Thekingin64
Strata Poster
I agree there UC, I need a weekend to get to Thorpe and/or London and hotels do come in handy then.
Not that I use them as my gran lives nearby.
Not that I use them as my gran lives nearby.
Theme Park Resorts
- Thread starter Waffleman
- Start date
reddude333
Giga Poster
^^The close-to-home vacations are a growing trend in the United States and have greatly contributed to the recent successes of the amusement park industry. So for that reason, I am in support of these "resorts" being built. Marketing them with other local attractions is a smart business strategy that I hope is implemented in more places as time passes.
That's fine UC for most places, but Thorpe has a market of teens/un-childed Adults. Most hotels have a ruling of no under 18s allowed without an adult and most adults can drive and could get a decent enough room anywhere within half an hour's drive. It's a really major area and filled to the brim with hotels local. I've stopped down there for CF meets (Ghosterforce, etc) and never pay too much for a lodge or something very close.
Plus, it's Thorpe... There really isn't enough there to do two days, except if they're having a bad maintenance day and you can't get on stuff. It's just a really odd choice, everywhere else I can understand the family break thing, Thorpe just doesn't suit.
I don't know though, they must have done their research.
Plus, it's Thorpe... There really isn't enough there to do two days, except if they're having a bad maintenance day and you can't get on stuff. It's just a really odd choice, everywhere else I can understand the family break thing, Thorpe just doesn't suit.
I don't know though, they must have done their research.
nadroJ
CF Legend
I think it's something to do with bringing each of their parks up to the same level or something? Like, Alton, Chessington and now Legoland all have a hotel, with only one of the parks (Alton) actually having the need for a more than one day stay.
Chessington, for instance, is pretty much in the same boat as Thorpe, apart from Chessington is aimed at families with younger children, most of whom in my experience can't usually afford to stay in a hotel just for the sake of it. So there must be some kind of reasoning behind it.
I don't know what's going to happen with the Thorpe hotel. Like Furie said, it generally is frowned upon for under 18s to stay in hotels unaccompanied (I don't think it's an actual 'rule', I've been able to book hotels for myself before under the age of 18) and yet, that is Thorpe's target audience? Teenagers staying overnight with no parental control are going to be an absolute nightmare, so I wonder how they're going to handle it.
Chessington, for instance, is pretty much in the same boat as Thorpe, apart from Chessington is aimed at families with younger children, most of whom in my experience can't usually afford to stay in a hotel just for the sake of it. So there must be some kind of reasoning behind it.
I don't know what's going to happen with the Thorpe hotel. Like Furie said, it generally is frowned upon for under 18s to stay in hotels unaccompanied (I don't think it's an actual 'rule', I've been able to book hotels for myself before under the age of 18) and yet, that is Thorpe's target audience? Teenagers staying overnight with no parental control are going to be an absolute nightmare, so I wonder how they're going to handle it.
nadroJ
CF Legend
^I get what you're saying with that, but then it doesn't make sense that Thorpe have strategically been removing any rides that could be classified as 'family'. The only things left really are the water rides, Flying Fish and the Banana Boat.
I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to market this as a young person's resort. It's something that would be unique to the UK and there's definitely some money to be made in it, especially if future investments include things like nightclubs, restaurants, maybe even something like a go kart track?
I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to market this as a young person's resort. It's something that would be unique to the UK and there's definitely some money to be made in it, especially if future investments include things like nightclubs, restaurants, maybe even something like a go kart track?
nadroJ
CF Legend
Again, UC, I do see your point and completely agree that all we can do for now is speculate, but I just don't see Thorpe rebranding themselves again. They've gone through a massive transformation to aim specifically at a teen market, not just through the removal or family/kiddie attractions but also through marketing campaigns that are clearly aimed at a teen/young adult audience (their recent fireworks event was called 'Blow S*it Up! for instance) and their park map is covered in caricatures of teens doing.....teen stuff (vomming on rides, making out, pissing behind bushes, etc).
Obviously I do get that there is a valid reason for building the hotel. They're a very successful park owned by a very successful company, they have the money and strategy for spending that money correctly and in a profitable way. I just disagree whole heartedly with your suggestion that they could possibly be intending to perform a u-turn target market wise and appeal to families again, they've come to far away from that now and are too well established in the public mind as 'the nation's thrill capital!' as opposed to a nice resort where you can have some fun with the family.
