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Do Alton Towers need a new 'Kid's Mascot'?

Scott

Scott

Former TS Team Member
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Nemesis
Alton Towers. The UKs largest, most well-known and most popular resort. Popular with families and thrill-seekers alike... Yet whilst there is loads for kids to do there, the park no longer has a mascot for kids to love and enjoy. Is this a bad thing? I think so.

In the past, there was the famous Henry Hound mascot and in more recent years there has been Alton Bear and Fin the Shark alongside Sonic the Hedgehog. However, none of these modern characters have had the same effect as ol' Henry - presumably because their appearances are/were rare and merchandise is few and far between.

I think Alton need a central mascot for the park who kids can see frequently throughout the day, who appears all around the park, is used in advertising and has a large amount of merchandise available. Why? Because i think it something magical that is missing within the park... An individual mascot which isn't an IP or someone else's invention. Bringing back Henry Hound would be good enough in my book...

For an alternative UK example, my small local park Pleasurewood Hills has Woody the Bear. Locally known by just about every kid, he appears all over the park and is loved by most who visit... When the park changed ownership a few years ago they surveyed visitors on whether he should stay and overwhelmingly people responded with yes...

henry36.jpg

Henry Hound

woody_digger_203_203x152.jpg

Woody Bear
 
Basically, yes! I completely agree that they do need a character that kids want to meet, have their photo with etc. Bring back Henry Hound, maybe in an 'updated' form, would be perfect for this as he will already be known by some and fits in with the history of Towers. For me a mascot like Henry Hound should be key to the marketing. Just like everyone associates ITHOTMK with Towers, they need a mascot to do the same. It will help to create a stronger brand in my eyes.

:)
 
Alton Towers seem to think a mascot which is consistent across the entire resort is somehow below them.

They have a few mascots, such as Sonic, Ice Age characters, Finn and Squirrel Nutty - but they're not "ever present" enough to make them be synomymous with Alton Towers Resort.

Back in the 1980's and 1990's, Henry Hound was that figure. They should just get him backon board and make him a key feature again.
 
I'd only like to see Henry Hound come back if he was completely overhauled and modernised, like Euromaus has been. The 90s Henry Hound without a redesign in a modern theme park would just look weird and out of place.

Old Euromaus:

99fe42055cd3c6775ae51b90d2ff75a1.jpg


New Euromaus:

cine4d4.jpg
 
I would love Alton to get a Traditional and permanent mascot. Whilst I think the likes of Snorlix and Squirrel Nutty are cute and nice for the park, I think bringing back Henry Hound would be a brilliant idea^^
 
Alton Bear was indeed an official mascot in the early 00s (may have been in the late 90s too). Although much like many of the newer characters Alton Bear disappeared over time.

Alton Towers could really do with a mascot. Henry Hound would be a perfect return. Along with Henrietta of course! I used to always look at them as the Mickey and Minnie Mouse of Alton Towers. Given a new look and the right amount of promotion they could over the years build up that effect here in the UK.
 
The new Henry Hound was not on par with the 90's version for 1 he was to tall Henry should be 5 foot 4 and the new henry had no movement in the head it just laid on the shoulders the old Henry had so much movement and could give every expression as the actors inside were learnt just how he should be. If you look at the tausards version Red dunagress he was prefect and age less.It was only 1 main man at tausards that took a dislike of Henry all staff had a pertition to keep him but it did not work. They even had 4 brand new Henrys ready for 1994 that only every got used at corporate events.And he did visit Disney.I have a photo of him and Henrietta with Mickey Mouse. And what other Alton Mascot has had sponsers from Coca Cola ' Cannon films' Ladybird books' they even sold Henry carpet. The characters today have no back story like every 90's character had a back story.They even had the flags at the entrance of the drive in with Henry as the main feature.I would if anyones interested send photos as i have 1 of the unused costumes 'flag and carpet pus nearly every piece of merchandise you would need to pm me then i would give you own email and some could put them on the topic. I can't seem to put them on here but would galdy send them to some to put on.
 
James said:
Alton Bear was indeed an official mascot in the early 00s (may have been in the late 90s too). Although much like many of the newer characters Alton Bear disappeared over time.

Alton Towers could really do with a mascot. Henry Hound would be a perfect return. Along with Henrietta of course! I used to always look at them as the Mickey and Minnie Mouse of Alton Towers. Given a new look and the right amount of promotion they could over the years build up that effect here in the UK.
Click to expand...

