Future Flat Ride Speculation

[MrTowers]

If anything the construction of a new ride may have been planned to start once toxicator was complete. With this in mind and the cold weather we probably wouldn't have seen anything happening unless something has happened in the last couple of weeks. As toxicator is now visible from the park the drones do seem to have stopped flying over.

I'm not wanting to be too optimistic but a mid year launch wouldn't be too difficult especially in x-sector. If the food stalls remain as seen in the Google earth image then that would be an indication that nothing is happening. I presume the dots are tables but I'm not sure what's at the bottom as I didn't venture this far into x-sector last year.



To add to that, towers will want to make as big a thing out of toxicator as possible, but there is no harm in pushing another new ride towards the summer holidays once toxicator is old news.

 

[scottb1990]

If other new flats were being planned to open soon(ish) then wouldn't there be applications viewable online for the trademark of their name(s)?

I don't think we'll see anything else just yet.

 

[Poisson]

The next would make sense for 2026. Gives marketing something to push. Opening mid season makes less sense.

The park is porous for news of anything happening. The news would reach people and they'd send a drone up. Also VLOS rules only matter if you care and abide by them and/or have a licence that could be threatened by them.

 

[flyingguitar]

If other new flats were being planned to open soon(ish) then wouldn't there be applications viewable online for the trademark of their name(s)?

I don't think we'll see anything else just yet.

GDO permissions if they are less than 25m they can build them (in certain spots, such as the enterprise spots) toxicator probably required it due to the massive concert base

 

[scottb1990]

GDO permissions if they are less than 25m they can build them (in certain spots, such as the enterprise spots) toxicator probably required it due to the massive concert base

I don't mean the planning permission. I mean if there was a ride due to open/be constructed in the near future, wouldn't there be an application to trademark a name for it, e.g. the application for the name 'Toxicator'.

 

[James]

I would argue that NST and HEX aren't new rides, and neither were they advertised widely (ignoring enthusiasts) as opening mid season.

it is also important to remember that a lot of advertisement is most effective just before, to prevent people forgetting about it. you can advertise in December about a ride in march, but most people will have forgotten by then, Toxicator and Nemesis were known about before starting construction due to planning permission (and the fact it is a massive concert plinth) if rides were to open later, the best marketing would be to wait and revel it a bit before it opens.

The main reason I think it may be new rides was the rumoured 3 Huss ride deal. but I have said before it could be any new/SBNO attraction, new dungeons/charley/Toyland overlay, temporary ride for Flavio's, perhaps they have renovated the cinema, a lot of these we wouldn't know about

Indeed, NST and Hex are not new rides. However, it has been insinuated on these forums that the rationale for opening these rides later in the season was to boost visitor numbers. Apart from hearsay, there are no figures to support that.

My point still stands. Adding new rides midway through a season with a bit of last-minute advertising does not match Merlin historically. It would make more sense for a flat or two to come in 2026 (if this Huss deal is to be believed) and go all out with marketing, as they have done with Toxicator.

 

[flyingguitar]

I don't mean the planning permission. I mean if there was a ride due to open/be constructed in the near future, wouldn't there be an application to trademark a name for it, e.g. the application for the name 'Toxicator'.

possibly, depends on the ride, heave ho, maurders mayhem, battle gallions, enterprise I don't think have any trademarks (at least I couldn't see any)

 

[Skyscraper]

If anything the construction of a new ride may have been planned to start once toxicator was complete.

The team who constructed Toxicator have now moved to Thorpe to demolish Slammer, so that may pour cold water on your theory.

 

[MrTowers]

The team who constructed Toxicator have now moved to Thorpe to demolish Slammer, so that may pour cold water on your theory.

Ah ok. Maybe we will see some work later in the season then for a 2026 opening. I think we are all desperate to see some replacement rides in these spots and frustrated to see them left empty for a number of years.

The retro squad wasn't great but I think everyone anticipated these rides would fill a void until a permanent replacement was found. 2 seasons on and we have a replacement for 1 but also lost another flat ride in the process taking us back to square 1. I'm sure towers are loving the reduced operating cost though so it's probably not really a hurry for them to fill in the voids, plus they can market the hell out of each replacement to boost visitor numbers.

 

[havaska]

How likely is it we see some relocations from Chessington? That would definitely be a mid year installation.

 

[Danscott22]

Is it only Monkey Swinger and Tuk Tuk Turmoil in storage though? Can't see either of them being relocated to Towers

 

[havaska]

Dodgems to the arcade in forbidden valley and waveswinger to dark forest?

 

[Danscott22]

I just don’t see them removing machines from an arcade they only refurbished last year for some dodgems lol
Can’t see Monkey Swinger coming here either

 

[Steve74]

I just don’t see them removing machines from an arcade they only refurbished last year for some dodgems lol
Can’t see Monkey Swinger coming here either

Putting dodgems into the arcade would just cheapen Forbidden valley to make it even closer to a fairground atmosphere - wasn't that something many were very vocal about Towers not becoming not so long ago when the Retrosquad was a thing?!

 

[Dave]

I could see Monkey Swinger moving at a push, but on balance don’t think it will happen.

 

[deathproof69]

I think an arcade cheapens the area more so than some ‘themed’ dodgems. I think merlin could make the shells look pretty cool either as military vehicles or some baby nemesis creatures.

 

[Martin]

This time last year the theory was the top spin would open mid last season and the other two would be announced after that so I am not going to good my breath

 

[Poisson]

Why are people wanting an ancient Waveswinger relocated? They're about 50p from Zierer brand new.

 

[Dave]

Why are people wanting an ancient Waveswinger relocated? They're about 50p from Zierer brand new.

Is anyone wanting it?

Saying it might happen isn’t saying you want it to happen, I can say Reform UK might win more seats at the next election but I certainly don’t want that to happen! people are just reflecting on the fact Chessington are removing a ride, stating it is going into storage but as yet have not indicated where it is going so might Merlin be considering moving it

 

[QTXAdsy]

I think an arcade cheapens the area more so than some ‘themed’ dodgems. I think merlin could make the shells look pretty cool either as military vehicles or some baby nemesis creatures.

Not a bad idea honestly as wee military vehicles and the idea also as riding in little baby Nemesis creatures is not only a funny idea to picture but could work as something as a sequel to Sub Terra which explains what happened to the baby Nemesis creatures that hatched and got away...sounds so bloody stupid that Merlin would do it regardless.