Thorpe Park
Encyclopedia
Thorpe Park is a theme park
located in Chertsey
, Surrey
, England
, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster
, Colossus
, was added in 2002. In 2007, Tussauds was bought out by Merlin Entertainments
, who now operate the park on a lease from Nick Leslau
.
Some of the major attractions at Thorpe Park include:
In 2009, the park had 1.87 million visitors, making it the second most visited theme park in the United Kingdom, after Alton Towers
with 2.7 Million Visitors. It was the 11th most visited in Europe.
, a CEMEX UK office opened on grounds owned by the park. On 24 May 1979, Thorpe Park was officially opened by Louis Mountbatten
who lent his name to the Mountbatten Pavilion, a large domed structure located at the entrance to the park. At this early stage in the park's history, the complex consisted of educational exhibitions such as Model World, a collection of famous structures from around the world built in 1:36 scale, with the Mountbatten Pavilion housing a standing aircraft display.
In 1998, the park was bought by The Tussauds Group
, owner of Alton Towers
and Chessington World of Adventures
. Due to the latter's proximity to Thorpe Park, Tussauds embarked on a strategy to allow the two parks to cater to different markets: Chessington would be transformed into a family park, and Thorpe Park would cater for the teenage/young adult market.
1983
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2010
2011
2012
The Fastrack queue is a shorter queueline that joins on to the main line - minimising queue time. The visitors have to pay to use the shorter line, and are given tickets to be used at a certain time, letting them enter the Fastrack line.
The first such system to be introduced, which was trialled for three seasons, emerged in the 1990s and attracted attention from BBC
programme Tomorrow's World
. This system gave guests a pager-like device which beeped when it was their slot on a particular ride.
The Virtual Q system emerged in 2000 and worked by using a number of machines by the entrance to a ride where guests would scan their park tickets and received a printed out a ticket with a time to ride the particular ride. The system was renamed "Fastrack" in 2003.
The current system is based on the "4Play" ticket which was introduced in 2004 as an adjunct to the ticket machine issued Fastrack tickets. The ticket allowed guests to pay £4 and get a non time limited ticket for one Fastrack ride on Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, Tidal Wave and Logger's Leap. The range of rides that Fastrack is offered on has since been extended. From 2006, tickets could be purchased in themed packages or individually. Fastrack tickets are also available for Thorpe Park's Fright Night maze attractions. The current packages available are:
The prices are currently per rider and may only be once. Fastrack tickets are also available for the Fright Night attractions (The Asylum, Hellgate, The Curse and SE7EN) as a bundle for £15.
A week before the park closed in 2011, the single rider queue on Stealth was closed and temporarily known as the disabled entrance. Speculation concerns show the SRQ may not be returning in 2012.
have composed music for various attractions including Nemesis Inferno
and Colossus
, as well as the music for the main entrance. However, in 2010, the usual entrance theme was replaced with chart music.
started their partnership with Thorpe Park in March 2009, when SAW - The Ride opened. After this, during Fright Nights 2009, a film called SAW - MOVIE BITES was shown in the Time Voyagers cinema and SAW music was played around the park. A year-round horror maze based on the franchise, named Saw: Alive, was opened in March 2010. It features recreations of scenes from the movies, using live actors and sensory effects to scare visitors. Located on the plaza in between SAW - The Ride and SAW Alive is a SAW Store.
in Florida, and known as "Storm Surge". The demolition of the Octopus Gardens area began in September 2010. In February 2011, the park announced that Storm Surge
would be built in another area, due to apparent paranormal
activity when an ancient burial ground or settlement may have been disturbed during preparations on the originally planned site, although this was revealed to be a publicity stunt. In October 2011, it was announced that Canada Creek Railway would be leaving the park in November 2011.
On 31 January 2011, Thorpe Park submitted a planning application for its 2012 Wing Rider roller coaster
, to be manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M) of Switzerland
named "The Swarm". With a height of 38.6 metres (126.6 ft), The Swarm will be the second B&M Wing Rider coaster to ever be built. It is to be themed around a crash site, with features such as a broken helicopter and aeroplane to be situated around the ride. The teaser poster for the coaster was released online on 17 December 2010 along with the project codename, "LC12
", and the tagline: "The end is coming". The poster depicts a giant mushroom cloud beside a silhouette of Stealth.
On Wednesday 30 March, the plans for The Swarm were approved for construction with full planning consent. At the start of 28 April 2011 marketing of the ride started. Construction of the coaster is due to start in May 2011 for its Spring opening in 2012.
On the 3rd of August, it was reported that the first piece of track was delivered to Thorpe Park and was put on the construction site of The Swarm. But only on the 11th August were the track pieces photographed for the first time.
In November 2011, plans were re-submitted to build a hotel. If the slightly altered plans are approved the construction is due to start February 2012. The plans can be found in the planning application portal on the Runnymede Borough Council website.
Planning documents outlining other future plans for the park over the period of 2010-2016 were released in early 2010. These plans include updating and extending many facilities; the addition of a few new flat rides within nine potential locations, and two new major roller coasters to be sited within three potential locations. One roller coaster is set to be opened in 2012 (see above) and the other in 2015.
In 2011 the park have announced the arrival of a new attraction for the 10th birthday of Fright Nights. "Happy Bloody Birthday
Fright Nights returns for its 10th terrifying season. More scares, awesome new Fright Night attraction for 2011, some awesome rides in the dark". The new attraction is called 'Experiment 10'
In adverts for Fright Nights, the three main roller coasters (Colossus
, Stealth
, and Nemesis Inferno
) are referred to as the "Unholy Trinity"
display with popular music
ended the night—hence the name, Thorpe Blast. The event stopped taking place after 2008.And returns for 2011 as announced on Thorpe Park's Website and is called "Blows it up".
The event was renamed Twisted Carnival for the 2011 season, and included performances from:
More performances take around the park, and feature 'twisted' circus acts.
Based from 29 June to 2 June you can view in the Arena at 12.30pm, 1pm, 3.30pm & 5pm.
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
located in Chertsey
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
, Colossus
Colossus (Thorpe Park)
Colossus is a roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was built by Swiss manufacturers Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel as an adaptation of Monte Makaya in Brazil. Tussauds designer John Wardley adapted the project to include an extra two inversions as well as reducing its...
, was added in 2002. In 2007, Tussauds was bought out by Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd is a British operator of amusement parks and other attractions. It is the largest such company in Europe, and globally the second largest after Walt Disney Parks and Resorts....
