Chessington World of Adventures Resort

What the HELL have they done with that Burger Kitchen 'refurbishment'?! The outside looks like a goofy joke that adds nothing architecturally to the area. We had a European castle which both added some variety to the architectural style in the area and acted as a perfect visual balance in the design of the street, but now we have a tacky, faux wacky, 'spooky' cottage sort of thing going on that is not only cliched and bland, but destroys the visual balance.

Just awful. And yet it was changed for what appears to be no reason at all! Yes the old facade started to look worn, but you don't just destroy things and dramatically change them, you restore them.

I'm sick of the contempt Merlin has for it's own parks. Just because traditionally Theme Parks are seen as low culture, doesn't mean that it's true at all. The level of design and expertise in all fields that it took to produce Chessington should in it's own right warrant a degree of respect and care for maintaining the experience.

Theme parks should treated as the high-art experiences that they are. When I go to the Tate Modern, I don't see that they've just been careless and let some paintings rot away, until they need to be completely replaced, and when replaced they just put in place a low-quality cheap solution that bears little resemblance to the original piece.

I'm sick of it, and the longer this continues, the sooner I just want Merlin the hell out! They are a parasitic capitalist drain on the quality of the art that I loved so much growing up. Recently I just cannot help but feel that I want to quit my interest in UK Theme parks altogether. There's too much heart-break at the hand of Scrooges who do not appreciate the importance of what they hold in their grasp.

:'(

Trouble is we are doomed as anyone who takes on these Merlin parks will be a commercial enterprise that just wont care about the details that don't make money. I can dream that the Mack family might take a fancy to buying Alton Towers but that's a pipe-dream (and Mack don't like thrill rides).

The Burger Kitchen looks absolutely horrid, Merlin Studios need to visit some foreign parks (like Phantasia and Europa) and see what quality constructed theming looks like. They also need to stop making all of their eateries look like bland if smart high-street restaurants... ITS A BLOODY THEME-PARK SO THEME THEM!!!!!

Grrrr

Bring on the Merlin US stock market flotation...we might as well have the organist replaced with Ronald McDonald and be done with it...

Meat Pie said:

The outside looks like a goofy joke that adds nothing architecturally to the area. We had a European castle which both added some variety to the architectural style in the area and acted as a perfect visual balance in the design of the street, but now we have a tacky, faux wacky, 'spooky' cottage sort of thing going on that is not only cliched and bland, but destroys the visual balance.

Click to expand...

I couldn't disagree more! The Count's Cauldron was the first "dramatic change" from the original area and it ruined the authentic European imagery. I can't see how a totally blank wall with two windows, two strangely small turrets nailed on to it and a ton of McDonalds logos was a "perfect balance". Although it did look fun before it got all run down, The Count's Cauldron facade was totally fabricated and commercial instead of inspired by real European culture. It was looking so tacky recently and therefore not enjoyable.

You do know the current facade is the original facade from 1990. Only painted silly colours (which I agree looks all wrong). But I don't see how people could prefer a goofy McDonald's castle over what was intended and what ultimately suits the area best. I admit it still lacks character and could do with more life.

German towns don't have castles in the middle of them. They have inns, town halls, restaurants, beer halls, etc... They don't have gargoyles wearing monocles hanging off them.

And again why is Merlin's name being used? You think Nick Varney even knows this has happened?

Theme parks should treated as the high-art experiences that they are.

Click to expand...

What? High art experience? The purpose of a theme park is to be fun. Chessington was designed to be fun.

I went through a period a few years ago of thinking it was all about serious, arty out-of-body experiences, but I realised ultimately that's not enjoyable. That's a delusion. Chessington itself nothing to do with "subtle nuances" really, that's not its nature. It's fun, in a very special way. It's escaping the environment of everyday life to somewhere with character.

I think references to real European culture is more inspired than turning Translvania into "VampireLand". But painting it dull grey was the wrong thing to do.

Dave said:

Trouble is we are doomed as anyone who takes on these Merlin parks will be a commercial enterprise that just wont care about the details that don't make money. I can dream that the Mack family might take a fancy to buying Alton Towers but that's a pipe-dream (and Mack don't like thrill rides).

The Burger Kitchen looks absolutely horrid, Merlin Studios need to visit some foreign parks (like Phantasia and Europa) and see what quality constructed theming looks like. They also need to stop making all of their eateries look like bland if smart high-street restaurants... ITS A BLOODY THEME-PARK SO THEME THEM!!!!!

Grrrr

Click to expand...

