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2022 Speculation and CBeebies Land additions

I think two flat rides is possible, maybe three if they are cheaper models.

I’d actually not want a gyro swing, there is already Maelstrom at DM and Vortex at Thorpe. There must be some more unique options?

whether we will see them next year, who knows.

I would support something like Drayton Manor are doing right now with a lot of repairs and repainting, a couple of new rides and even as DM have done, they could add playground equipment to other areas of the park. some kind of Phalanx training camp in FV so kids have something to do while their older brother/sister ride things in that area for example. Then a new flat ride on the ripsaw site too.
 
jon81uk said:
I would support something like Drayton Manor are doing right now with a lot of repairs and repainting, a couple of new rides and even as DM have done, they could add playground equipment to other areas of the park. some kind of Phalanx training camp in FV so kids have something to do while their older brother/sister ride things in that area for example. Then a new flat ride on the ripsaw site too.
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Repairs and painting - that should happen by default - would be passed off as Towers TLC.

Playground equipment can be risky - risk of falls / injuries. Yes, I know there is the Training Camp in CBeebies Land, but this is all very low stuff. Start putting in higher more serious stuff that may amuse older children and the risk factor comes into play. It would also give the chavs something else to vandalise / terrorise after a beer or two. Towers can't risk falls or injuries for reasons obvious. Yes, there are plenty of places where guests can injure themselves by being stupid and jumping off something (e.g walls in the gardens onto a lower level) but this is a positive action by a guest on something Towers cannot remove as it's Grade II listed. Install playground equipment that encourages guests to climb to a height and it's a different matter.

The reason this tree in the lower-centre of the picture by the White Bridge;
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9...47WRpYcvghishE_mFAjA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
had it's top cut off was because some idiot guest did a running jump into it (before the additional railings by the low stone wall were installed.

Look back over the years - since Tussauds took over pretty much any ride / attraction where the guest had total control has been removed - e.g. alpine bobsleighs, rowing boats on the main lake, paddling pool, Mississippi showboat etc.
 
Kraken27 said:
Repairs and painting - that should happen by default - would be passed off as Towers TLC.

Playground equipment can be risky - risk of falls / injuries. Yes, I know there is the Training Camp in CBeebies Land, but this is all very low stuff. Start putting in higher more serious stuff that may amuse older children and the risk factor comes into play. It would also give the chavs something else to vandalise / terrorise after a beer or two. Towers can't risk falls or injuries for reasons obvious. Yes, there are plenty of places where guests can injure themselves by being stupid and jumping off something (e.g walls in the gardens onto a lower level) but this is a positive action by a guest on something Towers cannot remove as it's Grade II listed. Install playground equipment that encourages guests to climb to a height and it's a different matter.

The reason this tree in the lower-centre of the picture by the White Bridge;
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9...47WRpYcvghishE_mFAjA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
had it's top cut off was because some idiot guest did a running jump into it (before the additional railings by the low stone wall were installed.

Look back over the years - since Tussauds took over pretty much any ride / attraction where the guest had total control has been removed - e.g. alpine bobsleighs, rowing boats on the main lake, paddling pool, Mississippi showboat etc.
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Yet Drayton Manor that had a fatal incident that at least in part was the result of guest behaviour is actively installing play equipment.
Also I think behaviour on play equipment is different, kids often know how to use it as they have encountered slides etc and parents know how to observe them. Whereas more natural features tend to have older children messing about or are less predictable in there nature anyway and things can go wrong as they aren’t being used as designed.

I don’t care if parks do decide to proclaim their larger refurbishment projects as TLC or not, it’s good to see them being done. It’s been a long time since DM did large refurbishment to the rapids and Shockwave facades too, doesn’t stop it being a good thing that’s it’s happening this year under a change in ownership.
 
For me, 2022 means a few things:

- Nina's Science Lab - Replaced with a new Interactive Walkthrough attraction (like House Of Monsters but not Halloween themed), so something like a storied experience with some activity and task scenes to complete).

