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CBeebies Land: Second Gate?

Ketz

TS Member
There is no doubt Cbeebies land has been a success so far, but possibly the most commented question on the Alton Towers facebook is whether there are separate charges for the land, which obviously leads to many saying prices are too steep for those just wanting to visit the Cbeebies area.

I imagine Alton will be looking to expand the area, with the expansion into Adventure Land almost guaranteed at some point.

But how about expanding into the express parking area, the area is large, it will almost double the size of the area. The possible rides will be small and not very intrusive so hopefully they would get permission. The actual parking space is often empty, bar the disabled spaces, so the actual parking area won't be missed. And it will solve one of the main problems of the land and that is actual rides quantity and space.

But I think one of the best prospects of this idea is the fact you would be able to charge separately for the land, with the entrance being on the plaza, a separate ticketing structure could be used much like In the American big parks. The area entrance and exit In the theme park is already manned so they can check whether you have a ticket that allows you to enter the main park or not. Would this be possible?
 
I'm not sure on the layout of some of the behind the scenes stuff behind Towers Street though that would probably be movable to allow CBeebies Land to expand.

Noise may be an issue the closer you get to people's houses that way as well.

However based on success rates it might be something they look in to - though CBeebies Land would have to grow successfully enough to have enough to do to make it a suitable 'second gate' for the little ones for a whole day.

Interesting thought - but there would need to be lots of additional money making opportunities within CBeebies Land before Merlin would think about letting people just in there I think.
 
It'd be like making people pay extra to visit the gardens. It just wouldn't work. Anyway, wasn't the whole point of CBeebies Land to give better value for money to families? Making them pay extra would be stupid.
 
Think you may have mist my point. Many families are saying they are visiting to solely go to Cbeebies land. And are saying the number of attractions in there don't merit the current price structure. So extending it and possibly giving it a different entrance at the plaza will allow a different pricing structure at a reduced price to the whole themepark price meaning it better value. Again I am thinking of the American style system, obviously at a much smaller scale.
 
People say the same thing about Thomas land and I have also seen the comments about Harry Potter at universal. It won't happen though and will remain as it is. What I do see happening though is cbeebies land being open at weekends throughout the closed season and a big Xmas event much like Thomas land is at Drayton. This would allow guests to pay a smaller price who only interested in Cbeebies area.
 
Given where CBeebies Land is a new entrance to that would be impossible, or at least too difficult to warrant the investment.

I can understand parents' annoyance though, paying £20-£30+ just to guide your child around one area in a theme park probably feels like quite a rip off. Moreso right now as the area is busy to the point that your day out is dedicated to just CBeebies Land (and not being able to venture off to the other child-friendly areas).

But I guess that's what being a parent taking your child to a new area themed around an IP in a popular theme park is all about! (That was a mouthful lol)
 
Theme parks have always had kids areas. This is just proving to be very popular right now as it is a big IP and brand new. There's no way they are every going to make it a second gate. One way Towers could overcome the problem is by trying to expand CCL as best they can to create a second kids area, maybe aimed slightly above the target audience of CBeebies Land. There's not currently that much in CCL but some form of expansion could help spread families with young children across the park and parents will feel like they are getting better value for money.

Also would it maybe be better to split this discussion off into a new thread? I know '2016' is vague and allows for much discussion but I reckon this discussion could warrant its own thread. Just a suggestion!

:)
 
Rob said:
Also would it maybe be better to split this discussion off into a new thread? I know '2016' is vague and allows for much discussion but I reckon this discussion could warrant its own thread. Just a suggestion!

:)

Done! :)
 
Rob said:
Theme parks have always had kids areas. This is just proving to be very popular right now as it is a big IP and brand new. There's no way they are every going to make it a second gate. One way Towers could overcome the problem is by trying to expand CCL as best they can to create a second kids area, maybe aimed slightly above the target audience of CBeebies Land. There's not currently that much in CCL but some form of expansion could help spread families with young children across the park and parents will feel like they are getting better value for money.

Cloud Cuckoo Land needs complete regeneration before 2020 in my opinion. It doesn't have the pulling power for young children that CBeebies Land has and therefore needs a broader family appeal.

When the rights to Charlie end and Ice Age has run its course the area will be pretty much redundant anyway. Let's face it, they have never managed to recapture the buzz that it had 20-25 years ago (watch any old home footage video on YouTube and this becomes clear) when it was Talbot Street and the Land of Make Believe.

They ought to get rid of the cheap rides (Frog Hopper, Carousel, Driving School) and reinstate the tree lined street running through the middle. Develop a completely new theme (steam-punk please) and turn it into a proper family area once more by redeveloping the indoor attractions and expanding into coaster corner. I would love to see it have a theme once more that is sympathetic to the areas backdrop.....the Towers.

