Thorpe Park Tips
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On busy days, it's essential to arrive early at Thorpe Park - ideally, 45-60 minutes before the park opens. This is particularly true if you need to buy tickets on the gate (e.g. if you are using a 2-for-1 deal). If you arrive later than this, you risk not being in the park when the gates open, by which time attractions such as SAW - The Ride (which processes queues very slowly) will already have a long wait.
If you're hungry, the Pizza Hut buffet offers decent value for money at Thorpe Park. It may not be ultra-healthy, and it won't win any quality awards, but it will fuel you for a busy afternoon at minimal cost.
If you're looking for a good meal while visiting Thorpe Park, head back towards the main enterance and into Port Atlantis (The large dome structure before the bridge). Inside you will find GlassHouse Kitchen and Bar. This resturant serves up great food at prices which cannot be beat. Look out for their two meals for £10 deal, which can be find all year round.
Avoid booths, such as game testing experences. My experience of the kinect booth was that, despite a seemingly small queue, i waited as long as the longest queue for a roller coaster.
For a headline attraction, SAW - The Ride has a relatively low throughput. This, combined with its huge popularity, can lead to long queues throughout the day. Make it your first stop in the park, followed by Stealth.
There should never be a reason for you to pay full price at Alton Towers or Thorpe Park as there are always so many special offers around for these two parks. Look out for discounts in newspapers, or use Clubcard vouchers to obtain free entry. And don't forget to check TPT's Special Offer Watch!
Be wary of Fastrack passes at Thorpe Park. The park has a habit of overselling passes for some attractions, meaning you could end up waiting half an hour or more to ride despite having paid extra. If possible, attend on an off-peak day to avoid the queues instead, or arrive 45 minutes before opening time to ensure that you can ride Saw - The Ride, Nemesis, Colossus and Stealth before wait times become too painful.
The Fright Nights Halloween events at Thorpe Park are very popular - particularly on the days surrounding Halloween itself. Book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
