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2013 most expensive year to date?

A

Anonymous

We all know by now that SW7 is costing around £18 million for the park but on top of that could this be the most expensive year of investment for the park looking at these key things:

- SW7 Installment
- Burger Kitchen in CCL
- Burger Kitchen in MB
- Burger Kitchen in FV
- Extensive maintenance on Submission
- Extensive maintenance on Enterprise
- Extensive maintenance on Hex
- Roumered work on Oblivion to bring it up to scratch
- Sub Terra - fixing lifts
- General park maintenance
- Flume maintenance

Adding all these elements up together and potentially more is this the most expensive year of investment for the park? For all we know as well there could be more going on behind the scenes that we don't know about just yet! After all the cuts we have seen this year it looks like the park are upping there game next season and pulling out all the stops to make it a fantastic season!
 
I agree, this year probably is, relatively, the most expensive year ever at the park - although the lack of work on old rides in the past has lead to them having to maintenance a lot of them at once now; so in a way it's an expectation and not something we should be complimenting them for :p

You missed out the work on Hex as well ;)
 
^ added Hex in! Totally forgot about that! Potentially maby Merlin have started to realize they need to go back to they're older attractions and give them TLC. I wish they'd give Ripsaw its much deserved TLC and not just general winter maintenance if they did im sure it would pronoun it lifetime at the park.

But in terms of the park itself after all the cuts in which we have seen this year, Merlin may have realized that they cant do this to its flagship park after the backlash it caused this year. But so far it looks like all the stops are being pulled out to make sure 2013 can run as smooth as possible - to a extent.
 
I would have no idea, but I'd think in real terms the biggest investment years would have been some of the early ones when the initial infrastructure had to be put in place, along with the rides themselves. There is very little physical expansion now. I'd think either 1992 (new beast, mine train, haunted house, all into completely newly developed areas, along with re-themed rapids and relocated beastie and tri-star) or 1987 (Skyride and Monorail (both must have cost a fortune to install?) and Swan Boats and Teacups).

I doubt there is any reliable way to tell though, I don't think the £xxm figures banded about for todays investments have any real meaning.
 
pluk said:
I would have no idea, but I'd think in real terms the biggest investment years would have been some of the early ones when the initial infrastructure had to be put in place, along with the rides themselves. There is very little physical expansion now. I'd think either 1992 (new beast, mine train, haunted house, all into completely newly developed areas, along with re-themed rapids and relocated beastie and tri-star) or 1987 (Skyride and Monorail (both must have cost a fortune to install?) and Swan Boats and Teacups).

I doubt there is any reliable way to tell though, I don't think the £xxm figures banded about for todays investments have any real meaning.
Click to expand...

Relatively though, both labour and hardware was cheaper back then and so I wouldn't imagine that either of those years would have seen in excess of £18m of today's money being spent. I very much doubt that the £18m figure includes things like the Hex maintenance and the Burger King/Kitchen renovation - so it is in all likelihood actually more than that.
 
1994 was a massive investment year with £10 million spent on Nemesis and a further £2 million on Toyland Tours. They also spent £5 million on marketing that year which I don't think was included in the individual ride budgets.

Not the park itself but Splash Landings, Cariba Creek and the Conference Centre cost within the region of £40 million in 2003 plus there was the Duel retheme on park that year too.

Nevertheless 2013 willl certainly be up there as one of the park's biggest investment years. We all know though of course that a budget is not a good measure of success. Charlie and Th13teen are proof.

:)
 
The comment about the budget though Merlin have started to.. well now anyway go back to attractions after they've been complete.

Charlie I believe had extra pipes/neon stuff added?

Sub Terra had a overall I think after it opened which now gives it a overall better experience! Partly due to complaints though!

Shark Bait Reef is constantly updated - I don't know whether this is a complete different budget to park though and maby covered by SEALIFE financials.

Katanga Canyon also another prime example, if you look back at when Merlin first took over around 2008/9 the park added extra themeing into the queline of Congo River Rapids aswell as updating the ropes on RMT.

Basically it just goes to show, even though it does take time that Merlin will (eventually) revist they're older attractions and invest even a little into them, which can only be a good thing at the end of the day!
 
You missed out Burger Kitchen in Forbidden Valley. :p

2013 will not be the biggest investment in Alton's history I doubt. However it will certainly be there as one of the top years with the most money spent. Hopefully it should result in a very good year for Alton. If they ensure the events are top notch too and overall create an enjoyable atmosphere around the park it will be a great year for them. I would hope that 2013 has the same feel of 2010, an all round good year that feels like the resort is polished and at it's best.
 
As usual, topics like these forget to take into account inflation.

1996 and 2003 will almost certainly have been more expensive years (hotels cost a fortune) and 1994 probably was more expensive (major coaster about the same [inflation adjusted] cost as SW7, as well as a major new dark ride.)
 
There's work being done on every single ride and attraction, it's far from notable in many cases.
 
After looking at what merlin have done its quite impressive, it's a massive park for them to go at and they have basically brought a well established theme park back the 80's and 90's and are keeping it modern section by section. We will always see faults from how many times we visit, but if they keep the improving the park, rides and hotels it's going to be brilliant after this "long term plan".

I'm just hopeing they spend a bit more on scarefest and fireworks this year, there is some major profit there.
 
2013 most expensive year to date?

I wonder if some of the money for these reservations are coming from the SW7 total investment pot?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.
 
I wonder if the cost cutting earlier in the year was to give them a budget to do all this extra work on older rides?
 
Most of the 'work' is essential and not optional, it takes place every year as it is compulsory to conduct thorough examinations of the rides. This involves dismantling them, at least partially.
 
The Psychoaster said:
pluk said:
I would have no idea, but I'd think in real terms the biggest investment years would have been some of the early ones when the initial infrastructure had to be put in place, along with the rides themselves. There is very little physical expansion now. I'd think either 1992 (new beast, mine train, haunted house, all into completely newly developed areas, along with re-themed rapids and relocated beastie and tri-star) or 1987 (Skyride and Monorail (both must have cost a fortune to install?) and Swan Boats and Teacups).

I doubt there is any reliable way to tell though, I don't think the £xxm figures banded about for todays investments have any real meaning.
Click to expand...

Relatively though, both labour and hardware was cheaper back then and so I wouldn't imagine that either of those years would have seen in excess of £18m of today's money being spent.
Click to expand...

No it wasn't, relatively to what? That's exactly what inflation means.

Whatever they invested in £ back then would cost pretty much double that now. The labour was cheaper but would have been 'worth' a lot more, wages have not kept up with inflation so relatively speaking would have been more expensive.

I'm not saying it isn't excellent that they clearly investing quite heavily in both new things and maintaining the old, but what they are doing is building on the exceptionally extravagant things done many years ago.
 
I'd love to see some people's faces when they turn up on park next year and realise that everything is still falling to pieces and looks no different. :p
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I'd love to see some people's faces when they turn up on park next year and realise that everything is still falling to pieces and looks no different. :p
Click to expand...

As optimistic as ever ::)
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I'd love to see some people's faces when they turn up on park next year and realise that everything is still falling to pieces and looks no different. :p
Click to expand...

I'm not expecting a huge change in the state of the park, obviously any new coaster gives the place a boost but i'm not expecting miracles.

That said Hex has been significantly worked on this closed season and the three new food outlets will help. Also Rita no longer has the scaffold tunnels underneath. The trouble is Merlin don't give any of their parks much budget to work on old rides (just look how shabby rattlesnake looks at Chessie and Colosus as Thorpe). So i'm not expecting miracles.
 
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