I doubt Merlin have any proper ambition for this area of Alton Towers though which is a shame.

:)
 
Bah, this is a pet hate of mine. Parents hear that a new area has opened and assume it is a whole theme park because it ends in the word "land". I remember a friend at work getting very excited because she heard about the Peppa Pig area at Paultons and her daughter was a fan. Her face fell when I explained it was just a small area in an existing park.

Many people seem to thing WWHP at Universal is a whole seperate park. I can't really blame the public for this, I think it's the park's fault for not making it clear in advertising.... though partly the public just not paying attention. ;)
 
I don't really think that Cloud Cuckoo Land needs changing really, it does the job well, and most kids seem to love it. Whilst I agree that very little actually changed from Cred Street, it still has a fresh atmosphere.

A Charlie re-theme/replacement is needed though, it could be advertised as the big singular attraction for families with young children, balancing out the offering. Lets be honest, does Charlie ever get much attention from the public anyway? It could do with being ditched in the near future.
 
I am wondering if CCL is going to become CBBC land when the CATCF and Ice Age IP licence runs out.
 
BenBowser said:
I don't really think that Cloud Cuckoo Land needs changing really, it does the job well, and most kids seem to love it. Whilst I agree that very little actually changed from Cred Street, it still has a fresh atmosphere.

A Charlie re-theme/replacement is needed though, it could be advertised as the big singular attraction for families with young children, balancing out the offering. Lets be honest, does Charlie ever get much attention from the public anyway? It could do with being ditched in the near future.

It's average at best.

Most of the new theming that was put in during the retheme in 2009 was removed when they converted the theatre into Ice Age, which although a good addition it does jar a bit with the rest of the area.

At the moment it's fine at it is, but it will need to be refurbished by the end of the decade. I hope they do something ambitious at that point with the area.

It would be nice to see it developed into a proper family area like Mutiny Bay or Katanga Canyon, rather than just for young children.

:)
 
Cloud Cuckoo Land feels like a temporary stop-gap between Cred Street and something new.

It's a complete mish mash of themes and ideas - which I guess is why it's called Cloud Cuckoo Land.

However, I would like to see a more mature family area - yes have rides for kids, but perhaps in a more niche way - things like Orbitron at DLP.

:)
 
It's an ideal area to develop a cluster of small scale dark rides based on different characters much like Fantasyland at Disneyland Paris. Especially given the fact they are not allowed to build noisy indoor rides in that corner of the park.

Imagine if the Alton railway station was reopened and a small second gate was created up in that corner of the park opening into an immersive family area with shops, restaurants and a selection of indoor rides.

If only there was the ambition from those making the decisions.
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
It's an ideal area to develop a cluster of small scale dark rides based on different characters much like Fantasyland at Disneyland Paris. Especially given the fact they are not allowed to build noisy indoor rides in that corner of the park.

Imagine if the Alton railway station was reopened and a small second gate was created up in that corner of the park opening into an immersive family area with shops, restaurants and a selection of indoor rides.

If only there was the ambition from those making the decisions.

Was speaking to someone about the railway a while back, apparently it's not really a viable option as the speed limit on the line that would feed Towers would be something like 20mph (not certain on specifics), resulting in a train journey taking longer than the stoke bus does. Plus Stoke station hasn't got capacity to take the service and the line at Leek would have to be re-routed around Leek as a lot of the old line has been built on. Certainly think the Churnet Valley team want to get trains there but i don't think Towers see it as a viable transport solution, maybe more a quirky way for people to get to Towers for those who want to mix it in with a heritage railway journey.

This was from a train enthusiast (something i am not) so can't verify it.

As for dark rides, Towers have chronic issues getting planning permission for large buildings. Hence why i would have put a dark ride in the Berry Bish Bash building in an ideal world.
 
With regards to the station, it does have a slow limit, and it needs a new platform at stoke.
 
Can't help but feel arriving at Towers via the Alton Express would generate more revenue than any attraction that Merlin can install (with perhaps the exception of CBeebies Land, which is admittedly gonna be very lucrative). The initial costs could easily soon be recovered.
 
Harvey. said:
Can't help but feel arriving at Towers via the Alton Express would generate more revenue than any attraction that Merlin can install (with perhaps the exception of CBeebies Land, which is admittedly gonna be very lucrative). The initial costs could easily soon be recovered.

That is something you could make a VIP experience, even just run it on weekends.

Nope scrap that, I had in my mind some of kind of old romantic steam train which it wouldn't be lol!

Think I have been reading the IOA thread too much...
 
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