Ooh my word Dave. <3

Got me wobbly at the knees there ;D

You are absolutely right though, that is what concerns me about the theme that has been removed, the pitiful attempt at a "theme" does not fill me with hope at all.

I don't get it either, no disrespect as I am a "creative" myself, but artists are not exactly hard to come by, so I don't understand who is actually doing this. There is a wealth of talent in this country seemingly being ignored.

I say this a lot, but I mean it, it would simply not happen if I was in charge. You can have both great theme, sensible cost, sensible developments and great service, without it costing a fortune to implement.

Penny wise, pound foolish, that is Merlin all over.

Maybe I am just naive, but I really don't believe they had no other choice but to demolish the theme work.

From the pictures it just looked like the outer layer of plaster was peeling, so why they couldn't have stripped this and re-applied it is beyond me.

And rotting or not rotting, those stone faces were hardly a hazard in all honesty.

electricBlll said:

I couldn't disagree more! The Count's Cauldron was the first "dramatic change" from the original area and it ruined the authentic European imagery. I can't see how a totally blank wall with two windows, two strangely small turrets nailed on to it and a ton of McDonalds logos was a "perfect balance". Although it did look fun before it got all run down, The Count's Cauldron facade was totally fabricated and commercial instead of inspired by real European culture. It was looking so tacky recently and therefore not enjoyable.

You do know the current facade is the original facade from 1990. Only painted silly colours (which I agree looks all wrong). But I don't see how people could prefer a goofy McDonald's castle over what was intended and what ultimately suits the area best. I admit it still lacks character and could do with more life.

German towns don't have castles in the middle of them. They have inns, town halls, restaurants, beer halls, etc... They don't have gargoyles wearing monocles hanging off them.

And again why is Merlin's name being used? You think Nick Varney even knows this has happened?

Theme parks should treated as the high-art experiences that they are.

Click to expand...

What? High art experience? The purpose of a theme park is to be fun. Chessington was designed to be fun.

I went through a period a few years ago of thinking it was all about serious, arty out-of-body experiences, but I realised ultimately that's not enjoyable. That's a delusion. Chessington itself nothing to do with "subtle nuances" really, that's not its nature. It's fun, in a very special way. It's escaping the environment of everyday life to somewhere with character.

I think references to real European culture is more inspired than turning Translvania into "VampireLand". But painting it dull grey was the wrong thing to do.

Click to expand...

Yes, I know the Count's Cauldron was not in the very original design, but it added a whole lot more character to the street, which cannot be remotely said for what it has become. Yes, you can have a bland faux street with more 'accurate' Germanic buildings, or alternatively you can exaggerate the truth to make something with variety and genuine visual intrigue. Having another Germanic building opposite another Germanic building, next to another Germanic building... Yeah ok, I get it... So what...? Variety is key to design. It is only by seeing difference that we are able to differentiate, to relate to concepts, and to understand the sort of environment we inhabit through the theme park's visual communication. And I disagree, the castle was not goofy, it made perfect aesthetic sense from a design perspective, and as I said, the fact it recently looked 'tacky' does not warrant a complete redesign, it purely means it needs some damn maintenance. The current building looks like the tackiest new development I've seen in a UK theme park recently. Cliche, boring, samey, bland, and tacky.

Also, you show little to no understanding of entertainment if you think something which is high-art is not fun. Entertainment is a complex beast whose only foundation is emotion.

I have studied Experience design which has given me a great understanding of how this sort of thing works, and I have come to realise that theme park design is just like any other artform with a capacity to move people, so you can stop obnoxiously calling me 'deluded'. Experience design is just interactive performance art with all the same complexity and power to make people feel a full palette of different emotions as all arts.

Theme parks are as easily a high-art experience as going to see the opera, theatre, cinema, paintings, etc...

I agree with peoples opinions on the interior of burger kitchen. It's ridiculous.

Totally not understanding the idea of making it like a high street. Okay, you get some people relating and venturing inside, but if they wanna eat then they'll go in. It's the food which makes the difference, not the visuals! Infact, if done well it'll bloody compliment the food.

I hate it, particularly after the FCC at towers last year, going down the high street "scared of everything" option with all burger kitchens is bitterly disappointing.

Re: Chessington Where Art Thou?

Meh, you visit Chessington, you grow up with it, it introduces you to theatrical effects, new ideas, inspires you to be creative, you revel in the spirit of it all... Only to get told you have "no understanding" because you're not overtly precious and serious about it. Oh well.

I could write a lot in response, Meat Pie, but theme parks aren't about essays. One doesn't need education in 'experience design' to understand how a theme park works; I realised how it worked by simply being there as a child. It's fascinating. But, well, who wants to deconstruct and analyse? I just want to escape and have fun with others. Now that's the purpose of a theme park.

