Thorpe Park | Play-and-Stay Blog

Archive for the ‘Thorpe Park’ Category

Top Five Scariest Rides At Thorpe Park

October 27th, 2010

Make the most of Halloween this year by experiencing Fright Night at Thorpe Park.

SAW: The Ride

[/caption]

It’s the world’s first ever horror-movie themed rollercoaster, and it lives up to its fearsome reputation.

The whole queuing process is filled with winks to the hugely popular SAW series of films, with grainy CCTV footage of nervous passengers, distant screams, and allusions to Jigsaw.

The ride itself is everything you expected. Beginning in complete darkness, you don’t see the first drop – and this is perhaps the most frightening moment of the ride. Given the build-up, you are expecting something to leap out at you, or perhaps some sort of scary sound effect… but the ride has other ideas. A huge axe swings in front of you, but before you get the chance to sneak past in between passes, your throat and stomach are swiftly introduced as the car drops into nothingness and the ride really begins.

Across the course of the ride, there is a beyond vertical 100 degree drop and three inversions, which feel all the more brutal due to the relatively compact size of the car; what’s more, sit at the front and there is nothing else in front of you, save a small guard rail, there for show. SAW: The Ride will leave you shaken, but hungry for more.

Nemesis Inferno

Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park

SAW: The Ride at Thorpe Park

The big brother of Alton Tower’s original Nemesis coaster, Inferno is one of just a handful of inverted rollercoasters in Europe and one of the best in the world. Hanging from the track above, Nemesis Inferno has the feel of an out-of-control train, as it hurtles down its course, carved from craggy rocks.

With nothing beneath you, and your legs just dangling during loops and tight corkscrews, Inferno gives a sensation of freefall missing from most rollercoasters. Definitely worth queuing up for… more than once.

[/caption]

Detonator

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Sit down, get raised up 100 feet, and then dropped towards the ground at 45 mph, with a pull of 5.5G.

With the queuing area winding around Detonator, the waiting is almost as much fun as the ride itself. Seeing and hearing the reactions of the people being dropped is a macabre exercise in self-abuse, as the sense of apprehension rises the closer you move to the front of the queue. Furthermore, as the journey is so short (and fast) there is a quick turnaround on passengers, which means repeat goes aren’t too time-consuming. Detonator is brilliant, exhilarating, terrifying fun.

Vortex

Vortex at Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park's Detonator thrillride

Spinning, swinging, almost upside down; Vortex is my favourite ride at Thorpe Park. Weightless one second, and then pointing face-down hurtling towards the ground the next, it’s a dizzying experience and one that is missed out by many visitors to Thorpe Park as they make their way to the ‘big’ rides instead. Take it from me, it’s something you definitely want to mark on the park map.

Stealth

Thorpe Park's fastest rollercoaster, Stealth

[/caption]

Stealth’s fear factor comes from the overwhelming sense of anticipation, which builds and builds the closer you get to your turn on the rollercoaster. Going from 0-80mph in less than two seconds has a peculiar affect on a person, one which usually results in a shocked scream, and seeing others launched towards the lofty 205ft drop at such an insane speed just doesn’t prepare you for how it feels.

Combine taking off in a plane with going over a bridge in a car, and you’re getting close to the feeling that hits you in the chest and turns your stomach.

It’s not a long ride, but is most definitely worth the wait – if your nerves can take it.

Enjoy Fright Night at Thorpe Park with tickets and hotel deals from just £41.50.

Is it Right that ADHD Sufferers Jump the Queue?

September 11th, 2009

Highlighted last week in The Times, hyperactive children are able to skip queues at major theme parks in and around the UK.

Though it may come as welcome relief for parents whose children suffer from attention-deficit disorders, teachers have hit out at the move, saying that it undermines their efforts to teach children how to be patient.

The question is: are teachers right to criticise the scheme?

A difficult one, isn’t it?

Not for Andrea Bilbow, it isn’t. The chief executive of the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (ADDISS for short) has clearly made up her mind on the issue. She reacted rather glibly to the teachers’ growing concern by telling The Times: “I know many primary schools let children with ADHD go ahead at dinner time and it stops scenes, what’s the problem?” She even hinted that “criticism of the tactic showed that teachers were ignorant of the condition”.

Blimey.

Bilbow explains: “Children with ADHD are very impulsive and just can’t cope in a queue or when there is a delay in gratification”.

Fair enough, I suppose; I mean, when you put it like that. But then, shouldn’t kids with ADHD learn to deal with having to wait for things? When will they learn otherwise? You can’t be 36 and just barge in at the front of the queue in Homebase – someone will tip a load of compost down the back of your jumper or something.

Now, I wouldn’t even pretend to know the complex ins and outs of dealing with a condition like ADHD, but just the teensiest bit Googling will throw up all sorts of criticisms over the stance taken by Ms Bilbow. It’s a contentious, if not rather grisly topic.

