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Matt N
TS Member
To be fair, I think kiddie coasters aren’t often very well themed. Even at Disney and Universal, the theming effort is often not very elaborate on kiddie coasters. So I can see the point @Hid is making if we’re comparing it to other kiddie coasters worldwide.
I think it looks like it could be a fun land for the younger kids! Granted, that helicopter ride does look like it could be tight for the older guests, but I’m sure the kiddie coaster will be well liked and it will fill a gap at Chessington. I’m surprised at the criticism of the coaster given that Paultons Park has the same layout and Farmyard Flyer never receives strong criticism.
I think it looks like it could be a fun land for the younger kids! Granted, that helicopter ride does look like it could be tight for the older guests, but I’m sure the kiddie coaster will be well liked and it will fill a gap at Chessington. I’m surprised at the criticism of the coaster given that Paultons Park has the same layout and Farmyard Flyer never receives strong criticism.
PhalanaxOperativeA1127
TS Member
Not really comparable to be honest; Farmyard Flyer is essentislly a supporting ride as part of a larger area, in a park with lots of other rides and coasters for its target market.
This coaster is going to be the main attraction in its area, and the only ride for its demographic in the park.
The theming also looks far higher quality on FF than Paw Patrol (but willing to wait until it's finished before confirming that judgement)
Plastic Person
TS Member
Paw Patrol is undoubtedly popular, but the brand has become so prominent thanks to a general lack of quality control, featuring on the crappiest tasting Easter Eggs and the poorer quality garms in Primark. There’s no integrity to the IP, so this area looks as cheap as the show.
We ask for more rides and they still get complaints they can't win can they. I disagree about it looking cheap its colourful and the type of area Chessington was lacking before hand
PhalanaxOperativeA1127
TS Member
I’d reserve judgement until we see what the final land looks like. I remember a lot of early comments and judgements on Forbidden Valley and then it surprised people when it re-opened with everything coming together.
That said, I think we are allowed to comment on the choice of the rides in there, and I agree with the consensus that they don’t look great. I guess that Chessington is fortunate in that it’s more or less a full family theme park, so it won’t sink or swim by the quality of this land and the rides (though you’d be certain that they’d want increased revenue and numbers from this), but it’s always frustrating as a theme park fan when you see long awaited investment and it doesn’t hit all the marks.
That said, I think we are allowed to comment on the choice of the rides in there, and I agree with the consensus that they don’t look great. I guess that Chessington is fortunate in that it’s more or less a full family theme park, so it won’t sink or swim by the quality of this land and the rides (though you’d be certain that they’d want increased revenue and numbers from this), but it’s always frustrating as a theme park fan when you see long awaited investment and it doesn’t hit all the marks.
Bowser
TS Member
What was the last new Merlin attraction to deliver on this front?
Probably WickerMan or Flight of the SkyLion.
I’d include Mandrill Mayhem if it wasn’t for those flat rides.
Benzin
TS Member
Tbh it’s hard to tell from those photos without humans for scale. Paultons has some similar rides where stepping in means a crouch but head height is fine once seated. I’d be very surprised if it’s a ride adults can’t fit in to accompany children…. Imagine the throughput
Given the same park has Tiny Truckers and its 200pph target......
Hyperia, Toxicator, Curse at Alton Manor, Zufari. All are great
PhalanaxOperativeA1127
TS Member
Hyperia? It's awful. Its a great ride, but as soon as merlin get their claws on it for presentation, upkeep etc, is where it falls apart. It's awfully presented.
Zufari is an embarrassment, really.
Curse is fantastic, I'll give you that one.
And I haven't seen toxicator in person so cannot comment.
NuttySquirrel
TS Member
Hyperia famously did not deliver on the theming front, the original plans had the splashdown area next to an observation plaza. What we ended up with was a nothing plaza you can't see most of the ride from and a splashdown miles away from any public areas that had to be switched off after a few weeks because of rust. Landscaping of the area was also a disaster in the first year, with many of the planted items dying and scrubby weeds taking over, by November it was a complete state. Some areas have been improved for 2025 but it was an awful start.
It's a popular ride but that's in spite of the theming and area design which are both poor. If it had been a weaker coaster like Mandrill Mayhem it would have been a complete failure.
Bowser
TS Member
Curse is not a new ride, which I specified, it’s 30 years old.
Hyperia has not delivered on all fronts. The theming/landscaping is poor and the ride is short.
Toxicator I haven’t seen but not really a new ride imo.
Zufari theming is dreadful though haven’t been on it since the cave refresh. It opened in 2013 so that isn’t in its favour either.
Skyscraper
TS Member
Don't want to reignite the debate again (and in the wrong topic, as well
), but Toxicator is a new ride, whether you like it or not. It was built in a factory, then shipped to the park and assembled on-site.The fact that it's a similar model to a former ride does not mean it's not a "new" ride itself.
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Bowser
TS Member
Don't want to reignite the debate again, but Toxicator is a new ride, whether you like it or not. It was built in a factory, then shipped to the park and assembled on-site.
The fact that it's a similar model to a former ride does not mean it's not a "new" ride itself.
Semantics!
For the purpose of this discussion I don’t personally consider it new, nor is nemesis but I understand why others may disagree.
I think for a ride to be considered new it means you haven’t ridden it in that park before. The seat may be new but the experience is virtually the same.
Skyscraper
TS Member
It's not quite the same though, is it. Toxicator has back-to-back seating, making for a different and more intense ride experience.
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Regardless the quality of the land, the sightlines from inside the land are going to be horrendous, ranging from a castle looking structure to Rattlesnakes theming to Egyptian theming and a large crocodile (see the 4th photo for a great example)
I kinda gave up hoping for a decent immersive land with a good finish. That just never happens. I think the land around the coaster footers should have been tidied and paved/themed before installing the track and hardware.
I kinda gave up hoping for a decent immersive land with a good finish. That just never happens. I think the land around the coaster footers should have been tidied and paved/themed before installing the track and hardware.
Bowser
TS Member
Probably less of an issue for that demographic. Peppa Pig isn’t much better except it’s larger which naturally benefits sight lines.
Will be interesting to see how Minecraft fares, there’s not much excuse for that area not to be better in that regard.
PhalanaxOperativeA1127
TS Member
Wild Asia was always pretty secluded from the rest of the park wasn't it? If my memory isn't failing, I don't remember seeing much (if any) of the sightlines of the outside areas like Fury or Falls.