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Redevelopment of Katanga Canyon

owenstreet7 said:
I'd also develop the Coach Park and the Car Park where the Katanga Canyon sign is and that'd be a fantastic redevelopment.
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As much as I think the park boudary expanding so we add a ride rather than replacing would be a good thing, where would the coaches go? Maybe the bit closer to the main car parks could get resurfaced and used, but on some days there are a significant number of coaches at AT.

Personally I think adding an additional coaster on top of the rapids somehow, utilising some of the coach park and staff areas would be a good thing. Keep the existing rides, plus expand as well.

Edit - having looked at the aerial photos, it would be the unsurfaced bit of "car park" which would be best for a Katanga expansion anyway. Coach and staff parking is behind Sharkbait Reef and Wickerman shop so would be a Mutiny Bay expansion if anything.
Using this space https://maps.app.goo.gl/c7o2kqsCzhXg4Rkd6 and the area behind pizza-pasta would give a decent expansion. Although the vegetation has grown well alongside the rapids so you might loose the visual barrier at the edge of the park.
 
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Ash said:
I’ve always advocated for pushing the park boundary right up to main drive behind KC, which would unlock a huge amount of space.
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rob666 said:
Round by the Prospect Tower where they used to park?
Many many years ago, we parked there, and I had to give the coach driver directions from Stoke!
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Prospect tower is now surround by Forbidden Valley and the Skyride Station. I hardly think it’s feasible to remove an entire area and a major transportation ride for a Katanga development.

You’ve also got Curse and the Monoral Depot all in the way.
 
rob666 said:
Round by the Prospect Tower where they used to park?
Many many years ago, we parked there, and I had to give the coach driver directions from Stoke!
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Well if/when they finally cover the meadows that should free up a lot of space. I thought that would be done by now but apparently not…
 
Assuming that Towers still have the Postman Pat ride system in storage, surely it could be an easy fix to add something different to KC, maybe say theme the cars to safari jeeps and have them round the base of that unthemed area of RMT which from looking down on that ride is an utter eyesore. Having something in there just to tidy it up would be welcomed.

Given the ride system is fairly young, shame to just get rid of it but then again it's Merlin. Either way, KC is long overdue for a new attraction though now that I think about it, Wicker Man could have been themed to fit in with KC more if they had thought it through...then again, this is Merlin.
 
QTXAdsy said:
Given the ride system is fairly young, shame to just get rid of it but then again it's Merlin. Either way, KC is long overdue for a new attraction though now that I think about it, Wicker Man could have been themed to fit in with KC more if they had thought it through...then again, this is Merlin.
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The only issue is the entrance and plaza are more in mutiny than Katanga. Though the ride itself is situated in what could be considered Katanga, there’s still a fair walk until you’re in Katangas plaza proper.
 
Would it be better if Katanga Canyon, Mutiny Bay, Forbidden Valley and Gloomy Wood were merged back together as one big area once again like when it was Aqualand
 
Hid said:
Would it be better if Katanga Canyon, Mutiny Bay, Forbidden Valley and Gloomy Wood were merged back together as one big area once again like when it was Aqualand
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No it absolutely wouldn't.

Aqualand was designated over 40 years ago. Each of those areas now has a very distinct theme. To re-homogenize all of those areas would be a ridiculous move.
 
The area would be also HUGE and disjointed.

I could see them reusing the rapids for a boat ride with restraints, would cut down on the spotters etc. RMT retrack wouldn't surprise me, preferably with a roof over the station at the same time.

If they want to extend to the coach park, you'd hope they have finances to buy the fields and make them proper car parks. Get rid of the sheds and make that back to a car park too.
 
Poisson said:
The area would be also HUGE and disjointed.

I could see them reusing the rapids for a boat ride with restraints, would cut down on the spotters etc. RMT retrack wouldn't surprise me, preferably with a roof over the station at the same time.

If they want to extend to the coach park, you'd hope they have finances to buy the fields and make them proper car parks. Get rid of the sheds and make that back to a car park too.
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Even better, a transport hub for a shuttle bus or park and ride service 😏

Might be better for the area if they did develop park and ride from Uttoxeter or a shuttle from Stoke/nearby hubs.
 
Dave said:
The one thing in the rumours favour is KC is one of the only bright, non militaristic/ dark themes left at the Park and Merlin only like dark themes where the deteriorating theming can be hidden better 😂

But in all honesty random poster posts some “secret” has been happening since the days of Rideas and they rarely turn out to be true. I’m certain there have been plans worked up but I’m also certain there are concept art plans for most areas of the park.
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Totally agree, the Rideas days....wow that is going back, the logo with the coloured circles is still engrained into my memory!

