Thrillseekers at Thorpe Park found themselves stuck mid-air in 33°C heat on Monday as two roller coasters broke down simultaneously. As the country battled scorching temperatures over the bank holiday, Hyperia and Colossus both experienced stoppages.
Hyperia and Colossus Breakdowns
Hyperia, known as the tallest rollercoaster in the UK, opened in 2024 and sees riders take a terrifying near-vertical plunge before looping the loop at 80 mph (129 km/h) around 3,264 ft (995 m) of track. Meanwhile, Colossus was the world's first ten-loop roller coaster when it was introduced to the Surrey-based park in 2002.
Unfortunately, the two rides broke down, leaving carriages stuck on the tracks in the extreme 33°C heat, as seen in various videos posted on social media. Riders were reportedly stuck 200 feet up in the air on Hyperia for around 30 minutes, as noted by @UB1UB2 on X, formerly Twitter. Video footage shows passengers on Hyperia sitting patiently in their seats, with the ride halted just before a drop.
Visitor Reactions
One person commented, "Wife and son were 10 minutes behind in the queue for this yesterday." Another added, "That's my worst nightmare!"
Park Statement
A spokesperson for Thorpe Park told the Daily Mail: "Hyperia and Colossus experienced brief stoppages unrelated to weather on Monday 25th May. Both rides were brought to a controlled stop on their lift hills before restarting and being brought back into their ride stations where all guests safely disembarked. The health and safety of our guests and staff is our number one priority and at no stage were there any safety concerns for guests. Stoppages are perfectly normal and commonly experienced in theme parks everywhere and both rides reopened shortly after."
Amity Beach Closure and New Launchpad Zone
Earlier this year, Thorpe Park revealed it is partially closing a beloved water attraction after 35 years, introducing a brand new "recharge" zone where thrillseekers can rest. The main area of Amity Beach—a family-friendly spot known for its fake sandy shores, fountains, paddling pool, and four-lane water slide—will not reopen for 2026, the theme park confirmed. Opened in 1991, the seasonal attraction has long served as a popular spot for families and children to cool down during hot summer days.
However, in a social media post, the theme park announced the main beach area is being removed to make way for a "refuel" zone named "The Launchpad." Fortunately, the smaller side of the beach will remain open seasonally for families to enjoy. It wrote: "We're thrilled to share a first look at the concept art for The Launchpad! As we say goodbye to Amity Beach and get ready for this next exciting chapter, we’re proud to reveal what’s coming next! The Launchpad will be a recharge zone, designed for thrillseekers to rest, reset and refuel between adrenaline hits. As the UK's Most Thrilling Theme Park, we recognise how important it is to recharge between our exhilarating rides, and this space will be the perfect place to do that."