I don't want to pass judgement but let me say:
You show no understanding of fun in the context of Chessington if you truly believe it is just about installation art. Was John Wardley a master artist when he conceived a way to basically copy Disneyland while sitting in the bath one day? No, he was being spontaneous; if anything Chessington was a tribute to spontaneity and escapism.

The Count's Cauldron was "variety" in the same way that a painter adding their own drawings to somebody else's work is 'variety'. It was incongruous, making the area less coherent; even when I was 10 I could see that a McDonalds castle did not fit. A conglomerate of styles weakens the effect, and Transylvania is a prime example of a great land that has been endlessly fiddled with - to its detriment - since it opened. :twirly:

On a slightly different note, according to Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Chessington is home to Colossus!

Electric Bill - Meh, has been a long life-visitor and fan of Chessington, grows up to be fascinated by the theme park culture which eventually leads him to the arts, studies basic design followed by study of the theory and application of design for interactive visitor experiences, only to get told that my opinion is objectively wrong and that I am deluding myself.

Don't play the victim as to squirm out of an argument, it's beneath you and it's beneath me.

I'm in no-way saying the point of a theme park is to deconstruct and analyse it, of course it is to be enjoyed, but enjoyment comes in many many different forms. If it didn't we wouldn't have such a thing as variation in style and medium in art. Anyway, I thought since this is a forum dedicated to theme parks, deconstruction and analysis of this subject would have been welcomed. What a dry and utterly boring subject themes parks would be to talk about if we were only allowed to discuss the skin-deep aspects of rides. Luckily that's not the case and I will continue to analyse and discuss experience based attractions and refute people who try to shoot down the medium as something culturally insignificant.

Anyway in answer to your question, was John Wardley a master artist when he conceived an immersive theme park experience that plays very effectively with emotions, whether they be trepidation, excitement, relief, humour, etc... Yes he was. So what if he was inspired by Disneyland? If inspiration was a way of disregarding artists, well you wouldn't have artists since everything that has ever been achieved has been built on the foundation of collective human experience.

We obviously disagree purely subjectively on the Count's Calderon. I think that it provided important visual variety in terms of architecture, you don't. Fair enough, but it is a basic design truism that having too much of one thing makes for a less aesthetically pleasing visual.

And finally, I will not be told I'm deluded for considering theme parks to be high-art. They do everything that good art does, and yes, it has it's limitations and weaknesses but so does every medium.

Basically, we have pretty much the same ethos, but you take a serious arty stance to it and I've learnt just to have a carefree oingo boingo viewpoint. I love both mindsets to be honest, but when it comes to Chessington it's simply about innocent fun.

I'm only trying to "squirm" away because arguing on the internet is dull, boring and obsessive; it dampens the flare and all that. I doubt anybody else on this forum wants to read two people throwing abstract words at each other, so I'm refraining from writing essays. (but I could if you wanted, I've spent 5 years thinking about this stuff! :twirly: )

You know I once had this idea of an 'art park' that I was convinced could be amazing. It would act as a living museum, but use theme park techniques as a medium to engage the audience in their musical subconscious to brilliant extent. Whereas other art forms are limited to which senses they appeal to, a dark ride has the potential to totally immerse people in an experience - physically, kinetically, theatrically, aurally, visually, even aromatically (I loved the smell of BubbleWorks, didn't you?) and therefore mentally - taking it to a whole new level. It would be turning imagination into reality, or perhaps the other way around.

But to pretend all that applies to Chessington is silly. John Wardley was not an artist, just a very clever magician. He was not getting into anything meaningful when he planned Chessington, apart kickstarting the whole British theme park industry; he was just providing a place where all kinds of people could have fun. And he knew what to do brilliantly, always thinking from the perspective of the visitor, to make it as entertaining as possible.

Do you think there was any other point to the Count's Cauldron, or Dragon River, or the park on the whole? Not really. Mr Wardley said himself it was not to be taken so seriously. "Sure, we're in the middle of the Surrey countryside". I totally get that. He more recently said how his basic plan for Chessington was to copy some of Disney's ideas - the Runaway Trains (the one at Alton Towers, too) were attempts at imitating Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, for example. I'm not saying he was plagiaristic, just pointing out the reality of the situation.

And what I mean by deluded is, if you walk into places like this:

And compare it to opera and Shakespeare, then... it's little... odd?

electricBlll said:

John Wardley was not an artist

Click to expand...

I can deal with two people having an interesting debate on what art and theme parks mean to them, neither of you and both of you are right. Meat for once actually takes a more moderate line in that, he gives more credit for the art and effort that goes in.