, who now operate the park on a lease from Nick Leslau
Nick Leslau
Nick Leslau is an English commercial property millionaire, with an estimated fortune in the Sunday Times Rich List of £200 million. He owns Thorpe Park which he leases to Merlin Entertainment.-Biography:...
.
Some of the major attractions at Thorpe Park include:
- Nemesis InfernoNemesis InfernoNemesis Inferno is a steel inverted roller coaster, themed around an erupting tropical volcano, in the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, England, UK. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland...
, a B&MBolliger & MabillardBolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
inverted roller coasterInverted roller coasterAn inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the...
featuring interlocking corkscrews a pre-lift section themed around a volcano. - ColossusColossus (Thorpe Park)Colossus is a roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was built by Swiss manufacturers Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel as an adaptation of Monte Makaya in Brazil. Tussauds designer John Wardley adapted the project to include an extra two inversions as well as reducing its...
, an Intamin multi-looping rollercoaster with a record breaking 10 inversions. - SAW: The Ride, a Gerstlauer Euro-FighterGerstlauer Euro-FighterThe Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter is a popular roller coaster design built by Gerstlauer. It was launched in 2003 and now has many installations around the world, including a number yet to be completed. The trademark feature of the roller coaster is its 'beyond vertical' drop, which reaches an angle...
themed around the Saw franchise. - StealthStealth (roller coaster)Stealth is a steel roller coaster built by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Amity Cove area of Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK and opened in 2006. The ride reaches a maximum height of 62.5 m...
, a launched roller coasterLaunched roller coasterThe launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster which has increased in use in the last decade. In place of a traditional chain lift, the launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or series of Linear Induction Motors , Linear Synchronous Motors ,...
which accelerates to 130 kilometres per hour (80.8 mph) in approximately 1.9 seconds. - X:\ No Way Out, an enclosed rollercoaster that travels backwards through the dark.
- Loggers LeapLoggers LeapLoggers Leap is a log flume ride in Thorpe Park, UK. It was the tallest log flume ride in the UK when it opened, and although the park does not advertise the fact, it regained that record in 2005 with the removal of "Nightmare Niagara" from the now-defunct American Adventure theme park near...
, the tallest log flumeLog flume (attraction)Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
in the UK from 1989–1993 and from 2005–present. - Tidal WaveTidal Wave (Thorpe Park)Tidal Wave is a giant water ride located at Thorpe Park in England. It was opened in 2000 and was Tussauds' first major investment in the park....
, a 'Shoot the Chute' water ride. - Storm SurgeStorm Surge (ride)Storm Surge is a 'Spinning Rapids' water ride at Thorpe Park, Surrey, United Kingdom manufactured by WhiteWater West. It is located in the Amity Cove area of the park, which is based around the park's Tidal Wave-themed ride...
, a spinning raft ride. New for 2011. Dismantled and moved from Cypress Gardens USA (the now Merlin-owned LegoLand Florida).
In 2009, the park had 1.87 million visitors, making it the second most visited theme park in the United Kingdom, after Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
with 2.7 Million Visitors. It was the 11th most visited in Europe.
Ride Guide
| Colour | Target Audience |
|---|---|
| Thrill ride | |
| Family ride | |
| Children's ride |
Roller Coasters
| # | Name | Opened | Park Area | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colossus Colossus (Thorpe Park) Colossus is a roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was built by Swiss manufacturers Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel as an adaptation of Monte Makaya in Brazil. Tussauds designer John Wardley adapted the project to include an extra two inversions as well as reducing its... |
2002 |
Lost City | Intamin roller coaster with a record-breaking 10 inversions...featuring Corkscrews, Cobra Rolls, and In-Line Twists. |
| 2 | Flying Fish Flying Fish (roller coaster) The Flying Fish is a powered steel roller coaster located at Thorpe Park in Surrey. The ride was known as Space Station Zero when it was new in 1983 and was re-themed in 1990... |
1983 |
Neptune's Kingdom | Originally the indoor, blacked out ride, Space Station Zero, before being moved outside to make space. |
| 3 | Nemesis Inferno Nemesis Inferno Nemesis Inferno is a steel inverted roller coaster, themed around an erupting tropical volcano, in the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, England, UK. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland... |
2003 |
Calypso Quay | Bolliger & Mabilard Inverted Coaster based around the Theming of a Large Volcano that's waiting to erupt...features Interlocking Corkscrews, Zero-G Roll and the longest Pre-lift hill section in the world. |
| 4 | SAW - The Ride | 2009 |
SAW Island | Gertslauer Eurofighter Coaster themed around the SAW Horror Movie Franchise, features one of the steepest incline drops in the world, at a scary height of 100 ft. |
| 5 | Stealth Stealth (roller coaster) Stealth is a steel roller coaster built by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Amity Cove area of Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK and opened in 2006. The ride reaches a maximum height of 62.5 m... |
2006 |
Amity Cove | Intamin Powered Launched Coaster taking riders from 0–80 mph (0–128.7 km/h) in 1.8 secs reaching a height of 205 ft (62.5 m) with a bunny hill finishing the ride. |
| 6 | X:\ No Way Out | 1996 |
Lost City | A Vekoma roller coaster that goes backwards in the dark. |
Thrill Rides
| # | Name | Opened | Park Area | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Detonator Detonator (Ride) Detonator is a tower ride at Thorpe Park in Chertsey, Surrey, England. It was manufactured by Fabbri and is a 'Mega Drop Tower'. It opened in 2001 along with two other 'flat' rides, Vortex and Zodiac. It is around and is not released via a computer. The ride operator at the bottom has a button... |
2001 |
Calypso Quay | Drop Tower |
| 8 | Rush Rush (Thorpe Park) Rush is a ride at Thorpe Park in Chertsey, Surrey. It is S&S Power's, and, along with Slammer was the park's new attraction for the 2005 season. At the time of opening, it was the tallest ride of its type in the world.- Construction :... |
2005 |
Lost City | A ride with 2 swings which can hold up to 32 people per ride, takes you up to 75 ft. |
