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ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks. - Favourite Ride
- Crux
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- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
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- Wicker man.
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- Wicker man.
Dave
TS Founding Member
Not sure the distinction has been lost, maybe some humour has though.
Rick
TS Member
Rick
TS Member
I honestly don't understand the hate. Midway games have been a staple of theme parks since forever, I don't fully understand why something like this isn't an extension of them. Granted there isn't a prize but the experience itself isn't something entirely different to Jacob's Ladder/Ring the Bell etc.
If anything, these things hark back to the earlier 'simpler' days, where things like Adventure Land 4-11 would have you 'do' something, rather than 'ride' something.
If you don't like them, save yourself a few quid and go on that roller coaster you've been on a billion times before instead. If people are on the inflatable, you might find yourself waiting less time.
Islander
TS Member
Think the difference is that attractions like this should just exist. You're right, a large inflatable isn't exactly alien in a theme park - I wouldn't be overly surprised to see one pop up at the likes of Europa Park. But it wouldn't be advertised, wouldn't be shouted about - would just be a nice added extra for guests to enjoy, not an E-ticket attraction that must be proclaimed from the rooftops.
Granted, as of yet Chessington aren't shouting about this, so my argument applies more to the Thorpe version.
Dave
TS Founding Member
It’s not a midway game though, it’s a cheap response to the Merlin flat ride kill list. Adventure land was a big playground but it sat alongside a considerable list of actual rides and attractions and even accounting for inflation the entry price wasn’t as extortionate.
There are no coasters at Chessington I have been on 200 times as I have only visited the part around 8 times in my life but surely even you cannot believe that stripping out ride hardware and replacing with an up sell bouncy castle is a sound idea?
ChristmasPud
TS Member
Can I understand why people are confused, Merlin parks do a great job of changing the meaning of words like 'closed', 'awaiting development', etc
Matt N
TS Member
I thought this bouncy castle replaced an empty field?
AT86
TS Member
It might be replacing an empty field geographically, but in reality it is dealing with capacity lost to the likes of Safari Skyway, Black Buccaneer and Peeking Heights - all of which were included in the entry price.
Dave
TS Founding Member
It pretty much was until recently (free attraction though).
Poopoohead
TS Member
They are doing a lot of this at the minute, closing jungle Jim’s at the Blackpool tower and replacing it with an up charge golf game
siralgenon
TS Member
The golf hasn't replaced Jungle Jim's at Blackpool, it's an additional attraction and it's in a completely different place. You pay for everything separately anyway at The Tower so either way you'd be paying for whatever was there.
Snagglemama
TS Member
I went to chessington last year and I was appalled.
Poopoohead
TS Member
My point was an attraction included in the map has been removed and one that isn’t appeared a few months before jungle Jim’s was removed.
It’s more like the golf at sea life, which was included, has been replaced with an up charge golf
Doublethink
TS Member
I honestly thought Chessington was in more of a state than lego land when I went to both this year
Snagglemama
TS Member
ChristmasPud
TS Member
Chessington and Phantasialand looked pretty much the same 20-30 years ago and were going for the same style of park, both great for their time. Both also quite pushed for size and have a tricky planning situation.
Look at how Phantasialand kept evolving, even when a massive section burnt down. Chessington had a comparatively minor accident and reacts by turning Tomb Blaster's queue into a jail, grounding Rameses and Runaway Train's elaborate queues, knocking down most its aging scenery but not replacing. Meanwhile it keeps its classic themed rides like Vampire, Bubble Works and Tomb Blaster in a horrible state of limbo, gives a few rushed hit N miss refurbishments and hasn't built a new coaster for 15 years.
In the same space of time Phantasialand has become one of the best theme parks in the world and doesnt even have a big attraction empire to fall back on, unlike Chessington has. Merlin (or Tussauds in the few years before) have massively stunted Chessington.
Look at how Phantasialand kept evolving, even when a massive section burnt down. Chessington had a comparatively minor accident and reacts by turning Tomb Blaster's queue into a jail, grounding Rameses and Runaway Train's elaborate queues, knocking down most its aging scenery but not replacing. Meanwhile it keeps its classic themed rides like Vampire, Bubble Works and Tomb Blaster in a horrible state of limbo, gives a few rushed hit N miss refurbishments and hasn't built a new coaster for 15 years.
In the same space of time Phantasialand has become one of the best theme parks in the world and doesnt even have a big attraction empire to fall back on, unlike Chessington has. Merlin (or Tussauds in the few years before) have massively stunted Chessington.
Dave
TS Founding Member
I’m going to make two comments that side with Chessington in this argument:
1) The local council is an arse for both parks but Chessington really does struggle more for new coasters than phantasia, Phanny has a noise issue for sure but it doesn’t have the other issues placed at the door of Chessington.
2) Phanny is family owned and is competing to an extent with Europa park. Chessy competes with parks in its own company (for the moment, looking at you Paultons).