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Thorpe Park | Hyperia | Mack Hyper Coaster | 2024

The new support tower continues to rise.
 
I was surprised at how much activity was happening on site today. I guess just rounding up little bits before workers' Christmas/New Year break, but it was just a bit noisier and busier than I expected I guess.

In other news, the shopping centre in Staines (nearby town) is showing an advert (a shortened video of the name reveal) for Hyperia. Will further push locals' awareness.

 
Tonkso said:
So I just had a thought. I couldn't see any other park besting this for speed or height, until now. Could Universal?
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If that park does get built, I don’t think so.

Universal are more like Disney in that they don’t really try to break any records in their parks but go for more themed immersive experiences over records and easy to advertise tag lines.

Merlin on the other hand will try to find any record possible to break. At least Hyperia is breaking genuine records though unlike the “World’s First Psychcoaster”

I genuinely can’t see Hyperia’s records ever being broken.

Then again a couple weeks ago I didn’t ever think I would see Universal planning to open a park in Bedford..
 
I dont see Universal going bigger its not their style, Merlin i dont think will be able to keep up with universals theming and may lean more into "record breaking" rides/coasters.

If any UK park were to beat Hyperia i think it would be Thorpe. I would not say no to a Skyrush/Candymonium dynamic at Thorpe. Hyperia being the Skyrush and find a way to get B&M hyper in, that would be cool.

Other than that Blackpool or Flamingo land? But i think it would be kinda naff like a shuttle launch like Superman at SFMM.

But at the moment im not sure when or where Hyperia will be beaten in the UK, took 30 years for the Big One to be beaten so 30 more years...... hopefully something by then 😅
 
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I wouldn't count Universal out of building the UK's tallest and / or fastest coaster.

The UK market has a focus on first's and record breakers, because that's what has dominated the market. Merlin are the key players, and they push world's firsts and record breakers all the time. They've almost made the UK public expect a major coaster to have such a thing.

I don't expect Universal to open with the UK's tallest/fastest coaster. But who knows, maybe 5-10 years after opening, they might go that way to bring attention back to them in the easiest way. It might not necessarily be their style, but they can make it their style.

Equally, the opening of Universal might shift the market and what the public wants/expects from new additions, so maybe such a record won't be as important.

Height record would also depend on planning restrictions, etc.


But yeah, as for Hyperia's records, it is hard to envision them being broken any time.
 
Drayton manor only need the desire to build big, as they have no restrictions preventing it afaik. And never say never with the way the new owners have been looking after the park...
 
I doubt Drayton will go that big. They're catering more and more towards families now so it's unlikely they'll build a new major thrill coaster unless Shockwave is completely removed. I'm guessing with Shockwave's conversion it will have a few more years of life in it yet. There's also not really that much space I don't think. I suspect the Universal park will be the only potential rival for the height and speed records after Hyperia opens, but I doubt it will be soon even if it is able to happen.
 
Flash Shift said:
I doubt Drayton will go that big. They're catering more and more towards families now so it's unlikely they'll build a new major thrill coaster unless Shockwave is completely removed. I'm guessing with Shockwave's conversion it will have a few more years of life in it yet. There's also not really that much space I don't think. I suspect the Universal park will be the only potential rival for the height and speed records after Hyperia opens, but I doubt it will be soon even if it is able to happen.
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They're not just catering to 'families,' as in kids. They've made that clear, and backed up their words with the refurb of Shockwave. They're currently targeting family thrill. As in a whole family offering, and not just kids. There WILL be more family thrill additions. It was the previous owners that started the move more towards families and kids, and the new owners are transitioning back to a 'whole family' offering very slowly and carefully. Obviously family thrill doesn't cover a great big hyper coaster, but like I said, never say never, they only need the desire to go bigger, and there would be little standing in the way afaik. Rome wasn't built in a day and who knows what the future holds. 🤷‍♂️
 
I'm pretty sure Drayton are very restricted on height and noise being very close to a lot of houses. I remember they only got permission to build Apocalypse because it replaced the parachute tower, and I also remember visiting once and they had a big push to stop people screaming, with signs on all the rides asking you to keep quiet.

Just one of many reasons they will never get a hyper!
 
Nicky Borrill said:
They're not just catering to 'families,' as in kids. They've made that clear, and backed up their words with the refurb of Shockwave. They're currently targeting family thrill. As in a whole family offering, and not just kids. There WILL be more family thrill additions. It was the previous owners that started the move more towards families and kids, and the new owners are transitioning back to a 'whole family' offering very slowly and carefully. Obviously family thrill doesn't cover a great big hyper coaster, but like I said, never say never, they only need the desire to go bigger, and there would be little standing in the way afaik. Rome wasn't built in a day and who knows what the future holds. 🤷‍♂️
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Yeah, "family thrill", not a hyper. There's not even room, let alone the noise problem. Drayton's only other thrill coasters they've ever had besides Shockwave have both been tiny. They might get another coaster in the inbetween size, but I doubt they'll ever get a coaster bigger than Shockwave. Sadly.

But yes. Hyperia. It's looking impressive now. Amazing how much bigger it is than the rest of Thorpe's skyline.
 
Peet said:
I'm pretty sure Drayton are very restricted on height and noise being very close to a lot of houses. I remember they only got permission to build Apocalypse because it replaced the parachute tower, and I also remember visiting once and they had a big push to stop people screaming, with signs on all the rides asking you to keep quiet.

Just one of many reasons they will never get a hyper!
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Restricted on noise? Have you ever heard the park from Cliff Lakes / Dosthill, it’s really quite loud. Also there’s a super loud shooting range nearby that makes even more noise. The housing is fairly close to the Northern half of the park, with only parking between them, but the Southern half, is actually around about as far away from any housing as Hyperia is, the camping side is possibly even further away than Hyperia is from housing in Chertsey.

Anyway, neither here nor there, the point is, and this is fact, there are no set limitations on height at Drayton, such as written planning policies like Alton Towers tree line limitation, any airport restrictions, or any other height restrictions. Anything else is just purely speculation.
 
Flash Shift said:
Yeah, "family thrill", not a hyper. There's not even room, let alone the noise problem. Drayton's only other thrill coasters they've ever had besides Shockwave have both been tiny. They might get another coaster in the inbetween size, but I doubt they'll ever get a coaster bigger than Shockwave. Sadly.

But yes. Hyperia. It's looking impressive now. Amazing how much bigger it is than the rest of Thorpe's skyline.
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Sorry for the double post, we posted at the same time. The question isn’t if we think they will, the question is where in the UK ‘could.’

I’ve always prefaced the Drayton answer with the fact that they’d need the ‘desire’ to do it, which they don’t currently have. But if they did, there’s nothing set in stone saying that they couldn’t.

I don’t for one minute expect them to submit an application any time soon, I’m just saying that if they wanted to, there’s nothing written in any legislation, local or national, to stop them. So never say never.
 
I think the only real possibility would be if Blackpool Pleasure Beach resurrected the “Bigger One” plans with the TTD clone over the South Promenade.

No chance of this happening of course but plans at least existed in 2005 for a taller & faster coaster in the UK and it could be done with a Red Force clone if BPB really wanted their record back.

Although they can’t even afford to run Valhalla
 
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