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Heide Park

It is better than Wicker Man because they've developed the original idea further. In fairness similar themes between parks around the world have often happened in the past, it's only now with faster communication we can see it so easily.


On big projects of late, seems like Merlin have an increasingly bad process for coming up with ideas, but increasingly better process for how things get built and making the most of it (ie their external designers and spending more money). Looks like the new feature on Colossos turned out fantastic.

I just regret how extremely formulaic Merlin's attraction criteria is. Even down to the font needing to be the same. They are so paranoid about doing something off the beaten track that it'll be a failure. Funny how their 'marketing safe' concepts so often turn out to be the failures.

At least this isnt as dumb as "Oblivion The Black Hole" (sounds like piece of terrible ride fan fiction).
 
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TakeYourMedicine said:
I just regret how extremely formulaic Merlin's attraction criteria is. Even down to the font needing to be the same. They are so paranoid about doing something off the beaten track that it'll be a failure. Funny how their 'marketing safe' concepts so often turn out to be the failures.
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I'm not sure it's fair to say they don't leave the beaten track. They left the beaten track and ended up with Wicker Man and now they've adopted and adapted a winning concept for a new market with a very high quality ride alongside.

No real argument on the failures... Other than I think enthusiasts sometimes lament the short termism of some of their investments - but that's sometimes part of the plan.
 
Rick said:
I'm not sure it's fair to say they don't leave the beaten track. They left the beaten track and ended up with Wicker Man and now they've adopted and adapted a winning concept for a new market with a very high quality ride alongside.
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That's true but Wicker Man was quite a remarkable exception for Merlin though, you got to admit? I still praise them a lot for doing that (for the Smiler too, though only its theme I guess) and I hoped to see more of it, rather than straight back in with the Alton Towers Dungeons and a Wicker Man copy for Heide park.

They prevented doing wooden coasters for years. Now it's like those at the top are convinced wooden coasters are only "marketable" if they do it a certain way. It looks better quality & more fun than their usual so I'd be interested to go see Colossos, but next time I hope we see a new idea rather than more formula.

Oh it's certainly their intention. Theyre not interested in planning long term and that comes back to bite them over and over in so much of what Merlin do.
 
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Heide-Park reopens 25th May. Obviously all visitors must buy a day-dated ticket online beforehand. Those who already have tickets need to reserve their visit date, as do season holders, online at a cost of €1.

Masks are required in all attractions, waiting areas & indoor areas.

Baby switch, fast pass and photo sales will not be offered until further notice.

The following attractions are closed until further notice: Dampfkarrusell, La Ola, Peppa's Haus, Panorama Turm, Drachengrotte, Ghostbusters 5D, Wüstenflitzer.

And Colossos will not be available at the start of the season as during testing the gearbox was damaged. The necessary spare parts are being delivered and they hope to open it as soon as possible.

Only take away food will be offered for now.

https://www.heide-park.de/planen/infos/aktuelle-besucherinformationen-corona/
 
CSLKenny said:
Heide-Park reopens 25th May. Obviously all visitors must buy a day-dated ticket online beforehand. Those who already have tickets need to reserve their visit date, as do season holders, online at a cost of €1.

Masks are required in all attractions, waiting areas & indoor areas.

Baby switch, fast pass and photo sales will not be offered until further notice.

The following attractions are closed until further notice: Dampfkarrusell, La Ola, Peppa's Haus, Panorama Turm, Drachengrotte, Ghostbusters 5D, Wüstenflitzer.

And Colossos will not be available at the start of the season as during testing the gearbox was damaged. The necessary spare parts are being delivered and they hope to open it as soon as possible.

Only take away food will be offered for now.

https://www.heide-park.de/planen/infos/aktuelle-besucherinformationen-corona/
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I assume they mean the gearbox that controls the lift chain?
 
CSLKenny said:
Heide-Park

The following attractions are closed until further notice: Dampfkarrusell, La Ola, Peppa's Haus, Panorama Turm, Drachengrotte, Ghostbusters 5D, Wüstenflitzer.

For those of us who haven't visited Hyde, what ride types are those? Just wondering how it could translate to our parks and rides, presuming the approach will be similar.