The one thing I must take big issue with, is downplaying what JW has done. Now, he may well be a humble and grounded chap, as well as very generous and funny, and we do Lord him up a bit here and why not? To say though, he is not an artist is rather outrageous.

JW is not only an artist, but an absolute master of his work. He deserves far more credibility and respect. Anyone who is an artist, (ie creative), across any genre - be it coaster design, still life, drum and bass, thespians - whatever, don't simply imagine feats of this magnitude without having had a huge amount of experience, and no doubt hard, hard graft, to get to the point they can actually realise something of the magnitude of Chessington.

Theme Parks are meant to be enjoyed, but to create something that is effortless to simply enjoy is one of the hardest feats imaginable in any creative art!!

My gosh, if making challenging music that made people think, sit up, evaluate, test their senses etc was the standard then I'd be well away - but it isn't! Making music that takes you on a journey and helps you forget what you are doing, is one of the single most difficult things to grasp - and you will make very, very few of these through your career IF you are lucky

The fact is it SO effortless to enjoy, is testament to exactly how brilliant it was done first time around!

Art that is effortless upon the sensory palette, yet whisks you away, is the single hardest thing to achieve in any creative discipline, bar none.

Chessington is not fluke, in the art that is a Theme Park, to create such an effortless experience is something rare, executed with exceptional skill, and is something that we seldom will find replicated nowadays.

JW was not just an artist, he is a brilliantly talented and respected one, and well deserving of any accolades and praise he recieves - not because I am a theme park junkie fan boying over him, but because I am a hard grafting artist, that admires, and respects his achievements.



That is not some accident, not on that level, that is absolute genius.

If you would take time to slowly read and understand every point I am making, I would be very grateful; even if you disagree, you will see I am far from unappreciative, but I am a realist. Sorry to everybody else who isn't interested in the discussion, I know I'm rambling.

I actually never expected to be told I'm downplaying John Wardley, it just shows you don't know me. He was a huge influence on me, I admire his personality, his mind, his work, and I keep trying to express that. I wrote an awful song and video about him years ago (ok, bad example), then I planned to write a screenplay for a film biopic of his life, for goodness sake. I don't think I'm special or anything, but with every new word he speaks I learn more, so I feel like I have adopted his ethos.

But an artist? It depends on your definitions of an artist, I guess. Mr Wardley himself wouldn't agree with that. If you ever listened to what he has to say with an open mind, you would realise he has spent his whole live dedicated to entertaining others because that was what he was good at, and part of his kind of entertainment is to not take things too seriously.

TheMan said:

Theme Parks are meant to be enjoyed, but to create something that is effortless to simply enjoy is one of the hardest feats imaginable in any creative art!!

Click to expand...

Well yes, obviously I know that. You may spend months channeling all your energy into something creative for the sake of a few seconds of other people's enjoyment. But it's worth that effort. A theme park is the trickiest, it has to truly seem convincing and pure in its delivery, whatever the concept may be, otherwise the illusion is broken.

Which is exactly my point about the Count's Cauldron detracting from the authenticity of the area. It was just a big white plasterboard over the top of the old Black Forest Chateau, covering up the dimensions of the building and making it look too flat, despite the decorative bits and pieces they nailed on top. At least now they have uncovered the various recesses and architectural physique of the original facade to give it more shape. I know that's being picky but physicality is important in art, right?

JW was an illusionist by nature, hence I called him a magician in my previous post. He knew how be spontaneous and fun, how to get the public laughing and smiling. I was the public when I visited Chessington, I was one of the millions of average people who laughed and smiled; of course I appreciate that he did that for me.

The way I see it: His team would design whole new lands from the perspective of the visitor, anticipating how their perception of a place develops as they move through it and ride it, something which I feel isn't understood these days.

Take Dragon River for example. It's an average log flume - gentle, fun, has tall drops. But the way it integrates with its surrounding area is beautiful, and its scenery gentle and authentic - what a lovely simple environment. I remember the sense of exploration as you walked past the Buddha faces, with that long view out across the water, before walking over the Chinese bridge into a mountainous area while the boats secretly travel above and below you, and finally coming out into an Oriental village while colourful music plays. [It didn't have nearly the same effect after they removed the mountain, exposing how small the area actually is and spoiling some of the illusion.] Now I have actually been to a real Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, and what do you know? They have a giant sculpture of Buddha almost identical to the one that sits below the lift hill. So it's accurate as well as fun.

