N
_nemesis_
Perhaps the development of Chessington's resort offering could be to allow it to compete against Paramount? Obviously second gate attractions will open as well to complement the park. They'll want to make it two day.
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Merlin Resort theme park future strategy
- Thread starter Maelstrom
- Start date
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
Even in it's 90's hayday, Chessington was never a two day park. And with all the planning restrictions, they will never be able to build enough to make it one.
The only thing they can do is reduce capacity on rides and increase queue times to force people to need to stay over. But of course Merlin would never be that sneaky...
The only thing they can do is reduce capacity on rides and increase queue times to force people to need to stay over. But of course Merlin would never be that sneaky...
Tom
TS Member
It's just a load of spiel to keep shareholders happy. Year-on-year growth cannot be maintained in the UK and if and when the parks become a financial liability they will be sold off or closed.
Merlin's plan is basically to saturate the world with midway attractions (including building Dungeons in countries with less than 300 years of history) and Legolands until no more growth can be achieved.
Merlin's plan is basically to saturate the world with midway attractions (including building Dungeons in countries with less than 300 years of history) and Legolands until no more growth can be achieved.
jon81uk
TS Member
True, the journey from Chessington into Waterloo is quite easy. In fact they should be pushing a multi day visit with London Eye & Madame Tussaud's a lot more than they do.
nadroJ
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Skyrush
Hmm I think you could easily push CWOA to a two day visit. How many of you have ever taken young children to a theme park? It is fafftastic, and even on a fairly dead day I'd be surprised if you manage to get all of the attractions in, especially if the little ones want to spend a few hours in the zoo or in one of the soft play areas. When you don't visit parks with kids I find it's very easy to think there's nothing to do, but I'd say most parents would struggle to 'complete' Chessington in one day, especially during a busy period.
AstroDan
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point
But the majority of guests aren't fussed if they don't 'complete' every last ride in a park. Most guests don't go in with a list of every ride and feel compelled to do it all. Many people would visit Alton Towers, as an example, go on 8 rides all day and not even every major coaster, but be quite happy with that.
British parks with accommodation include Devon’s Crealy, Watermouth Castle and Gulliver’s Milton Keynes. Everyone seems to be piling in. There is the danger that the British theme parks will become over saturated. To an extent they’re pulling guests away from other entertainment such as holiday camps or spending a few days in a seaside town. To an extent they’re offering people a base to visit other attractions in the area. Somewhere like Crealy or Watermouth Castle aren’t expecting people to spend all their time at the parks. Just some of it. To an extent they’re trying to get people to take short breaks in the UK rather than going abroad.
Alton Towers has the water park, mini golf, spa and high ropes course. Few theme parks around the world offer the level of resort entertainment that Alton Towers does, although there can be issues with them closing too early leaving guests short of things to do in the evenings. Aside from Alton Towers you could argue a lot of the British parks are a little limited in terms of extra activities. Chessington would be in a good position to add extras, because it’s in an urban area, so there’s quite a big local market that could also use smaller secondary attractions.
It’s just a case of what can they get planning permission for. I’m struggling to work out where a lodge facility would go. Ideally near the hotels, so they can share amenities, but where’s the space? They could get rid of the front car parks and just have a smaller car park for resort guests. They could make all the day visitors use the grass car parks. The downside of that is that they already get a lot of negative comments from people unhappy about paying to park in a field. Alternatively they could get rid of the Wanyama area behind the Safari Hotel, but seeing the animals from your room is one of the big selling points, so that wouldn’t be ideal.
The other danger is that developing the ‘resort’ puts of day visitors. Last season Chessington extended their ‘early ride time’ after the park opens, so resort guests are given wristbands and told to use the Fast Track entrances/exits. Earlier on in the season the wristbands were valid until 10:30, and then later in the year this jumped to 11:00 when they stopped letting day visitors who booked in advance have free ERT. In fairness Universals offer their resort guests free fast track, so they’re in good company. But you wonder what the day guests think of it, when they’ve got to the park early hoping to have some rides before the queues build up.
In regards to it not being worth a two day visit, the two existing hotels seem to be doing well, and if you want to do the zoo and rides I've always found it pretty easy to fill a couple of days. But I've always been the kind of person to take these things pretty slowly. I go to a lot of zoos, and see people treating them as a chain of selfie opportunities, whereas I'm the kind of person who can spend half an hour watching one animal.