Just to point out, that photo of Alton Bear was taken in 2010, you can tell by the "Alton Towers 30 Years" logo, so this proves he wasn't just around in the early 00s, & made appearences up until around 2011.

I presume this is the case, or was it possibly just because Alton Bear was making an pperance for a 2010 special event?

:)
 
Blizzard said:
James said:
Alton Bear was indeed an official mascot in the early 00s (may have been in the late 90s too). Although much like many of the newer characters Alton Bear disappeared over time.

Alton Towers could really do with a mascot. Henry Hound would be a perfect return. Along with Henrietta of course! I used to always look at them as the Mickey and Minnie Mouse of Alton Towers. Given a new look and the right amount of promotion they could over the years build up that effect here in the UK.
Click to expand...

Just to point out, that photo of Alton Bear was taken in 2010, you can tell by the "Alton Towers 30 Years" logo, so this proves he wasn't just around in the early 00s, & made appearences up until around 2011.

I presume this is the case, or was it possibly just because Alton Bear was making an pperance for a 2010 special event?

:)
Click to expand...
I've seen Alton Bear on multiple occasions, the latest being 12th May 2010, as can be seen below;
alton-bear.jpg

I have no idea if he was a 'mascot' as such, or just a roaming character, however it was a very nice, traditional looking character, which I truly loved seeing whenever I ventured up to CCL.
 
During the 90s/early 00s Alton Bear was more prominent across the resort. You would see him everywhere, he would be in various areas across the theme park and all over the hotels. Every morning Alton Bear would come down to for breakfast and greet everyone and likewise he would be walking around the hotels at the end of the day. There was the 'Pirate Bill and Baby Bear' show in the early 00s for a few years. To add to this if you were a hotel guest there would be a Alton Bear teddy bear in each hotel room, along with workbooks and the like all including Alton Bear.

It's debatable if Alton Bear was a mascot during these years. Although certainly out of all the Alton Towers characters apart from Henry and Henrietta, Alton Bear was very prominent. It might have been Alton experimenting with the idea of a new mascot at the time. Although for whatever reason Alton Bear slowly disappeared over the years and simple became a character you'd see on park only by chance or buy as a toy in the shop.

Although just to clarify, Alton Bear was named as 'Baby Bear' originally, then it became Alton Bear.
 
Henry Hound presented me with a Birthday cake for my 7th Birthday in the restaurant (currently Burger King near Charlie). It was so lovely!!
Bring him back!! and Henretta!!
 
I might be the only one to think that a mascot would be tacky? It just seems so dated, perhaps because it reminds me of other parks lower down the food chain which seem to push their mascots too much. One that really jumps to mind would be Wicky Bear at Wicksteed Park. He does all the meet and greets and a show, it just seems to me to be a bit dated.

I've no issues with characters on park, I just think we're more likely to see IP characters than anything else. Kids just prefer brands that they know, why should Alton go to all of that expense when an off the shelf character would work as well if not better.

As far as marketing goes, I'd prefer to stick to the current style, it's not the 90s and it's time to move on from mascots.
 
Thats a bit of a sad response. It never used to be "tacky" and it actually gave Alton Towers its own brand and world if you like.
The people that go there make it tacky now I think, spitting and litering and basically not giving a stuff about the place. Not going off topic but when the mascots were walking about the whole place actually had a different feel and respect. I suppose if they did get another one back the chavs would only ruin it for everyone else, but I think deep down we all would like a bit of what it used to be like before the new generation took over!
 
To right and they always have a minder who tuck it in turn to play the character that way you always had characters on park. Also that picture of Alton Bear was alton bear Baby Bear was completly different he had a nicer head and was in blue dunagress and a yellow sweat shirt. And there own brand always worked better Alton needs there own idenity not brought in mascots. You don't see our parks giving up on there characters. Disney,Butlins,Haven,Pontins, Even blackpool got rid of beaver creak but they kept Bradley. All the older staff would have Henry back in the wink of an eye. Like i said before it was 1 person who wanted Henry gone, and he's been gone ages.Like some said on here its hit or miss if you see a costume character these days. But back then they were always out.
 
I'd like to see Henry return but i think that a new fresh idea is needed...
Something along the lines of a teddy bear, but one that could be changed so like, a Smiler one, a SW8 one and maybe even a TH13TEEN, Nemesis, Oblivion one
 
To answer the Subject question No.

Do Alton Towers need a Mascot, Maybe.

Should they bring back Henry Hound, Yes, but with a modern twist.

Ian
 
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