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Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Posted by the Merlin Entertainents Instagram this morning.

No great surprise but the first official confirmation they are working on a Minecraft IP I believe?

IMG_8032.jpeg

Edit: press release here. Looks like they are going to roll this out in the UK (presumably Chessington) and somewhere in the US too.

Minecraft In Real Life: Merlin Entertainments And Mojang Studios Join Forces To Create Location-Based Attractions

“Adventures Made Real” through multi-format, multi-territory partnership, with initial investment of over £85 million ($110 million) in Minecraft-themed real-life experiences on both sides of the Atlantic
www.merlinentertainments.biz www.merlinentertainments.biz

This concept art looks very much like it will be the entrance to the area at Chessington, replacing the current Wild Asia entrance portal, you can see the outdoor section of the coaster that was in the recent plans in the background.

IMG_8033.jpeg
 
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AT86 said:
Posted by the Merlin Entertainents Instagram this morning.

No great surprise but the first official confirmation they are working on a Minecraft IP I believe?

IMG_8032.jpeg

Edit: press release here. Looks like they are going to roll this out in the UK (presumably Chessington) and somewhere in the US too.

Minecraft In Real Life: Merlin Entertainments And Mojang Studios Join Forces To Create Location-Based Attractions

“Adventures Made Real” through multi-format, multi-territory partnership, with initial investment of over £85 million ($110 million) in Minecraft-themed real-life experiences on both sides of the Atlantic
www.merlinentertainments.biz www.merlinentertainments.biz

This concept art looks very much like it will be the entrance to the area at Chessington, replacing the current Wild Asia entrance portal, you can see the outdoor section of the coaster that was in the recent plans in the background.

IMG_8033.jpeg
Click to expand...
Looks like this seems to be confirmation that Minecraft is coming to Chessington and opening around 2026 (2027 at the latest).

I'm curious where it'd open in the US as the only Merlin parks in the US are Legoland parks. It could mean either it'll be part of Legoland Florida/California/New York or that it will be a park that they build/acquire from another operator. 🤔
 
owenstreet7 said:
Looks like this seems to be confirmation that Minecraft is coming to Chessington and opening around 2026 (2027 at the latest).

I'm curious where it'd open in the US as the only Merlin parks in the US are Legoland parks. It could mean either it'll be part of Legoland Florida/California/New York or that it will be a park that they build/acquire from another operator. 🤔
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The press release mentions city centres, so it could be a midway style attraction coming to the US.

and this world-first will see fans experience its thrill and creativity in real life, at theme parks and city-centre attractions in leading tourist destinations.
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Wonder if it will be like a minecraft themed walkthrough experience like the Shrek and dungeons ones. Just with Steve or whatever the character is called instead.

It would be weird including it at a US Lego site given they are vastly different IPs, albeit on the same theoretical building block principle.
 
dave___ said:
Wonder if it will be like a minecraft themed walkthrough experience like the Shrek and dungeons ones. Just with Steve or whatever the character is called instead.

It would be weird including it at a US Lego site given they are vastly different IPs, albeit on the same theoretical building block principle.
Click to expand...

Lego have a whole Minecraft range, so wouldn’t be too off the mark to add this to a Legoland.

Minecraft Toys and Gifts | Official LEGO® Shop GB

Browse our LEGO® Minecraft sets and discover the best Minecraft toys for kids and collectable character minifigures for adult Minecrafters
www.lego.com www.lego.com
 
AT86 said:
Lego have a whole Minecraft range, so wouldn’t be too off the mark to add this to a Legoland.

Minecraft Toys and Gifts | Official LEGO® Shop GB

Browse our LEGO® Minecraft sets and discover the best Minecraft toys for kids and collectable character minifigures for adult Minecrafters
www.lego.com www.lego.com
Click to expand...
Hmm, potentially. Merlin are building a whole Peppa Pig theme park in Texas too so I guess money talks when it comes to licensing, and Lego do like their money as well.

Blatantly going to be in Orlando or New York either way really isn't it..
 
I agree that the press release implies they’re considering either a Minecraft midway attraction, or incorporating Minecraft into an existing one. I’m not sure that’s likely for the first one in the US, though.

I’d be surprised if they spent more than £30 million on Wild Asia. It is possible that the holiday village pictured will go at Chessington, but if not that leaves £55 million for the American site. I can’t see them spending £55 million on a midway attraction. I think the most likely option is they’ll put this at Legoland Florida and build a holiday village to go with it.
 
I don't really get this. They've spent however much money turning Chessington into an adventure themed park, counties, animals etc. And then recently they've done a u turn and started building IPs and themes which go against the recent re-theme.

So what IS the overall theme of the park these days?
 
jmc said:
Its actually quite a genius move by Merlin, the theming can consist of tonnes of vinyl covered blocks and it actually look as intended.
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Just think of all the shipping containers they will be able to use

siralgenon said:
I don't really get this. They've spent however much money turning Chessington into an adventure themed park, counties, animals etc. And then recently they've done a u turn and started building IPs and themes which go against the recent re-theme.

