Cadbury World - Merlin Take Over

[jon81uk]

I think a large problem is vloggers/MAP holders attending specifically to go on this ride and judging their experience solely on the ride. It's not the point of the attraction.

Even if you just judged Cadbury World on the old Cadabra ride it isn't great, that wasn't the point of the attraction either.

 

[TPick]

Does anyone know if they are limiting the number of passholders that can visit Cadbury World? Just tried to book and no availability for pass holders for all of the summer holidays, October half-term and every weekend until Christmas.

 

[Craig]

Does anyone know if they are limiting the number of passholders that can visit Cadbury World? Just tried to book and no availability for pass holders for all of the summer holidays, October half-term and every weekend until Christmas.

Unfortunately yes, the FAQs on the website cover this. It's a bit of a cop out on Merlin's part considering the general availability is fine, but just gotta keep checking.

 

[TPick]

Unfortunately yes, the FAQs on the website cover this. It's a bit of a cop out on Merlin's part considering the general availability is fine, but just gotta keep checking.

Thanks for this, clearly I glazed over pretty quickly while reading the faq's earlier . Shame as we were hoping to do a combined Cadbury World/Warwick visit, but not to be by the looks of it. Yes, is a bit annoying considering general availability, will keep checking but not holding out much hope.

 

[Jb85]

This place used to be amazing in the 90’s
Factory tours a real factory making real chocolate. and lots of samples.

Oh and the amazing shop selling bucket loads of mishapes

How far it fallen under the Americans

 

[jon81uk]

This place used to be amazing in the 90’s
Factory tours a real factory making real chocolate. and lots of samples.

Oh and the amazing shop selling bucket loads of mishapes

How far it fallen under the Americans

It never toured the full factory though, it’s only ever gone to the packaging plant.

 

[Jb85]

It never toured the full factory though, it’s only ever gone to the packaging plant.

That was enough and far better than now. Clearly my memory isn’t as it seemed :-(

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Went today and OMG Merlin have really cut back on the tour. This was the 1st time I been since 2018 but Merlin really trying to get as many people thought the doors as possible.
Anyway our tour time was 12pm and got there at 11:45. The queue was out the door and they had only just started to let in the 11.30 ticket holders.
We started to queue at 12pm and by 12:23 we then entered the main queue bit

By then they had the 12:10 guests join behind us and they had 3 other queues forming


The queue to the left was the 12.20 and to the right the 12:30 with 12:40 queuing by the doors.
It was 12.45 by the time we had our tickets scanned.
We were given 4 chocolate bars each.

Not sure when theses updates were done but we liked the interactive screens in the 1st section and I don’t remember the history section in the next bit.
The next bits were the same to you got to the chocolate making section which really has been cut back with just 1 small area showing you how the items you can buy been made with a chocolate sample at the end.
Then we went into the area where we could write our name and have a go at making the chocolate ourselves.
Now this where it use to let you have a break and you could have something to eat, drink while the kids went on the playground but no you were allowed to go the toilet before going into the 4D cinema which is still very good. (really miss the original show here) then you continued into the Bournville Experience which looks like it’s been cut in half and the advertising avenue has really been shoehorned into the queue line of the new ride.
My 1st ever trackless ride and was it fun yeah if it a competition but the score made no sense if it was good or not. (was this the former area that had lots of interactive games) then we exited and my kids were gutted we wasn’t handed another bar of chocolate and exited into the shop.
We walked round to the cafe area by the playground and my kids played while we had a hot drink.
A live show was starting nearby she was went in and I knew Merlin had cut there entertainment offerings but I was shocked that they were using the same team that Drayton Manor and West Midlands Safari Park use.
Like this actor this was him today with Freddo




At Drayton Manor


And the Safari park

The set pieces is the same that is used at Drayton. Can’t find a video of this show but this show used the same set Drayton used at Christmas

From: https://youtu.be/ezr4EoEltQM?feature=shared



The Actor in that show is also Sir Topham Hatt in Thomas land and Freddo voice over is also the same voice for Rory.

 

[Plastic Person]

That guy is eveyrwhere. He’s the Pedro Pascal of the West Midlands themed entertainment circuit.

 

[BarryZola]

Merlin. Taking the fun out of a fun day.

 

[jon81uk]

Not sure when theses updates were done but we liked the interactive screens in the 1st section and I don’t remember the history section in the next bit.
The next bits were the same to you got to the chocolate making section which really has been cut back with just 1 small area showing you how the items you can buy been made with a chocolate sample at the end.

I haven't been to Cadbury World for probably twelve years but I can remember the Bull Street walkthrough about the beginnings of Cadbury Bros, I assume that is the history section you refer to? Then at the time was a movie with shaking seats about how chocolate is made before going on to the demonstration area which was small like you say even then.
Most of these changes pre-date Merlin. But it does seem they are overselling tickets looking at the wait you had to get in.

 

[Benzin]

The faces on the various visitors in that queue photo really seem to sum up the views on current tourist attractions in the UK.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I haven't been to Cadbury World for probably twelve years but I can remember the Bull Street walkthrough about the beginnings of Cadbury Bros, I assume that is the history section you refer to? Then at the time was a movie with shaking seats about how chocolate is made before going on to the demonstration area which was small like you say even then.
Most of these changes pre-date Merlin. But it does seem they are overselling tickets looking at the wait you had to get in.

It’s the scenes just before Bull street. Maybe it wasn’t working when I went before in 2018.
I’m not suprized as you had to queue the whole way around. They say you got to at least have 2 hrs to get round the attraction.,
By the time we got out it was half 3 and we yet the kids have half hour on the play ground while we had a hot drink and left when it closed at half 4. There was even visitors queuing to get in at 3pm

 

[jon81uk]

It’s the scenes just before Bull street. Maybe it wasn’t working when I went before in 2018.

Maybe it is new. There used to be the Aztec section as the first one but I think that was removed/changed at one point.

 

[Poisson]

Meanwhile, the Lindt trackless dark ride is a delight and I can recommend it to all.

 

[IDB]

The faces on the various visitors in that queue photo really seem to sum up the views on current tourist attractions in the UK.

It could be a Cold War Steve collage