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The World of David Walliams: General Discussion

Quick question I see merlin can use marvel iP at their tussauds attractions can they not be used at any other of their attractions in the UK? Just imagine how it could be used at the theme parks in the UK

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Not if you're under 1.2 mtr tall it isn't

I have four kids - my 6 year old is now growing out of CBeebies land so fair enough but my 9 year old is tall enough for Wickerman.

I guess your right it’s odd though that a coaster would be designed for ages6-8
 
I have four kids - my 6 year old is now growing out of CBeebies land so fair enough but my 9 year old is tall enough for Wickerman.

I guess your right it’s odd though that a coaster would be designed for ages6-8
We got my daughter into rides really young and she's bored of Cbeebies at 3! So I think it's more of the 4-8/9 kind of territory depending on how confident the kid is. My eldest doesn't like the 1.2 rides even though he's bee able to ride them for 2 years. Wickerman and Thirteen are a massive step up from Octonauts.

RMT fits the bill quite well. Towers need something like Flight of the Pterosour at Paultons.
 
We got my daughter into rides really young and she's bored of Cbeebies at 3! So I think it's more of the 4-8/9 kind of territory depending on how confident the kid is. My eldest doesn't like the 1.2 rides even though he's bee able to ride them for 2 years. Wickerman and Thirteen are a massive step up from Octonauts.

RMT fits the bill quite well. Towers need something like Flight of the Pterosour at Paultons.

I guess so... to be fair another RMT would be perfect

There is a lot missing from their line up
 
I guess so... to be fair another RMT would be perfect

There is a lot missing from their line up
There is indeed. That's why CCL needs to be a proper family area with a decent range of mildly thrilling 0.9 - 1.2 height restriction rides that the family can enjoy together.
 
I think they really need to add more family flat rides for the 0.9 to 1.2m tall members. That's the big different between CBeebies land and Thomas Land at Drayton Manor. My 5 year old finds Thomas land rides more thrilling then C beebies land but is too scared to ride the enterprise and the blade. They really need to sort out that gap that Drayton Manor manage to do so well.
 
Quick question I see merlin can use marvel iP at their tussauds attractions can they not be used at any other of their attractions in the UK? Just imagine how it could be used at the theme parks in the UK

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I would be pretty certain Disney won’t sign any agreements for third party theme park attractions based on Marvel or Star Wars now that the Disneyland Paris Studios refurb is happening.
Madame Tussaud’s is a very different attraction.
 
My little lad is almost 4 and he's too outgrown Cbeebies already. He loves Duel n RMT the most.

CCL definitely needs to be an area to bridge the gap from toddlers to thrill seekers. A top class family friendly area similar to what Paultons did recently.
 
CBeebies Land was a smart move, cheap retheme, attractive IP for customers who aren't limited to school holidays and weekends; but you can't mix thrill rides and pre-school; but leave a gap between those and expect the park to work.
It doesn't make business sense to me to pull in all those pre-schoolers, and then let them slip away and have to try and get them back as teenagers.

Filling that gap makes the park something families do "every summer", almost as a tradition. That is a major element that Disney go for, at least attempting to ensure their parks survive long term. Alton Towers could pull that angle off as well, but Merlin would have to invest to achieve it.
It isn't clear Merlin have the appetite to do that.
 
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The thing is, it's a bit of a no brainer. Families are easy money, especially when the resort is so accommodation heavy in its business strategy. There's a reason Paultons and Drayton go after that market hammer and tongs in addition to their pre schooler offerings. Merlin themselves should know how successful this market is with how rammed Chessington is no matter how much they neglect it and how successful their Lego parks are.

Cbeebies and Wickerman often get ignorantly lumped together under the generalised "Family" heading as if they are the same thing. With Alton trying to operate the rapids (one of their few true family rides) seasonally, you often wonder if even they know the difference.
 
They just need to bring in an IP that fills the gap between CBeebies and the rest of the park in terms of targeting and use the existing attractions in the area for now and then in stages add a dark ride (retheme Charlie) a show (Ice age replacement). I also think it would be quite nice to see a coaster in the area alothough I doubt that will happen.
I reckon the whole process of doing this could take 3-4 years which will basically mean it will be time then for SW9.
 
I would love to see CCL reworked. It doesn' even need a new theme, but it needs to fill the gap between Cbeebies and the bigger rides.

I would like to see a new family coaster in their, big enough to appeal to thrill seekers but not too intense for the younger ones (Nick Streak type ride) I'd also move Spinball over, allowing for expansion to Cbeebies in the future and retaining what is already a good fun coaster. It would also give CCL two good coasters while only having to invest in one.

The Toadstool needs to return and could be the areas centrepiece with a potential new flume ride on the site of Charlie.
 
I don't think they are allowed to put anything as tall as Spinballl Whizzer on the high ground of CCL. It would be visible and audible outside of the park.
It would be good to relocate Spinball nearer complementary attractions.
 
Honestly think the area is crying out for a steampunk theme. It’s got the suitable architecture and everything! There’s a decent sized dark ride building too and pretty much everything can be easily re-themed to fit in. The area worked as a “street” and should be returned to such. With some quirky “Sir Algonon” invention scenery added with some great entertainers, it would be a nicely rounded area.

The CATCF building provides plenty of space for a complex dark ride. You could bung in an Indiana Jones type motion buggy ride or a trackless system.

The area needs to be the “entertainment” hub of the park, rather than a thrill one. As mentioned it’d be difficult to get permission for anything with any real height anyway. Plus, the park is desperately lacking in the entertainment department. (And dark rides)

:)
 
Where are the funds going to come from though? Aren't they stripping back investments?

As tragic as it is it will probably stay as it is for a good few years yet even though it's an absolute shambles right now. Probably looking at a good £5-6m to get it anywhere close to what it should be. Lost Kingdom cost Paultons £9m apparently.
 
@Benjsh I think the approach would be largely the same as Cbeebies, whereby the cost of ride hardware is fairly insignificant. They only need one, maybe two new rides and refurbish and reopen what is already there.

I wouldn't be opposed to them delaying to 2020 and doing something slightly larger in their mid year capex for the park's 40th birthday, as it were.
 
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