Thorpe Park

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

Thorpe Park

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

RE: Thorpe Park 20/09/2011

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Saw:The Ride was smooth when it was new. I remember commenting on how nice and comfortable it was to my friend. I was pleasantly surprised. This was in April 09. I rode it a year later and I am still vibrating to this day! It is horrendous!

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

See, the thing is, some people on CF have said its been painful since day one. Depends on your build apparently, if you're big, its going to hurt. I personally cant see how that can be a factor, I mean I feel the train jurk/jump at the bottom of each element, now surely everyone can feel that?

I honestly felt like I'd jus been in a bad car accident. They need to get some people from Gerstlauer to ride it and sort it out.

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Really? I am a big guy and the first year it was smooth (apart from the head caning jolt and the bottom of the drop). I suppose that they don't age well, although when I rode Rage last year it was no where near as bad as what Saw has become.

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

Martyn wrote:
Detonator, although significantly smaller than the one due at Pleasurewood, still packed a punch. The countdown soundtrack was a very nice touch and really added to the experience in my opinion. Something worth considering at PWH if you ask me!

I actually think a countdown takes away some of the suspence really, especially if you're held up the top for some time. Not knowing when you're going to drop is terrifying!

I really enjoed the indoors part of Saw, but the outdoors section killed me, the bottom of each element just shook me about SO much, I was actually nearly in tears at how much my spine and neck were hurting....

Glad you had a good day Matt (thought stop with all the negativity towards PWH :P)

I take your point about the countdown, I think the mood that the music and sound effects created enhanced things to a greater extent than the actual countdown... perhaps a ticking clock would be better to add to the suspense.

Having re-read my post, it did sound a little more negative than I really meant it to. My comparison of lidl vs harrods was more to do with the expectation and budget of the two brands than suggesting one was worse than the other. You don't expect rides of the size and cost found at Thorpe Park et al but both PHW and thorpe need to be good at what they deliver and occasionally I think pwh fall short on simple things.

My real hope with the tower is that its introduction won't be long and drawn out affair like Wipeout and that they really go all out to market something as major as this. I stand by the fact that I will be unlikely to return until something new is added, though!

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

^ Is the tower not even tempting you to return?!

(apart from the head caning jolt and the bottom of the drop).

Thats what I get at the bottom of each element after the lift.

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

Yeah, the tower will do it... I'd definitely be keen to give that a try.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

found this ok so nothing new yet it was on a staff page on a PDF online....it is just the stats on their drop tower !!

Description: Drop Ride
Manufacturer: Fabbri Group
Year Opened: 2001
Height: 115 ft (35m)
Capacity: 12
Throughput: 400 passengers per hour
Ride duration: 30 secs (3 second drop)
Height Restriction: Min 1.3m

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Thorpe website has saw alive closed all year under opening times

-- Edited by coolskin on Sunday 29th of April 2012 09:48:31 AM

alex · Enigmatic Expert

Its still going to be a halloween maze though.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

The park was quiet overall today, one train on the rough collosus, rode that front row, rode saw front row again quite rough, saw alive closed....

Samuri open and shut like a yo yo so did not ride, did slammer back row, rapids, loggers leap, nemesis inferno front row yet one train going and 40min q, stealth opened mid to late morning and again 40min wait as one train going, did the front row on stealth - the best seat !

Did storm surge....poor ride yet maybe not enough of us in boat to do much and the awful lengthy delays in getting off was a no no for me in the future I think....bottom of rings were very flooded too.

Tidalwave was brilliant as always and now sponsored by dr pepper.... Did depth charge too, only had two of the 4 slides open

Swarm had no q all day so went on that 4 times. Vortex seemed bit less thrilling than normal, yet ny biggest shock of the day was how poor Rush is now... I mean wtf has happened to the ride programme ??? !! Whilst it got up to speed much quicker than ever before by the time I had got comfy it was over there was not enough decent swingage - very dissapointing...

And Zodiac...why do alton and thorpe not have the ride stay in the upright positon for a few secs or a minute or so ? At least when PWH had one it did stay up....zodiac just went straight up and down....

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

I was kinda lucky on Sunday, all coasters apart from Collossus we're running full capacity, yet they had no queue's! So I was literally getting off Stealth, and walking from the unload platform, past the luggage drop off and on the ride again!

I could only do Saw once as the bouncing pain is just too much for me to handle, and I agree about Rush, waaaaaay to short, which is a shame as its great.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Found out why Saw Alive was shut yesterday when I went and why the website shows no time soon for it to be open....There was a fire inside via a mirror on april 5th and apparantly the attraction will remain closed until further notice

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Where did you read that? Everywhere else, and even Thorpe, have said its no longer going to open during the year, only at halloween, due to running costs, and popularity.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Was via a u tube video i found last night, will try and find it and get the link on here. It is a shame the website does not state what you have said Martyn, or does it ? Where did you hear that mate ?

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

I'm fairly sure there was a fire in it last season which shut it for a while.

The reason for this year's closure is due to Merlin's reduced running cost (see the parks reduced opening hours). It will open during Scarefest but the maze will be gone next year.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

I think its a good move to be honest. At least they are keeping it, so if you really want to go in it, you can do. But I always thought it was an odd attraction to have open all year round.

When we visited last year, the park was pretty busy, yet there was only a handful of people queuing for Saw Alive.

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

I've heard rumours that a Swarm maze may appear next season...

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Used to b a place to get food did it not ?

MattyH · Passionate about Pleasurewood

have found the real reason saw alive shut http://www.themeparkguide.biz/news-page/18th-april-2012-saw-alive-shuts-until-fright-nights

mrbrightside · Exceptionally Expressive

Yeah... the 'real' reason.

The actual reason is Merlin's cutbacks...

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

I am thinking of going again Sunday to do single rider's yet there is NO single rider lanes now is there except Stealth ?

Just had it confirmed all single lanes are gone. Expect Alton to follow soon I would say

-- Edited by coolskin on Tuesday 29th of May 2012 08:21:44 PM

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

RE: Thorpe Park

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Yeh not sure I will go Sunday now...prob be too busy

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

What! Single riders are being phased out! That is crazy!

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

well over at thorpe mania they reckon Alton wont get rid of their's I bet they will eventually.... Thorpe say they got rid because of how slow it was loading single people on............

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

I doubt Alton willl ditch theirs, they've only recently been adding them.

Josh · Passionate about Pleasurewood

It's a shame really. I used single rider in Stealth a lot when I went with my friend who just won't go on. I'm glad you guys think that Alton won't follow suit as that would be a bad move in my opinion.

I don't know how it's slower on Stealth, there's the preloading bay whilst the train is despatched, so that makes no sense to me.

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Dont take my word for it, but the likes of Oblivion have only had a single rider queue in the last few years, and that single rider queue shares the same queue as the fast track, so I cant see them ditching that. And they've improved Rita's SR queue for this year, so again, no sign of removing it anytime soon.