1930 – Much of the land that makes up the park was bought from the Lord of the Manor.
1941 – The site is used by Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) to excavate gravel.
1970 – RMC start to plan what they will do with the site when the excavating work finishes. They decide to use the site as an example of how they can re-claim the land by opening a leisure based visitor attraction.
1971 – RMC create a subsidiary company called ‘Leisure Sport Limited’ to run their attraction, which will be based around the theme of “The History of the British People as a Maritime Nation”.
1975 – The World Water Ski Championships are held at the site.
1979 – On 24th May 1979 Thorpe Park was officially opened to the public by the late Lord Louis Mountbatten. Attractions at the water based park included: The Mountbatten Pavilion (now known as the Dome), Model World, a WW1 aircraft display and the Schneider Trophy aircraft exhibition.
1980 – Waterbus trips and Windsurfing begin at the park.
1981 – Cinema 180, a UK 1st opens at the park and the first version of the park’s Children’s Ride Area was added.
1982 – Thorpe Farm opens this year.
1983 – Magic Mill, Phantom Fantasia, Treasure Island Railway and Thorpe Belle open. Thorpe Park adopt a ‘Pay One Price’ policy.
1984 – Space Station Zero, Thorpe Park’s first powered roller coaster opens.
1985 – Cap’n Andy’s Revue opens.
1986 – The Tea Cup Ride (now known as Dobble Tea Party) and Rocky Express open.
1987 – Thunder River and a new park area called European Square open at a cost of over £2 million.
1988 – The Palladium Theatre, a 630 seat theatre (now home to Angry Birds 4D) is opened.
1989 – Thorpe Park celebrates its 10th anniversary by opening Canada Creek and introducing a new team of park mascots called The Thorpe Park Rangers. Canada Creek opened with Canada Creek Railway and Loggers Leap which was “Britain’s Highest Log Flume”.
1990 – Space Station Zero is re-located outside Model World and is re-themed as the Flying Fish. This year also saw Carousel Kingdom, Trappers Trail, Drive in the Country and The Thorpe Park Ranger Shows join the park.
1991 – Fantasy Reef, a new park area opens with Depth Charge, the UK’s 1st four lane waterslide.
1992 – Hudson River Rafters and Viking Rowers open on the lakes around the park. The Children’s Ride Area is re-developed as Octopus Garden.
1993 – Calgary Stampede and a Virtual Reality Centre open as Treasure Island Railway closes.
1994 – Ranger County, home to the Thorpe Park Rangers opens with two new rides Chief Ranger’s Carousel & Mr Monkey’s Banana Ride and the Ranger County Arena. Phantom Fantasia was also re-themed as Wicked Witches Haunt and Jungle Zone Family Golf opens.
1995 – Drive in the Country is moved to Ranger County and re-themed as Miss Hippo’s Fungle Safari. Also the Magic Mill ride is re-themed as Mr Rabbit’s Tropical Travels.
1996 – X:\ No Way Out, the World’s 1st pitch black backwards roller coaster opens and is one of the largest investments RMC spend on the park.
1997 – Thorpe Park celebrates its 18th birthday. Dino Boats and Wet! Wet!
Wet! open, Hudson River Rafters close.
1998 – Dare Devil Drivers open. And RMC sell Thorpe Park to the Tussauds Group.
1999 – Pirates 4D, the UK’s 1st 4D experience opens in the old Palladium Theatre building. Viking Rowers, Dino Boats and Carousel Kingdom close.
2000 – Tidal Wave opens, at the time it was Europe’s tallest water ride. Fantasy Reef becomes Neptune’s Kingdom.
Then on Friday 21st July 2000 disaster strikes at the park as the ride building for both Mr Rabbit’s Tropical Travels and Wicked Witches Haunt is destroyed in a fire at the park. Also during this year Jungle Zone Family Golf, Dare Devil Drivers, Cap’n Andy’s Revue and Trappers Trail all close.
2001 – A trio of thrill rides Detonator, Vortex and Zodiac open.
2002 – Colossus, the World’s 1st ten looping roller coaster opens. Thunder River becomes Ribena Rumba Rapids. The park launches it’s now annual Halloween event Fright Nights.
2003 – Nemesis Inferno, Eclipse and Quantum open. Calgary Stampede closes.
2004 – Samurai arrives from Chessington World of Adventures. Waterbus trips end at the park as the Flying Fish and Model World close.
2005 – Slammer and Rush open. The last Thorpe Park Ranger show is performed at the park.
2006 – Launch coaster Stealth opens and Thorpe Farm closes.
2007 – Merlin Entertainments buy the Tussauds Group including Thorpe Park. This year also saw the Flying Fish return and Pirates 4D close.
2008 – Time Voyagers 4D opens and Miss Hippo’s Fungle Safari closes.
2009 – SAW – The Ride opens.
2010 – Year round scare maze Saw Alive opens. Octopus Garden closes.
2011 – Storm Surge opens, Canada Creek Railway and Time Voyagers close. Fright Nights celebrates its 10th birthday.
2012 – THE SWARM, “Europe’s tallest winged rollercoaster” opens.
2013 –The back two rows of THE SWARM are reversed so guests can “Brave It Backwards”, X:\ No Way Out is re-themed as X and the park open their first on-site accommodation The Crash Pad.
This year was also a big year for Fright Nights as they returned with an almost entirely new set of mazes in partnership with Lionsgate Films.
2014 – Angry Birds Land a new family friendly park area opens with Angry Birds 4D, King Pig’s Wild Hog Dodgems and Detonator: Bombs Away. The THORPE SHARK hotel, the park’s new waterfront accommodation opens. Chief Ranger’s Carousel and Ranger County Arena close.
2015 – I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Maze opens. Loggers Leap closes.
2016 – Derren Brown’s Ghost Train opens and the back two rows of THE SWARM face forward again. Fright Nights celebrates its 15th birthday.
2017 – Derren Brown’s Ghost Train is upgraded and reopens as Derren Brown’s Ghost Train: Rise Of The Demon. Timber Tug Boat and Lumber Jump open in Old Town. Slammer closes.
2018 – X is re-themed and re-opens as The Walking Dead: The Ride.
The park celebrates The Year of The Walking Dead.
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Maze closes.
2019 – Thorpe Park celebrates it’s 40th Anniversary with BounceZilla a 96m inflatable course. Also new this year was the one off gaming event GameFX and Jungle Escape an escape room style attraction housed in the old I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! building.
2020 – Due to the Covid 19 global pandemic the park finally reopens for the 2020 season in July with social distancing and additional safety measures in place.
2021 – Black Mirror Labyrinth opens. Old Town (formerly Canada Creek) closes along with Rocky Express and Timber Tug Boat.
2022 – Lumber Jump is relocated to Amity and is rethemed as High Striker.
2023 – Derren Brown’s Ghost Train becomes Ghost Train – a new actor led version of the ride without VR. Storm in a Teacup is rethemed as Dobble Tea Party. Angry Birds Land and Black Mirror Labyrinth close.
2024 – Hyperia the UK’s tallest and fastest roller coaster opens. Angry Birds Land is rethemed as Big Easy Boulevard. And Thorpe Park launches its new logo and branding, becoming the home of “Feel-Good Thrills”.
