?
Alright you got me there, that does look like it would be a fantastic ride.
Hmm ... although it's almost true these days, the idea of a woodie at Thorpe isn't entirely synonymous with GCI or the largely similar designs coming from the Gravity Group umbrella. I wouldn't complain if Intamin picked up their saws and hammers again and made something like Balder at Thorpe, for instance. Martin and Vleminckx also make woodies, albeit mostly in China and I haven't heard much about how they ride.

Of course, one could dream about a British El Toro as well, but that might be a bit too optimistic.
I have to admit I almost said I really wanted to see a Gravity Group but then I remembered "why would Merlin bounce from GCI if they're happy with how Wicker Man turned out?". Of course if they weren't happy it would be a different story, and the idea of a large GG would be on the cards. Or a prefab. Or a M&V. I'll take literally any of them if the coaster makes waves in the rankings.

...

Sometimes it feels like it would be a good idea to just think up what coaster would work at the park no matter whether or not the owners "work with them". We see it every single year where a park/owner throws a complete curveball with something we NEVER would have expected. Thorpe's very own RTH with onboard audio and a radio sponsor? Could happen. Out and back Voyage type thing that runs across the back of the park with a twister section in Old Town? Could happen. Intamin wingrider that out of nowhere ends up being Skyrush levels of world class? Could happen. Lately park announcements are all just "we decided to build the last thing you expected" and it's super fun.
 
The more I think about it the more I believe an RMC is a strong possibility. Thorpe shut loggers a long time ago and RMC were very busy at this time with new rides. Thorpe were probably told they would have to go on an RMC waiting list until 2023/2024.
 
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