2025: General Discussion

[MaxPower]

Merlin are fond of I.Ps for attractions due to their brand recognition, so it surprises me they haven't gone back to high street franchises for the food.

 

[Poisson]

I still think they'd do better making Woodcutters a takeaway outlet of some kind and a new version of Woodcutters in the CCL BK building. Much more seating available there.

 

[Smiley]

I still think they'd do better making Woodcutters a takeaway outlet of some kind and a new version of Woodcutters in the CCL BK building. Much more seating available there.

Well you can put lipstick on a pig.....

 

[rob666]

...and then eat it with egg and chips.

 

[MrTowers]

I would love to see towers street redeveloped with some franchise restaurants, it would give the area a real buzz. I think the expectation of food has changed in the last 15 years and towers has managed to go backwards to the point that most visitors try to avoid eating there.

How great would it be if we had a street lined with restaurants that stayed open till 9pm. I'm sure there are many people like me who will stop at somewhere on the way home to eat, but having somewhere to grab a bite after the rides have closed would be a big win. Add to that it would give options for hotel guests rather than ordering takeaways. It would also disperse the crowds so not everyone left at once and you could even open it up to locals with no entry fee once the main park is closed utilising the express parking. It would mean running the monorail late for the main car park and hotel but 1 train on track post 6pm would probably be enough.

Oh well it's unlikely to happen so I best get used to bringing picnics

 

[Poisson]

Well you can put lipstick on a pig.....

Aren't you wanting more indoor, sitdown, table service restaurants?

 

[flyingguitar]

I still think they'd do better making Woodcutters a takeaway outlet of some kind and a new version of Woodcutters in the CCL BK building. Much more seating available there.

It always confuses me why a small building in the middle of a main path was used for the sit down restaurant, but the out of the way, larger building which is quite close was used for the fast food service (burger kitchen).

if they did woodcutters to a fast food they could also remove some of those fast food places in dark forest and use that space for some more theming / a rita replacement (move the path next to rita over and expand the avalible space)

 

[jon81uk]

It always confuses me why a small building in the middle of a main path was used for the sit down restaurant, but the out of the way, larger building which is quite close was used for the fast food service (burger kitchen).

if they did woodcutters to a fast food they could also remove some of those fast food places in dark forest and use that space for some more theming / a rita replacement (move the path next to rita over and expand the avalible space)

Because a restaurant has been in the location between the Sky Ride and the Dungeons building for over 40 years and has been a fast food burger place in that location for over 31 years.

Whereas what is now Woodcutters previously had a stage on it, then a fast food BBQ and that structure was demolished and rebuilt as Ritas Chicken & Ribs for the 2007 season. I would assume they thought it was better to create a new building from scratch for their new plated food restaurant and leave the fast food where it was rather than re-do both spaces.

Also the park both needs fast food and plated food capacity, the other Burger Kitchen outlets don't really have any seating.

 

[flyingguitar]

Also the park both needs fast food and plated food capacity, the other Burger Kitchen outlets don't really have any seating.

BK is really big, and I rarely see anyone go near let alone in it, I am curious how much money it makes.

 

[AT86]

BK is really big, and I rarely see anyone go near let alone in it, I am curious how much money it makes.

When that place was a McDonalds it was PACKED! Queues to the door and not because of slow service.

The seating area was also bigger because there were less toilets and more room for tables.

How times change.

 

[Bowser]

BK is really big, and I rarely see anyone go near let alone in it, I am curious how much money it makes.

It was our go to place till they made it meals only, then we stopped going. Never rammed but certainly saw it busy on occasions.

 

[James]

I remember as a kid going into Cred Street McDonald's and struggling to find a table as a family. If you wanted to go in those seats and tables themed as cars, there was no chance, unless you wanted to wait and scramble with another family fighting for a table. The theming was great in there.

 

[The_bup]

Pepsi max taste like detergent imo

You know what detergent tastes like..?

 

[Archie]

I still think they'd do better making Woodcutters a takeaway outlet of some kind and a new version of Woodcutters in the CCL BK building. Much more seating available there.