- Nemesis Sub Terra Reborn - NST in my opinion will return and the work could even be done inside as we speak lol. As I walked through the extended queue of Nemesis on 28th June, I saw a blue scaffold or part of a blue gazebo at the back of the building around the back of the queue line area so no clue what this means or what it meant.

- The World Of David Walliams - Live show in the theatre space, retheme Cuckoo Cars Driving School and also could be preparation for possible 2023 additions (Former building opposite Cuckoo Cars turned into an indoor flat ride or another dark ride site - maybe even a themed WODW Dodgems or Flavio's Fantastic Flamengos moves in with added lighting and more of a permanent disco feeling.

- Events: Oktoberfest, Scarefest and Fireworks return. Mardi Gras comes back bigger and better as well. Similar style event to Thorpe's Parkvibes over the summer debuting.

Any preparation work for the future:

- Nemesis Refurb? - Potentially they could close Nemesis earlier than the rest of the rides at the end of the season to kick-start a 2023 refurbishment construction and reopen the ride in 2024 for its 30th anniversary.

- SW9? - Maybe they could start getting sites ready for SW9 construction. FV is my early prediction and that mini stage area in front of the Nemesis gun that was used for Mardi Gras (I think) could be a site for one of the coaster's supports (just a guess). Funk n Fly site would be used in the FV SW9 coaster prediction, out and back/thin layout.
 
Aaron Challoner said:
For me, 2022 means a few things:

- Nina's Science Lab - Replaced with a new Interactive Walkthrough attraction (like House Of Monsters but not Halloween themed), so something like a storied experience with some activity and task scenes to complete).

- Nemesis Sub Terra Reborn - NST in my opinion will return and the work could even be done inside as we speak lol. As I walked through the extended queue of Nemesis on 28th June, I saw a blue scaffold or part of a blue gazebo at the back of the building around the back of the queue line area so no clue what this means or what it meant.

- The World Of David Walliams - Live show in the theatre space, retheme Cuckoo Cars Driving School and also could be preparation for possible 2023 additions (Former building opposite Cuckoo Cars turned into an indoor flat ride or another dark ride site - maybe even a themed WODW Dodgems or Flavio's Fantastic Flamengos moves in with added lighting and more of a permanent disco feeling.

- Events: Oktoberfest, Scarefest and Fireworks return. Mardi Gras comes back bigger and better as well. Similar style event to Thorpe's Parkvibes over the summer debuting.

Any preparation work for the future:

- Nemesis Refurb? - Potentially they could close Nemesis earlier than the rest of the rides at the end of the season to kick-start a 2023 refurbishment construction and reopen the ride in 2024 for its 30th anniversary.

- SW9? - Maybe they could start getting sites ready for SW9 construction. FV is my early prediction and that mini stage area in front of the Nemesis gun that was used for Mardi Gras (I think) could be a site for one of the coaster's supports (just a guess). Funk n Fly site would be used in the FV SW9 coaster prediction, out and back/thin layout.
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Welcome to TS Aaron. Am I right in thinking you're Coaster Chall on YouTube?
 
Benjsh said:
Merlin and Flat rides just don't mix well do they? Hahahaha
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This was Tussauds, you know ... That time when everything was perfect *rolls eyes*.

Imagine if Merlin were installing three flats in one season, one of which had actually opened the previous year and had been repainted, another that was advertised to open in March but opened in June and another that was a fairground drop tower, running about three days out of seven.
 
In fairness though, they did build a record breaking intamin followed by a B&M in the two following years.

I definitely can't imagine Merlin doing that.
 
Matt N said:
I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question; Thorpe Park installed 3 flat rides in 2001 as part of their “Sensory Overload” season.
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I would say it's 100% out of the question. That was 20 years ago, a different time, different place, under different circumstances.