| 9 | Samurai | 2004 |
Lost City | |
| 10 | SAW Alive | 2010 |
SAW Island | An all year round live action horror maze themed to the SAW series of movies. |
| 11 | Slammer Slammer (Ride) Slammer is an S&S Power Sky Swat at Thorpe Park, Chertsey, UK. It is one of only two Sky Swats in the world, alongside Catapult .... |
2005 |
Canada Creek | An S&S Power S&S Power S&S Worldwide is a company known for its pneumatically powered amusement rides and roller coaster designing.-History:S&S Worldwide was founded by Stan Checketts as S&S Sports, Inc. S&S Sports manufactures bungee jumping and trampoline equipment. S&S Sports was sold in 1996... Sky Swat Sky Swat The Sky Swat is a thrill ride which is built by S&S Power of Logan, Utah. It was developed and put onto the market in 2003. Only 2 have ever been built, although one has existed at 2 locations. The first ever installation of a Sky Swat was at Six Flags AstroWorld in Houston, Texas in 2003. The ride... , similar to a fly swat action in the air. |
| 12 | Vortex | 2001 |
Lost City | A KMG Afterburner flat ride. |
Water Rides
| # | Name | Opened | Park Area | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Depth Charge | 1991 |
Neptune's Kingdom | Dingy water slide racers. |
| 16 | Loggers' Leap Loggers Leap Loggers Leap is a log flume ride in Thorpe Park, UK. It was the tallest log flume ride in the UK when it opened, and although the park does not advertise the fact, it regained that record in 2005 with the removal of "Nightmare Niagara" from the now-defunct American Adventure theme park near... |
1989 |
Canada Creek | Canadian themed log flume Log flume (attraction) Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats... . |
| 17 | Neptune's Beach | Neptune's Kingdom | Paddling pool area and sand-pit area for young children, with a few small slides. It is separated into 2 sections, with the second section only opening if the "beach" is very crowded. | |
| 18 | Rumba Rapids Rumba Rapids Rumba Rapids is a rapids ride at Thorpe Park, Chertsey, Surrey. It opened in 1987, meaning it's the oldest ride currently still in service at Thorpe Park, under the name of Thunder River. Since then it has been refurbished. This was in 2001 when its name changed to Ribena Rumba Rapids because of... |
1987 |
Calypso Quay | |
| 19 | Storm Surge Storm surge A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea... |
2011 |
Amity Cove | 64 feet (19.5 m) spiralling 'team' raft water slide. |
| 20 | Tidal Wave | 2000 |
Amity Cove | Giant flume set within the New Hampshire setting of Amity Cove. |
| 21 | Wet Wet Wet | 1998 |
Neptune's Kingdom | Set of bodyslides for young children. |
Family Rides
| # | Name | Opened | Park Area | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Chief Ranger's Carousel | 1994 |
Ranger County | |
| 24 | Mr. Monkey's Banana Ride | 1994 |
Ranger County | |
| 25 | Rocky Express | 1989 |
Canada Creek | |
| 25 | Storm in a Teacup | 1986 |
Amity Cove | |
| 26 | Time Voyagers | 2008 |
Calypso Quay | 4D Cinema film with waterjets, moving seats and 3D glasses. |
History
Thorpe Park is situated on the site of a former quarry on the border between Chertsey and Egham in Surrey. Then owners Ready Mixed Concrete Limited flooded the site after the quarry's closure in the late 1970s, with the intention of opening an educational leisure park. When Ready Mix Concrete sold out to CEMEXCemex
CEMEX is the world's largest building materials supplier and third largest cement producer. Founded in Mexico in 1906, the company is based in Monterrey, Mexico...
, a CEMEX UK office opened on grounds owned by the park. On 24 May 1979, Thorpe Park was officially opened by Louis Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
who lent his name to the Mountbatten Pavilion, a large domed structure located at the entrance to the park. At this early stage in the park's history, the complex consisted of educational exhibitions such as Model World, a collection of famous structures from around the world built in 1:36 scale, with the Mountbatten Pavilion housing a standing aircraft display.
In 1998, the park was bought by The Tussauds Group
The Tussauds Group
The Tussauds Group is now part of Merlin Entertainments, the world's second largest leisure group, second only to Disney. It is based in Poole, Dorset from where it manages a portfolio of brands and over 50 attractions including the famous Madame Tussauds waxworks, Legoland Parks, Sealife Centres,...
, owner of Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
and Chessington World of Adventures
Chessington World of Adventures
Chessington World of Adventures Resort is a theme park and zoo in South West London, England. It lies south of Central London. Historically opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931, a theme park was developed alongside it, opening in 1987...
. Due to the latter's proximity to Thorpe Park, Tussauds embarked on a strategy to allow the two parks to cater to different markets: Chessington would be transformed into a family park, and Thorpe Park would cater for the teenage/young adult market.
Timeline
Pre-1987- Attractions included the Cinema, Magic Mill, Waterbus services, Model World, Railway, Teacups, Nature Trails, Phantom Phantasia, Thorpe Farm and Sunken Gardens.
1983
- Space Station Zero opened.
1987
- Thunder River water ride opened, at a cost of over £2 million.
1988
- The 630 seat Palladium Theatre opened.
1989
- Canada Creek area opened.
- Loggers LeapLoggers LeapLoggers Leap is a log flume ride in Thorpe Park, UK. It was the tallest log flume ride in the UK when it opened, and although the park does not advertise the fact, it regained that record in 2005 with the removal of "Nightmare Niagara" from the now-defunct American Adventure theme park near...
(largest log flumeLog flume (attraction)Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats...
in the UK until 1993, and again since 2005) opened. - Rocky Express opened.
- Loggers Leap
1990
- Space Station Zero was re-themed into the Flying FishFlying Fish (roller coaster)The Flying Fish is a powered steel roller coaster located at Thorpe Park in Surrey. The ride was known as Space Station Zero when it was new in 1983 and was re-themed in 1990...
and moved outdoors. - Carousel Kingdom opened.
- The Rangers Show opened.
- Drive in the Country opened.
1991
- Fantasy Reef area was refurbished.
- Depth Charge opened.
1992
- Children's area was refurbished.
- Viking Rowers opened.
- Hudson River Rafters opened.
1993
- Calgary Stampede opened.
- Virtual Reality Centre opened.
- Magic Mill closed.
1994
- Ranger County area opened.
- Carousel opened.
- Mr. Monkey's Banana Ride opened.
1995
- Mr Rabbit's Tropical Travels opened.
- Miss Hippo's Fungle Safari opened.
- Drive in the country closed.
1996
- X:\ No Way Out, the world's first dark backwards roller coaster, opened.