Make it a spoons

 

[Dave]

I would love to see towers street redeveloped with some franchise restaurants, it would give the area a real buzz. I think the expectation of food has changed in the last 15 years and towers has managed to go backwards to the point that most visitors try to avoid eating there.

How great would it be if we had a street lined with restaurants that stayed open till 9pm. I'm sure there are many people like me who will stop at somewhere on the way home to eat, but having somewhere to grab a bite after the rides have closed would be a big win. Add to that it would give options for hotel guests rather than ordering takeaways. It would also disperse the crowds so not everyone left at once and you could even open it up to locals with no entry fee once the main park is closed utilising the express parking. It would mean running the monorail late for the main car park and hotel but 1 train on track post 6pm would probably be enough.

Oh well it's unlikely to happen so I best get used to bringing picnics

You won’t get restaurants on Towers Street, unlike Main Street USA at Disney where you have to cross the top of Main Street to get from one side of the park to the other, you literally have no reason to go near Towers Street after you enter until you leave as you can cross the two sides of the park using the white bridge path.

It’s why it’s dead in the middle of the day and why it always fails to maintain a major food outlet. This is not one of Merlins short sighted silly decisions, it’s just crowd dynamics.

They would be better moving corporate hospitality into Towers Street and building a sit down establishment where the CH tent is, as spinball pulls people into that area all day.

 

[owenstreet7]

Make it a spoons

The Wizard could be on a moneymaker if he added Wetherspoons pubs to their parks

Although I don't think he'd want to have loads of drunk punters at the park though

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

The Wizard could be on a moneymaker if he added Wetherspoons pubs to their parks

Although I don't think he'd want to have loads of drunk punters at the park though

No. We've done this before. Please let's not do this again.

If there's a need for a dedicated 'Spoons thread then could someone please make one and I'll gladly move these posts there. Otherwise please could we keep the comparisons relevant to Towers! Thanks.

Has there been any word about the Towers & Garden Tour rearing its head this season?

 

[Squiggs]

Yup, they went on sale at the same time as the Track Walks a couple of weeks back.

Looks to be exactly the same setup as last year.

 

[Benzin]

Because a restaurant has been in the location between the Sky Ride and the Dungeons building for over 40 years and has been a fast food burger place in that location for over 31 years.

Whereas what is now Woodcutters previously had a stage on it, then a fast food BBQ and that structure was demolished and rebuilt as Ritas Chicken & Ribs for the 2007 season. I would assume they thought it was better to create a new building from scratch for their new plated food restaurant and leave the fast food where it was rather than re-do both spaces.

Also the park both needs fast food and plated food capacity, the other Burger Kitchen outlets don't really have any seating.

Building a new restaurant from scratch and not even putting toilets in them so you have to walk out the building even in 2007 was peak stupidity.

 

[MrTowers]

You won’t get restaurants on Towers Street, unlike Main Street USA at Disney where you have to cross the top of Main Street to get from one side of the park to the other, you literally have no reason to go near Towers Street after you enter until you leave as you can cross the two sides of the park using the white bridge path.

It’s why it’s dead in the middle of the day and why it always fails to maintain a major food outlet. This is not one of Merlins short sighted silly decisions, it’s just crowd dynamics.

They would be better moving corporate hospitality into Towers Street and building a sit down establishment where the CH tent is, as spinball pulls people into that area all day.

I do understand the crowds dynamics but I'm not talking about another burger kitchen or hot dog stand. If you had some of your big brand restaurant chains here (nandos, wagamama, five guys etc...) I'm sure the pull would be great enough to convince visitors to make the trip back to the start considering what other food options are available around the park.

You also have to remember that towers street is at the end of the sky ride (hopefully we see this reopen) and next to what is probably the busiest area of the park with families at cbeebies land. It's also a key crossroad to get between the likes of cbeebies / x-sector and mutiny bay / katanga canyon (i know there is an alternative route from Walliams / dark forest).

The benefit of being here would be that it would allow the park to keep this bit open into the evening as it's easier to manage than having guests dotted around the park. Added to the fact that the car parks and monorail are also here it seems like the evening trade might be the most profitable part of the day. Obviously you need convince visitors not to get straight back in their cars once the rides close (I'm sure if the car park barriers went up an hour after the rides closed you might see quite a few stick around).