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Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Yeah Zufari is just a major disappointment, not only because of its name, but just how poor it is. It has everything there to be great, but it's too short and that cave is just pathetic.

I also hate all the meandering pathways with the high fences that surround it. Sort of feels like you're walking through the back stages of the park.

I know there's the age old cliché of enthusiasts thinking they know better, but when it comes to Merlin.... what have they actually built, apart from The Smiler, that's been a well rounded success?
 
Lordy said:
I know there's the age old cliché of enthusiasts thinking they know better, but when it comes to Merlin.... what have they actually built, apart from The Smiler, that's been a well rounded success?
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They've done pretty well with the coasters. Thirteen, Raptor, Swarm & Oblivion TBH would be highlights for me.

I think Zufari gets a lot of hate from enthusiasts, but it's the one ride the kids always want to wait for. More so than Vampire, invariably.
 
Smiler may be Merlin's (arguable) biggest success story but the ride still had many issues.

Poorly planned construction work, resulting in unacceptable alignment, landscaping, architecture and drainage.

Delays in opening the ride, due to the above issues amongst issues in testing.

Inconsistency of reliability, falling ride pieces and other issues in its first season.

Then there's the 'infamous' accident last year. I won't go into it too much but it's given a smokescreen to a multimillion 'profit' making company to increase the rate of what was once a leading European attraction to just a regional park with a holiday village attached.

Derren Brown's ghost train is proof Merlin still haven't learnt from their mistakes given the opening and reliablility problems there.

Until Merlin can build an all round attraction with limited problems and a top experience, most people will continue to see them as a major disappointment.
 
Matt Creek said:
Until Merlin can build an all round attraction with limited problems and a top experience, most people will continue to see them as a major disappointment.
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I don't doubt your sincerity, but so much of what you say is the same as what a film critic would say versus what the your average movie goer would say. Things are analysed on two different levels - it's inevitable, but both levels don't have the same importance in the grand scheme of things.

Ghost Train was a phenomenal risk. I'm not sure it paid off last season, they had some major challenges and they worked relentlessly to try and get things together. It's one of the risks of being a seasonal park. They could have built another coaster for enthusiasts to hate on instead.
 
Matt Creek said:
Smiler may be Merlin's (arguable) biggest success story but the ride still had many issues.

Poorly planned construction work, resulting in unacceptable alignment, landscaping, architecture and drainage.

Delays in opening the ride, due to the above issues amongst issues in testing.

Inconsistency of reliability, falling ride pieces and other issues in its first season.

Then there's the 'infamous' accident last year. I won't go into it too much but it's given a smokescreen to a multimillion 'profit' making company to increase the rate of what was once a leading European attraction to just a regional park with a holiday village attached.

Derren Brown's ghost train is proof Merlin still haven't learnt from their mistakes given the opening and reliablility problems there.

Until Merlin can build an all round attraction with limited problems and a top experience, most people will continue to see them as a major disappointment.
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Despite everything you've mentioned, Smiler was largely still Towers' most popular ride in 2016. And whilst I'd agree that most enthusiasts may see merlin parks as a disappointment, you can't possibly say "most people" in reference to everyone that visits them. I'd argue the high majority of Towers/Thorpe/Chessy visitors still enjoy the parks when they're there. Towers and Thorpe both provide an above average coaster line up, which I'd say are (one of) the main selling points of both parks, so I'd argue coaster fans and thrill seekers can still get a "top experience" at Merlin parks.

I'm not saying things are great - but they're certainly not all bad.
 
andeyhart said:
I get your point, but Nemmy's one Hell of a past glory to dine out on. Merlin could never possibly top it, even if they did try.
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I'd perhaps even go as far to say that if they did top it in 20xx - it would unlikely be received as such. Nemesis came into being when the enthusiast community when it was so full of hope and excitement. If B&M & Merlin pulled off something so special in a community that is these days centred around negativity and apathy, the response to a better product would be almost certainly be one centred around those themes.

Swarm, for example, is a phenomenal roller coaster, with a great story, theme, props and effects - but these days its just another coaster in the Merlin arsenal and is regarded as such.
 
If B&M and Merlin put in the same amount of effort as Nemesis then it would be received well... Enthusiasts might well be fickle, but do also tend to appreciate effort being made to produce a quality ride based upon the park's likely budget (hence why Lost Kingdom at Paultons gained plaudits, as the £6 million budget looked like it had been used thoughtfully)...

Swarm has a good story? No, that's just silly... Aliens are attacking the park and we're escaping them by riding them? And that's if a story actually exists of course (like Thirteen's 'story'), not that a ride needs a story to be good of course, but Swarm's never exactly been rated for a high quality story... The queue videos are cool and unique, unfortunately good queue design has seemingly been forgotten in theme park recently (not just at Merlin parks, but Jesus that hidden cattlepen can get in the bin)...