The Disability Discrimination Act currently puts the onus on the attractions to accommodate all visitors. Theme parks around the EU are somewhat forced, therefore, to follow government orders.

Thorpe Park are being very diplomatic about the whole affair. A spokesperson for the Surrey-based theme park told The Times: “Any guest that can provide a letter from their doctor that describes their illness or disability and states that they cannot stand in a queue is provided with a priority wristband.”

That, I suppose, is the fairest way to broach the subject for the time being. But what about the future? Should kids with attention-deficit disorder be allowed to skip in front of everyone else just because they can’t be patient? I mean, how many six-year-olds do you know that have the patience of a saint? My mum and dad had to stop buying me advent calendars when I was about eight because I used to scoff all 24 chocolates by noon on December 3. Of course, the counter argument is just as telling: should ADHD kids be forced to wait around in line, regardless of how much torrid distress they’re put through?

It’s a tough call, certainly. We’d love to hear what you think though.

Pick a Picnic Site – Competition Now Closed

May 8th, 2009

Summer’s almost here and what better way to enjoy the all-too-brief sunshine by going for a good old-fashioned picnic?

We’ve put together a list of the best spots to take your picnic blankets and cricket sets to in 2009. Take a look – if you are in the area they are well worth checking out. But we also want your suggestions for the best places to take the family for some al fresco munch.

Comment on this blog post with your ideas and we’ll send the three best suggestions one of these fancy new Play and Stay picnic rucksacks, containing:

Four spoons, knives, forks, plates, mugs, wine glasses and napkins.

Cheese/bread knife

Waiter’s corkscrew

Butter dish

Thermo-lined cooler section at the back

So, here are our suggestions. Give us yours, along with your reasons for nomination, in the comment section below:

Clumber Park

In the northernmost part of Sherwood forest and less than 40 miles from Alton Towers lies the beautiful and Idyllic Clumber Park. With 3,800 acres of open green space, more than 20 miles of cycle routes to get lost along and Europe’s longest double avenue of lime trees, the park offers peace, tranquility and adventure all in one spot.

Photo by D-Kav

Groombridge Place and Gardens

Located just outside Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Groombridge Place and Gardens is one of the best places to spend a day with the family this summer. Although it is not the cheapest park in the area (tickets can cost as much as £10 per adult in peak months), there is so much to see and do when you arrive. For older children there are a number of big swings and for the younger children there are a number of play parks. A walk through the Enchanted Forest will bring you face-to-face with dinosaurs of varying ferocity and there are even two bird of prey shows at set times throughout the day at no extra charge. The Drunken Gardens offer a welcome rest at the end of the trail and were the inspiration and setting for the famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Valley of Fear. It may be over an hour’s drive from Windsor, but it’s well worth checking out if you have the time.

Photo by J. Lane

Kedleston Hall

The grounds and gardens of this 18th century mansion are another stunning place near Alton Towers to enjoy a family picnic this summer. There are 820 acres of man-made park and four walks of varying lengths for you to wander along. With superb child-friendly facilities such as baby change rooms and hip-carrying infant seats for hire as well, Kedleston Hall is a great place to go on your summer holiday.

Photo by Fredspickchers

Richmond Park

Less than a ten minute car journey from Thorpe Park is Richmond Park – the largest Royal Park in London at almost 2,500 acres in size. It is home to more than 650 free roaming deer and offers a myriad of landscapes including hills, woodlands, ponds and gardens. There are a number of facilities designed to make your day out easier (cafes, lodges and refreshment points) and there’s also a playground great for the little ones to let off steam in. Hire bikes, get a fishing permit or try your hand at a spot of golf – there’s enough fun and games here to last for days.

Box Hill

Box Hill is an outstanding area of woodland and chalk downland located near to London and LEGOLAND Windsor. Better suited for the active family, this park has some truly breathtaking views over the South Downs from its many nature trails. After a steep incline, you will find a visitor centre at the summit which offers a great place to stop for a picnic. Box Hill is awash with day-trippers in the summer months, make sure you get there early.

Runnymeade Pleasure Grounds

The Runnymeade Pleasure Grounds is a relaxing riverside park with access to walks along the River Thames and local countryside. The park is a great spot for a family picnic and has a number of attractions to keep you all entertained including a playground, paddling pool, cafe and boat cruises. It’s only three miles from Thorpe Park and might just be the best way to relax after all those thrill rides.

Full competition terms and conditions

New Ride At Alton Towers

April 24th, 2009

A little while back we reported how Alton Towers had confirmed plans to build a new ride in 2010 under the name Secret Weapon Six. Now, in true Play and Stay Blog style, it is time for a spot of speculation.