1998
- The Tussauds GroupThe Tussauds GroupThe Tussauds Group is now part of Merlin Entertainments, the world's second largest leisure group, second only to Disney. It is based in Poole, Dorset from where it manages a portfolio of brands and over 50 attractions including the famous Madame Tussauds waxworks, Legoland Parks, Sealife Centres,...
purchased the park. - Palladium Theatre closed.
- Ranger Show closed.
- Dare Devil Drivers opened.
- Wet Wet Wet! opened.
1999
- Pirates 4DPirates 4DPirates 4-D is a 3-D short film produced exclusively for theme park usage. The "attraction" is located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida, the Luxor casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, Phantasialand in Brühl, Germany, SeaWorld San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas and formerly, Busch Gardens Europe...
, a 4D cinema attraction starring Leslie NielsenLeslie NielsenLeslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...
, opened. - Carousel Kingdom closed.
- Viking Rowers closed.
2000
- Tidal WaveTidal Wave (Thorpe Park)Tidal Wave is a giant water ride located at Thorpe Park in England. It was opened in 2000 and was Tussauds' first major investment in the park....
, a Shoot the Chute made by Hopkins Rides, opened, becoming the tallest ride in the park at that time. - Dare Devil Drivers closed.
- "Dino Boats" closed.
- On 21 July a major fire broke out in the centre of the park.
- The fire destroyed The Wicked Witches Haunt (previously known as Fantom Fantasia) and the inside area of Mr Rabbit's Tropical Travels. The Wicked Witches Haunt was closed immediately. Mr Rabbit's Tropical Travels was reopened until the end of the 2001 season; it was then demolished to make way for the 2003 rollercoaster, Nemesis InfernoNemesis InfernoNemesis Inferno is a steel inverted roller coaster, themed around an erupting tropical volcano, in the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, England, UK. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland...
. - A Huss EnterpriseEnterprise (ride)The Enterprise is an amusement ride, manufactured primarily by HUSS Maschinenfabrik in 1972. The ride was an adaptation and improvement of a design produced earlier that year by Schwarzkopf, with an increased passenger capacity. Despite not owning the original incarnation of the ride, HUSS was...
was drafted in as a replacement.
- The fire destroyed The Wicked Witches Haunt (previously known as Fantom Fantasia) and the inside area of Mr Rabbit's Tropical Travels. The Wicked Witches Haunt was closed immediately. Mr Rabbit's Tropical Travels was reopened until the end of the 2001 season; it was then demolished to make way for the 2003 rollercoaster, Nemesis Inferno
- The Lost City area was established, with the Enterprise (now rethemed and renamed Zodiac) and Vortex (a KMG Afterburner) as its first rides.
- Thunder River closed, ready to be revamped into Ribena Rumba Rapids for the 2002 season.
- Detonator, Mega Drop made by FabbriFabbri GroupThe Fabbri Group is an Italian amusement rides manufacturer, based in Bergantino, a northern village of Italy.Fabbri was founded and started manufacturing in 1950, just after World War II, by Romolo Fabbri...
, opened in Calypso Quay.
2002
- ColossusColossus (Thorpe Park)Colossus is a roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was built by Swiss manufacturers Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel as an adaptation of Monte Makaya in Brazil. Tussauds designer John Wardley adapted the project to include an extra two inversions as well as reducing its...
, an Intamin roller coaster with a record-breaking 10 inversions, opened. - Safari High Dive show opened for one season.
- Thunder River re-opened as Ribena Rumba RapidsRumba RapidsRumba Rapids is a rapids ride at Thorpe Park, Chertsey, Surrey. It opened in 1987, meaning it's the oldest ride currently still in service at Thorpe Park, under the name of Thunder River. Since then it has been refurbished. This was in 2001 when its name changed to Ribena Rumba Rapids because of...
. - Debut of the park's annual Halloween event, Fright Nights.
2003
- Nemesis InfernoNemesis InfernoNemesis Inferno is a steel inverted roller coaster, themed around an erupting tropical volcano, in the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, England, UK. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland...
, a Bolliger & MabillardBolliger & MabillardBolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
inverted roller coaster themed around a tropical volcano, opened. - Also Quantum, a Fabbri magic carpet ride, opened.
- Eclipse, a Fabbri Ferris wheelFerris wheelA Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, opened. - A Spider- man show was performed in the arena. This continued into 2004 and was replaced in 2005 by Stuntzmania.
- Calgary Stampede closed to make way for Samurai from Chessington World of Adventures.
2004
- Eclipse closed mid season due to a lack of riders, having lasted just over one season. It was moved to Chessington and was renamed 'Peeking Heights'.
- Samurai, a Mondial Top Scan moved from ChessingtonChessington World of AdventuresChessington World of Adventures Resort is a theme park and zoo in South West London, England. It lies south of Central London. Historically opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931, a theme park was developed alongside it, opening in 1987...
, opened. - New Spiderman show opened.
- Tea Cup Twisters rethemed to 'Storm in a Tea Cup' to fit with nearby Amity Cove's theming.
- Flying FishFlying Fish (roller coaster)The Flying Fish is a powered steel roller coaster located at Thorpe Park in Surrey. The ride was known as Space Station Zero when it was new in 1983 and was re-themed in 1990...
closed at the end of the season to make way for Stealth in 2006.
- Slammer, an S&S Sky Swat, opened on 26 March, after being delayed due to technical issues.
- Rush, an S&S Screamin' Swing and the world's biggest air-powered speed swing (until the opening of Skyhawk at Cedar Point in the US), opened during the afternoon of 27 May.
2006
- StealthStealth (roller coaster)Stealth is a steel roller coaster built by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Amity Cove area of Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK and opened in 2006. The ride reaches a maximum height of 62.5 m...
, an Intamin Accelerator Coaster which launches riders from 0 – in 2.3 seconds, opened with the park on 15 March. A 'Ride It First' competition was held with the lucky winners experiencing Stealth before it opened to the rest of the guests. - Zodiac was replaced by another Enterprise, sourced from Drayton Manor.
- StreetXtreme replaced Stuntzmania in the Arena.
2007
- Flying FishFlying Fish (roller coaster)The Flying Fish is a powered steel roller coaster located at Thorpe Park in Surrey. The ride was known as Space Station Zero when it was new in 1983 and was re-themed in 1990...
returned, located between Tidal Wave and Wet Wet Wet. - Thorpe Farm closed, mainly due to a lack of visitors.