Alton Towers has the water park, mini golf, spa and high ropes course. Few theme parks around the world offer the level of resort entertainment that Alton Towers does, although there can be issues with them closing too early leaving guests short of things to do in the evenings. Aside from Alton Towers you could argue a lot of the British parks are a little limited in terms of extra activities. Chessington would be in a good position to add extras, because it’s in an urban area, so there’s quite a big local market that could also use smaller secondary attractions.
It’s just a case of what can they get planning permission for. I’m struggling to work out where a lodge facility would go. Ideally near the hotels, so they can share amenities, but where’s the space? They could get rid of the front car parks and just have a smaller car park for resort guests. They could make all the day visitors use the grass car parks. The downside of that is that they already get a lot of negative comments from people unhappy about paying to park in a field. Alternatively they could get rid of the Wanyama area behind the Safari Hotel, but seeing the animals from your room is one of the big selling points, so that wouldn’t be ideal.
The other danger is that developing the ‘resort’ puts of day visitors. Last season Chessington extended their ‘early ride time’ after the park opens, so resort guests are given wristbands and told to use the Fast Track entrances/exits. Earlier on in the season the wristbands were valid until 10:30, and then later in the year this jumped to 11:00 when they stopped letting day visitors who booked in advance have free ERT. In fairness Universals offer their resort guests free fast track, so they’re in good company. But you wonder what the day guests think of it, when they’ve got to the park early hoping to have some rides before the queues build up.
In regards to it not being worth a two day visit, the two existing hotels seem to be doing well, and if you want to do the zoo and rides I've always found it pretty easy to fill a couple of days. But I've always been the kind of person to take these things pretty slowly. I go to a lot of zoos, and see people treating them as a chain of selfie opportunities, whereas I'm the kind of person who can spend half an hour watching one animal.
I understand the need of a strategy, but surely the plans need to be more fluid, having a fixed strategy which looks like the case is surely a bit restrictive. Why can't they build what needs to be built when it needs building. The family kids area and coaster was long overdue and was probably needed 3 to 5 years ago.
Again if the Smiler was what it was supposed to be and not just a good solid ride then that should have allowed time to develop other areas like a new flume ride which again I think is much needed and long overdue. But instead a new coaster is needed that will fill the gap the Smiler probably should have done.
Again if the Smiler was what it was supposed to be and not just a good solid ride then that should have allowed time to develop other areas like a new flume ride which again I think is much needed and long overdue. But instead a new coaster is needed that will fill the gap the Smiler probably should have done.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I'm sure the locals will be impressed.
I've not had chance to look through the document yet but well spotted. This surpises me greatly and it is clearly a directive from Merlin rather than a decision that Towers have taken themelves (in my opinion). Mark Kerrigan is on the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP and always has worked a lot in development in Staffordshire as a whole on top of his long term job at Alton Towers.
Also the council aren't going to like seeing that either! Towers should be working with local businesses in the Churnet Valley area and not trying to put them out of business. This goes against almost everything that the council have recently set out!
James
TS Founding Member
The whole steal share thing seems all talk anyway. Just looking at random dates this year the lodges are still far more expensive than any B&B/hotel local to Alton Towers.
Alton Towers resort applications usually outline the impact on the local businesses and the council would never allow Towers to become a rival to locally run businesses. I wouldn't take it wholly serious. Just the usual Merlin spiel.
Alton Towers resort applications usually outline the impact on the local businesses and the council would never allow Towers to become a rival to locally run businesses. I wouldn't take it wholly serious. Just the usual Merlin spiel.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Maybe not. It just doesn't reflect well when it is a Merlin official document as some form of strategy.
Dar
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but looking the mugshot of the theme park marketing director helps some of their decisions make sense. He looks the type to think he's in touch with what the people want but in reality, he's so far out of touch he's sat in the stands!
nadroJ
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Skyrush
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
He's the chap responsible for all of The Smiler's marketing which he did whilst briefly in the position of Towers' marketing director. He was swiftly promoted after this which was a shame, Wardley spoke very highly of him; "if anyone can market a wooden coaster at Alton Towers successfully it will be him" or something along those lines. I believe he was previously at Kellogs (or somewhere similar).
jon81uk
TS Member
I think this is being read to far into as well. They will always want to get more people staying at the resort rather than in other places. But as @James pointed out, most B&Bs are still cheaper. So Towers get more of the people willing to spend £100-£150 a night and this opens more spaces at B&Bs up for those who want to spend under £100 a night. Everyone wins.