Obviously I do get that there is a valid reason for building the hotel. They're a very successful park owned by a very successful company, they have the money and strategy for spending that money correctly and in a profitable way. I just disagree whole heartedly with your suggestion that they could possibly be intending to perform a u-turn target market wise and appeal to families again, they've come to far away from that now and are too well established in the public mind as 'the nation's thrill capital!' as opposed to a nice resort where you can have some fun with the family.
The difference between Thorpe and Six Flags going at teen markets is that Thorpe has been ridiculously successful at it whilst it nearly ruined Six Flags...
It made sense for Six Flags to change it up, Thorpe would end what has been a very successful run. I remember a thing floating around a few years back about Thorpe being the most profitable park in the world - I don't think that's true, but, I think there's an element of truth in the idea of them being highly profitable.
It's about as likely as Disney starting to aim exclusively for thrill seekers.
But, I don't agree hotels are only for families... It'll be full of young couples, groups of friends, stag dos etc... In a way I'd hesitate to say it could be more lucrative if they play it right - families don't have the disposable income for that generally - young people do. Since when was Thorpe full of under 18s...?
For me it falls directly in line with what they've been doing and makes loads of sense.
Also I think people are getting teen and thrill seekers confused. Thorpe isn't aimed at 14 year olds, it's aimed more like an 18-30s market. Ie, one of the biggest markets there is.
It made sense for Six Flags to change it up, Thorpe would end what has been a very successful run. I remember a thing floating around a few years back about Thorpe being the most profitable park in the world - I don't think that's true, but, I think there's an element of truth in the idea of them being highly profitable.
It's about as likely as Disney starting to aim exclusively for thrill seekers.
But, I don't agree hotels are only for families... It'll be full of young couples, groups of friends, stag dos etc... In a way I'd hesitate to say it could be more lucrative if they play it right - families don't have the disposable income for that generally - young people do. Since when was Thorpe full of under 18s...?
For me it falls directly in line with what they've been doing and makes loads of sense.
Also I think people are getting teen and thrill seekers confused. Thorpe isn't aimed at 14 year olds, it's aimed more like an 18-30s market. Ie, one of the biggest markets there is.
I don't think there is a question on why they're building this at all.
It's like saying you shouldn't build a hotel on Ibiza because it's only aimed at young adults.
Surely I'm not the only one that has stayed at more hotels with friends since I was 18 than I did with parents at 15...
It's like saying you shouldn't build a hotel on Ibiza because it's only aimed at young adults.
Surely I'm not the only one that has stayed at more hotels with friends since I was 18 than I did with parents at 15...
nadroJ
CF Legend
I never thought the hotel at Thorpe was a bad idea, and merely posted just to say that I definitely thought that they wouldn't u-turn to a family direction.
I agree with Ben about the whole confusion at Thorpe being aimed at teens. He is right in what he is saying, Thorpe is full of teens and young adults/childless adults. And he was right again with the whole stag do/hen party thing, every time I've been to Thorpe I've bumped into at least one. Not to mention birthday parties, end of school/college celebrations, even work days out. I think the hotel would be a huge success, I even wrote that I didn't think Thorpe were making a bad decision because they've obviously done their research haha XD
Like I already said, if they DID decide to turn the place into more of a resort with the hotel, add some restaurants and nightclubs and whatever else, I think the place would be extremely profitable. Thinking along the lines of what they've done at Alton, but aimed at 18-30s rather than families.
I agree with Ben about the whole confusion at Thorpe being aimed at teens. He is right in what he is saying, Thorpe is full of teens and young adults/childless adults. And he was right again with the whole stag do/hen party thing, every time I've been to Thorpe I've bumped into at least one. Not to mention birthday parties, end of school/college celebrations, even work days out. I think the hotel would be a huge success, I even wrote that I didn't think Thorpe were making a bad decision because they've obviously done their research haha XD
Like I already said, if they DID decide to turn the place into more of a resort with the hotel, add some restaurants and nightclubs and whatever else, I think the place would be extremely profitable. Thinking along the lines of what they've done at Alton, but aimed at 18-30s rather than families.
