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The World of David Walliams: General Discussion

In literary circles, Walliams gets a bad rap. Rumours persist that some of his books are ghost written, and the obviously derivative nature of his material to anybody who's read a scrap of Roald Dahl seems to rub people up the wrong way.

Still, not only does he make an undeniably impressive amount of money, enough for writing (in whatever capacity...) to be his main gig, but the books seem to always have a positive message and connect with children in an equally positive way. I don't want to judge this cake before it's baked and tasted, but I'm surprised and a bit disappointed that he's seemingly fine with giving over his IP to a dark ride and retheme that really doesn't seem to do his brand and the depth of his world justice. Two million is an appallingly low amount for a brand as high-profile as Walliams. I mean, at least Derren Brown's Ghost Train was expensive.
 
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Plastic Person said:
In literary circles, Walliams gets a bad rap. Rumours persist that some of his books are ghost written, and the obviously derivative nature of his material to anybody who's read a scrap of Roald Dahl seems to rub people up the wrong way.

Still, not only does he make an undeniably impressive amount of money, enough for writing (in whatever capacity...) to be his main gig, but the books seem to always have a positive message and connect with children in an equally positive way. I don't want to judge this cake before it's baked and tasted, but I'm surprised and a bit disappointed that he's seemingly fine with giving over his IP to a dark ride and retheme that really doesn't seem to do his brand and the depth of his world justice. I mean, at least Derren Brown's Ghost Train was expensive.
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Doesn't matter what you do, the 'enthusiast' will always have something to whinge about. I'm looking forward to this and the revamp of the area to bring it some life and the possibility that it will grow and expand beyond what it is. The rest of the park suits me just fine and this investment is another positive.

I've never had a bad day at Alton Towers, although I'm yet to try the hotels even though I live in Newcastle.
 
Godscrasher said:
Doesn't matter what you do, the 'enthusiast' will always have something to whinge about.
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Yawn.

It's a theme park forum, and I'm analysing the investment from the perspective of someone with a particular, lifelong interest in Alton Towers. I genuinely hope you continue to have a great time at the park. There are plenty of self-elected misanthropes on here (and there's also @Matt N), but I don't consider myself one of them.

Admittedly, that interest has waned in recent years, but I think I have plenty of perspective about the industry and no bitterness. Perhaps I'd have the latter if was still there every weekend (rather than not at all these past few years), but I think the park, under the constraints of Merlin management, keep on scoring own goals. Taking a property as apparently universally beloved as 'The World of David Walliams' and taking so little investment risk on it seems like another, and as I said, Walliams and his people giving the OK on such a truncated version of an obvious potential smash seems unusual. Then again, we don't know the deal.
 
Plastic Person said:
Yawn.

It's a theme park forum, and I'm analysing the investment from the perspective of someone with a particular, lifelong interest in Alton Towers. I genuinely hope you continue to have a great time at the park. There are plenty of self-elected misanthropes on here (and there's also @Matt N), but I don't consider myself one of them.

Admittedly, that interest has waned in recent years, but I think I have plenty of perspective about the industry and no bitterness. Perhaps I'd have the latter if was still there every weekend (rather than not at all these past few years), but I think the park, under the constraints of Merlin management, keep on scoring own goals. Taking a property as apparently universally beloved as 'The World of David Walliams' and taking so little investment risk on it seems like another, and as I said, Walliams and his people giving the OK on such a truncated version of an obvious potential smash seems unusual. Then again, we don't know the deal.
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'I'm analysing the investment' - of which 'investment' you know nothing of objectively, other than a name and a piece of paper.

'Taking so little investment risk on (David Walliams World)' - of which you know nothing of what has been invested and the actual outcome, other than speculation.

The end product is probably not even (correct me if I'm wrong), for you as a target audience. You might like a good rant on everything but it's like posting that you're upset about London Pride because you live in London, but at times you still like a prostate finger shuffle in your central London residency.

It's not for everyone, we get it! The investment doesn't reach into the gazillions as always, we don't actually know of the final product; But in comparison to the likes of the dying theme parks and those that are struggling in the hard times massively within the UK, Alton Towers is getting a minor/medium/major investment year on year which will add to it's growth, for your pleasure.

Enthusiast or not, if you're knocking it so hard, then we get it, it's not for you, but deep down, we might know you love it.
 
Godscrasher said:
'I'm analysing the investment' - of which 'investment' you know nothing of objectively, other than a name and a piece of paper.

'Taking so little investment risk on (David Walliams World)' - of which you know nothing of what has been invested and the actual outcome, other than speculation.
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It's a small capex year; it doesn't take a genius to work out the investment is small. More so, those in the know with the powers that be can also attest to the minimal budget.

Small capex years have rarely produced anything of genuine thematic quality.
 
Danny said:
It's a small capex year; it doesn't take a genius to work out the investment is small. More so, those in the know with the powers that be can also attest to the minimal budget.

