Were Merlin right all along?

[Matt N]

Yeah I know... i don't think we owe Merlin an apology I don't think you owe us an apology., i just expecting it. Your analysis is appreciated

Thanks!

 

[themeparkfan]

I just keep thinking perhaps Merlin owe their shareholders an apology. They could have built WM one year earlier so their recovery would have been one year early. As I'm sure SW8 was planned for 2016 pre smiler incident so I'm sure they could have worked out a 2017 opending.

 

[Martin]

Was WM's marketing that good? Like the branding and stuff was great but 80% of the marketing was just flogging 2-4-1 tickets on any grocery product they could.

Still better than Blackpool just not bothering to advertise Icon like.

 

[Matt N]

I just keep thinking perhaps Merlin owe their shareholders an apology. They could have built WM one year earlier so their recovery would have been one year early. As I'm sure SW8 was planned for 2016 pre smiler incident so I'm sure they could have worked out a 2017 opending.

I'm pretty sure SW8 was planned to be a wooden coaster in Forbidden Valley that would have opened in 2017 prior to the Smiler crash, so I think the plans were changed after the Smiler crash occurred. According to Bradley Wynne's LinkedIn page that was linked to about a year ago, Wicker Man entered the planning stages in August 2015, so I reckon it's highly plausible that SW8 was originally planned for 2017. Due to this, I reckon 2017 might have been too tight of a turnaround for Alton, so they opened WM in 2018 instead.

2017 could potentially have been like 2018 for the UK if everything had remained as originally planned, however, as I believe Icon was also originally planned to be a 2017 ride.

 

[ChristmasPud]

Wicker Man proves that Merlin (management) were wrong, and Tussauds in the late 90s before them. Both actively blocked a wooden coaster from being built several times, saying it wouldn't be popular based on market research.

Instead, a wooden coaster half as good as their original design has been extremely popular. It's a great coaster, full of fun, it will unlock so much more long term success than any standard Merlin-formula coaster could have done. It didn't rely on hugely exaggerated marketing either to earn that success. Huge congratulations to those within the company that pushed for its creation.

Fans being cynical was pretty justified after so many disappointments in the past, and when it turned out the coaster plan was going to be very short. However I've seen only very pleasant surprise from fans now that the ride is open – and has turned out to be incredibly fun!

Merlin are very good at marketing; after all, it is in their DNA. They have the understanding that gimmicks can help sell their products. And that’s absolutely fine. Gimmicks are not as evil, I don’t think, as some people on Alton Towers forums (and coaster forums in general) make them out to be.

I don't think Wicker Man has a gimmick at all. Rather than a token effect just to make the silly 'wood and fire' claim, the theme is woven nicely throughout the ride, which is exactly what a theme should be. It's fun and it actually makes a difference!

So I don't see it as a 'gimmick' at all. There's nothing wrong with rides having a great hook or feature, in fact that's a good thing, so long as it has more to it. It only becomes a gimmick when it's used for novelty, while actually adding nothing to the experience.

If anything, this time the 'worlds first' tagline seems like an afterthought, rather than the entire premise of the ride like most Merlin coasters.

Beyond the advertising, there is actually a very good ride behind it that people can come to experience.

It's ridiculous that it's gotten to this point where people like me are surprised the chocolate actually stands up to the wrapper, such is the marketing machine of hyperbole and marketing disconnect that is Merlin Entertainments. Seems like they've gone straight back to formula with the Alton Towers Dungeons.

 

[Sauron97]

@TakeYourMedicine Partly agree, especially on your point regarding the rejection of Wardley's concepts by higher ups, Merlin's arrogance and belief that they could sit back and comfortably rely on the same cyclical strategy with each of their major ride investments has clearly failed, not just for us (obviously) but even for them. However, I believe there is an argument that whilst Wickerman is a very good ride, visually, the rest of the ride is rather bereft of the same level of detail that is given to the central feature. Now, clearly, the pyro, lighting and appearance behind the WM is nicely done, but the rest of the layout does not explore the potential that is given by the theme.

• The first section was just a concrete tunnel, before they realized it looked awful and added a flag to it, to make it look a little better
• Layout wise/Coaster wise, it's actually very good considering the lack of height and it really does throw you around, .....but ......whether this is the fault of restrictions or not doesn't matter; it's too short and could do with some more sharp floater air inducing drops and underground segments.
• No real use of animatronics, wax figures, or personality given to the ride, which makes it harder for the setting to be realized for what it is supposed to be; a pagan ceremony. And no excuses, Merlin have the money, and they want to be liked Disney, so this shouldn't be off the table. The pre show is an excellent addition, and that's exactly the kind of thing that an excellent ride experience needs, but it's one room!
• No village structures or indication that you are in the territory of the Beornen beyond the sign at the ride entrance. Where are the old looking thatched buildings that you would expect to see before Christianity was established in England like this

• Where are the large runestones? Where are the shrines and animals you'd expect to see?

