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Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Rick said:
In terms of IP, I think there's something in the fact it's a recognisable name, irrespective of whether you're close to the franchise or not.

The fact that something is "Jumanji" vs. an original crazy enchanted game theme has some intrinsic value.
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I agree, it just makes the marketing far easier and means seeing the Jumanji name on cereal boxes, soaps etc will make people more likely to visit Chessington than it being generic jungle themed coaster with a name they’ve never heard of before.
 
Old people = Robin Williams

Young people = Dwayne Johnson

Either way, everyone knows of it.

I used to love the original film as a young'un. Had it on VHS (some of you may have to Google that). Looking back now though the CGI has aged terribly...

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I was born 42 years after the Wizard of Oz was released but I'm still aware of it. Perhaps it wasn't the smash hit it was made out to be at the time if so many haven't heard of it? Couldn't escape it back in the 90's, Jumanji was everywhere, similar to the Jurassic park histeria before it. It's still regularly repeated on telly.

It would've been a great IP - 4 years ago! No new movie in the works and the last one released 2 years ago. Sounds like another Merlin rummage through the IP reduced to clear bay. If grown adults on here haven't heard of the Robin Williams original, what hope is there of many of Chessingtons target age group knowing about the franchise in 10 years time?
 
I completely disagree that this is a bargain bucket IP. There's a new movie in the works and the rebooted franchise is extremely popular with families. Both of the newer movies did well at the box office (against stiff competition such as Star Wars) and Jumanji is a perfect fit for Chessington's general theme of "animals and adventure."

People will definitely be drawn by this IP - the question is whether Chessington can build an attraction that meets their heightened expectations.
 
AstroDan said:
IPs are just unnecessary on this project. Merlin have the know-how to create innovative, marketable brands of their own rather than being constrained by an external IP, which costs licensing money to boot.

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Which is all well and good for us Theme Park enthusiasts but we matter to them less and less every single year that passes.

They want the GP to come and spend money on merchandise etc and IP's will definitely increase the sales of merch over in house brands any day of the week and they know this.
 
I'm not against a good IP. But it needs to be a good one. If this was a temporary attraction for the next 3 years, it'd be spot on to coincide with a new film realease. But it's not, it's a permanent area with the IP firmly baked in.

Jumanji was massive in the 90's, starred the late (and great) Robin Williams and is repeated quite a bit on telly, yet some of the youngsters above hadn't even heard of it. So what chance will this have of being relevent to a young 'un in 6 or 7 years time? I've watched the Reboot and it's sequel, they're successful and popular but come on, this ain't no Marvel, DC or Star Wars. Look at Saw, Walking Dead etc, massive at the time (Saw films are still coming out aren't they?) but Merlin joined the party too late, probably for a discount price.

Putting an IP into a theme park area means it has to weather the sands of time. If it's a themed area, they should be getting a good 15 years out of it. Cbeebies, Julia Donaldson, David Walliams, Lego - whatever we think of the attactions, areas and parks that bear the name - are all good examples of ones that will. I bet you they'll be posts on here about how irrelevant this IP is before the decade is out. An original IP would stand a much better chance.
 
Benjsh said:
Which is all well and good for us Theme Park enthusiasts but we matter to them less and less every single year that passes.

They want the GP to come and spend money on merchandise etc and IP's will definitely increase the sales of merch over in house brands any day of the week and they know this.
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I just don't think this is necessarily true! Alton Towers are the absolute masters at creating their own brands and their own IPs. Just look at the branding of rides like Nemesis, Wicker Man and Oblivion. The sheer amount of merchandise that you see in UK parks from Alton Towers says it all.
 
To further the point that @AstroDan made, I’d argue that the Merlin-created Smiler is possibly one of the strongest and most well-known brand identities ever created for a UK coaster, and that was entirely original!

However, Jumanji is a very current and popular IP (the current Dwayne Johnson film series is proving pretty popular!), so I think it’ll go down great at Chessington, and I think its popularity may make the ride more marketable than if it were using a home-grown theme!
 