For those of us who haven't visited Hyde, what ride types are those? Just wondering how it could translate to our parks and rides, presuming the approach will be similar.
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For those of us who haven't visited Hyde, what ride types are those? Just wondering how it could translate to our parks and rides, presuming the approach will be similar.
 
pluk said:
For those of us who haven't visited Hyde, what ride types are those? Just wondering how it could translate to our parks and rides, presuming the approach will be similar.
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I’m going to guess they’re indoor attractions, as I know the likes of Ghostbusters 5D are certainly indoors, and I’m going to guess that Peppa’s Haus is indoors, as well.

It is worth noting, however, that Germany may have different guidelines regarding indoor attractions to Britain, as when Alton Towers was going to try a socially distanced opening weekend in March, the only attraction listed as shut was the Alton Towers Dungeon.
 
Dampfkarrusell (carousel), La Ola (swing carousel), Panorama Turm (viewing tower ride like EuroTower in EP), Drachengrotte (family boat ride), Ghostbusters 5D (Interactive shooter with 3D glasses), Wüstenflitzer (kids driving school).
 
Apologies for being this thread’s first poster in 3 months for what may seem like a somewhat strange question, but I’d like to ask; I was watching one of John Wardley’s Q&As he did with the ECC a few years back, and he was asked a question about “Heide Park’s wing coaster”.

Now, one of the things John mentioned in his response that confused me a little was that “Heide Park has 2 of everything, as [we] all very well know”. Out of interest, what does he mean?

I know they had 2 log flumes, as one was removed in favour of Flug Der Damonen, but other than that, I can’t think of any other cases of ride duplicates within Heide Park?
 
At one stage they had 2 log flumes, 2 pirate ships and 2 observation towers. They may still have 2 monorails.

They don't have many duplicates now as, much like at Towers, a large number of support rides have been removed in the past 5 years or so. Maya-Tal (a.k.a. Huss Land) had 7 rides back in 2011. There are just 3 on the 2020 park map but as far as I know the entire area is closed.
 
I went last year, and although I loved the park, you could tell it was a bit of a flat ride graveyard. Dotted all around the park you'll see areas in which have been roped off, closed or literally abandoned where flat rides used to sit. You can still catch glimpses of the old log flume too from Flug der Dämonen.
 
I did Heide a few week back, and whilst I did enjoy the park and the rides, it felt very Merlin and it was the most clear of all the parks we did on the trip with the most cost cutting and most “closed due to corona” excuses.

You do have whole areas just fenced off with rotting queue lines. Then food kiosks and restaurants closed, some of which look like they’ve been closed long before Corona was an excuse.

It’s a shame as it looks like they once had a great selection of coasters and flat rides, now they have a lot of coasters and not so many filler rides, especially when we went when even rides not listed as being closed due to corona were actually closed. It’s also very easy to spot pre merlin and post merlin rides and areas.

Operations were also pretty awful across the park, and corona operations were also bad, eg only filling alternative rows no matter how many people were in groups, not having bet batchers on a lot of rides, etc.

I would like to return when corona has gone to do the rides I missed out on and see the perk run properly. But it does feel very much like a park which has had a lot of cost cutting and staff cutting over the years, like the UK parks have had.
 
Heide Park have shared concerns if corona restrictions continue to heavily impact them in 2021 they would face bankruptcy.

The German amusement park Heide Park will go under if the corona measures remain in effect in 2021. This is what director Sabrina de Carvalho reports in a statement. The restrictions due to the corona virus are causing financial problems at the amusement park in Northern Germany. "We will not survive another year like that," said De Carvalho. Like all major amusement parks in Europe, Heide Park suffered a lot from months of closure this year. The maximum number of visitors also had to be adjusted downwards. As a result, the 2020 season ended with nearly 60 percent fewer visitors than a year earlier. The number of overnight stays decreased by 50 percent.

"This means a loss of millions", De Carvalho tells news site Heidekreisheute.de. Employees will have to be fired to ensure the continued existence of Heide Park. The director calls it "very painful cuts". "We will have to reduce personnel costs."

It is planned to reopen on March 27, 2021. Heide Park is part of the British company Merlin Entertainments, where De Carvalho is regional director. The group also includes Gardaland in Italy, Alton Towers in Great Britain and all branches of Legoland, Sea Life and Madame Tussauds.
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Source
 
I don't think that is overly surprising. I would imagine that there are a lot of theme parks in the world that will be in a critical situation if they have to endure a 2021 season at reduced numbers.
 
I have just come across this video on YouTube, a 50min documentary on the renovation of Colossos at Heide Park - behind the scenes etc. Haven’t watched it all yet but so far so interesting. Just thought I would share for anyone else who might be interested. :)

 
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