Towers Loving Care

Alton TLC kicked off with a bang over the 2016 closed season, seeing some dramatic changes to the park line-up.

Ride Closures

For the 2016 season, the following rides and attractions were closed as part of the TLC scheme. Whilst some were were announced as full ride removals, others were earmarked for refurbishment, although only some of these rides were expected to reopen:

• Hex (closed for refurbishment)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (closed ‘for refurbishment’)
• Driving School (closed for refurbishment)
• Nemesis Sub-Terra (closed ‘for refurbishment’)
• Wobble World (closed ‘for refurbishment’)
• The Flume (closed as part of SW8 project)
• Ripsaw (closed and demolished)

The removal of Ripsaw and The Flume was announced in February 2016. For the new season Ripsaw was replaced by a new pay-per-play attraction, Forbidden Sweep, whilst the Flume remained SBNO for much of the season before work begin on SW8.

Shortly after the season began Wobble World was also gutted and later converted into the House of Monsters attraction for Scarefest.

Food, Shop and Game Changes

Food outlet and concession availability were also affected by the closures. Some outlets offered reduced or seasonal service, with a number of others closed for the season. Several of the park’s game units also closed.

Food and Beverage

• Forest Feast (seasonal service)
• WobbleWorld Cafe (seasonal service)
• Towers Street Bar and Grill (Grill closed and Bar open seasonally)
• Refresh@Ripsaw (closed)
• Rehydrator (reduced service)
• Courtyard BBQ (closed)
• Ben & Jerry’s (closed as part of SW8 project)
• Mexican Cantina (closed and demolished as part of SW8 project)

Shops

• X-Sell shop (reduced service)
• Treasure Trove (closed)
• Rita Shop (closed and replaced)

Games Units

• Ripsaws Revenge (closed and demolished)
• Sid’s Snowball Toss (closed)

TLC

But the first year of Alton TLC wasn’t all about closures and long term projects, there were several short and medium term TLC projects already evident across the park when it opened in March, with fresh coats of paint bringing life back to some areas of the park including the Nemesis station and shop fronts on Towers Street.

Short Term Projects

Entrance and Towers Street

• Entrance Signs (replaced)
• Car Park Monorail Station (repaint and new screens)
• Ticket Kiosks (painted and roof replacement)

Dark Forest

• Rita Tunnel and Fencing (replacement)
• Scenic repaint of all food and shop buildings
• Rita Queue-line (shortened and refurbished)

Forbidden Valley

• Nemesis Gun (refurbished and repainted)
• Valley Floor (resurfaced)
• Burger Kitchen, Nemices and Box Office (repaint)

Katanga Canyon

• Repaint of all food and shop buildings
• Sign refurbishment

CBeebies Land

• Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure (station rebuilt)
• Big Fun Showtime (arena wall refurbishment)
• Get Set Go queue-line (repaint)
• In the Night Garden queue-line and station (repaint)

Mutiny Bay

• Battle Galleons (deep clean and restoration)
• Mutiny Bay Pancakes, Hot Dogs and Pirates Pastys (repaint)
• The Burger Kitchen (repaint)
• Courtyard (repaint)
• Area Theming (restoration)

Extraordinary Golf

• Refurbished and repainted
• Galactica Hole added (replacing Air)

Medium Term Projects

Several project are scheduled to take more than a single season, with some due to be completed over two or even three seasons.

Forbidden Valley

• Nemesis track and station repaint (first of three phases)

Towers Street

• Refurbishment (first of three phases)
  • Corner Coffee (refurbishment and repaint)
  • Box Office (repaint)
  • Photos Kisok (refurbishment and repaint)

Cloud Cuckoo Land

• Repaint (first of two phases)
  • Frog Hopper building (re-render and repaint)
  • Ice Age queue-line (repaint)

2017’s closed season saw the second phase of the Alton TLC project, with further refurbishments across the park as well as the re-opening of a couple of old favourites.

Ride Changes

Two of the rides that closed the previous season, reopened in 2017 after some closed season refurbishment.

Hex

Hex reopened after significant refurbishments, including restoration, repainting and new technology throughout.

