This former quarry had the reputation of being a kids park until the Tussards group took it over. Following a fire which destroyed in my opinion one the best hunted houses there has been major investment. There has been a succession of new rides introduced to the park rides since Tussards took over, starting to give Alton Towers a run for top theme park.
The parks signature ride is Stealth.
Stealth, a 205 foot high rocket coaster. It is a shorter version (about half the height) of Top Thrill Dragster-but its OK. The launch is fast, the view from the top is great, the view of all the rides as you crest the hill is only momentary before you plunge back down to earth with a very brief airtime hill. Start to finish just 17 seconds. That said it does not have the 'oh my, how high' that Top Thrill Dragster has and you hit the brakes at the top of the little hill taking out all the negative G's. This ride could have been so much more, a wasted opportunity I feel. I am not a height only fan (but Dragster IS amazing), I love Kannon at Liseburg and that is only 80 foot high, but it does so much more, it loops, barrel rolls and has high speed corners. Stealth could have inverted or had a high banked high speed turn through itself. Its top hat element could have twisted the opposite way on the way down into a tunnel and the gone over the lake. Anything but just accelerate, up, over and down. If Thorpe Park were after an icon they have one for now but I don't think its unique enough to stand to test of time, will it be so highly regarded in 5, 10, 20 years time? Does it have the Nemisis factor? Or the Grand National, Megaphobia, The Big One to name just a few that I can think of that have stood the test of time.
Before Stealth there was Nemesis Inferno. Well its the same type of ride as the sister park Alton Towers, but is it as good. Difficult question to answer. Nemesis is a great ride, intense thrills one after the other and has stood the test of time. Nemesis Inferno is a good ride, but its shorter and not in a large pit. But inferno is very well themed around a volcano, has good sound in the loading station, and has a good ride experience in all seats. Its not Nemesis, but I think it is right to share the name and I think the best roller coaster in the park.
Saw: The Ride is a roller coaster that is themed on the Saw movies. Its part ghost house, part roller coaster. It has about a third of the ride indoors and the remaining two thirds out in the open. The indoor part is well themed and has a few surprises and some good track elements. The outside has a vertical lift hill and first drop followed by several inversions. This is a good ride but not sure the outdoor bit fits with the Saw theme, but as I have never watched the movies I can not give much comment on this.
Colossus the worlds first 10 looping (more accurately 10 inverting) roller coaster. At first I a suspected it would be a let down, but being one of the few who managed to get a ticket to ride on the premier I was converted. A good ride that was smooth and keeps the pace up without over doing it. It is not aging well, often only running with one car and not longer as smooth as the first year it opened, but still well worth riding.
The flying fish has been removed to make way for Stealth in 2006. It was replaced for the 2007, pretending to be a new ride with a new location and paint job. Its a powered coaster and good for young children.
The log flume is well worth a ride, but if you want to get wet and I mean pant soaking wet then there is one ride for you. Its the tidal wave where you are taken back to the 1960's in an American seaside resort just hit by a tidal wave (there's a surprise!) The theme for this ride even goes into the KFC. This water drop ride is great. Even if its not the best of weather days, just take a change of clothes or two so you can ride this one.
Rush also joined the line up of rides in 2005 . Its like riding a pirate ship but the intensity is greatly increased along with speed and height. Everyone gets a front seat view and the free fall feeling is great.
The Tower Drop-Detonator is a good fun ride giving some good if brief views over the park.
Vortex
Slammer
The Samurai was moved from Chessington World of Adventures to Thorpe Park with new paint job but otherwise the same ride
Then Quantum, a magic carpet
an enterprise called Eclipse
The Depth Charge is a good ride and the heavier you are the more fun you have trying to stop.
The Carousel
Tea Cups
The river rapids are sponsored by Ribena and have been given a makeover a few years ago.
As you walk over the bridge you get a view of part of the park.
Animals from the now closed Thorpe Farm