Small capex years have rarely produced anything of genuine thematic quality.
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Mr. Danny, I'm not suggesting that this should be a major budget year. If you see the original posts, they are about (in Geordie) 'keeping enthusiast happy, because wu ganna whinge about everything', much like the ride that's being installed.
 
Godscrasher said:
You might like a good rant on everything but it's like posting that you're upset about London Pride because you live in London, but at times you still like a prostate finger shuffle in your central London residency.
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Strange metaphor to lead with but... OK.

Godscrasher said:
Mr. Danny, I'm not suggesting that this should be a major budget year. If you see the original posts, they are about (in Geordie) 'keeping enthusiast happy, because wu ganna whinge about everything', much like the ride that's being installed.
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I understand the capex year business that @Danny discusses, I was just speculating about how much quality you can get from the money that some reliable sources reckon is on the table. And why either party would commit to launching this with a lot less than the fanfare would anticipate.

I don't care about the ride. At my most optimistic, it might turn out to be fairly charming, who knows. If this is whinging, please don't venture any further into the depths of this forum!
 
It's interesting that since the announcement of Gangsta Granny: The Ride if you were to look at altontowers.com you could be forgiven not realising that a whole new area was opening this year. All the banners and links refer solely to Gangsta Granny and there is now one solitary reference to the the new area right at the bottom of the ride's page and even that is phrased in slightly vague language:

A whole area of the theme park will be transformed, inspired by ‘The World of David Walliams’.
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This wording seems more akin to how you might have described when Ice Age opened rather then when CCL opened.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there won't be a whole new area but it does seem they are being a bit more shy in it's advertising now then when they first started talking about TWoDW
 
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Squiggs said:
It's interesting that since the announcement of Gangsta Granny: The Ride if you were to look at altontowers.com you could be forgiven not realising that a whole new area was opening this year. All the banners and links refer solely to Gangsta Granny and there is now one solitary reference to the the new area right at the bottom of the ride's page and even that is phrased in slightly vague language:

This wording seems more akin to how you might have described when Ice Age opened rather then when CCL opened.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there won't be a whole new area but it does seem they are being a bit more shy in it's advertising now then when they first started talking about TWoDW
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So we only really know 3 things are being done: Gangsta Granny in Wobble World, the Theatre external is being decorated and Gallopers is getting some paint.

Essentially I think just the top end of the area will look different: Gangsta Granny, the Theatre still being a facade for Frog Hopper and Gallopers. Remember when CCL had that barrier that separated Driving School, I wouldn't be surprised if that returned and the Driving School only accessible from Fountain Square.

Then next year, if Merlin have some spare change or another ride in storage, the rest might get finished. Maybe a show in the Theatre and a retheme of Driving School which could then be officially part of the area.
 
I'm honestly surprised that that spare log flume that's being shipped to Chessington didnt make it's way to Walliams World instead.

It'd be naff (like that's a barrier when it comes to Merlin), but falls within the target market and would have given Towers a much needed extra water ride. That would have gone some way to making the area feel more complete as well.

Certainly would have been a better use of it than banging it next to Tiger Rock.
 
Squiggs said:
It's interesting that since the announcement of Gangsta Granny: The Ride if you were to look at altontowers.com you could be forgiven not realising that a whole new area was opening this year. All the banners and links refer solely to Gangsta Granny and there is now one solitary reference to the the new area right at the bottom of the ride's page and even that is phrased in slightly vague language:



This wording seems more akin to how you might have described when Ice Age opened rather then when CCL opened.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there won't be a whole new area but it does seem they are being a bit more shy in it's advertising now then when they first started talking about TWoDW
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budget cuts?
 
Chessington gets fewer visits than Alton Towers and with the animals as well it’s a different kind of pace at the park so a low throughput kiddie log flume would be okay. It’s still going to get huge queues there but as there is also a full size one it works as an additional kiddie ride.
If Alton Towers has added it they wouldn’t have been able to cope as the throughput wouldn’t be enough when it’s the only log flume in the park.
 
So the answer is, build a big ass proper Log Flume in Katanga Canyon.

Looks like this new ride and a repaint of the rest is the order of the day for 2020. This new land practically builds itself for very little investment. A perfectly serviceable 4d cinema and Mack indoor boat ride are already there, as is the Nick building. IP already paid for and in the bag.

I don't understand how it would be possible to mess this up even with a crap budget. So if by 21 all we've got is this new ride and a slop of paint over the building facades, Frog Hopper, Gallopers and Driving School, I'd find it extremely hard to justify the reason why.

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk
 
jon81uk said:
If Alton Towers has added it they wouldn’t have been able to cope as the throughput wouldn’t be enough when it’s the only log flume in the park.
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I kind of agree, but Gangster Granny isn't exactly set to be a throughput machine. Quite the opposite in fact. At least it there was another family attraction next to it the queues would be split a bit.

I'm not putting it forward as a good idea, at all, but we all have very low expectations nowadays and I think it would be better than what we've got.
 
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