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2014: Family Developments

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BigAl said:
I really hope they don't go for an IP as tacky and uninspiring as Moshi Monsters for the replacement of one or more of the three kids areas at the front of the park! I think I'd cry if an area as magical and original as Storybook Land or Old MacDonald's Farmyard was replaced with something like that!

Why spend so much retheming an area or two to kids fad that will undoubtedly be replaced in a year or so with yet another fad? At least replace it all with something that won't be forgotten easily that also appeals to the whole family.

Storybook Land will be in its 16th season this year and the Farmyard in it's current form (though it opened in 1989, it became Old MacDonald's Farm in 1995) is in its 17th season. They need to think about how IPs fare in the long term, because something like Moshi Monsters won't. I seriously doubt kids in 16 to 17 years will still be playing it.

They probably won't even know what it is.
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Would like to thank you for this great point, this area will be the most difficult area to re-theme within the park.
 
I would prefer them to update and expand on the existing children's themes rather than change them completely.

Sadly, it's likely we will see throwaway IP's because they undoubtedly want something they can market heavily.
 
There's been some talk that Aardman Studios are looking to expand other characters beside Wallace & Gromit into theme parks and attractions after the already expected success of Blackpool. This talk has focused on Asia, but what's to stop Shaun the Sheep, and those amazing (but old but now dated :'( ) Chickens from Chicken Run landing in the Farmyard?
 
:eek:

That would be perfect! Not only because the Shaun the Sheep characters are amazing, but it'd also be a fairly easy re-theme.

This please, Alton!
 
josht said:
this area will be the most difficult area to re-theme within the park.
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I think the whole Old Mac Donalds Farm would really suit an eco-makeover. Imagine a more modern farm with dome greenhouses and windturbines. What about the first carbon neutral attraction?

Educational, relevant and could be themed really well with characters and such.
 
mrvardermier123 said:
josht said:
this area will be the most difficult area to re-theme within the park.
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I think the whole Old Mac Donalds Farm would really suit an eco-makeover. Imagine a more modern farm with dome greenhouses and windturbines. What about the first carbon neutral attraction?

Educational, relevant and could be themed really well with characters and such.
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Good idea! Love the Wallace and Gromit idea. Has stood the test of time and is still popular!
 
Working for a big retailer :-[ we do something called licensed events with the toys/music, video and games dept and the most popular lines by far are disney(not going to happen for obvious reasons) moshi monsters and skylanders. So I have got to agree with the moshi monster idea it's very popular with kids (boys and girls) and AT have already tired the idea at half term which seemed to be quite successful.

An IP is just easier to market and will bring in more families with younger kids than an unknown character (which in turn brings in more profit for new rides :D). There are loads of different moshi monsters and every kid has a favourite one, there are just so many option with this IP.

Skylanders is again very popular most shops cant get enough of them at the minute and there is a world of possibilities when it comes to themes (giants, spyros adventure and lost islands to name a few) there is in excess of 50 characters for AT to focus on.

All moshi monsters or skylander characters have different abilities, so could be used to theme individual rides and mini areas inside the main themed area.

I'm not the biggest fan of IP's I just feel that they will increase the number of families with younger kids and make the towers more money in long run.
 
I'm hoping to see a few small attractions added to the park lineup for 2014, but mainly focussing on improving some of the existing rides.

Thorpe and Chessington seem to refurbish their rides every few years, adding more theming or just giving them a good clean and repaint. This is something that rarely happens at Towers.

The Congo River Rapids could be easily (and cheaply!) improved; it still manages to pull a crowd and adding more to it for 2014 would make it even more sustainable in the park. I think the station could have lots of theming added, repaint the station 'arms' no need to change the design, just repaint them, add some more ropes and chains to the station, with random things hanging around like explorers hats, boxes. Also lanterns could be included around the station, meaning no horrible festoon lights at scarefest, the same sort of lantern as those installed in mutiny bay, if hung from the station 'arms' would have the spotlights shining onto the station platform and the light in the middle giving off a gentle glow.

