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Cancelled: Phased Enchanted Village Expansion

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Jordan

Jordan

TS Contributor
From TowersStreet on Facebook:
TowersStreet said:
A planning application has been submitted to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council:

"Development of double lodges with associated reception building, tipis, service buildings, hard and soft landscaping, parking and drainage works"

Could we see the start of a Tipi Village as well as additional lodges for the Enchanted Village?
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Here's the application page. No documents yet, usually they take up to two weeks to appear.

Let's hope they've paid the right application fee this time!
 
really hoping this is the start to a high investment 5 years which hopefully will bring us new flat rides a decent coaster and generally fixing the park
 
So I wonder if the tipis will be actual tipis or will just be a two man tent in the middle of a field like the "tree houses"
 
A tipi bar would be awesome if it happened.

I'm liking all the investment into the resort side of things after it's been lacking in stuff for a long time. Fingers crossed this is done a bit better than the lodges and encourages more visitors to stay overnight, thus increasing revenue into the resort side of things for more entertainment.
 
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Investment is great, but my first feeling upon hearing this was is it really needed? With an ATH expansion due also it is a big increase it rooms when park numbers are down and Splash Landings is being closed on some dates in the main season.

I suppose it fits in with Merlin's strategy of trying to enforce Towers as a short break destination. However I would say that it is all well and good having lots of nice accommodation but you also need quality products to back it up and give guests something to do for two to three days. The way the theme park is going is the opposite of this.

:)
 
My concern with this is, unless they adapt The Crooked Spoon or add another restaurant, as well as an entertainment venue, then you'll be getting extremely over-crowded areas in ATH and Splash Landings.

For example, if all accommodation was booked out for a Scarefest night, then you have an array of problems. First being, the following morning, many of the restaurants book out for breakfast, but with only 3 restaurants open for breakfast, you'll have a problem getting everyone in and out and happy at the same time. Also in the evening, with this being considered more of a 'luxury' style market, most people won't want to go to Splash for entertainment, and those that do will probably find it over-crowded as well anyway, but my main issue is everyone will then flock to ATH for entertainment, and that area is too small to house the influx of people.

Now is the time to look for the possibility of opening something similar to CityWalk, or at least a dedicated area for entertainment such as a separate bar with a stage or something along the lines of that. Open up something similar to CityWalk, chances are people from the Theme Park or Waterpark (one-day guests) will stay a little longer and have a drink in an entertainment venue over there, which then will lead them to thinking 'I didn't know they had Lodges' or 'We should stay next time there seems to be lots to do' etc. If you push people over to the Resort (one-day guests), then chances are they will see stuff they didn't even know existed before.

Another issue is the Waterpark. It's already too small to house the amount of people going there, and if they don't develop it soon and add all these extensions and new accommodation, and as a result do get more people, then the Waterpark will just be a crowded, horrible place to be.

It's all well and good developing the Resort side, but they need to consider capacity and if people will genuinely be happy crowded into small spaces & venues all the time.
 
I think there's a long term plan to build a CityWalk style offering between Extraordinary Golf and the Rollercoaster Restaurant. It has been mooted for years.

Clearly, they're pushing the resort again now. It should be remembered that the original plans for the lodges was much bigger, so this is a natural step.

With the new hotel scheduled for perhaps 2017, and then this the year after - along with capital ride investment in 2017 and 2018, it's certainly looking better.
 
Just on the subject of the resort offerings, do you reckon we'll see a revamp of Extraordinary Golf any time soon to keep people staying at the resort entertained with more entertainment offerings?

It must be getting pretty dated by now
 
Andrew said:
Just on the subject of the resort offerings, do you reckon we'll see a revamp of Extraordinary Golf any time soon to keep people staying at the resort entertained with more entertainment offerings?

It must be getting pretty dated by now
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I would imagine that as and when there's a development for CityWalk, that the golf could change dramatically.
 
Hmmm..... personally at the moment I think AT need to get their park in order, and that includes the waterpark and crazy golf before the go building even more overpriced accommodation.

This is the first year in probably 10 years I havent booked a stay in any of the resort hotels during the January sale. The lack of being able to pay a deposit is a big part of that, but, thinking about things has made me realise that actually, there isnt much drawing me to stay there this year.

Then there are the existing hotels. ATH the rooms are now poor unless you pay for a superemium one. No air con, beds which sag in the middle, broken windows, dirty bathrooms. Splash landings the same. Dire entertainment, awful slow service in the hotel bars and chaotic restaurants. Dont get me wrong, I love AT but I cant escape the fact anymore that I can stay in a hotel down the road for a third of the price which has much better quality of rooms and service.

So, instead of fixing their existing hotels, and the theme park, and maybe expanding the waterpark...... their suggestion is to build even more accommodation! Shheesshhh, how long before we see a caravan park on the lawn infront of the towers?!!!
 
Martin said:
You'd think they'd be more interested in actually doing the hotel and spa extensions they've already had permission granted for about five times.
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the spa really needs a good refurbishment. The relaxation rooms and saunas were some of the nicest I've been, but are also looking very old and the changing rooms are pretty mouldy and too small.

They need to get all the "second day" actvities right, so people want to stay overnight so they can do the theme park as well as the waterpark or spa or high ropes course or whatever.
 
I've got a few particular wishes for this development:
  • Proper landscaping and clear pathways are built between the new accommodation, ATH and Splash, and the monorail. At the moment, guests at the Enchanted Village have to walk along a hodge-podge of tarmac roads, fields and car parks to get anywhere, and that's just unpolished.
  • It includes open indoor space, aside from the reception desk and a restaurant. ATH and Splash do this well (eg. the spacious lobby and seating areas in ATH, the space around Margs) but there's nothing in the Enchanted Village.
  • No vinyl signage. Please!
 
A quick update on the planning application:

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Reactions: Rob
How amusing, some things never change! Probably got the wrong fee again! :p
 
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