CBeebies Land

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

Josh said:

I really don't understand how re-doing the whole area and re-painting it bright colours is a bad thing...

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Well because pretty much every area redesign in the last 10 years boils down to repainting/redressing existing structures in bright colours and covering up old signage.

Recycling old areas is much less impressive than creating something completely new. Storybook Land is just becoming different-coloured-Storybook Land. But without the nostalgia of Alton Towers' 1996 family-targeted branding.

At least the Farm itself is having new structures built.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

Painting things in bright multi-colours is a cheap and lazy way to try and refresh an old theme.

It remains to be seen what the end result will look like. But the BBC are involved so they will have to adhere to a certain quality.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

I think it's right to have a concern about bright colours. Unlike parks abroad we have a lot of bad weather so bright colours can get ugly pretty quickly. You only have to look at how manky parts of The Smiler were after 6 months of operating (the chevrons for example).

While the BBC will no doubt want a polished product we're sure to see yearly maintenance. But for how long... 2 years? 3? 4? Even if Merlin are forced to spend money on maintaining the area year-on-year until the IP leaves the place, the bright colours could get pretty ugly in park season.

I'm personally remaining a bit optimistic for the time being. It could look great all year!

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

The issue I think we have is that a lot of people have very fond memories of the farm, storybook land and 80s or 90s kids TV. Therefore many people will automatically have negative opinions on what has been done before it's even opened or seen in the flesh.

We don't know that the area will be left to fade, we don't know that it will look bad, we also aren't truly in a position to judge kids TV these days either. People our age will always appreciate shows they grew up with and new stuff won't seem as good in comparison - but I bet the vast majority of kids watching CBeebies would have no interest in watching 90s kids television...

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

Its not negative Ice Age is a brought in theme and the front of the theatre looks awful green mould on the signage the ice all going green. I did like the farm area yes but you can bet it won't be kept up. When Story book land opened in 1996 in the winter everything was covered up with clear thick sheeting until the park was taken over by merlin now look at the place. In fact all signage was covered in all areas now its just left open to the elements . I remember going for an interview in Bagshaws and it was January and it was strange because all you could see was plastic sheeting covering everything. And that bright paint will take some up keep.

I keep adding my (so called Negative point of view) but in reality you'll get a great opening day with CBeebies tv personality's on opening day. Then from then on when a new show becomes popular they will send up from London the next batch of costumes relevant to that show put school leavers in the costumes for minimum pay and get rid of some thing out of date. A BBC shop selling there product and they won't come up saying this needs painting that needs fixing. Have you seen the Ice Age costumes they are matted. That area will take some serious up keep from the construction photo's. when Thirteen open I remember a member on Towers Times saying the building was better made than the Haunted House and look at that . I worked in costume wardrobe when the Tweenies show ran for 2 years and no one from the BBC came near and they wasn't even proper tweenies heads just static heads no movement like there TV counter parts. But when you had Barney you had moving mouths the works . I just think they are and have already spoilt another great area when it could have been put perhaps in CC Land where it would have fit in better and could easily be removed or painted over. That area was a well built and built to last area and its lost. I'm not adding anymore to this topic but just watch that area get worse as the year (years go by)

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

We have the Talbot Street forum, if you want to get nostalgic about the work you did at the park, and talk melodramatically about how an area which is being given a good spruce-up has been "lost"...

Rose. Tinted. Glasses.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

Call it what you like Ma watch that space

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

Yes, it might well fade and look terrible in a couple of seasons - but equally it might look fantastic still and be regularly refreshed and tweaked to improve the area. Just because it isn't in the style or ways of old Alton Towers doesn't mean that it will be worse, or left to rot.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

And what new areas have been kept up ?

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

At the end of the day there wasn't really any other family areas to re-theme, having only just done CCL and Mutiny bay. I realise that some people have fond memories of the farmyard and storybook land but from a business point of view 90's nostalgia doesn't attract families as much as one of the most popular children's television channels. I for one don't think that we as a community have a good idea of how much this will take off as it's not aim at people our age, but judging by the reaction on social networking and whatnot it looks like it's going to be very popular.

