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Tom
TS Member
Not sure. I do agree with others that it strongly correlates with Raptor, but the language used is flawed at best and misleading at worst.
Matt.GC
TS Member
An artists depiction of roller coaster track for planning purposes only that looks more like real life B&M track than any other manufacturer (it's not that an accurate depiction of real life beemer track) does not "confirm" it's a B&M. I know after this it's more likely than it was before that it could be, but it's definitely not a dead cert. I think we all need to calm down before we count our chickens.
If it is some new fangled prototype shuttle winged B&M, there are a number of issues with it -
Why as a company would you go from building the likes of Tesco Value croc drop and Asda Smartprice Walliams World to buying a B&M in just 1 season?
Why would you build a B&M at Chessington?
Why would you build a B&M Wing so close to another park you own which also has one?
If it is a B&M, they'll splash so much cash on the ride type that corners will likely be cut elsewhere on theming, ride length and capacity. It wouldn't be worth it. They could get a far longer and better themed ride by going to a cheaper manufacturer.
Putting yet another low capacity ride at Chessington (if it is a shuttle with a 1 minute load time and duration) is the definition of insanity.
Nothing wrong with a Jumanji IP (also not confirmed by the way), the movies were successful. That would be the case however was it not for the fact that, as with so many other Merlin IP's, it would be extremely late to the party with it. The last (and possibly final) movie was released 2 years ago! That'll be 3 years by the time this opens. Unless they have some long term blockbuster installments in the works for Jumanji, it's an IP rediculously out of date.
If it is some new fangled prototype shuttle winged B&M, there are a number of issues with it -
Why as a company would you go from building the likes of Tesco Value croc drop and Asda Smartprice Walliams World to buying a B&M in just 1 season?
Why would you build a B&M at Chessington?
Why would you build a B&M Wing so close to another park you own which also has one?
If it is a B&M, they'll splash so much cash on the ride type that corners will likely be cut elsewhere on theming, ride length and capacity. It wouldn't be worth it. They could get a far longer and better themed ride by going to a cheaper manufacturer.
Putting yet another low capacity ride at Chessington (if it is a shuttle with a 1 minute load time and duration) is the definition of insanity.
Nothing wrong with a Jumanji IP (also not confirmed by the way), the movies were successful. That would be the case however was it not for the fact that, as with so many other Merlin IP's, it would be extremely late to the party with it. The last (and possibly final) movie was released 2 years ago! That'll be 3 years by the time this opens. Unless they have some long term blockbuster installments in the works for Jumanji, it's an IP rediculously out of date.
jon81uk
TS Member
this is my biggest issue with the whole project. The site could probably fit a bigger coaster so why aren’t they doing it.
John_P
TS Member
Would this project most likely be the first one likely to have been fully conceived since Merlin went back into private hands. Or at least they'd be able to look over everything again.
Rammeses Revenge removal and the Croc Drop addition, and Walliams World were both conceived and planned whilst it was still a public company.
Rammeses Revenge removal and the Croc Drop addition, and Walliams World were both conceived and planned whilst it was still a public company.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
Because as @John_P said, the likelihood is that those projects were planned while Merlin was still public. Now Merlin is in private hands again, the purse strings can be loosened more without suffering the same consequences. According to the application, this ride is apparently being planned as part of a direct response to the COVID pandemic and the other commercial threats mounting against Chessington (London Resort, Paultons etc), and similar investment is planned for all the parks in order to boost the recovery from COVID, so maybe things are beginning to get more exciting from here?
I’ll admit that while I do have reservations about the layout itself at present, and the ride perhaps isn’t what I’d have personally chosen for Chessington, I’m unsure why everyone hates it so much. I think it could be a pretty great ride (remember how everyone slated Wicker Man in the initial planning stages?), and a nice stepping stone from their current lineup in terms of thrill level!
Matt.GC
TS Member
You may be right. Maybe I'm being too cynical and Walliams World was one last gasp of breath from clapped out PLC Merlin and this is the start of a new golden era of long term planning and investment in their decaying RTP estate. None of us were expecting this season to pan out the way it has so i hope your usual optimism proves to be true Matt.
But I wouldn't read too much into PR speak in a planning application. Of course they're pretending they're doing their national duty to save us all from Covid to get some Tory councillors to rubber stamp their new roller coaster. No private enterprise submits planning applications and says "we want to build this new thing for the hell of it and tell your loyal voter Karen at number 42 it's tough titty!". No, they all put in applications insinuating that if it doesn't get granted the world will be a worse place, and all they have to do is say yes and climate change, war and world hunger will be solved immediately as soon as the approved document comes out of the printer.
I haven't read it, but almost every planning application by a business - pretty much ever - usually has spin about "jobs creation" and "sustainability" or "complimenting local businesses". I'll take a stab in the dark and say this application probably has those kinds of things in it as well?
I can completely understand that visitors from farther afield would want to be visiting Paultons in increasing numbers to see it's fresh, clean and vibrant new attractions as opposed to rotting old Chessington, but that London Resort pipe dream is clearly just throwing some mud at a wall and hoping it sticks to get the application through. No one of sane mind thinks that'll ever be built. They might as well have put they're building a new coaster in case martians plan on visiting one day.
Jb85
TS Member
Oh do spill on Thorpe
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
He may not be able to, in fairness; I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the person who showed him might have sworn him to secrecy about what’s happening.
Merlin really has been going through a rough patch the last 6-7 years haven't they.
TheAverageNerd
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
Regarding the Thorpe Project, I’m not sworn to secrecy or anything but it’s detailed information that I definitely shouldn’t have been told and I don’t think it’s fair to the creatives and everyone else working on the project to have it leaked 3 years before it’s set to open. However, I was with a group of enthusiasts when we were told, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it does start to circulate soon, it just won’t be because of myself. I will say that I think that it’s a fantastic fit for the park and it’s not what I expected at all.
Moving back on topic, Merlin has actually started to irritate me slightly with their hyper-fixation on one big theming element (usually a stone animal or tree-man). When wicker man first opened, it was a pretty unique theme. However, in the same year we got Tiger Rock (big stone animal), the year after we got Colossus (big tree-man), then we got Croc Drop (big stone animal) and correct me if i’m mistaken but this project is due to have a large stone animal too? I feel as though it’s watering down the unique aspects of their previously installed rides and making the parks feel a bit same-y.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Moving back on topic, Merlin has actually started to irritate me slightly with their hyper-fixation on one big theming element (usually a stone animal or tree-man). When wicker man first opened, it was a pretty unique theme. However, in the same year we got Tiger Rock (big stone animal), the year after we got Colossus (big tree-man), then we got Croc Drop (big stone animal) and correct me if i’m mistaken but this project is due to have a large stone animal too? I feel as though it’s watering down the unique aspects of their previously installed rides and making the parks feel a bit same-y.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Croc drop is closed today
jon81uk
TS Member
I think it can also be said for Smiler to some extent that The Marmaliser was the big centrepiece item.
I agree that there isn't always enough focus on the bigger picture. Wickerman got some rockwork details, but other areas right outside the station are bare concrete walls, every guest facing area should be treated the same!
This has started to annoy me as well. Why does Merlin need to have one big theming structure that uses up most of the theming budget for each ride? I wonder if this is one of the \Merlin company board's new requirement along with that 'killer image'. Or perhaps they are using these as the killer image as a way for the creatives to just get projects past the board easier. The ones installed so far all look good and this one should be fine as it makes sense with the theme however I don't think they should be adding anymore anytime soon.
