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2022 Speculation and CBeebies Land additions

Heidi said:
Has everyone seen the alton towers twitter in the past couple days? Someone @ 'd AT in response to Thorpe's announcing asking what they had planned and they responded 'something much more thrilling'. Very interesting considering Thorpe are building the tallest coaster in the UK.
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I wouldn’t read too much into it - Alton Towers outsources most of their social media admin these days so it’s probably just a social media agent messing around.
 
We now have confirmation about the new attractions in Cbeebies Land:

I'm guessing Jo Jo and Gran Gran will be in the Charlie and Lola building but I'm not sure exactly where the other two will be, could one be replacing Mr Bloom?
I would love to know people's thoughts!
 
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My guess would be Hey Duggee to be a retheme of Mr Bloom’s Allotment, Andy’s Dinosaur Dig to be the rethemed playground and JoJo & Gran to go in the Charlie and Lola building.

Edit: actually, switch the first two around. As based on the updated info on the website Duggee’s is a playground and Dinosaur Dig is an ‘interactive live show’.
 
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Are these attractions effectively just a couple of playgrounds? I guess that’s the thing with IPs - parks need to keep them fresh and up to standard so as not to damage the IP brand and image, so all efforts go into maintaining these areas at the detriment of the areas that feature original ideas and theming. I just really hope this isn’t the only thing we see updated for 2022:)
 
This is all we're seeing for 2022 in terms of permanent additions/alterations.

They are rethemes - nothing more.

Capital investment in Alton Towers remains at historic lows again in the coming year in spite of a strong year in 2021.
 
AstroDan said:
This is all we're seeing for 2022 in terms of permanent additions/alterations.

They are rethemes - nothing more.

Capital investment in Alton Towers remains at historic lows again in the coming year in spite of a strong year in 2021.
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Do you see investment increasing for 2023?

In fairness, I can imagine 2022 budgets had probably been decided prior to 2021’s success, so 2023 is probably where we’ll begin to see the full realisation of 2021’s post-COVID success.
 
Matt N said:
Do you see investment increasing for 2023?
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Yes. I expect the period from 2023 for a couple of years or so to be much better. You sense it's very much all or nothing these days though: what's a medium year? It's either £15m+ or cash down the back of the sofa.

it is disappointing that after the park's efforts with Retro Squad in 2021, that nothing permanent has come to fruition.
 
I could see a permanent RetroSquad replacement possibly coming in 2023; I think a year might well be a little soon for Merlin to plan a permanent replacement, whereas 2023 might let them take the results of their RetroSquad experiment in 2021 and properly implement some results.

I could seriously see some kind of big flat ride package for 2023, from one of the big manufacturers (Zamperla, Huss or Intamin, perhaps?). Although the park has supposedly purchased FFF, or a similar ride, on a permanent basis for 2022, so maybe they might do that with the other 3?
 
I think we’re also going to see a refurbished CRR although to what extent it’s going to be refurbished to I am not sure. It would be good to see some temporary flats again to tie things over until the time comes where they install permanent flats.
 
Matt N said:
I could see a permanent RetroSquad replacement possibly coming in 2023; I think a year might well be a little soon for Merlin to plan a permanent replacement, whereas 2023 might let them take the results of their RetroSquad experiment in 2021 and properly implement some results.

I could seriously see some kind of big flat ride package for 2023, from one of the big manufacturers (Zamperla, Huss or Intamin, perhaps?). Although the park has supposedly purchased FFF, or a similar ride, on a permanent basis for 2022, so maybe they might do that with the other 3?
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Given that Rita was signed off in August 2004 and it soft-opened late March 2005... there is no reason why Merlin could not have allocated £1-2m in capex to Alton Towers for the 2022 season, given the absolute necessity of permanent support rides, and had flat rides open within 6 months. They are much simpler than Rita.

I think permanent additions for 2022 was always Alton's hope, but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
 
I've said all along that permanent flats for 2022 was unlikely because they simply didn't have the time to measure the success of retro-squad then order/build new flats. I could see at least one flat ride in 2023. I do hope we see the continuation of the events and even more entertainment around the park for 2022.
 
JAperson said:
I've said all along that permanent flats for 2022 was unlikely because they simply didn't have the time to measure the success of retro-squad then order/build new flats. I could see at least one flat ride in 2023. I do hope we see the continuation of the events and even more entertainment around the park for 2022.
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Thing is, Alton Towers have wanted support rides adding for years. Indeed, originally we'd have seen some added for 2016 but we all know what happened the year before. The park then looked again in 2020, with the only option to hire in rides at significant expense for 2021. I would bet that the money spent on the hire of the rides for 2020 could have paid for at least 1 in full. Had they actually had capex to do it properly, we'd definitely be seeing some permanent installs in 2022. You know, permanent rides like you'd expect from a major resort theme park.

I actually find it embarrassing that Alton Towers' new area contains a dark ride designed for another attraction, awful paint jobs and a hired in funfair ride.

Wow.
 
AstroDan said:
Thing is, Alton Towers have wanted support rides adding for years. Indeed, originally we'd have seen some added for 2016 but we all know what happened the year before. The park then looked again in 2020, with the only option to hire in rides at significant expense for 2021. I would bet that the money spent on the hire of the rides for 2020 could have paid for at least 1 in full. Had they actually had capex to do it properly, we'd definitely be seeing some permanent installs in 2022. You know, permanent rides like you'd expect from a major resort theme park.

I actually find it embarrassing that Alton Towers' new area contains a dark ride designed for another attraction, awful paint jobs and a hired in funfair ride.

Wow.
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That's interesting and I agree about Walliams world. Walliams world urgenly needs some proper attractions, even reopening the theatre would be great.

In my eye's Alton Towers needs support rides however the current climate makes them very risky. It could well be that Merlin have put the investment of these off for a year or two. I would hope that we'd say at least one new permanent ride for 2023 which would really help the park in the long run. I do hope the retro-squad has had an impact at Merlin which means they are at least more open to the idea of new flats then they were beforehand.

Now in terms of retro-squad I've said before I really didn't think we'd see them return for 2022 but with the conformation of no new flats or big attractions for 2022 could we see at least one or two retro-squad rides in again for the year? I still think it's unlikely and I'm not sure I'd be a in favour of it happening for another year.
 
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