Thorpe Park boosts visitor engagement and event visibility with website overhaul
Client overview
Thorpe Park, known as “the island like no other,” is a premier theme park located in Surrey and part of the Merlin Entertainments group. The park boasts several world-first roller coasters and hosts a range of high-profile summer events, collaborating with popular brands such as I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, Derren Brown, and Ministry of Sound.
The challenge
Initially seeking support and maintenance for their existing website, Thorpe Park recognised the need for a more strategic digital approach as the park prepared for an increased number of events and a focus on promoting Annual Passes. They turned to CTI Digital to help optimise their online presence and improve user experience.
“We have been working with CTI Digital since January 2017 and have implemented multiple improvements to how we communicate to our customers online. We are pleased with the feedback we have had from our site continually improving and have some interesting plans to deliver on this year again with CTI.”— Sean Maitland Digital Brand Manager
The approach
We worked closely with the Thorpe Park team to understand their goals and the unique aspects of their brand, ensuring that the solutions we implemented would resonate with their audience. Our key initiatives included:
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Fright Nights takeover
We created an immersive site takeover for Thorpe Park's annual Halloween event. The themed design featured animated elements that engaged users and built suspense, including a full-screen zombie surprise that aligned with the event’s branding. -
Customisable countdown clocks
Designed flexible countdown clocks that allowed the Thorpe Park team to promote upcoming events, from Fright Nights to Ministry of Sound concerts, with varying visibility and calls to action. -
Improved food & drink and shops & offers sections
Updated these pages using a new tab design to reduce scrolling and enhance user experience. The flexible component system enables easy page updates and consistent design. -
Enhanced opening times page
Created an interactive calendar to clearly indicate peak and off-peak times, facilitating ticket purchases through clear calls to action. -
Mobile app promotion
Developed a dedicated landing page for the mobile app, showcasing its features and encouraging downloads. -
Revamped events section
Updated the events section to accommodate the increasing number of scheduled events, ensuring clear communication and easy booking for visitors. -
Boosting Annual Pass visibility
Implemented global calls to action for Annual Passes, designed a dedicated ticket types page, and incorporated promotional elements for events to encourage multi-visits.
The results
Our collaborative efforts resulted in a website optimised for mobile use, greatly enhancing user experience and engagement. By updating the site with the latest version of Umbraco, developing SEO strategies, and re-evaluating the site map, we ensured that Thorpe Park's digital presence remains competitive.
We successfully achieved improved functionality and visibility across the site, leading to increased engagement with key features, particularly around events and Annual Pass promotions. The updated design has simplified information presentation, making it easier for visitors to navigate and engage with the park.
We successfully achieved improved functionality and visibility across the site, leading to increased engagement with key features, particularly around events and Annual Pass promotions. The updated design has simplified information presentation, making it easier for visitors to navigate and engage with the park.