Normally I would leave this sort of thing to Jonathan Buckingham-Dudley, but he is far too engrossed in what is happening to Susan Boyle. So, for this instalment at least, you have the pleasure of my company.

First of all, a big thank you to Screamscape for supplying me with the crumb-trail. Without you, I really would have had no work to do this afternoon. And while for some that sounds like a marvellous thing, it doesn’t half make hometime a long way away.

There are three videos on YouTube at the moment. The beginnings of a new viral promotion or merely fan fiction? You decide:

Now, I don’t know about you, but I get the distinct feeling that Alton Towers are also going for something a bit spooky in much the same way Thorpe Park did earlier this year when they unveiled SAW – The Ride.

The difference being, of course, is that Alton Towers is aimed at a younger market – so we can expect it to be a little tamer than the aforementioned.

We also reported that the ride will have a backwards section, somewhat similar to Disney’s Expedition Everest ride (see above video). A quick glance at the plans below, which were submitted to the local council by Alton Towers, clearly shows the point where the ride stops its forward motion, in favour of a backwards section.

At this time, this is all we really have to go on, but fear not – we are on the case and will bring you all the latest as and when it hits.

Oh, and one last titbit for you. Here’s a video of the locals’ reactions to the ride. Some good, some bad. You can decide for yourself what you think.

New Rides at British Theme Parks: Thorpe Park and Paultons

March 12th, 2009

Yes we are back and yes we do more than just theme parks now, but for this blog, I intend to talk purely about rollercoasters and thrill rides. In particular, new ones.

2009 is not a good year if you are superstitious – TWO Friday the thirteenths in just two months? Surely nothing good can come from that. Can it? If you are a theme park fan, then the answer is yes. Well, sort of.

On Friday March 13, Thorpe Park champions its latest offering to the masses: SAW – The Ride. Based on the film franchise of the same name, the ride is the world’s first ever horror movie themed rollercoaster. Having watched the films and been left feeling rather queasy after a few scenes, I must say the thought of this ride is horrid.

Here’s why:
1. It has a past vertical 100 degree drop.
2. It reaches speeds of 55 mph.
3. It has a past vertical 100 degree drop.

While researching the ride, I stumbled across a few more facts: It will last one minute and 40 seconds from start to finish (queueing not included), has three inversions and cost a whopping £13.5m to build.

The cost is especially impressive when you find out how much the other new ride that opens on 13 March cost. We’ll get to this in but a moment. For now, my colleague and I are debating whether or not Thorpe Park had to pay a license fee for the ride, or if Lionsgate willingly gave the rights for free in return for future sales of the DVDs. Any of you guys know? Please let me know…

There is also some debate about whether or not SAW – The Ride is a worthwhile venture from the film industry, or if it’s simply a product of those marketing types looking to make a few extra bucks.

Also, in ten years time, will we actually remember the films, or will they be cast into the pit of forgetfulness along with the fizzy Nemesis drink that made its way into our vending machines in the mid 90s? (Look it up – it did exist.) Nemesis is still one of the best rides in the world – a true legend in fact, and SAW – The Ride looks set to be another major player in theme park land. There is no doubt in my mind that we will still be riding it ten years time – I am just not so sure I will remember anything of Jigsaw and his sordid ‘games’ with complacent victims.

The second ride opening this week is Edge at Paulton’s Park. If you haven’t heard anything about Edge, let me give you a brief description: It’s a big spinny-roundy disc that seats 40 people. Said disc then spins horizontally while moving along a 90 metre section of track at speeds of 43 mph. Back and forth, back and forth, I’m not entirely sure that anyone will be able to stand up or hang on to any lunch after riding the Edge.

The ride is another first for the UK – it’s the only one of its type here and the eighth of its kind in the world. Sure, Spinball Whizzer at Alton Towers does the same sort of thing, but that one actually goes round a proper ‘rollercoaster’ track and only accommodates four riders at a time.

Edge cost just £1m to build which, let’s face it, is nothing compared to SAW – The Ride. With the backing of Merlin, Thorpe can justify the spend. Paulton’s, on the other hand, can’t.

So where will you be heading this weekend? If you live near London, it’ll have to be Thorpe, but if you live near the New Forest – you’re surely going to Paulton’s. Me? I’ll be doing something far more cowardly, like stroking kittens, or watching Raven with my kids. Either way, you are going to need to take a packed lunch – the queues are going to be loooooooooong.

Play and Stay Needs You

January 28th, 2009

Play and Stay is changing this year and we need your help.

Been to a theme park in the last 12 months? Taken some pictures of you and your family/friends on your favourite rides? Or maybe you made a video of your day out.

We are looking for your pictures and videos to display on our all new site. So, if you think you can help, please email us at playandstay@googlemail.com with anything you think we might be able to use.

