The World of David Walliams: General Discussion

[AstroDan]

The ride will be themed, and there will be associated marketing costs. But to a point, you are right!

 

[DiogoJ42]

What was Wodan's budget, as it's a pretty good benchmark for a medium size woody with epic theming?

 

[Ted]

What was Wodan's budget, as it's a pretty good benchmark for a medium size woody with epic theming?

The actual coaster cost at least 10 million euros, but I have no idea if that's just the coaster or that includes the marketing as well.

 

[Rick]

"Project" costs include the removal of The Flume and the new ancillary structures.

The drop of the pound will affect this in part, but less so due to the way GCII operate. It's not like buying a steel coaster from B&M, for example.

Costs are all over the place, the only people that really know are the park and the manufacturer (and any associated groups, like the contractor, etc).

 

[shawnoc]

Think of it this way, uk based theming designers will not be upping their price due to brexit. GCI prob signed the deal before the b word poo storm, also I'm sure Merlin will grease a few palms to make sure costs over run (ahum under run). Damn that theming loss!!!!!

 

[AstroDan]

Think of it this way, uk based theming designers will not be upping their price due to brexit. GCI prob signed the deal before the b word poo storm, also I'm sure Merlin will grease a few palms to make sure costs over run (ahum under run). Damn that theming loss!!!!!

The deal will indeed have been signed pre-Brexit, but the exchange rate, which Merlin will be paying GCI in, will negatively affect the problem.

 

[Rick]

Think of it this way, uk based theming designers will not be upping their price due to brexit.

That's an extremely simplistic assessment. Farage... is that you?!

 

[Error]

I do hope Towers don't go down this route. I don't want a kung fu panda / spiderman / batman blah blah, etc etc. The uniqueness of the place if having all these character/movie rides will be history.

I'm against this DreamWorks vision.

 

[Tibble]

If this Paramount park which has been doing the rounds goes ahead I could see Dreamworks maybe looking to invest in a park. I would rather it not though.


Surely this would be a great place to have a new Water ride and build round that

 

[lightswitchr]

Lets not forget the vast expanse of land sat empty behind the Ice Age building where the Alton Mouse used to be. There is plenty of room there for a ride or two.

 

[DiogoJ42]

If this Paramount park which has been doing the rounds goes ahead I could see Dreamworks maybe looking to invest in a park. I would rather it not though.

Keep dreaming matey. We've not heard a peep out of Paramount for ages. Something tells me it's been quietly brushed under the carpet like all their other parks.

 

[Rob]

I am not a huge fan of IPs at Towers, I never have been and never will be. However I do concede that thanks to the immense success of Harry Potter at Universal (amongst other factors of course) that the nature of the theme park industry in this regard has changed and even Disney are having to take a more solely IP based route as opposed to original themes.

A Dreamworks re-theme of CCL in 2019 would make sense. CCL was a nice idea but never really worked and then the addition of Ice Age kind of made it a mish-mash of themes. Merlin's existing Dreamworks IP areas seem somewhat acceptable and would be a big improvement, plus at a time when Towers need more numbers through the front gates it should do just that. It would also address the problem at Towers of a lack of rides to families with children who have out grown CBeebies.

I can't see a new coaster being a part of this but would see this as a perfect opportunity to re-introduce a log flume to the park, either when the area was to open or part of a phase 2 development stretching into the coaster corner area.

 

[Josh]

Lets not forget the vast expanse of land sat empty behind the Ice Age building where the Alton Mouse used to be. There is plenty of room there for a ride or two.

That Land isn't empty, the gardeners/builders/joiners/painters etc etc have their offices and workshops there, plus Merlin Studios are also there.

So they would all need to be relocated to make space for a new ride.

 

[PuddoBearBoy]

That Land isn't empty, the gardeners/builders/joiners/painters etc etc have their offices and workshops there, plus Merlin Studios are also there.

So they would all need to be relocated to make space for a new ride.

It's okay - would give Management & Co. another reason to outsource some more jobs. Plus, no reason why the studios couldn't relocate, perhaps completely away from the site, as many other MMM hubs in the UK & world do.