I can see the Fairground rides staying in some form or another for next season. Sadly, if we do get a permanent flat added to replace one of them, I don't think it'll be of the quality some would want/expect.
 
I'd just take some permanent family/thrill flats, even if they're not what I'd choose, it will just be nice to have a wider variety of rides to choose from, when all the coasters are on big queues this season, we've done a flat with a minimal wait (caught them at the right time as I've seen them get quite high) and it's just been nice to have a break from constant coaster riding, which gets limited when you've done them all/Duel/Hex/CRR/RMT
 
I wonder what the terms and conditions of the tree height rules are. Such as, say if you hypothetically installed a Gyro Swing where the main structure does not go above tree heights, but the swing does. As the swing is not permanently in the air, I wonder if that would be allowed. Just using the Gyro Swing as an example.

The reason why I ask this is because the whole of X-Sector including the big coasters are both very very visible from miles away outside the park. So given that, there must be some leeway somewhat.

This would mean some potentially better flat rides could be built if there was leeway, which there appears to be.
 
Im surprised at the popularity of the idea of a gyroswing being installed to be honest, I find them pretty boring.

What I'm hopeful for is the installation of at least one flat ride (even if it were a gyroswing) and I don't find the idea of that very unlikely at all, I really think the retrosquad this year was a test of how well new flats would do in the park with the result then being a more expensive permanent purchase.

I do think an SW is quite a few years away though
 
Rick said:
Agreed, if they're 'spreading the love' across the portfolio, Alton is essentially at the back of the queue. They haven't built any coasters in RTP since Wicker Man, nor do they have any future coasters confirmed outside of a Legoland park.
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I thought Chessington’s 2023 coaster was locked in and confirmed? Or are you not calling that confirmed until planning is granted?

Gardaland is also rumoured to be building an indoor/outdoor family coaster of some sort to replace Ramses for 2022, although that project could just as easily be a dark ride. Irregardless of what it is, though, 2022 is still (presumably) a major year at Gardaland.

I agree with your sentiment, though. Among the RTPs, I’d say Alton is (or at least, should be based on recent investment levels) pretty far towards the back of the queue for a major investment. I’d be quite happy for SW9 to wait if it means that the likes of Thorpe get a major investment earlier.

I personally think that SW9 will have happened by 2025 at the latest, however. My personal guess is 2024 or so, possibly 2023 depending on how long it takes to construct and whether they don’t mind coexisting with Chessington’s major investment like Smiler & Zufari did in 2013. Merlin has a 5 year CAPEX cycle, apparently, so even taking COVID into account, I’d guess that the next high will probably be no later than 2024/2025, personally. I don’t think we’ll be waiting years & years for SW9 like some imply.
 
Matt N said:
I thought Chessington’s 2023 coaster was locked in and confirmed? Or are you not calling that confirmed until planning is granted?

Gardaland is also rumoured to be building an indoor/outdoor family coaster of some sort to replace Ramses for 2022, although that project could just as easily be a dark ride. Irregardless of what it is, though, 2022 is still (presumably) a major year at Gardaland.

I agree with your sentiment, though. Among the RTPs, I’d say Alton is (or at least, should be based on recent investment levels) pretty far towards the back of the queue for a major investment. I’d be quite happy for SW9 to wait if it means that the likes of Thorpe get a major investment earlier.

I personally think that SW9 will have happened by 2025 at the latest, however. My personal guess is 2024 or so, possibly 2023 depending on how long it takes to construct and whether they don’t mind coexisting with Chessington’s major investment like Smiler & Zufari did in 2013. Merlin has a 5 year CAPEX cycle, apparently, so even taking COVID into account, I’d guess that the next high will probably be no later than 2024/2025, personally. I don’t think we’ll be waiting years & years for SW9 like some imply.
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You've made a few assumptions there based on PLC Merlin though. For good and for bad, we've seen Merlin behave differently this year as a private company so there's no guarantee there's any kind of Capex cycle like there once was.
 
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