If you are stuck for ideas, check out our photostream on flickr. New photos are being uploaded all the time and we would really appreciate your help in this matter.

We also have own youtube account where you can see a variety of ride videos. Check it out.

Thanks in advance, and stay tuned for news of the all new Play and Stay site as and when it happens.

order viagra phone

SAW – The Ride, Age Restrictions?

October 21st, 2008

Hello chaps, since Thorpe’s last announcement regarding their new ride things have been a little bit subdued here in bloggytown. What with corkscrew closing, all the exciting halloween stuff going on, and christmas looming, I’ve been a little busy.

Not too busy to spend a disproportionate amount of time pondering the nuances of SAW – The Ride though. I’ve already mentioned the massive spinny sawblade of death that will probably be happening. THORPE PARK are making no secrets of the strong horror themes of the ride, so is an age limit likely? Probably.

All the SAW films are certificate 18, they contain some of the most disgusting and spare-pants-scary images I have ever seen on film. They were never intended for viewing by children, so it seems odd that Twisted Pictures would tone things down for the new coaster. Yes, Thorpe is a family park but they have loads of other attractions to keep the kiddies busy, what’s so bad about just one ride for the grown ups?

I think it’s fair to say that SAW – The ride is part of Twisted Pictures marketing for the latest SAW film (what is it? 5 now?). It seems very unlikely that the ride will be a toned down “SAW light” experience. That said, Candy (Thorpe’s creative lady) has a great deal of experience making rides thrilling AND relatively child friendly.

I’m finding it quite hard to decide if there’ll be an age limit at the moment but my gut instinct says there will be. Sorry kiddywinks, I reckon you’ll be sitting this one out.

Thorpe Park’s New Ride News – Real Name Announced

October 13th, 2008

Saw - The Ride

After months of waiting the news is in! Thorpe Park‘s new ride is going to be called “Saw – The Ride” and it’s themed around the blood and gutfest, Saw, horror film series.

There’s loads of info coming later this week. If you just can’t wait then check out our newsfeed.

Keep checking back in for all the news, our opinions and some more shameless guesswork about this exciting new coaster.

Next Project Dylan Announcement Coming Very Soon!

October 8th, 2008

MySpace Countdowns

As you can see from my delightfully cheesy countdown timer it’s nearly time for the next official announcement about Thorpe Park’s new ride. As I’m sure the majority of you are already aware, Thorpe Park are making an announcement regarding the new ride on October 13th 2008. I have no idea at all what they are going to say but that’s not so bad. It gives us some time for some more unfounded speculation, something we are very fond of here over at Play and Stay®.. So here’s a few things we think they might be announcing on October 13th at good old Thorpe Park.

The ride’s real name
The official opening date.
Some more fun, fictional background. Perhaps they’ll even tell me who the heck Dylan is!
Some specs, top speed maybe?
Some more accurate concept art to give us more of an idea what to expect from Thorpe Park’s new ride.
More information about the ‘clues’ – the key, the photo etc.
The relevance of the number 13, number of inversions perhaps?

Buzzsaw, Lumberjack’s Revenge, The Chopper, 13 (please don’t call it that Thorpe Park), Log Lover (Thanks IT, creative as ever), Dylan’s Revenge, Chainsaw, Deathsaw, The Edge, Sawmill, Drop ‘n’ Chop.

That’s about it for now, we’ll keep you updated on all progress over at Thorpe Park, just keep checking back in.

Halloween’s a’comin’

October 8th, 2008

Halloweens a’comin’ chaps and the UK’s theme parks are gearing up to get their scary on. Not content with employing people to jump out from behind shrubbery and shout “boo” the major parks are all laying on Halloween themed events.
Alton Towers have Scarefest, Chessington are treating guests to Halloween Hocus Pocus and Thorpe Park are running Fright Nights.

All of the park’s spooky events look pretty tempting but it’s the live action horror mazes at Thorpe Park that intrigue me most of all. Combining mazes (scary) and people in costumes paid to do nothing other than to make you scream like a lady (really scary) they are certain to be a big hit this year.

Thorpe Park have a new maze this year, ‘The Curse’. It looks decidedly spooky (and possibly influenced a teeny tiny bit by The Ring) and I fully intend to go up there and have a wander around. Currently, I am working on a dastardly plan to counter-scare the mazes inhabitants. I’m thinking sherbet under my tongue and a fake nosebleed so I can convince the staff that they’ve scared me to death. After they have freaked out a little and felt suitably remorseful I’ll let them i on my hilarious gag, ingenious plan yeah?

My own diabolical machinations aside, there’s some trailers out for each of the mazes now. Being the dutiful blogger I am I’ve popped them all on here for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

Archive for the ‘Thorpe Park’ Category

SAW: The Ride

Nemesis Inferno

Detonator

Vortex

Stealth

Pages