So what IS the overall theme of the park these days?
Click to expand...

I don't think Chessington really has a theme anymore. It's a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none isn't it. Jumanji could have been something great but it's just too small an area to work effectively.
 
Seems sensible to have this in Chessington with accompanying accommodation, Legoland and midway (perhaps replacing Bear Grylls?)

It’s a huge IP and as you’d assume Microsoft/majong would demand a certain level of execution. I think there’s an argument it’s almost too big for Chessington.

But again, two huge investments for Chessington in Jumanji and Minecraft with accommodation to suit. Given their previous years of starvation. Just goes to show how quick things change.
 
siralgenon said:
I don't really get this. They've spent however much money turning Chessington into an adventure themed park, counties, animals etc. And then recently they've done a u turn and started building IPs and themes which go against the recent re-theme.

So what IS the overall theme of the park these days?
Click to expand...

I think it is still adventure, Minecraft fits with that perfectly. Maybe Chessington are moving away slightly from animals and being a zoo, but Minecraft is about adventuring, exploring and building.
 
Funcone said:
I’d be surprised if they spent more than £30 million on Wild Asia. It is possible that the holiday village pictured will go at Chessington, but if not that leaves £55 million for the American site. I can’t see them spending £55 million on a midway attraction. I think the most likely option is they’ll put this at Legoland Florida and build a holiday village to go with it.
Click to expand...

Perhaps we will find out more tonight but based on the public plans including a large indoor rollercoaster and more i wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the spend is on the UK area.

The midway attractions from Merlin tend to be very scaled down affairs whereas even if it's not on the same level the proposal for this does seem to be a Minecraft equivalent of Super Nintendo World.

A holiday village for a midway attraction would also be somewhat unusual. Isn't the new area encompassing the existing "glamping" area or rumoured to be expanding further into Tiger Rock so again would make more sense to be located at Chessington.
 
Bowser said:
A holiday village for a midway attraction would also be somewhat unusual. Isn't the new area encompassing the existing "glamping" area or rumoured to be expanding further into Tiger Rock so again would make more sense to be located at Chessington.
Click to expand...

Chessington have had a lodge development in the works for years, to be located the other side of the Safari Hotel, this could well be given a Minecraft overlay/theme.

chessingtonbuzz.com

Safari Lodges • Chessington Buzz

The Safari Lodges are coming to Chessington. With planning now secured, this new accommodation is under construction! We've got the latest!
chessingtonbuzz.com chessingtonbuzz.com
 
Bowser said:
Perhaps we will find out more tonight but based on the public plans including a large indoor rollercoaster and more i wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the spend is on the UK area.

The midway attractions from Merlin tend to be very scaled down affairs whereas even if it's not on the same level the proposal for this does seem to be a Minecraft equivalent of Super Nintendo World.

A holiday village for a midway attraction would also be somewhat unusual. Isn't the new area encompassing the existing "glamping" area or rumoured to be expanding further into Tiger Rock so again would make more sense to be located at Chessington.
Click to expand...
As you say, we'll probably find out fairly soon. I see where you're coming from, and I know the press release mentions city centres. I'd be surprised though if they're about to open a new midway concept in America themed to Minecraft. Although I've been surprised by Merlin before, and I'm certainly not saying it's impossible. But:

1. Their last couple of new midway concepts (Bear Grylls Adventure and Little Big City) don't appear to have been very successful. That doesn't mean they won't try to find another new midway concept that does work, but it's clearly a high risk area. I don't know whether Merlin will have the appetite for that kind of risk at the moment.
2. They've recently closed down several midway attractions in America, so I'm not sure the midway market's doing fantastically well there.

The Instagram post does show pictures that are clearly of a Legoland. For example the bottom right photo is the CEO of Legoland Florida. Although that seems so obvious it could be a deliberate red herring.
 
Islander said:
You very much overestimate the amount that these people would care to ‘trick’ enthusiasts…
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Have I? I don't know, marketing's not really my area, but they can't spend all their time twerking for Tik Tok videos, can they? (or whatever they do on Tiki Tok, I've never used it). In my head I can imagine someone at the marketing meeting saying, '...And we'll put a photo of the Legoland Florida CEO just to really fox them...' and everyone high fiving each other (don't tell me that marketing people don't spend a lot of time high fiving each other)

But as I said in my post, when you look at the pool of evidence, I think a Minecraft area at Legoland Florida is the most likely outcome.

Edit: Joking aside, I don't use Instagram so I don't know who the channel's aimed at, but I can see that marketing's job is to get people talking. Creating some teasers that are a bit cryptic or misleading would be a way of doing that, although again, I still think Legoland Florida's a lot more likely than a new midway concept.
 
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