Thorpe Park endured a “difficult season in a poor economic climate” in 2012, a planning application says.
Park operators Merlin Entertainments recently submitted plans for the addition of a new theming object to The Swarm rollercoaster, which opened last year.
It said that the response to the ride’s initial marketing campaign had been “not as successful as anticipated”.
A new near-miss object is being added, coming in the form of mangled billboard through which the rollercoaster trains will pass.
“There is now a need to revist the ride’s image and present a strong marketing campaign for 2013 by increasing The Swarm’s ‘thrill factor’ for visitors,” stated the planning documents.
Last month, Thorpe Park confirmed that it was adjusting the ride’s trains so that the rear two rows face backwards.