- Canada Creek Railway reopened as a small circuit around Canada Creek, and it no longer travelled to Thorpe Farm. The railway takes a bear hunt where riders spot models of bears around the journey.
- Ribena's sponsorship contract ended and so 'Ribena Rumba Rapids' changed its name to 'Rumba RapidsRumba RapidsRumba Rapids is a rapids ride at Thorpe Park, Chertsey, Surrey. It opened in 1987, meaning it's the oldest ride currently still in service at Thorpe Park, under the name of Thunder River. Since then it has been refurbished. This was in 2001 when its name changed to Ribena Rumba Rapids because of...
'. The ride remained unchanged. - Stealth was 'upgraded'. The ride now accelerates from 0 – in 1.8 seconds; previously it had been 2.3 seconds.
- No show was hosted in the Arena, although the Se7en scare maze was still hosted there in Fright Nights.
- The park started opening for February half term; in previous years the park had not opened for the season until March. During February reduced entrance fees applied, as limited rides were available. Many rides were still closed for winter maintenance.
- X:\ No Way Out was slightly refurbished, with a new storyline added about how 'X Laboratories Facility' lost control of their super-computer, thus sending riders into the strange and disorientating ride. Also, robot dummies and new lighting were added to the queue line and ride.
2008
- New 4D Cinema film "Time Voyagers" opened to replace "Pirates 4D".
- It was announced that Canada Creek Railway would not run for the whole season due to construction of SAW: The Ride.
- The arena was once again used for shows this season after having not been used the previous season.
2009
- SAW - The Ride, a custom GerstlauerGerstlauerGerstlauer Amusement Rides GmbH is a German manufacturer of stationary and transportable amusement rides and roller coasters, located in Münsterhausen, Germany.-History:...
Euro-fighter rollercoaster opened. - Canada Creek Railway re-opened with an altered route.
- Miss Hippo's Fungle Safari closed.
- Fastrack for Rumba Rapids.
- Thorpe Blast was due to return but was cancelled in August.
2010
- Saw: Alive is opened. This is the park's second SawSaw (film series)Saw is a horror franchise distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment and produced by Twisted Pictures that consists of seven films and two video games, published by Konami. The franchise began with the 2003 short film which was created by Australian director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell...
-themed attraction, and its first permanent horror maze. - Two new outlets - Desperados Mexican cantina and The Coffee shack.
- Thorpe Park adopts a new brand image, aimed towards the teenage and young adult market, introducing the 'Fat Heads' mascots. The entrance is repainted and most signage around the park replaced.
- Octopus Gardens closes in September and is demolished to make way for the relocation of Storm Surge from Cypress Gardens in 2011.
- Construction of Storm Surge begins in late September.
- Thorpe Park released an iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
App. The app displayed information about shopping, food and drink, queue times & the park map as well as various other fun & games.
2011
- Storm Surge opened on 17 March 2011, after being relocated from Cypress GardensCypress GardensCypress Gardens was an American theme park near Winter Haven, Florida, that operated from 1936 to 2009.-History:Billed as Florida's first commercial tourist theme park, Cypress Gardens opened on January 2, 1936 as a botanical garden planted by Dick Pope Sr. and his wife Julie...
. - Two new food outlets were opened: Bar 360, replacing 'The Glass House' in the Dome, and Amity Kebabs replacing Amity Bugle in Amity Cove.
- The Official app was updated to display real-time queue times in the park.
- On 5 April a fire broke at park and caused major internal damage at the Saw Alive Maze. The maze is gutted by the fire. On 2 May work started on restoring the attraction.
- Thorpe park blast Returns but now called "blow it up" as advertises on Thorpe Parks website http://thorpepark.com/plan-your-visit/events.aspx
- British wrestling organisation the Frontier Wrestling AllianceFrontier Wrestling AllianceFrontier Wrestling Alliance is a British professional wrestling promotion. Established in 1993 as the Fratton Wrestling Association it soon became the Frontier Wrestling Alliance six years later and until 2007 when it lost a scripted inter-promotional feud with International Pro Wrestling: United...
(FWA) presented matches over the four day Easter weekend in the Dome in front of thousands of the park's visitors. - To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Fright Night's the park introduced Experiment 10.
- The Canada Creek Railway closed on November 6th after 22 years of operation due to popularity decline.
2012
- The Swarm is set to open in the Spring. A B&M wingrider set around urban devastation costing £20 million.
Fastrack
Fastrack is the current name for a priority queuing system in place at Thorpe Park as well as other Merlin parks. The system is based on the idea of assigning a limited number of guests a time to ride a particular attraction and allowing them reduced queuing time. The system has worked in a number of ways at the park and under a number of different names. Fastrack is normally popular on busy days and can easily sell out.The Fastrack queue is a shorter queueline that joins on to the main line - minimising queue time. The visitors have to pay to use the shorter line, and are given tickets to be used at a certain time, letting them enter the Fastrack line.
The first such system to be introduced, which was trialled for three seasons, emerged in the 1990s and attracted attention from BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
programme Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
. This system gave guests a pager-like device which beeped when it was their slot on a particular ride.
The Virtual Q system emerged in 2000 and worked by using a number of machines by the entrance to a ride where guests would scan their park tickets and received a printed out a ticket with a time to ride the particular ride. The system was renamed "Fastrack" in 2003.
The current system is based on the "4Play" ticket which was introduced in 2004 as an adjunct to the ticket machine issued Fastrack tickets. The ticket allowed guests to pay £4 and get a non time limited ticket for one Fastrack ride on Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, Tidal Wave and Logger's Leap. The range of rides that Fastrack is offered on has since been extended. From 2006, tickets could be purchased in themed packages or individually. Fastrack tickets are also available for Thorpe Park's Fright Night maze attractions. The current packages available are:
| Price (£) | Ticket Name (Each ticket holds one ride per person) |
|---|---|
| £2-£5 | One Shots Stealth Pole Position - £5 Stealth or SAW - The Ride £4.50 SAW Alive £4 Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, Samurai, Rush, Tidal Wave, Loggers Leap, X:/ No Way Out, Storm Surge £3 Flying Fish, Rumba Rapids, Slammer & Vortex £2 |
| £7.50 | Hydration - One ride on each of the following: Rumba Rapids, Loggers Leap, Tidal Wave & Storm Surge SAW Package - One ride on each of the following: SAW - The Ride & SAW Alive |
| £10.50 | Extreme - One ride on each of the following: Colossus, Nemesis Inferno X:/ No Way Out & Loggers Leap OR Tidal Wave Accelerator - One ride on each of the following: Stealth, Samurai, Vortex & Rush |
| £66 | Ultimate Fastrack - Unlimited Fastrack rides all day long and one entry pass to SAW Alive |
The prices are currently per rider and may only be once. Fastrack tickets are also available for the Fright Night attractions (The Asylum, Hellgate, The Curse and SE7EN) as a bundle for £15.
