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Redevelopment of Katanga Canyon

I see this happening after Project Horizon but I'd also imagine just the rapids closing with Mine Train being overhauled too.

Another potential redevelopment thought would be adding a selection of flat rides to the area and potentially replacing the restaurant and the car park by Munity Bay.

Fantastic space to throw in Monkey Swinger, Postman Pat and any rides Merlin possibly have in storage. In addition, family rides such as a Crazy Bus, the Zierer Double Family Freefall Towers, ART Engineering Wild Swing, Mack Seastorm and similar rides of that ilk. Things Alton Towers could do with that's for those older than the Cbeebies Land target market and even overlapping with it like Heave Ho.

For winter operations, it would also winter proof the area better.

I would go a step further and suggest a flume although think Katanga Canyon has a lot of potential for quite a few family attractions.
 
owenstreet7 said:
I see this happening after Project Horizon but I'd also imagine just the rapids closing with Mine Train being overhauled too.

Another potential redevelopment thought would be adding a selection of flat rides to the area and potentially replacing the restaurant and the car park by Munity Bay.

Fantastic space to throw in Monkey Swinger, Postman Pat and any rides Merlin possibly have in storage. In addition, family rides such as a Crazy Bus, the Zierer Double Family Freefall Towers, ART Engineering Wild Swing, Mack Seastorm and similar rides of that ilk. Things Alton Towers could do with that's for those older than the Cbeebies Land target market and even overlapping with it like Heave Ho.

For winter operations, it would also winter proof the area better.

I would go a step further and suggest a flume although think Katanga Canyon has a lot of potential for quite a few family attractions.
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There are already four or five empty spaces where flat rides could go, I'd rather they used those first before removing more attractions.
 
Alton Towers has so many empty spots primed for rides yet always have to remove something to fit another ride it feels like Merlin don't want to increase ride count
 
Hid said:
Alton Towers has so many empty spots primed for rides yet always have to remove something to fit another ride it feels like Merlin don't want to increase ride count
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Thing is, its not just the ride cost they have to consider. An additional ride will always mean more staff to operate it, more tech staff to maintain it, more safety certification costs, more insurance, more maintenance costs etc.
 
Benzin said:
Oh no, the international multi-million company would have to spend money to ensure their audience actually have a decent visit.
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My point was that its not as simple for any owner of a theme park to just buy a ride and run it when there is so many other costs to consider, which is what @Hid's post was implying.

Of course there has to be a will to want to do it and spend money in the first place.
 
Steve74 said:
My point was that its not as simple for any owner of a theme park to just buy a ride and run it when there is so many other costs to consider, which is what @Hid's post was implying.

Of course there has to be a will to want to do it and spend money in the first place.
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But also they had Submission, Enterprise, Blade, Twirling Toadstool in the past and did manage to staff and open them all in addition to the current rides.
 
In one way, it is sort of a shame if this area was re developed, yes the hardware is aging, yes there are better things out there, but I think in one way, age has been kind to KC, it has allowed it, in some ways, to fulfil it's potential as an African village / Jungle.

Last August, the place really felt alive like a jungle in many ways to what it had not felt before, tree's above and around rides and pathways are now mature enough after more than two decades of growing seasons, to properly provide a thick jungle sort of canopy in areas and it really does help make the area feel as it should, deep within Africa. The dated scenery and tired theming does let it down a bit however. It would be a huge shame to loose some of the foliage though.
The one tree that would certainly be staying is the the huge and absolutely gorgeous one immediately to the left of the entrance of CRR, with the massive trunk. That tree, pre dates the CRR by decades at least, and it will certainly last much longer than it too. @rob666, any idea what species of tree that is?

The river of the rapids fits perfectly into this theme, but it does look a little dated and worn.

For me, I would like to see the African / Jungle theme stay, it works and is a great fun with that adventurous flare that is perfect for a theme park, exploring the depths of a jungle, it sounds quite exciting and fun, it is almost a natural fit for human curiosity. I think a decent water ride of some sorts would be must in an African / Jungle area. If they were to re do this area, I would love the theme of some description stay for sure, with some updates and benefits of newer technology.

