Longleat adding rides

[Sam]

Spotted by Martyn B on CF:

Exclusive: Theme Park Ride Plans for Longleat

ThemeParks-UK can exclusively reveal plans for theme park rides at Longleat Safari & Adventure Park in Wiltshire.

The potential development, called Project Inca, would see Longleat become a cross between an animal park and a theme park. Successful examples of mixing theme park rides with animal attractions include Flamingo Land, Chessington World of Adventures and West Midland Safari & Leisure Park.

Possible rides shown on the plans include two roller coasters, a water shute, another water ride based around an Inca temple, a chair-o-plane, swinging ship, merry-go-round and another spinning type ride.

The new area of theme park rides would be located on currently unused land between the Longleat Caravan Club Site and the Jungle Express railway line, towards the end of Half Mile Lake near Pelican Cove. It would be accessed from the current Adventure Park by new paths and via a new Jungle Express station and a new Jungle Cruise dock, which would both transport people from the Jungle Kingdom area.

This year Longleat will open Penguin Island & Stingray Cove. The original concept for the attraction was Polar Expedition, also featuring Ibex, Lynx, Bears, Reindeer, Snowy Owl, a treetop walk and climbing wall. This area would have been located alongside the lake but it will now be next to Monkey Temple and the additional animal exibits will no longer form part of it.

There are also plans for a 4D Cinema to be introduced, the artists impression suggests that it will be located by the bridge from Monkey Temple to Animal Adventure.

The plans have since been removed at Longleat's request.

People on CF are speculating that the two coasters might be Knightmare and Whirlwind.

 

[BigAl]

Saw this the other day. The site had concept art up but took it down before I had chance to look as Longleat didn't want it online. :/

I can't wait to learn more about all of this though!

 

[Jonathan]

This could be a good move for Longleat. I don't think we can expect anything huge, but it'll be interesting to see how this goes!

 

[Ted]

Ooh not to bad! Another place with coasters in South England. However I'm gonna guess that these two coasters are probably gonna be a mini apple or and a Pinfari or something like that. However I would love to see Whirlwind and Knightmare go there!

Good move for Longleat though =)

 

[PeteA]

The original document is online if people know where to look !!!

The 62 page PDF document is obviously a presentation that the park have put together to show that they are looking at different ways to take the business... It would seem that they have a 4 year plan, with this year being year 1 (I think).

Page 43 shows a photo of a Zamperla Moto Coaster (Pony Express @ Knotts Berry Farm) and Atlantica Supersplash at Europa Park

Page 44 is the Project Inca page, so I can presume that the water ride at the top is planned to be a Mack Supersplash, with a Zamperla Motocoaster next to it and a smaller, what looks to be a spinning coaster, at the bottom.

So where are these documents????

Here you go... Grab them and save them before they are taken down !!!

Enjoy !!!!!

http://www.visitengland.org/Images/David%20Bradley_tcm30-35639.pdf

David Bradley is the Chief Exec of Longleat and was one of the people behind Legoland. They have bought two hotels last year....

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/9839602.Longleat_unveils_new_attractions__and_future_investment/

LONGLEAT has unveiled two new attractions this week, as part of a £7 million summer investment that includes the creation of 100 jobs.

The safari and adventure park bought two hotels at the end of last year and, with the new African Village and Gorilla Colony, its workforce has increased to 900 people.

Chief executive David Bradley said most of the newcomers are local and investment is set to continue into next year, with more jobs.

And the investment could also include new, large-scale rides at the Wiltshire attraction in the future, but being so early in the planning process, Longleat cannot disclose any further details at this stage. Mr Bradley said: “Every new attraction we open means we need new employees and most of them are local, certainly no-one has had to relocate.

 

[Lottie.]

It would be an interesting move for the park, and might give me a reason to return to Longleat since the last time I was there I was 5.

 

[Ted]

So this is suggesting that Longleaft might be getting a MACK? Yes! I'm heading to this park! ;D

 

[WillG]

Not somewhere I've heard much of before, so that's an interesting development...
Much as I'd like to see Camelot's cast-offs re-homed so to speak, I'm not convinced that's especially likely. Both already look very old and run-down, and Knightmare in particular isn't going to fit the market for a safari park (Knowsley had a pinfari looper in the past, and thankfully it didn't last long), so I'm expecting they'll at least start on a smaller scale.
If it ends up like West Midlands though, this is good news - I actually think their ride selection's surprisingly good considering, and (with the possible exception of the frisbee) all fits perfectly into the family-friendly category.

 

[josht]

Never been to longleat, but always watched animal park. Wouldn't mind visiting though, but I'm in two minds whether they should go and get rides

 

[Bear]

I've been to Longleat and Heaven's Gate about a million times since I was basically born, and I think it'd be a horrible idea to install rides as they would ruin the lovely calm atmosphere they have there.

 

[Imagination]

Plans are very active and are intended not to "destroy" the view ensuring the roller coasters are not seen too much beyond the trees.

 

[BigAl]

Are there any more details out regarding their plans yet? They sound really interesting and would really complete the place (beautiful surroundings, exotic animals, great nearby accommodation, historic buildings and now the possibility of some major rides too) if done right.



Edit: Haven't managed to find anything else out myself other than an extract from an online newsletterof an interview with the park's chief executive, David Bradley:

Further ahead, Bradley and the team are working on the exciting sounding Project Inca –
a plan to introduce a series of theme park rides to Longleat.

“I’ve been working on this project for around two years,” says Bradley.

“I want to increase the dwell time to around eight hours at Longleat and this is part of that plan.”

Bradley unrolls the plans for the new area, showing a mix of possible rides including a flume ride, a boat ride, a rollercoaster, a carousel and a temple structure.

“The idea is that we would build a miniature station for this new area, and the existing train would drop visitors off there,” he says.

“The area would feature a mix of rides and attractions. We’re on Grade 1 parkland here, so we have to work closely with the planners to get all the necessary permissions sorted.”

From what I've gathered from other online discussions, this development won't have an impact on the existing attractions and will be out of the way to avoid ruining any views or existing areas, etc... Sounds good so far.

 

[Imagination]

I believe the plan has been brought forward with the ambition to open this up next year (with the latest target date being 2015). They want to open it along with the new 4/5D cinema next year which will be housed in an current active area on park rather than the new area.

 

[Khanage]

I heard this on the grapevine the other day. I haven't been for a long long time but I remember the park being quite vast and wonderful. If done well though I can see this being a great!