Single Rider Queue
As another way of aiming to reduce guests' queuing times, Thorpe Park also operates single rider queue lines as an adjunct to Fastrack. Single Rider is available on Flying Fish on busy days. The Single Rider for Saw - The Ride has currently been removed. The system allows people who don't mind riding alone another way to queue in a separate queue line. If a single spare seat becomes available, then a single rider would be admitted, potentially reducing the queue time. Riders are informed that the single rider queue may be as long as the main queue. Single Rider used to also be available on Detonator, Nemesis Inferno, Tidal Wave, Colossus, Vortex, Quantum and Rush but was removed from these rides with effect from the 2007 season.A week before the park closed in 2011, the single rider queue on Stealth was closed and temporarily known as the disabled entrance. Speculation concerns show the SRQ may not be returning in 2012.
Records
Thorpe Park has held, and still continues to hold, a number of records for its rides. These include:- ColossusColossus (Thorpe Park)Colossus is a roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was built by Swiss manufacturers Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel as an adaptation of Monte Makaya in Brazil. Tussauds designer John Wardley adapted the project to include an extra two inversions as well as reducing its...
was the world's first roller coaster to feature ten inversions (the highest number of inversions in the world). It has not been surpassed by any other coaster, but equalled by an identical coaster in China. - StealthStealth (roller coaster)Stealth is a steel roller coaster built by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Amity Cove area of Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK and opened in 2006. The ride reaches a maximum height of 62.5 m...
was previously the fastest rollercoaster in Europe until Furious Baco took the record in 2007. Stealth still holds the record for the fastest acceleration of any roller coaster in Europe (0 – in 1.8 seconds as opposed to Furious Baco's 0 – in 3.5 seconds) and is still the fastest in the UK. - X:\ No Way Out opened as the world's only roller coaster to travel backwards through darkness for the entire length of the circuit.
- Loggers LeapLoggers LeapLoggers Leap is a log flume ride in Thorpe Park, UK. It was the tallest log flume ride in the UK when it opened, and although the park does not advertise the fact, it regained that record in 2005 with the removal of "Nightmare Niagara" from the now-defunct American Adventure theme park near...
is the tallest log flume in the UK, although it lost that record for several years to The American Adventure's "Nightmare Niagara", then regained the record when that ride was removed. - Tidal WaveTidal Wave (Thorpe Park)Tidal Wave is a giant water ride located at Thorpe Park in England. It was opened in 2000 and was Tussauds' first major investment in the park....
was the tallest water ride in Europe until 2002 and possibly the wettest water ride in the UK. - Nemesis InfernoNemesis InfernoNemesis Inferno is a steel inverted roller coaster, themed around an erupting tropical volcano, in the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, England, UK. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland...
has the longest pre lift section of any inverted B&M coaster in the world, and was the first inverted coaster to feature interlocking wingovers (corkscrews) - Saw: The Ride is the only rollercoaster themed around a horror movie, and is therefore dubbed as the world's scariest ride. It also holds the record for the rollercoaster with the steepest free-fall drop in the world, at 100 degrees, and third steepest drop overall in the world after Steel HawgSteel HawgSteel Hawg is a roller coaster at Indiana Beach, Monticello, Indiana. The ride is the first El Loco model built by manufacturer S&S Worldwide of Logan, Utah. The Steel Hawg was expected to open in mid May, but was rescheduled for an early July opening....
at Indiana BeachIndiana BeachIndiana Beach is an amusement park and resort located on Lake Shafer in Monticello, Indiana.-History:The resort was developed and owned by the Spackman family, who sold to Morgan RV Resorts LLC in 2008...
in the USA and Mumbo JumboMumbo Jumbo (at Flamingo Land)Mumbo Jumbo is a roller coaster which opened to the public on 4 July 2009 at Flamingo Land Resort, UK. Mumbo Jumbo is situated in the Lost Kingdom section of the park and has orange supports and black tracks....
at Flamingo Land in the UK. The drops on these latter two roller coasters are controlled by braking fins, whereas the drop on Saw is not, hence it holds the title of steepest free-fall drop.
Music
The music played at Thorpe park is a combination of commercial tracks, library music and commissioned music. Composers such as Crispin Merrell and Ian HabgoodIan Habgood
Ian Habgood is a British television and film score composer, producer and instrumentalist.-Early Work:After graduating from Newcastle College in 1996 he moved to London and began composing music for Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Madame Tussauds...
have composed music for various attractions including Nemesis Inferno
Nemesis Inferno
Nemesis Inferno is a steel inverted roller coaster, themed around an erupting tropical volcano, in the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, England, UK. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland...
and Colossus
Colossus (Thorpe Park)
Colossus is a roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was built by Swiss manufacturers Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel as an adaptation of Monte Makaya in Brazil. Tussauds designer John Wardley adapted the project to include an extra two inversions as well as reducing its...
, as well as the music for the main entrance. However, in 2010, the usual entrance theme was replaced with chart music.
Saw and Thorpe Park
Lionsgate and Twisted PicturesTwisted Pictures
Twisted Pictures is an independent production company, mainly creating films of the horror genre. The company was founded in 2004 by Evolution Entertainment's Mark Burg, Oren Koules and Gregg Hoffman...
started their partnership with Thorpe Park in March 2009, when SAW - The Ride opened. After this, during Fright Nights 2009, a film called SAW - MOVIE BITES was shown in the Time Voyagers cinema and SAW music was played around the park. A year-round horror maze based on the franchise, named Saw: Alive, was opened in March 2010. It features recreations of scenes from the movies, using live actors and sensory effects to scare visitors. Located on the plaza in between SAW - The Ride and SAW Alive is a SAW Store.