It's also not even the best Merlin Wing Rider either (that's Raptor), whilst the props and effects are good (when working), there's still issues in regards to having more than just a few props stood in random positions, it needs to all tie together in a logical sense, and adding a giant billboard doesn't help matters, and nor does the missed opportunity that is the station (seriously, that station should've been indoors with fantastic lighting and mood, plus could still have the ride 'crashing' through the building anyway, it's my biggest bug bear with it)...

I think there in lies Merlin's main flaw, there are good ideas in these attractions (unless it's IAC), but things never stretch far enough to make it a complete addition, there's always one or two often basic issues they've got wrong in the design process that prevents a ride from being of highly rated... I'd probably say Raptor is my favourite overall Merlin addition because it is the closest thing to combining a thought out attraction, theme and atmosphere together, it looks like they made an effort because it was the new icon ride for the park, and for me, it just works well (until Merlin decided that Gardaland would sell a year long unlimited Fastrack to MAP holders, morons)...

I'd say people are noticing the issues more and more if those middling reviews on Trip Advisor are anything to go by, if things keep dropping in terms of maintenance and such, people do notice and are likely to mention it...
 
I don't think Merlin could ever come close to the impact Nemesis had, even if they put all the effort in the World in. We've seen they can make thrilling, immersive rides that break records and grab attention ala Smiler and Swarm, but they can't go that extra level and recreate the sheer magic that was Nemesis. Part of that is also down to what Nemesis represented, as well as just the ride itself. For so many, it was the ride that made them a coaster enthusiast, and it completely transformed the theme park landscape in the UK in ways no ride has done since. That level of hype and inspiration would be near on impossible to replicate. Merlin could come up with a ride that is on a similar level in terms of thrills and theming, if they really tried, but it would still fail to have even half the impact Nemesis had.

As for Chessy, I too feel the park is gradually returning to its roots as just a zoo. It's sad, but Merlin seem to have no vision for the future of the theme park whatsoever.
 
I know Smiler has had its issues, we all know that, but you just have to hand it to Merlin for what they created. Back in 2013 EVERYONE was talking about it. The logo was plastered every where, including the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace!

How long were the queues when it first opened? The hype surrounding it was immense, and I haven't ever witnessed that before. I get the feeling that's what it was like in 94 when PMBO opened.

I'll never forget that day in June 2013 when I first went to ride the Smiler, the atmosphere in Towers was incredible, everyone was so exited and you could sense the anticipation everywhere. Yeah, I was in a 4 hour queue, but I didn't care. This was something I hadn't ever experienced before, and I was just in awe at the whole thing. Hearing that soundtrack blast out for the first time was just amazing.

But that's not even the biggest thing about the Smiler for me, it's the fact that Merlin have created a brand. I can't remember the last time I went to a park and didn't see anyone wearing a Smiler shirt or hoody. And I just love it. I just love that Towers have finally created a new Nemesis (in the public eye). And I hate to think of how long it'll be before we experience hype like that again. And I don't mean hype like Thirteen "hype", I mean real hype created by everyone.
 
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It seems we have a name.
From SouthParks Facebook page:
Ahead of the New Year’s Day announcement, it has been revealed on the Chessington short breaks website that the new attraction at Chessington World of Adventures Resort will be called The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure!

The Gruffalo will also be arriving at the Safari Hotel in 2017 with the addition of new themed rooms featuring a range of interactive elements and a Gruffalo gift. As part of their stay guests will also receive Fastrack access to some of the Resort's rides including the new attraction.
 
Wow talk about a catchy name o_O. Who has been paid big bucks for that!!!! Seriously Merlin really need to start putting effort into naming rides, how can you replace a name the Professor Burps Bubble works, then Bubble Works to "The Gruffalo River Adventure" Wow
 
shawnoc said:
Wow talk about a catchy name o_O. Who has been paid big bucks for that!!!! Seriously Merlin really need to start putting effort into naming rides, how can you replace a name the Professor Burps Bubble works, then Bubble Works to "The Gruffalo River Adventure" Wow
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I think the name of a ride is the last thing Merlin should be worrying about at the moment.
 
Much like with the moaning about the CBeebies area names, these ride names need to be able to convey quite simply over to parents of children what the ride is exactly to ensure expectations and also the children can also understand it.
 
Given a sufficient budget, it would not be hard to beat Nemesis in terms of height? Length, duration, etc.

But overall ride experience - not a chance - Nemesis was a stroke of seminal genius, not only never to be beaten at towers, but in the world.

We are not worthy, and we are lucky to have her.
 
I'm actually quite looking forward to this Gruffalo ride. It could be quite cute.

It's also going to be interesting to see Merlin first take on a traditional dark ride! Every single one they've attempted so far have been "questionable" at very best - Saw Alive, Sub Terra, I'm a Celeb and DBGT.
 
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