I realise that from their track record that yes some of their new areas aren't maintained as much as we would hope, but at least for however long this area is covered by the IP I would assume they will have a larger budget for maintaining the area as that's what the BBC expects.

We can but hope...

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

cybermen39 said:

And what new areas have been kept up ?

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That's got nothing to do with what I was saying.

I have merely said that although the theming may be left to fade or rot - we have no idea that this is actually what will happen. It could well be repainted and refreshed every closed season for all we know right now! All I said was "just because it isn't in the style or ways of old Alton Towers doesn't mean that it will be worse, or left to rot."

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

Don't forget that Towers now employ permanent ride staff, which means a lot more general cleaning/painting jobs on the rides will be done over the closed season.

I know for a fact that the attractions on my team are looking much better than they usually do at this time of year!

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

Its not a nostalgia thing every one knows times moves on. The BBC will see the up keep of there Costumes . But its Merlin that hold the key to the up keep of the park and they fail at all the areas they have done over the years . Time will tell.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

To me it's unfair to compare the tattier Storybook Land / Farmyard with the new Cbeebies Land as the newer area will feel better. But compared to those two areas in their prime? I'd say the chances of this being better are very, very slim. The fact that this is mainly just a repaint of the older areas is already one mark against it.

I guess we'll soon see which side of the argument is correct when it all opens.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

cybermen39 said:

Its not a nostalgia thing every one knows times moves on.

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It becomes nostalgia when people let their thoughts of the past cloud their thoughts on what the future will be like.

But its Merlin that hold the key to the up keep of the park and they fail at all the areas they have done over the years . Time will tell.

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Time will tell - but there's no guarantee they will 'fail' again is all.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

I think it's completely understandable if people do doubt the quality of the area. Merlin's track record of area re-themes is hardly great, so basing it on that there are bound to be doubts. The same goes for area upkeep. Obviously there is the BBC involvement, I am hopeful that this will force Merlin and Towers to produce something of a high quality.

Saying that I've just remembered that I had a dream about CBeebies Land last night and it was god awful!

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

To be fair it's a bit hard to look at a place like Alton Towers without referring to the past.

Even if we ignore the Tussauds days (as times have changed etc..) the last 6 years have shown how lazy re-themes have been at Alton Towers. I think it's pretty fair for people to remain a bit doubtful at this point.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

I visited Peppa Pig World last year and that area was fantastic, it looked clean and bright, an almost new after 2 years but even whilst we were there on a very busy summers day there were maintenance people cutting the hedges and cleaning the place up.

I guarantee that the holder of the IP will want the area to look excellent all of the time as it will damage their IP and reputation if it isn't. Cbeebies Land isn't just a Tweenies costume in a little show tucked away in the corner of a the park; it's a massive investment, prime location and the first time the BBC have properly ventured into this arena. It also represents a multitude of massive internationally renowned IPs such as Postman Pat, In the Night Garden.

Anyway only time will tell and we can speculate as much as we want about how the area will look on 2 years but it's pointless.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

It's time for a CBeebies Land construction update! Enjoy!

This saddens me:


Squirrel Nutty's station:


From the other side:


Poor old shells:


There used to be a bookworm here. It's now much more open:


I think this might be new planting, either that or the shrubs have been seriously pruned:






The most exciting part of this development, new toilets:


New walls in the Postman Pat ride area:


Another look:


The modified farm entrance building:


As you can see there is still no ride system in place:


The area is certainly going to be very bright once it's finished. The colours really stick out from Farley Lane when you are driving in.

As usual with my updates, all photos were taken from areas of the park fully accessible to the public. Please do not use my photos without permission. TowersStreet may use them if they wish.

Re: 2014: CBeebies Land

For all you shop alcholics wondering where the CBeebies Merchandise is, the agreement with the BBC means it will only be sold in the CBeebies area.

Source is a member of staff in Towers Trading.

If anyone from Alton Towers is reading this, there is a real lack of anything for children under 2.

Ian