Given we know Alton / Tussauds / Merlin have planned something at least once in the now quite distance past and the fact it is the oldest area in the park now (I think?) that has not seen any major development, ever, since 1992. I think the discussion around the areas re development is kind of valid with or without these rumours. Which I am sure they just are that, rumours or someone pulling someone else's leg.

A Mack rocking boat would be a great shout @John_P, the good thing with one of those is you could keep the majority of the cool features and layout of the area, which work quite well, without having to majorly change the whole lot, as you would have to if you built say a massive coaster in the area, this is a good thing as I quite like the areas general layout, one of the better ones in the whole park if you ask me. I love the way you can look through the trees and over the lake, to things in the distance sort of enticing you in, it is very well designed, so keeping some of that if any re design were to happen, would be a great plus.

Even though the area is the oldest, I think it is still, to this day, one of the areas that works very well from a logistical / people moving perspective all the way through to a themed entertainment one, the theming could do with some love, but the whole package works quite well for the area I think.

I would hope that Merlin would be looking to plus and improve this area, rather than rip up and start again, if they were to plan any future work, which at some point will inevitably come.
 
Onto water rides with restraints, modern Intamin flumes use lapbars such as Chiapas, Biberburg and Catapult Falls.

It sometimes tempts me to send the Flume brochure from Intamin to Merlin's research team, show them those three rides and tell them that they'd be a fantastic investment for their UK parks in the next couple of years.

With popularity, capacity, being a headliner on par with the coasters, offers something fresh and completely different.

You've got the perfect flume for each park that they could be inspired by.
1. Chiapas at Alton Towers
2. Biberburg at Chessington (to replace Tiger Rock)
3. Catapult Falls at Thorpe Park with the launch

For Towers specifically, it goes a long way towards solving the issues with ride availability for older than Cbeebies and shorter than (or too scared of) Nemesis demographic.
 
owenstreet7 said:
Onto water rides with restraints, modern Intamin flumes use lapbars such as Chiapas, Biberburg and Catapult Falls.

It sometimes tempts me to send the Flume brochure from Intamin to Merlin's research team, show them those three rides and tell them that they'd be a fantastic investment for their UK parks in the next couple of years.

With popularity, capacity, being a headliner on par with the coasters, offers something fresh and completely different.

You've got the perfect flume for each park that they could be inspired by.
1. Chiapas at Alton Towers
2. Biberburg at Chessington (to replace Tiger Rock)
3. Catapult Falls at Thorpe Park with the launch

For Towers specifically, it goes a long way towards solving the issues with ride availability for older than Cbeebies and shorter than (or too scared of) Nemesis demographic.
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Trouble with water rides is they are expensive to operate, very much a seasonal attraction meaning most of the year they will be quieter.

Merlin parks not tbe only parks without a flume ride
 
Hid said:
Trouble with water rides is they are expensive to operate, very much a seasonal attraction meaning most of the year they will be quieter.

Merlin parks not tbe only parks without a flume ride
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I wouldn't say they're any more seasonal than most of the larger rollercoasters in the park and at the same time, in continental Europe in places where climates are similar to the UK, we see the likes of Chiapas, Dino Splash (Plopsaland De Panne) and Triol/Poseidon (Europa Park) operate into the winter months if temperature is at the minimum it can operate at.

Most theme parks operate some sort of flume style ride, it isn't necessarily a traditional flume but also counting Shoot the Chutes, Mini Flumes and Water Coasters.

Alton Towers is one of the only ones in the UK that doesn't. Internationally, I would say Dreamworld in Australia, Carowinds, Grona Lund. In the UK, I can only think of Lightwater Valley as the obvious major one without a flume style ride (which Mellors could be changing).
 
owenstreet7 said:
Alton Towers is one of the only ones in the UK that doesn't. Internationally, I would say Dreamworld in Australia, Carowinds, Grona Lund. In the UK, I can only think of Lightwater Valley as the obvious major one without a flume style ride (which Mellors could be changing).
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Efteling doesn't have a flume ride, neither does Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach.
 
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Hid said:
Efteling doesn't have a flume ride, neither does Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach.
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Great Yarmouth I forgot about but yeah you're right on that

Flying Dutchman at Efteling is a water coaster and in the wider sense, counts.
 
rob666 said:
Yarmouth had one for a long time, and promised that it would be replaced.
It looked like a disused oil rig, and my best mate thought the green water was the nastiest fluid he had ever seen.

The small one at Blackpool is very popular still, as is the big one in the shed.
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"The big one in the shed" is essentially a car wash for humans lol.
 
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