Forbidden Valley: Future Changes?

[Ash]

I suspect that is why they are knocking it down and rebuilding. I would assume that the current structure limits the choice of what cabinets they can have in The Edge, with the Portakabins limiting both the height and weight of what can be installed.

The new plans will allow them to have more diversity in what The Edge can offer, which I'd guess they are projecting will draw in more guests and therefore increase the amount of money made.

Indeed, suspect given the anticipated extra footfall into FV they want to capitalise.

As others have been said the HB takeover of Alton has been a distraction to the overall product though.

The RMT and X sector booths in particular look awful. The FV are no better either.

At least edge is tucked away but the god awful temporary games stalls everywhere don’t scream UKs Greatest Escape. Far from it

 

[EarthlyKnight27]

Indeed, suspect given the anticipated extra footfall into FV they want to capitalise.

As others have been said the HB takeover of Alton has been a distraction to the overall product though.

The RMT and X sector booths in particular look awful. The FV are no better either.

At least edge is tucked away but the god awful temporary games stalls everywhere don’t scream UKs Greatest Escape. Far from it

Let's just hope they're starting to improve them over the course of the next few years...

 

[James]

Just to add to my post above, while I don't mind the arcades what I do find a bit annoying is the HB units everywhere. I think post-2007 they've done a better job at theming them/covering with themed vinyls (and various stalls have been removed over the years). In the late Tussauds days the HB units felt a bit more obnoxious.

Don't think an arcade on Towers St would get enough footfall to be worthwhile and there already is a large one round the corner in Muntiny Bay. However there should be more play areas both indoor and outdoor across the whole park. Forbidden Valley could really do with a play area so those who are too small to go on the rides have something to do while their older siblings are riding. The area next to the Galactica gate would be a good space.

I forgot about the one in Mutiny Bay (I always think of the row of clawgrabbers there and forget the arcade).

I was thinking more Towers Street in terms of getting guests to spend extra on there way out of the park (but then I guess Mutiny Bay will have a large footfall of guests leaving anyway).

 

[Zeock]

I personally am not a fan of arcades, but if they are tucked out of the way inside a themed area, I can tolerate them.

 

[QTXAdsy]

With it being called the Edge, I'm honestly suprised that after all these years no one has made a joke that it shares the same name as the wrestler from WWE!

Funny how even I haven't had thought once of that arcade place which tells you how much I feel about that place.

 

[Matt.GC]

As a childhood Sega fanboy, I love a good arcade. One of the most depressing things about the 21st century is the death of the arcade. I live in a seaside town so there's plenty of them around, but they're hard to find these days away from the coast and outside of bowling alleys.

I wouldn't bother wasting my time and money in one on a 6 hour day at Towers, but people clearly do otherwise they'd be gone. I just wish they'd get some classic game cabinets in them rather than tonnes of claw grabbers. Mortal Kombat 2, Sega Rally and Tekken 3 would make me run in with some change.

 

[Lewis232]

I personally am not a fan of arcades, but if they are tucked out of the way inside a themed area, I can tolerate them.

Same, which is why I think the edge is fine to have in that location and this application is an improvement on the portacabins but the games bunker does annoy me, that would be a prime location for a nice restaurant / café with seating by the lake with a lovely view of the towers. It shouldn't be an arcade site.

 

[EarthlyKnight27]

As a childhood Sega fanboy, I love a good arcade. One of the most depressing things about the 21st century is the death of the arcade. I live in a seaside town so there's plenty of them around, but they're hard to find these days away from the coast and outside of bowling alleys.

I wouldn't bother wasting my time and money in one on a 6 hour day at Towers, but people clearly do otherwise they'd be gone. I just wish they'd get some classic game cabinets in them rather than tonnes of claw grabbers. Mortal Kombat 2, Sega Rally and Tekken 3 would make me run in with some change.

Tis sad that the arcade has died from the once entertainment juggernaut it once was into what we see now. Mind you, with mobile games taking the place of them, AT in theory could replace some of the arcades. Not all of them, but just a few. Maybe keeping one in FV (If we were to be refurbished) and maybe one near MB for capacity and to keep people entertained if their not going on Wickerman or any other rides in that area.

 

[jon81uk]

Tis sad that the arcade has died from the once entertainment juggernaut it once was into what we see now. Mind you, with mobile games taking the place of them, AT in theory could replace some of the arcades. Not all of them, but just a few. Maybe keeping one in FV (If we were to be refurbished) and maybe one near MB for capacity and to keep people entertained if their not going on Wickerman or any other rides in that area.

There is only three main arcades in the park anyway, Forbidden Valley, Mutiny Bay and X Sector.

 

[Burner]

There is only three main arcades in the park anyway, Forbidden Valley, Mutiny Bay and X Sector.

Games Bunker also.

 

[jon81uk]

Games Bunker also.

I think in my mind that is still just the penalty shoot out challenge!