To call Chessington a "high-art experience" is being pretentious, to put it bluntly. I know other theme parks operate on that level, so perhaps they are the 'art parks'; but as JW said "the British sense of fun is a lot less precious" than the way other countries do things, and Chessington was built on that ethos. Its style is to be light and fun, embodying a persona of "wild adventure" for the enjoyment of the people, NOT to be a medium for heavy, meaningful, existentialism, or whatever you expect it to be.

I can just imagine some of you ferociously trying to absorb the intellectual artistic brilliance of Dragon Falls, instead of just sitting back and having a laugh as the ride intends you to do.

Is there any higher-level intelligence in being squirted in the face by a pneumatic elephant? No, but it was one of the best parts of the ride. Is there any meaningful point in to dancing in the strobe lights of BubbleWorks as water towers over your head? No, but it was my fondest memory. You see, if JW was some maestro artist trying to communicate his "high level" viewpoint on life then his rides wouldn't have nearly as much appeal.

I don't disagree that Falls was up there with Chaucer and Einstein, however I do agree that Falls was an excellent display of immersion. Walking through Mystic East was the best bit of escapism in the Tussauds group before 2005 when the first part of rockwork was removed.

The removal of the walls surrounding Falls final drop makes me an angry enthusiast. Sure they were only a visual element and in truth added very little to the actual ride when on it. But they were part of the 'story' if you like and practically it hid the Fifth Dimension shed behind it. What really frustrates me is that I know for this season at least, there will be no attempt at all to hide the shed away from public view. So what you have is a very ugly final log flume drop in front of an ugly shed.

If anyone is in any doubt as to Dragon Falls (nee; River)'s former glory, here are a few scans from my 1988 guide book.

The rocks round the main lift are now long gone. The Buddha hasn't moved.



The dragon was unpainted in it's first season, making it look more like a rock carving:



The faces from Angkor Wat when they were new:



Also, note how the water was once dyed blue!

:'(

All I am going to say is this.

THIS is the ACTUAL Angkor Wat, a UNESCO world heritage site.


Now check out the pictures above from Diogo.

Clearly, not taken at all seriously was it?

Bill, you're a great poster on here, and theme means stuff to you, and it means stuff to Meat. Both of your meanings, mean nothing to me as they are subjective.

All I do, is appreciate the effort as a theme park lover, and dedicated artist. However, to suggest that taking one of the most highly regarded sites on the planet, and place of huge meaning to many, and suggesting it cannot mean high art to some is just wrong. Of course it can, what is more, it darn well should do given the subject matter!! To not, would show a MASSIVE amount of disrespect!

As someone who considers it neither, but can respect that it can be whimsical to some, and more deep for others - I think it is important that people are able to express what it means to them.

Meat thanked my post where I pointed out that you were both, and neither right, because it is subjective.

It can be effortlessly enjoyed as both high art, rather impressively accurate to one of the most brilliant and highly symbolic sites on Earth, and as simply a theme park sojourn on a water ride - and performs both exceptionally well (well, it DID anyway).

This was not some half arsed stylised version, I always knew it was good, but those pictures actually impress me even more.

Merlin, if you don't put this back to its former glory, PROPERLY, you should be banned from owning theme parks.

I don't even know how they managed that truth be told, if all the parks put that effort in now, with technology as it is, we could ACTUALLY have Disney competitive parks on a slightly smaller scale.

However, if they actually restore this beautiful piece of artwork - which it undoubtedly is - then, for what it is worth, they will receive high high praise from me.

EDIT:
Just to add here, when I talk about Counts Cauldron, I am referring to what they have done to the inside. It seems to be dividing opinion on the outside - however I think we all agree, that the new facade with that colour, is awful, and the inside as bland as their Burger Chicken greasy nugget things.

Never been to Chessie but... just...

Words fail me.

I was planning on visiting Chessie for the first time this season, but now? I really don't think I'll even bother.

Jonathan said:

I was planning on visiting Chessie for the first time this season, but now? I really don't think I'll even bother.

Click to expand...

It is still worth a visit Jon. Especially if you haven't been.

Vampire alone is worthy of the visit. Rattlesnake a very unexpected bonus. Bubbleworks quirky and amusing, even if it isn't what it was - it is still a giggle and the kiddies love it, it is very pretty. The atmosphere is usually still nice also, staff really friendly, just feels very welcoming - that is worthy of visiting for too.

It is in a bit of a state at the moment, but in this case I believe we need to support the park not abandon it.

If anything, now it is the time it really needs the enthusiasts to be shouting loudly about it.

I will be if I can!

EDIT:
Merlin may also plan to restore it properly. If they do that, they are deserving of praise.