The tunnel could also be updated, install some lanterns, add a few water features, nothing major but would help to make the tunnel more exciting, also install a few speakers in there. A ride soundtrack could be added to play in the station, top queueline, tunnel and the ride photo shop, I thought Nemesis Inferno's theme suited the ride quite well and would add a whole lot more atmosphere to the ride. Also around the ride where it softens out and slows, install small geysers (the same style that are at PortAventura) these would add a great element of surprise and would be relatively inexpensive. Although, correct me if I'm wrong, but on seeing recent photos of the rapids it appears they have cheaply placed some boards over the top of the wooden design on the rapids station with the graphic printed onto it?

Another idea for improvement would be the Storybook Land tent, maybe not a new attraction for in there, but a large restaurant could be retrofitted into it. It's an ideal location and is large enough to accommodate a lot of people. Also, with the entrance being themed so well, the inside of the restaurant could be themed excellently, small twinkling lights attached to the tent, like a night sky, and 'trees' dotted about the edges of the restaurant, the menu could suit the whole family, perhaps selling something similar to Towers Family restaurant.
 
I actually thought the other day: I wonder if Merlin have ever considered implementing Lego as an Intellectual Property into area concepts at sister theme parks?

Legoland parks are very lucrative for Merlin. It's a way of brand inter-connectivity, as we've seen with Sea Life attractions. It would doubtless be considerable cheaper for Merlin - meaning they could make it as immersive as they wanted. It very much follows the 'Thomas Land' model of 'a theme park within a theme park' that has been so successful for Drayton.

"Lego Towers"?
 
Burn.e said:
I actually thought the other day: I wonder if Merlin have ever considered implementing Lego as an Intellectual Property into area concepts at sister theme parks?

Legoland parks are very lucrative for Merlin. It's a way of brand inter-connectivity, as we've seen with Sea Life attractions. It would doubtless be considerable cheaper for Merlin - meaning they could make it as immersive as they wanted. It very much follows the 'Thomas Land' model of 'a theme park within a theme park' that has been so successful for Drayton.

"Lego Towers"?
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I've also wondered if they would ever do this. It would give Towers an IP that they can freely use and that they know would be popular due to Windsor and the Discovery Centre in Manchester.

When would we expect to see a planning application for this because if they want to avoid another Smiler situation I would have thought they would want to start work in this sooner rather than later.
 
Personally I cannot see Alton Towers going for an IP within the Merlin Chain. Not for now at least. Lego seems more appropriate for a re-theme of Cloud Cuckoo Land.

I have a feeling they will go with either a kids tv show or a film franchise of some description. TV show IPs have worked incredibly well in other UK theme parks and probably does the best with market research, so I can see Alton Towers following something that will be very safe and secure a good boost of families visiting the park.
 
There was a rumour at one point of a Lego overlay to the waterpark as there are several Lego waterparks out there already and we all know Merlin love a generic theme.

As for 2014, I rather suspect we might not see anything now. With a reportedly very quiet season to date, the smiler missing 2 deadlines having a knock on effect to attendance and finance I think we might see the 2014 plans pushed back a year.
 
I would love to see a Lego dark ride. maybe when CATTC IP runs out they could change that into a nice lego ride.

With the knock on affect of the smilers late opening on the finances, it could be a cheaper way of getting a new ride in that area.
 
JB1985 said:
shouldnt something start happening soon for 2014? Thats if there is anything happening.
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And, as if by magic:

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Photo courtesy of Theme Park Worldwide over on Facebook.

The comment on the photo reads:

Sound tests have been taking place around Storybook Land over the past 2 days ahead of the 2014 family development for the area. Various speakers can be seen around Squirrel Nutty and the old ice arena.
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AshleeKel said:
Probably a stupid question, but what is the importance of the sound tests?
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I'd assume, if they're going to have area music/audio and music for the show, they'll want to see if it can be heard outside the park so they can keep in accordance with the restrictions around these areas.

From what I can recall, these areas are quite close to the house near the main gate (as is X-Sector) and thus fall into that category.
 
Yeah, they are most likely testing the water for sound volumes in the local area and also within the park itself.

If they have intentions of bringing a show to the park too (something on the scale of the previous ice show please) sound tests will also help them with developing plans for the area.

Although.. are we sure this is related to 2014? The speakers may be there for Alton Towers Live or a private event.
 
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