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Thorpe Park: What could the future hold?

JoshC.

Strata Poster
Jungle Escape is listed an upcharge attraction, which I'm a Celeb was not. By the sounds of it, could more be like an escape room than just a rebranded IAC.

These new events aren't exactly bad in their own right, but not what Thorpe need now. These are all things you can find outside of a theme park, so none of this entices you to want to visit Thorpe. Based off recent years, where the park has been quieter, they need stuff to bring people in, not to help alleviate crowds.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Why does everyone not like this, out of interest? Not criticising any of you; I'd just be interested to know! I don't think it was intended to be a major investment, and some of the stuff does sound like it could attract quite a few guests!
 

Ethan

Strata Poster
Why does everyone not like this, out of interest? Not criticising any of you; I'd just be interested to know! I don't think it was intended to be a major investment, and some of the stuff does sound like it could attract quite a few guests!
Because they don't invest in anything decent anymore to counteract the small investments. The place is a dump and until they change this and they invest in a big attraction, I reckon this decline will continue.

(edited for typos)
 
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zazobo

Hyper Poster
Because they don't invest in anything decent anymore to counteract the small investments. The place is a dump and unil they changes and they invest in a big attraction, I reckon this decline will continue.
Exaclty this. We haven’t had anything good at Thorpe for YEARS. Everything they do is a miss.

Rolling a turd in glitter. A horrible old festering turd.
 

Niles

Giga Poster
I agree with this not being close to anything I wanted and with the Likelihood of something big coming for 2020 diminishing and loggers permanent closure, I’m losing my interest in going here until something changes.

I still have a sliver of hope that this is just filler befor something amazing, but yea :(
 

shawnoc

Mega Poster
It just feels to me that Merlin is stagnating across all their parks. ****e like this from Thorpe is just awful. Why not invest on sprucing the place up instead of adding small seafront arcade crap in the park.

It’s not like any of the rides and areas are need a fresh paint job or anything.

I’m fed up with how tatty and under invested Merlin parks have become and trying to claim great improvements with hired tat each year.
Oh yeah and charge extra!!!!! F..k Off.
 

spicy

Giga Poster
This is what happens when a company monopolises the market.

No need to majorly invest the people will come anyway. Not like there’s many options outside of Merlin if they want a UK theme park day out.

Why it would have been so great if London Paramount happened just to shake the UK industry up. Nothing will ever be built like that here though and Merlin know it.
 

Pokemaniac

Mountain monkey
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Yeah, it's clearly the lack of competition that leads to this stagnation. There's nobody around who threatens to take their customers, so they can invest at a sustenance minimum, getting new stuff just often enough to keep people reminded that their park exists. And even if visitor numbers plateau or even drop, they can cut costs further to keep profitability at a stable level. Hopefully, the (slightly ridiculous) Flamingo Land rumours are true, that would at least give thrill seekers some alternative to Thorpe and Alton Towers and possibly shake up stuff with the Merlin management.
 

CrashCoaster

CF Legend
Thorpe apparently aren't getting anything good next year. I think we will be waiting until 2021/2022 before anything interesting is built.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Now, criticise me all you want, but I don't personally think this is as bad as some people are saying it is considering this is a low year. Everyone always complains about how there's not enough to do at Merlin parks other than rides; these events will solve that. Also, most of them bar Jungle Escape are free as far as I'm aware, so that's more attractions you're getting for your money right there! They could also attract new markets to Thorpe who would previously have never thought of going and make it a more well-rounded day out that will please more people. Do you guys get where I'm coming from?
 

JammyH

Hyper Poster
Now, criticise me all you want, but I don't personally think this is as bad as some people are saying it is considering this is a low year. Everyone always complains about how there's not enough to do at Merlin parks other than rides; these events will solve that. Also, most of them bar Jungle Escape are free as far as I'm aware, so that's more attractions you're getting for your money right there! They could also attract new markets to Thorpe who would previously have never thought of going and make it a more well-rounded day out that will please more people. Do you guys get where I'm coming from?
No. It's utter trash.
 

Niles

Giga Poster
Now, criticise me all you want, but I don't personally think this is as bad as some people are saying it is considering this is a low year. Everyone always complains about how there's not enough to do at Merlin parks other than rides; these events will solve that. Also, most of them bar Jungle Escape are free as far as I'm aware, so that's more attractions you're getting for your money right there! They could also attract new markets to Thorpe who would previously have never thought of going and make it a more well-rounded day out that will please more people. Do you guys get where I'm coming from?

Yea I can get it, I told my gf and she loved the sound of bouncezilla and my friends want to do the escape room as they love them, dam gp

Its just not what I and others wanted to hear, hopefully it does bring in a new market, but then I don't want them to only appeal to that market in the future ( FORTNIGHT 2020!! ) and forget about how an investment in a coaster would be so much better than this.
 

JoshC.

Strata Poster
Now, criticise me all you want, but I don't personally think this is as bad as some people are saying it is considering this is a low year. Everyone always complains about how there's not enough to do at Merlin parks other than rides; these events will solve that. Also, most of them bar Jungle Escape are free as far as I'm aware, so that's more attractions you're getting for your money right there! They could also attract new markets to Thorpe who would previously have never thought of going and make it a more well-rounded day out that will please more people. Do you guys get where I'm coming from?

For a low year, it'll do, but it's part of a wider problem..
1) It's yet another change in brand direction. This year is a bright fun year, after 3 years of dark and scary, which followed from 2 years of bright family stuff, etc.
2) There's a lack of money being invested in the park. Not all Thorpe's fault, but still, a big frustration.
3) People aren't seeing improvement in the park. Until they see that, people aren't going to be convinced by short term investments.

You say this may attract more people to the park - will it though? These sorts of events don't exist to attract significantly more people (bar Fright Nights). They exist to diversify the line up and give people more options outside the rides. That's not what the park needs now; the park has been quieter than it should be. So it should be getting stuff to strengthen the guest experience and line up - new long term attractions, improve current rides, etc.

If they can improve the state of the park and guest experience AND introduce these short term fad events, great. But people will remain naturally sceptical about that until they see these improvements.

Equally, people don't go to a theme park for an inflatable course, escape room or eSports event. They exist everywhere. If people want to do them, they will go to somewhere that specialises in them. So again, this won't convince people to go to the park, it's just a nice aside / bonus to visiting the park.

I get where you're coming from, but ultimately it's not what Thorpe needs now. If they back this up with park improvements, good. But until then, I totally get people's sceptism and negative reaction.
 
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