But its also the main one where it could get replaced with a restaurant.

 

[AT86]

Planning permission to extend the Refresh@Ripsaw cafe and turn it into a shop was granted yesterday:

http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=347080

 

[Jb85]

There must be more going on than just a Nemesis rebuild with all the supporting infrastructure changes.

 

[Squiggs]

It really depends what you mean by 'more'.

We already know about three separate construction projects occurring in Forbidden Valley - Nemesis, the new shop and the replacement arcade. So that's quite a lot going on already.

There is potential for some additional work however. There is potential for either a food and beverage refresh, or a new flat on Ripsaw's site. Neither of those would require planning permission, so could appear without prior notice.

I think at this point we can rule out any significant changes at the Galactica end of the site though. The Galactica upgrade did require planning permission, so I think we would have seen something by now if they had anything major planned down there.

 

[EarthlyKnight27]

It really depends what you mean by 'more'.

We already know about three separate construction projects occurring in Forbidden Valley - Nemesis, the new shop and the replacement arcade. So that's quite a lot going on already.

There is potential for some additional work however. There is potential for either a food and beverage refresh, or a new flat on Ripsaw's site. Neither of those would require planning permission, so could appear without prior notice.

I think at this point we can rule out any significant changes at the Galactica end of the site though. The Galactica upgrade did require planning permission, so I think we would have seen something by now if they had anything major planned down there.

Well, I, for one, am looking forward to the future of FV!
Maybe they just want to focus on Nemesis and FV's main infrastructure before they do anything with Galactica. I mean, they might not even know what to do with it themselves yet. I just hope (But for some reason also doubt) they'll at least try to give Galactica some TLC before the next season.

 

[Dave]

It really depends what you mean by 'more'.

We already know about three separate construction projects occurring in Forbidden Valley - Nemesis, the new shop and the replacement arcade. So that's quite a lot going on already.

There is potential for some additional work however. There is potential for either a food and beverage refresh, or a new flat on Ripsaw's site. Neither of those would require planning permission, so could appear without prior notice.

I think at this point we can rule out any significant changes at the Galactica end of the site though. The Galactica upgrade did require planning permission, so I think we would have seen something by now if they had anything major planned down there.

Curious if they would need planning permission to change the portal into something else so long as the dimensions remained broadly the same? You could revert back to Air with improved theming using only the planning permission gained for Galactica if they had that freedom (no idea if they do).

Not saying it’s what they will do, would just be interesting if they could.

 

[Matt N]

I think at this point we can rule out any significant changes at the Galactica end of the site though. The Galactica upgrade did require planning permission, so I think we would have seen something by now if they had anything major planned down there.

While I agree that this is true if we’re talking about a major retheme, I don’t think it necessarily rules out a more minor retheme that mostly reuses what’s already there (think along the lines of Rita’s retheme in 2010 to coincide with the addition of Thirteen).

The only reason the Galactica upgrade required planning permission is because they built multiple new structures for it. You had the portal, the photo building in the queue, the cover over the bridge and the enclosure of the two stations. If they were to do some minor repainting and touching up to facilitate some kind of retheme, whether that’s an Air revival or a new theme more befitting of Forbidden Valley, I don’t see why that would necessarily need planning permission.

 

[Zeock]

While I agree that this is true if we’re talking about a major retheme, I don’t think it necessarily rules out a more minor retheme that mostly reuses what’s already there (think along the lines of Rita’s retheme in 2010 to coincide with the addition of Thirteen).

The only reason the Galactica upgrade required planning permission is because they built multiple new structures for it. You had the portal, the photo building in the queue, the cover over the bridge and the enclosure of the two stations. If they were to do some minor repainting and touching up to facilitate some kind of retheme, whether that’s an Air revival or a new theme more befitting of Forbidden Valley, I don’t see why that would necessarily need planning permission.

Perhaps. Towers would only need to do things such as removing the portal and repainting the track to create a retheme of some kind.

 

[AT86]

I believe the Rollercoaster Restaurant is open for Christmas dates - that season runs until 7th Jan, so really this would only give them a couple of months at most to make changes to Galactica (I am assuming no work has been done so far, as if it had every vlogger and their dog will have released a video about it by now).

I think the most likely scenario at this stage would be a clean up and very light cosmetic changes ready for the wider FV area to look fresh for 2024.

 

[EarthlyKnight27]

I believe the Rollercoaster Restaurant is open for Christmas dates - that season runs until 7th Jan, so really this would only give them a couple of months at most to make changes to Galactica (I am assuming no work has been done so far, as if it had every vlogger and their dog will have released a video about it by now).

I think the most likely scenario at this stage would be a clean up and very light cosmetic changes ready for the wider FV area to look fresh for 2024.

Welp, we'll have to see if anything does come out from it. Of course, wouldn't surprise me if AT/MMM have boarded off the area to stop people from peaking inside.