Now, gimmick is too harsh a word used to be applied here, because it is a good ride. But I hope you understand that there are many criticisms of the lack of use of area outside of the Wickerman statue that have proper substance and logic to them. It's better than the Smiler where literally no theming exists outside of the marmaliser, but it still has a 'narrow focus' around specific features. In my opinion, it is the formulaic approach of Merlin that is the reason for this, and had the Wickerman centric approach been less followed, the ride would have been quite possible one of the best rides ever made.

To answer the question more directly: No. They have never been right. It's taken them far too long to catch on to what has been needed for a very, very long time, and they still show a significant lack of attention to detail in their developments of Alton Towers, and have shown serious disrespect to the passionate people who worked hard to make the park of yesteryear. Ok, the Dungeon is easy game. It looks like it'll be a rip off and a complete load of tripe. But the cheap rethemes of Merrie England and Ug Land, the cheap marketing with signposts showing lumps of vekoma track coming out from every angle and poor 3D park models, the poor electronic music blasted on the monorail until very recently and removal of park mascots and characters, the list goes on.

Anyone who suggests we should be apologizing to them needs to smack their head off a table and face reality, in my honest opinion.

 

[WickerManiac]

Without going too far from the original topic, the marketing of ICON has been extremely poor.

None of my friends have even heard of it.

Wicker Man, on the other hand...

 

[RicketyCricket]

Did Merlin ever acknowledge their lie about being the first Wood/Fire fusing nonsense? Or just brush it under the carpet?

Without going too far from the original topic, the marketing of ICON has been extremely poor.

None of my friends have even heard of it.

Wicker Man, on the other hand...

Yeah Merlin are expert marketeers in fairness. Professional turd polishers.

Still no excuse for Blackpool's poor effort. Paultons for example advertise far more than BPB.

 

[Mikw]

Did Merlin ever acknowledge their lie about being the first Wood/Fire fusing nonsense? Or just brush it under the carpet?

Yeah Merlin are expert marketeers in fairness. Professional turd polishers.

Still no excuse for Blackpool's poor effort. Paultons for example advertise far more than BPB.

Well, it's business and marketing, so expect lots of lies.

Back on topic, i think WM is a fantastic experience, and captured the public's imagination in a way i haven't see since The Smiler opened. Both great rides by the way. I think Merlin can do good things when it gets it right, but lots of misteps too. Although, sheds excepted, the design of Alton's attractions, and theming, has been pretty good since Nemesis to be fair.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Been a season ticket holder at Drayton Manor I hear a lot of guests talking and a lot is about how they prefer Drayton over Alton and the main answer is queues. They know if they go to Drayton for £80 a family of 4 can enjoy double ride count on most of the rides but at Alton unless you buy fast track tickets on top of the £110 spend on tickets you gonna be queuing all day just to do the SW coasters.
Pleasure beach won't get much more guests as most families get put off by the place Blackpool itself as the last time I was there in 2010 the town itself was run down with many bars closed down.

 

[BarryZola]

The thing with Drayton is, if you're aged about 10 or over, there aren't really any very good rides to bother being there for in the first place (in my book anyway). This would be why there are hardly any queues. It's my closest park and I've been there 3 times max in about the last 15 years. I expect I would have loved Thomas Land when I was a child, but they really need to look into getting some new proper rides installed.

 

[speedy]

Been a season ticket holder at Drayton Manor I hear a lot of guests talking and a lot is about how they prefer Drayton over Alton and the main answer is queues. They know if they go to Drayton for £80 a family of 4 can enjoy double ride count on most of the rides but at Alton unless you buy fast track tickets on top of the £110 spend on tickets you gonna be queuing all day just to do the SW coasters.
Pleasure beach won't get much more guests as most families get put off by the place Blackpool itself as the last time I was there in 2010 the town itself was run down with many bars closed down.

My parents say the same thing about Blackpool. My family (including cousins and gradnparents) went back in 2013 and they really enjoyed Nickelodeon Land. Me and my dad went off to do Grand National, Wild Mouse and Big dipper because nobody else would ride them. I don't think my mum enjoyed Big One because there are no OTSRs (she likes lap bars a bit more now after enjoying Heidi the Ride) and it's too rough (understandable). So not only does the fact it's in Blackpool put them off, but I feel the ride selection just isn't attractive to the general public.

We enjoyed our day out at Drayton but the rides just aren't good enough to go back. On a not too busy day Alton Towers wins, IMO, because it easily has the best ride selection and if you book online, or use two for one vouchers it isn't much more expensive than the other parks. Note that this is based on visiting on a weekday in June, when the queues arent too long.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

With me been 37 now and my daughter been 6 she’s at that height and age where she’s to old for CBeebies but not tall enough for the 1.2m and above rides. Theme parks in general is a expensive day out for parents and talking to the Trainees and lads under 30 there neither not been to Alton Towers since they were a kid or not been at all.