Earth works will almost certainly play a huge part in the re development if it did happen, as it does with almost every single Alton Towers re development. I think limiting any new hardware to the trough of the old rapids is a very silly and short-sighted way to completely hamstring what would be possible with new hardware. Absolutely keep certain parts, the lake and the actual canyon near the CRR and RMT interaction, but other bits would be relatively easy and dispensable for their removal. Keep the beautiful parts of the topography, but remove the rest as to not limit what a new attraction could be.

They did quite major earth works for The Smiler and Wickerman as two relatively recent examples, partly due to this fact of being hamstrung, among many others, but yeah, if this was to be re developed I can not see much of the earths topography, specifically the areas where the majority of the rapids trough is, staying. Some bits will, but I am sure, many bits would not.

This area has been looked at many times before from a development standpoint, whilst not giving credence to the rumours, it is important to remember that most theme parks will have multiple designs of possible developments for many areas in their estate. It is important to look at many options when spending multiple tens of millions of pounds, way before a single JCB lands on site. The fact someone is potentially working on designs for the area does not at all surprise me, or come as a shock, "why wouldn't they be?" is perhaps the more appropriate question. Will these designs come to fruition however? Probably not. That is not coming from my opinion, when you consider the sheer amount of designs drawn up by a given theme park, many of which never come to light, versus the ones that actually get built, the odds themselves say it probably will not come to fruition.

That is not to say either, that it wont happen, just that historic and quantifiable odds are not in it's favour.
 
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The one thing in the rumours favour is KC is one of the only bright, non militaristic/ dark themes left at the Park and Merlin only like dark themes where the deteriorating theming can be hidden better 😂

But in all honesty random poster posts some “secret” has been happening since the days of Rideas and they rarely turn out to be true. I’m certain there have been plans worked up but I’m also certain there are concept art plans for most areas of the park.
 
Dave said:
The one thing in the rumours favour is KC is one of the only bright, non militaristic/ dark themes left at the Park and Merlin only like dark themes where the deteriorating theming can be hidden better 😂

But in all honesty random poster posts some “secret” has been happening since the days of Rideas and they rarely turn out to be true. I’m certain there have been plans worked up but I’m also certain there are concept art plans for most areas of the park.
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Tend to agree here - these design guys at Merlin HQ need something to fill their time with
 
I could certainly see it happening due to the age of the rides and the land size.

Equally I could see a Jumanji dark ride installed on the coach park and Jumanji light retheme of the rest of the area would work well.
 
Something like Mecaladon at Walibi Belgium would be an excellent choice to essentially reuse parts of the Rapids trough and station area. There is space for some decently sized elements when you take into account the height difference from the top of the queue area to the bottom of the trough. Have water effects for the warmer months if needs be.

What would be vital would be ensuring additional flat or support rides to make it not just another 2 coaster area
 
tayspru said:
Something like Mecaladon at Walibi Belgium would be an excellent choice to essentially reuse parts of the Rapids trough and station area. There is space for some decently sized elements when you take into account the height difference from the top of the queue area to the bottom of the trough. Have water effects for the warmer months if needs be.

What would be vital would be ensuring additional flat or support rides to make it not just another 2 coaster area
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I don't honestly see Merlin working with Gerstlauer anymore on anything new although it might be possible now some time has passed since the Smiler's troubled opening and the accident in 2015. I still see Merlin working with Mack to some degree on their coasters after Hyperia.

I could see a new gen Mack Powered Coaster replace RMT with a new layout.

The key thing is that any replacement should have a 1m height requirement ideally.
 
John Wardley spoke about designing a stand up coaster for KC many years ago, but I have no idea how it would've fitted in.

Does seem pretty low on the to-do list though.
 
John_P said:
Replace the rapids with a Mack Rocking boat ala the one at Futuroscope (and coming to Dollywood). Get yourself a coaster/water ride hybrid.

And replace the runaway mine train with a like for like replacement, alter the layout if they can as well.
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Somehow this would be a best case scenario

I'd also develop the Coach Park and the Car Park where the Katanga Canyon sign is and that'd be a fantastic redevelopment.

I'd say it'd be an opportunity to add a few dark rides. Somehow for Towers, an Intamin Dynamic Motion Stage and a Trackless Dark Ride would fit in quite well although it takes a page out of Efteling's book.
 
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