Thorpe Park
Interactive map of Thorpe Park | |
| Location | Chertsey and Staines, Surrey, England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°24′17″N 0°30′47″W / 51.40472°N 0.51306°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 24 May 1979 |
| Owner | LondonMetric Property |
| Operated by | Merlin Entertainments |
| General manager | Neil Poulter |
| Slogan | The Home Of Feel-Good Thrills |
| Operating season | Theme Park March – November Thorpe Shark Cabins March – November / December (private events) Thorpe Park Marquee March – November / December (private events) |
| Area | 410 acres (1.7 km2; 170 ha) *Total combined area including Lakes and all back of house areas |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 26 |
| Roller coasters | 8 |
| Water rides | 3 |
| Website | www |
Thorpe Park (formerly known as Thorpe Park Resort) is a theme park located in the village of Thorpe between the towns of Chertsey and Staines-upon-Thames in Surrey, England, 20 miles (32 km) west-southwest of Central London. It is operated by Merlin Entertainments and features rides, themed cabins, live events, and Hyperia, the United Kingdom's tallest and fastest rollercoaster at over 236 feet (72m) and 129 km/h (80 mph). The ride also includes Europe's tallest element and the world's first outer-banked airtime hill. In 2019, Thorpe Park was the United Kingdom's third most visited theme park (1.9 million visitors), behind Alton Towers and Legoland Windsor.
After the demolition of the Thorpe Park Estate in the 1930s, the site was used as a gravel pit. In the early 1970s, part of the pit was flooded, creating a distinctive water-based environment intended to support the development of a leisure attraction. Thorpe Park Resort was subsequently constructed on the site in 1979, and its partially flooded setting led to the park being perceived as an island. It has since expanded into a major theme park in the United Kingdom. Major attractions include Ghost Train, a dark ride; Tidal Wave, a large water ride; Vortex, a KMG Afterburner; as well as a number of roller coasters including Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, Saw – The Ride, Stealth, The Swarm, and The Walking Dead: The Ride.