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[2026] Bluey Coaster in CBeebies Land

Benzin said:
Really Towers? Just open it with the park.
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It's a calculated marketing one two punch. Parents are dragged to the cinema on a Friday evening, forced to fork over their hard earned cash and subjected to 70 minutes of repackaged Bluey episodes which they could have watched for free on iPlayer. Then, before the credits have even finished rolling, they’re hit with the inevitable demand to visit Alton Towers the very next morning.

Opening it with the start of the season would just dilute the impact. They want the headline, the hype cycle and the weekend surge all at once.

It's cynical, it's manipulative, and it'll work perfectly.
 
Bowser said:
Probably better to open it when it's finished.
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It's a 2 week difference. They will have a rough idea when the park will be planning on opening and can organise a project accordingly.


It's annoyed me greatly because obviously booked for the week before. And I no doubt won't be the only one in that situation where it's not as simple as switching dates due to RAP booking shenanigans and Mrs and my mum booking off work.

Instead they're opening it for Easter Holidays to begin in some areas. So instead of a bit of a slower build up to busier days it's straight into the hellfire for the staff.

The practice will eternally annoy me.
 
Benzin said:
Instead they're opening it for Easter Holidays to begin in some areas. So instead of a bit of a slower build up to busier days it's straight into the hellfire for the staff.
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They're opening it to align with the cinema release the day before. The film will be aligned with the typical Easter release schedule for a children's movie.
Plastic Person said:
In terms of marketing and tie-ins, I think this is an occasion where the park genuinely needs to be careful to manage demand for what is ultimately a small children's coaster tied into the universe of one of the most popular IPs right now.
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History suggests that's not the Merlin way, unfortunately.

We're talking about attaching the single most valuable, culturally significant children's IP on the planet to what is effectively a low capacity family coaster in a cul-de-sac of the park which already suffers from severe congestion.

Bluey is a global phenomenon which transcends its target demographic. You have toddlers who love it, parents who genuinely enjoy it and childless millennials who watch it for the "VIBES". That's before we even consider the extra squash from the theme park vloggers who are all going to be booking tickets for the film on the 27th, so they can see (illegally record) and talk about the inevitable pre-film teaser for the ride.

I'm sure it'll be a blood bath... or an opportunity to bring Fastrack to CBeebies Land.
 
Benzin said:
It's a 2 week difference. They will have a rough idea when the park will be planning on opening and can organise a project accordingly.
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Of course they knew, that’s why they planned it for 28th.

It’s the start of Easter.

The never said it would be opening with the main park opening, they said “spring”. Whilst I understand your frustration, you booked tickets without knowing when it would open.
 
AltonLover123 said:
Of course they knew, that’s why they planned it for 28th.

It’s the start of Easter.

The never said it would be opening with the main park opening, they said “spring”. Whilst I understand your frustration, you booked tickets without knowing when it would open.
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Because if we didn’t book RAP at the start of this month we'd never have got it and thus not even worth considering a visit.

The RAP booking will no doubt break again on the 2nd as people try to book for the 28th.
 
Dave said:
I think people have forgotten the ton of rain we have had this winter, I’m amazed it’s only 2 weeks delayed.

Towers have never liked opening new rides in the Easter holidays, I doubt this was planned.
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I had four gardeners winter projects planned for this winter.
Didn't start one.
All punters understood, they have all been wet too.
 
I'm sure this is due to an unplanned delay. To be fair, Merlin is far from alone in having most of their major projects missing their drop dates.

I think it's a good thing though, it would be a mistake to open a new kids' ride on the thoosie-fest that is the opening day of the season. Let the kids enjoy it first before we all go and get our +1s.
 
Kinda happy with this rather than focusing on just Bluey Coaster can check out the whole park seeing all the updates throughout closed season.

I am most curious whether anything has been done to the areas behind the Towers
 
I'm probably totally wrong (as usual), but I wonder whether Alton Towers were spooked by poo-gate happening during the opening of Toxicator last year (which I happened to be in the queue for, unfortunately), and so they are now cautious about launching new rides on opening day in case it goes wrong again?

(I'm also surprised that Aviktas at Blackpool is so far behind, given that the park will be opening soon)

Or maybe they don't want the new kids' ride being flooded with adult enthusiasts on opening day, all hoping to gain an extra credit?
 
Secret Weapon said:
I'm probably totally wrong (as usual), but I wonder whether Alton Towers were spooked by poo-gate happening during the opening of Toxicator last year (which I happened to be in the queue for, unfortunately), and so they are now cautious about launching new rides on opening day in case it goes wrong again?
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Even Greg Rutherford would be proud of that leap.
 
I think the timing makes perfect sense. The Alton after Dark event is extremely popular and i believe was only 2 weekends last year. This year they have added a 3rd weekend in which happens to be the opening weekend of their new ride. Those who have no interest in Bluey (yes there are a few) can visit before the fan fare of the new ride. The week afterwards is Easter break for many so families will have ample time to visit without making the opening weekend extra busy. It also means double exposure from the youtubers as they will visit for opening day and for Bluey.

One thing that is worth looking out for will be if Bluey closes at 5pm like the rest of Cbeebies or if they will keep Bluey open till 8pm for Alton after Dark. This could mean dark rides and a chance for older guests to get a cred on the ride when the young families have all gone home.
 
AT86 said:
Even Greg Rutherford would be proud of that leap.
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Greg Rutherford has nothing on @Secret Weapon.
Secret Weapon said:
This might sound like a very strange analogy, but John Wardley reminds me a bit of Hazel Savage (the police officer who investigated the serial killer Fred West); Hazel (correctly) deduced that he had murdered and buried his daughter (and spent 18 months trying to persuade others that he had), but her fellow officers thought that she was insane to actually excavate his house on the basis of a mere rumour / hunch – but, out of respect to her tenure, they eventually agreed to her request (and she was proven to be right).

Likewise: John Wardley fought for years to have a wooden rollercoaster built at AT or Thorpe Park – in the face of overwhelming opposition – but, eventually, AT caved and - perhaps out of respect to his long track record - finally built one (the only part that I am unclear on is why they waited until after he retired before finally building one?).
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Frankly, I'm disappointed. I was hoping to hear how he'd connect the opening date of Bluey the Ride: Here Come the Grannies to Nannie Doss' penchant for the lonely hearts column.
 
MrTowers said:
One thing that is worth looking out for will be if Bluey closes at 5pm like the rest of Cbeebies or if they will keep Bluey open till 8pm for Alton after Dark. This could mean dark rides and a chance for older guests to get a cred on the ride when the young families have all gone home.
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I am pretty sure the deal with the BBC stipulates the early close. I don’t imagine it’ll be any different for Bluey.
 
Secret Weapon said:
...(I'm also surprised that Aviktas at Blackpool is so far behind, given that the park will be opening soon)...
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As has already been mentioned, Blackpool big new rides open with the traditional main season...around spring bank.
Not heard anything about it being behind.
 
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