Cuckoo Cars Driving School

The Driving School reopened with a new name and a fresh look for the ride and it surrounding area. Upgrades included

• Cars (refurbished and repainted)
• Scenery (repainted)
• Entrance building (repaint)
• Photo Kiosk (relocated)

None of the other rides closed in 2016 reopened, but two further attractions closed.

• Ice Age 4D (closed for future new development)
• Twirling Toadstool (closed for refurbishment)

Food, Shop and Game Changes

None of the units that closed in 2016 reopened in 2017 but some further closures occurred:

• Mutiny Bay Burger Kitchen (closed as part of SW8 project)
• Towers Street Bar (closed)
• Wobble World Cafe (closed)
• Katanga Kabin (closed as part of SW8 project)

Shops

• Ice Age Shop (closed as part of Ice Age redevelopment)

Games

• Courtyard Games (closed as part of SW8 project)

TLC

2017 saw several of the previous season projects continue or come to completion. Several other smaller projects were also carried out over the close season.

Short Term Projects

Entrance and Towers Street

• Corkscrew Sculpture (repainted)
• Skyride Station (repaint)
• New shutters installed at entrance
• Coach Park road (resurfaced)

Forbidden Valley

• The Blade (refurbishment and repaint)

X Sector

• Smiler Station and Track (deep clean and spot paint)
• Rehydrator (repaint)
• X-Cite (repaint)

Gloomy Wood

• Duel tomb and signage (refurbishment)

Mutiny Bay

• Sharkbait Reef facade (repaint)
• Signage refurbishment
• Toilet (refurbishment)

CBeebies Land

• General area repaint
• Big Fun Showtime (stage and banner refurbishment)
• Character repaint
• Numbertums Number-Go-Round (repaint)

Resort

• Cariba Creek – bridges, staircases and flooring replaced during annual refurbishment
• Extraordinary Golf – new ‘grass’ installed

Medium Term Projects

Forbidden Valley

• Nemesis track and station repaint (second of three phases)

Towers Street

• Refurbishment (second of three phases)
  • Leap Frog Fountain (refurbishment)
  • Towers Trading Facade (repaint)
  • 1845 Building (repaint)
  • Rooftops (deep clean)

Cloud Cuckoo Land

• Repaint (final phase)
  • Wobble World and Cafe(repaint)
  • Nickelodeon Building (repaint)
  • 4D Cinema (repaint)

TLC Season is once again upon us and over the coming months we can expect the park to reveal some of the work they have been doing over the closed season to spruce up the park.

This year sees two of the park’s medium term projects come to fruition with the final stages of the Towers Street and Nemesis repaint. Other headlines from TLC this year, included the renovation of the Garden Conservatories, which has taken place throughout 2017, as well as the  long awaited Duel refurb, including a new score for the ride. In a surprise move the Entrance Plaza will also have a new look this season after the demolition of the 1980s ticket kiosks.

Let’s take a look at what’s been revealed so far:

Short Term Projects

Entrance and Towers Street

• Demolition of 1980’s Ticket Kiosks
• Entrance Plaza Refurbishment

X Sector

• Oblivion Station and Queue (repaint)

Gloomy Wood

• Duel refurb (including a new soundtrack and UV effects)

Medium Term Projects

Forbidden Valley

• Nemesis track and station repaint (final phase)

Towers Street

• Refurbishment (final phase)
  • Towers Street Bar and Grill (repaint)
  • Coca Cola Refill Station (refurb)
  • Towers Trading (repaint)

The Gardens

• Grand Conservatory Refurbishment
• Summerhouse Refurbishment

Ahead of the 2021 season, the park undertook several small scale projects to refresh parts of the park, with a particular focus on accessibility. These included:

• The relocation of Guest Service back to N0. 1 Towers Street
• A refurb of Resort Box Office
• Rearranging Duel’s main queue to make it accessible
• New theming to replace Congo River Rapids waterfalls
• A new lighting package for the Leapfrog Fountains on Towers Street
• Refurb of some Battle Galleon effects
• Repaints for Sharkbait Reef’s entrance and Thirteen’s main building
• Minor Refurbs to Feather McClaw and Spinball Whizzers entrance