Back in 2014, Thorpe underwent a bit of a metamorphosis. After pretty much exclusively focusing on thrills for many years, and slightly alienating other target markets, the park tried to more openly welcome the broader family market. With this came the introduction of a new brand – The Island Like no Other. And honestly, it was brilliant, and was by far my favourite image and brand the park have created for themselves.
But let’s backtrack a bit. Of course, technically speaking, Thorpe Park isn’t on an island, but it certainly feels like it when you visit. And a theme park on an island, or just even being largely surrounded by water, is largely uncommon. But what differentiates Thorpe further is how to even enter the park, you cross over that bridge.
I think it’s perhaps understated how amazing a feeling that can be, especially by regular visitors. Despite the dome being at the end of the bridge, it’s still easy to see the likes of Colossus and Saw, and even catch glimpses of Stealth and Swarm. And with the bridge serving as a defacto Main Street, without the distractions of shops and what have you, it’s genius in a way, even if not intentional when the park was designed.
In fact, I still have a stand out memory of walking down the bridge on my first visit of the 1999 season, seeing the advertisements for the then-new Pirates 4D show. I can still hear the music blaring out, feel the slight wind that picked up across the lake brushing across my face. It’s so simple, yet almost magical. The park might have changed a lot over these last 20+ years, but the ability to create that impact is still there.
Introducing the Island branding in 2014 gave the opportunity for that potential to be realised to its fullest. Theme parks should always have an element of escapism, and pushing Thorpe as an island, where the bridge to get there is a portal to a world of escapism, was brilliant. It was a way for me to remember the realm of magic that the park’s entrance had, whilst also opening up a new world of opportunity.
Whilst the Island branding has been slightly watered down over the last couple of years, the smart and sleek style remains and has been heightened in many areas. The ‘Exhilarating Adventures’ branding is perhaps an evolution of the ‘Endless Fun’ style that was adopted concurrently with the Island branding, so it’s nice to see that still there. It perhaps doesn’t have the same level of potential as the all-out Island branding had, but it’s still very nice to see.
I think what always stays in my mind though is just how incredible the Thorpe entrance can be. Sure, it’s by no means perfect (and never has been). But it’s easy to forget how fantastic a feature it is, without even really trying, especially after many frequent visits. I really hope that the bridge, and more generally, the island motif as a whole, is pushed as a focal point of Thorpe again in the future!
Just Another Theme Park Blog 