2011
The park had planned to install a new ride on the former location of Octopus Gardens. This area was previously highlighted as a potential location for a flat ride in the park's medium term development plan. The ride was confirmed as being a spiralling raft ride, located from the recently closed Cypress GardensCypress Gardens
Cypress Gardens was an American theme park near Winter Haven, Florida, that operated from 1936 to 2009.-History:Billed as Florida's first commercial tourist theme park, Cypress Gardens opened on January 2, 1936 as a botanical garden planted by Dick Pope Sr. and his wife Julie...
in Florida, and known as "Storm Surge". The demolition of the Octopus Gardens area began in September 2010. In February 2011, the park announced that Storm Surge
Storm Surge (ride)
Storm Surge is a 'Spinning Rapids' water ride at Thorpe Park, Surrey, United Kingdom manufactured by WhiteWater West. It is located in the Amity Cove area of the park, which is based around the park's Tidal Wave-themed ride...
would be built in another area, due to apparent paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
activity when an ancient burial ground or settlement may have been disturbed during preparations on the originally planned site, although this was revealed to be a publicity stunt. In October 2011, it was announced that Canada Creek Railway would be leaving the park in November 2011.
2012 and beyond
Two new roller coasters are planned and five other rides planned to open between 2012 and 2015.On 31 January 2011, Thorpe Park submitted a planning application for its 2012 Wing Rider roller coaster
Wing Rider roller coaster
A Wing Rider is a type of steel roller coaster where pairs of riders sit on either side of a roller coaster track.-History:The Wing Rider was derived from John F. Mares' 4th Dimension roller coaster concept from the 1990s. However, unlike 4th Dimension roller coasters, cars on a Wing Rider train do...
, to be manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M) of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
named "The Swarm". With a height of 38.6 metres (126.6 ft), The Swarm will be the second B&M Wing Rider coaster to ever be built. It is to be themed around a crash site, with features such as a broken helicopter and aeroplane to be situated around the ride. The teaser poster for the coaster was released online on 17 December 2010 along with the project codename, "LC12
LC12
The Swarm is the name of a steel Wing Rider roller coaster under construction at Thorpe Park in the United Kingdom. The ride was codenamed LC12 in the early process of its planning and construction. The Swarm will be the world's second Wing Rider design by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer...
", and the tagline: "The end is coming". The poster depicts a giant mushroom cloud beside a silhouette of Stealth.
On Wednesday 30 March, the plans for The Swarm were approved for construction with full planning consent. At the start of 28 April 2011 marketing of the ride started. Construction of the coaster is due to start in May 2011 for its Spring opening in 2012.
On the 3rd of August, it was reported that the first piece of track was delivered to Thorpe Park and was put on the construction site of The Swarm. But only on the 11th August were the track pieces photographed for the first time.
In November 2011, plans were re-submitted to build a hotel. If the slightly altered plans are approved the construction is due to start February 2012. The plans can be found in the planning application portal on the Runnymede Borough Council website.
Medium Term Development
Thorpe Park has released plans for a hotel adjacent to its current car park with a boardwalk and 250 rooms as well as a boat service which would link the park to the hotel.Planning documents outlining other future plans for the park over the period of 2010-2016 were released in early 2010. These plans include updating and extending many facilities; the addition of a few new flat rides within nine potential locations, and two new major roller coasters to be sited within three potential locations. One roller coaster is set to be opened in 2012 (see above) and the other in 2015.
Fright Nights
Fright Nights, previously named "Frite Nights", is an annual event that has been running at Thorpe Park since 2002. For a period during October the park opens until 10 pm on peak days to allow guests to ride in the dark. To continue the loose Halloween celebration, special temporary attractions such as scare mazes are constructed for the event. Actors in costume and make up are also found around the park, including in the queueline for Saw: The Ride.In 2011 the park have announced the arrival of a new attraction for the 10th birthday of Fright Nights. "Happy Bloody Birthday
Fright Nights returns for its 10th terrifying season. More scares, awesome new Fright Night attraction for 2011, some awesome rides in the dark". The new attraction is called 'Experiment 10'
Current yearly attractions
The four main Fright Nights attractions are located around the park. They are usually set up around September and dismantled during February.- The Asylum is a 'live action horror maze' attraction that has been a part of Fright Nights since 2005, replacing The Freezer. It uses a maze of chicken wire fencing, smoke and strobe lighting to disorentate guests. The Asylum involves various actors, including a patient armed with a chainsaw to chase guests out of the exit.
- Se7en open in 2006 is the gruesome third maze, based on the Seven Deadly Sins - lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. The attraction is situated in the Arena in the centre of the park where a temporary structure is erected inside a tent.
- The Curse was introduced for the 2008 Fright Nights. This maze is based around an old ship wreck that was washed ashore to Amity Cove.
- EXPERIMENT 10 Unleashed for 2011, journey through a chilling and disturbing government test lab where the latest project, Experiment 10, has taken a sinister twist...
- Saw: Alive Saw: Alive is a year round attraction which has formed part of the fright night line up.
Former yearly attractions
- For 2002 only, the stretch of park from Canada Creek through Ranger County was converted into Scare-Zone. Two haunted-mazes, The Freezer and Freakshow 3-D were installed at either end of the area.
- The Freezer ran from 2002 until 2004. The attraction consisted of a maze which was entered through a large freezer-style door. The Freezer was altered slightly for the 2005 season and was renamed The Asylum.
- Freakshow 3-D ran from 2002 until 2004 Guests wore 3D glasses through the maze style attraction.
- Ultimate Horror Movie Bites was a film being shown in the Pirates 4D (now Time Voyagers) cinema featuring clips from The RingThe Ring (2002 film)The Ring is a 2002 American psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Naomi Watts and Martin Henderson. It is a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring....
, The Birds, The Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw MassacreThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
and The HauntingThe Haunting (1999 film)The Haunting is a 1999 remake of the 1963 horror film of the same name. Both films are based on the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, published in 1959. The Haunting was directed by Jan de Bont and stars Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson and Lili Taylor...
.
- Saw - Movie Bites was shown in the Time Voyagers theatre. It featured short clips from the SAW films and was strictly for guests over the age of 18.
- Hellgate was introduced in 2005 and was located inside the X:\No Way Out pyramid, with the entrance at the rear of the building. The attraction was based on a run down stately home, ruled by the fictional evil spirits of Lady and Lord Denham. The attractions last operational year was 2010.