 

[Towerslover]

2019...

What I want: A huge ccl retheme
What we'll get: Probably a new CBeebies flat and some tlc

 

[Poisson]

Whatever CCL retheme may happen, I highly doubt they'd extend the area simply due to aforementioned cost.

 

[Funcone]

If they do decide to replace Cloud Cuckoo Land (and it seems likely) I can imagine it being rolled out over multiple years. They kind of did this in C Beebies Land with Octonauts and the new ride this year. Drayton Manor has done it with Thomas Land. Just re-theming Charlie would be a massive investment, particularly if they do it 'properly'. If they do re-theme Charlie it raises the question of whether they produce a new film for the lifts, or whether they go back to more like the original layout when it was Toyland Tours.

As has been discussed elsewhere, it seems a bit odd that Twirling Toadstool was closed this year, even if they are planning to redo the area. Assuming it is closed for the whole season (we don't know at this stage), then it makes you wonder whether there's a major problem with it. In this case it would need more than 'just' re-theming (although that in itself isn't cheap). Replacing the 4D cinema could be cheap. But if they do use an IP it would depend partly on whether they already have something available. I know Universals have Shrek 4D, but I wouldn't have thought they'd want their exact attraction being used in rival parks. Making a custom 4D film would be expensive, but it might be viable if they could add it in at Gardaland and Heide Park, plus a 4D cinema was on Chessington's mid term development plan. Producing a new live show would also have more cost associated with it, not to mention the ongoing cost once it's open. If they do bring in an IP presumably they'll add some rooms themed to it in the hotel, although this might come out of a different budget.

I agree with jon81uk, now Universals owns Dreamworks it seems less likely. Merlin seems to have the European license for Dreamworks, but not sure whether that limits the number of attractions they can use it in. Dream World has a Dreamworks in Australia. Universals may have pretty much exclusivity in Asia and the States. Between 2013-2015 there was a Madagascar Show at Busch Gardens, but this seems to have been discontinued.

It is rumours that Universals are considering a third park in Orlando themed to the Dreamworks properties. This may well be more speculation that fact, but it does seem plausible, and if they are planning a whole Dreamworks themed park, you'd think they'd want to curb the use of the brand elsewhere.

 

[Rick]

It is rumours that Universals are considering a third park in Orlando themed to the Dreamworks properties. This may well be more speculation that fact, but it does seem plausible, and if they are planning a whole Dreamworks themed park, you'd think they'd want to curb the use of the brand elsewhere.

Or indeed, expand upon it being used further in their non-core markets to cross promote their new park, perhaps.

 

[Matt.GC]

I think an IP for CCL is about the best we can hope for this virtually closed area of the park. 1. It would be relatively cheap yet affective to do, especially simply theming some of the existing rides (as with Cbeebies), 2. It's a quick and easy way to draw interest inthe park based on the strength and recognition of the IP brand, it's stories and characters (again, as CBB has proved) when the parks own brand is severely tarnished (for various reasons) and is failing to draw new custom on its own, and 3. The IP owner would force an otherwise slapdash park operator to protect (to some extent) it's brand and thus maintain the area and it's attractions better than Towers normally would.

The park desperately needs a better lineup for older children and families. What it could do with is a small family flume, rethemed CaTCF and an additional family coaster to compliment RMT. Something as good as Flight of the Pterosaur would be perfect.

What we'll likely get however is a rethemed CaTCF and all the existing attractions covered in IP branded vinyl and perhaps a small new flat.

As for the small family flume, I'd put that in Katanga on the old coach park and theme it around an African diamond mine or something.

 

[Rob]

I am confident that Universal would have no issue with a Dreamworks IP being used for a themed area at Alton Towers. They are not competitors in any way and it would have zero impact upon Universal Orlando.

There is a huge Dreamworks area that has just opened at Motiongate Dubai. This will no doubt have been planned and agreed before the Universal deal, but even so, Universal probably aren't too worried that even it will have an impact on their own parks.