AstroDan said:
I just don't think this is necessarily true! Alton Towers are the absolute masters at creating their own brands and their own IPs. Just look at the branding of rides like Nemesis, Wicker Man and Oblivion. The sheer amount of merchandise that you see in UK parks from Alton Towers says it all.
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Sort of see what you mean there but only a true 'theme park nerd' buys that type of merch surely? Somebody who just tags along to a day out to Towers who might not be overly into rides and theme parks isn't really going to buy a £25 t-shirt with Smiler on it in my opinion.

However they might be more inclined to buy something with a brand they are more familiar with from a well known IP. This is surely the whole point of adding an IP in the first place, no?

I consider myself a Theme Park enthusiast but even I don't wear theme park merch. However I have been known to wear the odd Star Wars Tshirt or a Ghostbusters one from time to time so clearly this is a thing.
 
Speaking only for myself I tend to avoid IP based merch because I find it's usually more related to the IP than it is to the ride.

For example, I wouldn't personally buy/wear the saw merch at Thorpe park as it's too tied to the film IP which I wouldn't normally wear. And I do think the saw the ride merch is generally one of the better examples of making clear it is ride merch.
 
Benjsh said:
Sort of see what you mean there but only a true 'theme park nerd' buys that type of merch surely? Somebody who just tags along to a day out to Towers who might not be overly into rides and theme parks isn't really going to buy a £25 t-shirt with Smiler on it in my opinion.

However they might be more inclined to buy something with a brand they are more familiar with from a well known IP. This is surely the whole point of adding an IP in the first place, no?

I consider myself a Theme Park enthusiast but even I don't wear theme park merch. However I have been known to wear the odd Star Wars Tshirt or a Ghostbusters one from time to time so clearly this is a thing.
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My wife is not a nerd, but loves the smiler shop!
She hadn't finished going round the shop after I had done two single rider rides!
 
Matt N said:
However, Jumanji is a very current and popular IP (the current Dwayne Johnson film series is proving pretty popular!), so I think it’ll go down great at Chessington, and I think its popularity may make the ride more marketable than if it were using a home-grown theme!
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Ah, there we go. It's very "current". Will it be current in even 5 years time? Unless there is a massive string of future movies and stuff planned, then the answer is no. You were one of the ones Matt who didn't know the Blockbuster original existed and it was only just over 2 decades ago. Imagine if they'd done this area at the time of the original movies release, what would you have thought of that area come 2005 - 2010?

An original IP may not always get quick shot in the arm that a license gets (although with some of the examples that have already been used, I don't see why a good attraction with a good original IP can'tdo the same) but it can stand the test of time if it's well thought out.
 
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Benjsh said:
Sort of see what you mean there but only a true 'theme park nerd' buys that type of merch surely? Somebody who just tags along to a day out to Towers who might not be overly into rides and theme parks isn't really going to buy a £25 t-shirt with Smiler on it in my opinion.

However they might be more inclined to buy something with a brand they are more familiar with from a well known IP. This is surely the whole point of adding an IP in the first place, no?

I consider myself a Theme Park enthusiast but even I don't wear theme park merch. However I have been known to wear the odd Star Wars Tshirt or a Ghostbusters one from time to time so clearly this is a thing.
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I think you're mistaken to be honest. Merchandise at ATR sells widely - not just enthusiasts.

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Plenty of ride merch gets purchased by the public.

Lot of ride shirts if done right can be subtle but still nice looking. Plus I'm sure a lot of kids get a shirt as a symbol of conquering a ride or whatever.

Efteling are about the only park that doesn't really conform to it.
 
Yeah I agree as someone at work went to Thorpe park for the 1st time in August and brought a saw backpack as he loved the design. That was his 1st visit to any theme park in the past 5 years.
I wear a Drayton Manor hat as I loved the design.
Anyway I don’t think Jumanji is a bad movie but down to the way Williams took his own life I don’t think any of his movies have been on tv for years. Think it’s gonna be tough to pull this IP off as it’s got to look wild with animals and even hunters everywhere trying to get you.
 
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