- DEAD END is a 'scare-zone' that was introduced in 2010. It is based around the park's past, and features pieces of 'dead' rides and theming, as well as actors. Due to poor feedback the attraction lasted just 1 season.
In adverts for Fright Nights, the three main roller coasters (Colossus
Colossus (Thorpe Park)
Colossus is a roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK. It was built by Swiss manufacturers Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel as an adaptation of Monte Makaya in Brazil. Tussauds designer John Wardley adapted the project to include an extra two inversions as well as reducing its...
, Stealth
Stealth (roller coaster)
Stealth is a steel roller coaster built by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster is located in the Amity Cove area of Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, UK and opened in 2006. The ride reaches a maximum height of 62.5 m...
, and Nemesis Inferno
Nemesis Inferno
Nemesis Inferno is a steel inverted roller coaster, themed around an erupting tropical volcano, in the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, England, UK. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland...
) are referred to as the "Unholy Trinity"
Thorpe Blast
Thorpe Blast took place after Fright Nights every year in early November. All attractions remained open until 8 pm and a fireworksFireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display with popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
ended the night—hence the name, Thorpe Blast. The event stopped taking place after 2008.And returns for 2011 as announced on Thorpe Park's Website and is called "Blows it up".
Sun Scream
Sun Scream is a Dr Pepper sponsored period during August which offers 'stunts, rides and festival vibes'. During this time various shows and events take place throughout the park - in 2010 this included karaoke and motorcross show. Cans of Dr Pepper are given out freely during this time and most of the park's theme music is replaced by chart music.Cirque du Freak/Twisted Carnival
Twisted Carnival, formerly known as Cirque du Freak is an annual event that takes place during Easter and began in 2010. Past acts have included Flawless, Skate Naked, Aerial Acrobatics and contortionism.The event was renamed Twisted Carnival for the 2011 season, and included performances from:
- Stevie Starr, The Human Regurgitator
- Tobias Mead
- Soul Mavericks
- Babes with Blades
- Halo & Flamo
More performances take around the park, and feature 'twisted' circus acts.
Head Rush
Head Rush is an extreme sporting event involing motocross stunts. Based in the Arena at Thorpe Park you can witness daredevils take to the ramps on motobikes in a freestyle motorcross bonanza. The park is in association with Xtreme Action.Based from 29 June to 2 June you can view in the Arena at 12.30pm, 1pm, 3.30pm & 5pm.
Thorpe Park Blows It Up
An extreme firework show reintroduced in 2011 with the previous title 'Thorpe Blast'. The event in 2011 started with a secret celebrity effigy burning which later was revealed as Jedward chosen by the public via Facebook. The second part of the event was the main fireworks display which lasted around 10-15 minutes, in conclusion to the fireworks; sirens sounded with the voice 'stay where you are, we are under attack' echoing around the park, after a short period another voice cuts in with the speed 'attack imminent in 5,4,3,2,1 with the 1 triggering an explosion linked to a fire engine hoysted above the lake. The explosion was a marketing scheme for the 2012 coaster The Swarm. The event also played host the return of the 'Thorpe Park Radio' with up to date tunes playing parkwide.Thorpe Park in popular culture
- The park itself was used as the setting for Season 2 Episode 3 of PrimevalPrimevalPrimeval or primæval may refer to:* Primeval, a British science fiction television series.* Primeval , a 2007 film* Primeval , a score of music from the BBC TV series Doctor Who...
, under the name of the fictional Blue Sky Park.
- The park was also used as a setting for an episode of The InbetweenersThe InbetweenersThe Inbetweeners is a British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will , and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was...
.
- Thorpe Park is also featured in a new television game show 'Scream if You Know the Answer!Scream if You Know the Answer!Scream! If You Know the Answer is a British game show presented by Duncan James and narrated by Colin Murray. The games are simple general knowledge, but they are played on the rides at theme park Thorpe Park...
', which started in early May 2010 on UK satellite channel watchWatch (TV channel)Watch is a general entertainment channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as part of the UKTV network. The channel launched on 7 October 2008 on satellite through Sky and on cable primarily through Virgin Media.-History:...
. The second series started in early May 2011.
- Thorpe Park was part of a running gag in the UK Play series, Rock ProfileRock ProfileRock Profile is a British television comedy show written by and starring comedy partnership Matt Lucas and David Walliams, both now widely known for the sketch show Little Britain. Rock Profile first appeared on the channel UK Play in 1999, before moving to BBC Two in 2000...
, where it would always be mentioned in the guest's day out. "They took me to Thorpe Park, they gave me a mini milk and then I went to bed!".
- Ride footage of Stealth and SAW: The Ride have appeared at the end of episode 9 of Big BabiesBig BabiesBig Babies is a live action cartoon comedy, in which Rocco and Brooks, the babies with grown-up heads, reluctantly leave the telly to go on unpredictable adventures in the world of the everyday...
.
- Thorpe Park appeared on Embarrassing Bodies in series 4, episode 6.
- Thorpe Park featured in BBC 3's series 'Don't Tell The Bride'.
Controversy
- In 2001, the BBC consumer affairs programme Watchdog featured Thorpe Park for falsely advertising the new Vortex ride as open when it was yet to be built. A short investigation was carried out until Thorpe Park opened the ride later that year.
- In August 2009, the theme park introduced a 'ban' that stopped riders being allowed to put their arms in the air on hot days in an attempt to stop body odour (BO). Comedic signs were put up on the main rollercoasters with the words "Say No to BO," and "Seriously, it's Called Deodorant." Many national and online newspapers reported the act. The 'ban' was in fact never enforced, and was most likely a publicity stunt to gain attention for the Summer.
- After opening Saw: The Ride and Saw: Alive, Thorpe Park came under criticism for making their newest attraction too unsuitable for the young audience that would be allowed to ride them. The horror maze was deemed too gory by some.
- After releasing the plans for the 2012 coaster, codenamed 'LC12LC12The Swarm is the name of a steel Wing Rider roller coaster under construction at Thorpe Park in the United Kingdom. The ride was codenamed LC12 in the early process of its planning and construction. The Swarm will be the world's second Wing Rider design by Swiss roller coaster manufacturer...
', Controversy was raised by BALPA - British Air Line Pilots' Association. BALPA stated the park were tasteless for incorporating a crashed plane into the rides theming with London Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
and Gatwick Airport in close proximity. Alongside this in 1971 there was a plane crash in Staines.