 

[Martin]

I can't speak for generations other than my own but theme parks really don't seem to be part of the 'culture' if you like, especially if you don't live near one. Thorpe Park does in London (Stormzy's birthday etc) and Blackpool a bit in the north west (but after a certain age that's more to do with the nightlife). Mostly theme parks are seen as something you do when you're a kid, school trips and summer holidays, and when you're a teenager, but then stop once you reach adulthood and only go back when you've got kids of your own, with any trips in between being exceptions, 'something different' etc.

A lot of that is down to there being so little for people to do outside park hours, especially around drinking and night time stuff for adults. Investment too, if you go every year with school by the time you're in your 20s you feel like you've been enough times unless there's constant new things to go back for.

 

[Sauron97]

Apologies for the longer than intended post in advance. There's so much to say on stuff like this, but unless you effectively create a holy text, you're never going to get everything down. I'll keep it as short as possible.
@Martin Good observations. it’s sad that the word ‘theme park’ is synonymous in the UK will 'going on roller coasters and experiencing thrills'. That is not what theme parks are and neither is what they are supposed to be. I don’t believe that this is evidence that theme parks CANNOT BE culture. It’s a symptom of the state of theme parks in this country, and the lack of the basic underlying principles/philosophies of theme parks that should be applied to theme park attractions that generates this. That philosophy is: Creating an environment that, as an older person, you are aware is not 'real', but making it appear as if it were using theatricality, psychophysics, and (sometimes) storylines, and that you are somehow involved in it to the point where you are, and I hate to use this overused word, immersed. Young people, as you allude to, appreciate theme parks in a much more meaningful way, because their imaginations are pure, and they perceive theatrical environments as real, which is why in my opinion, theme parks have not been ruined for young people in this country.
The problem is, there are such few rides in this country which have what is needed to create the meaningful attachment to the rides theme and story, rather than the induced physical sensations you get out of riding it.
For theme parks to be a significant part of UK life, they would need to completely environmentally transformed, witty to reflect the British sense of humor and sarcasm, and elaborate and detailed with at least a decent budget thrown at them.

Problem: No theme park in this country satisfies this criteria. Merlin show no significant willingness to try and create this. Now, I'm not blinded or ideologically driven, and the truth is, that Merlin has, on occasion, shown a kind of willingness to create a themed experience, and Wickerman, Saw, and DBGT do achieve some success in this area. But each time, they fall back on old habits and completely disregard the wider theme parks they own. Their half arsed attempts at making themed areas have not worked at all, and nearly all of their major attractions have giant lackluster elements that let the whole rides down. Ultimately, they have failed to provide complete themed ride experiences in every single one of their investments.
Solution: The only solution is to break the monopoly. Drayton would of been the only candidates to provide Merlin with competition, but after recent events, they are now off the table. Blackpool isn't a theme park, and nor does it try to be. Paulton's does provide competition, but only seemingly on the Junior and younger family. market. As of now, they are not entering the big tent theme park market, and until they do, they cannot be counted. London Entertainment resort: No point even debating it as it will never happen and whilst some great creative minds (Mark Golding produced some incredible stuff which can be seen in public galleries on the web) have worked on the project, it was always an IP driven project and its key objectives clearly were not to provide original and full fledged themed experiences. Off the table.
So truly, Merlin's mistakes can only be undone by a new company who have the money, the passion, the willingness to overcome the ridiculous red tape that theme parks face and the potential nimbyism, and a business model framed more like some of the German theme parks. Merlin will clearly never get it right so this is the only option. The only other solution is some kind of early 1900s America style trust busting that literally breaks Merlin and their assets up in to separate competing businesses.

In summary, I think we can say (with the exception of @Matt N ) that Merlin are never going to get it right. And we should keep a keen eye on how they perform at the end of this year, and how they perform at the end of next year after the respective investments. Until a new theme park arrives on the scene, I don't think any theme park is going to get it right either.

 

[Kraken27]

Apologies for the longer than intended post in advance. There's so much to say on stuff like this, but unless you effectively create a holy text, you're never going to get everything down. I'll keep it as short as possible.
@Martin Good observations. it’s sad that the word ‘theme park’ is synonymous in the UK will 'going on roller coasters and experiencing thrills'. That is not what theme parks are and neither is what they are supposed to be. I don’t believe that this is evidence that theme parks CANNOT BE culture. It’s a symptom of the state of theme parks in this country, and the lack of the basic underlying principles/philosophies of theme parks that should be applied to theme park attractions that generates this. That philosophy is: Creating an environment that, as an older person, you are aware is not 'real', but making it appear as if it were using theatricality, psychophysics, and (sometimes) storylines, and that you are somehow involved in it to the point where you are, and I hate to use this overused word, immersed. Young people, as you allude to, appreciate theme parks in a much more meaningful way, because their imaginations are pure, and they perceive theatrical environments as real, which is why in my opinion, theme parks have not been ruined for young people in this country.
The problem is, there are such few rides in this country which have what is needed to create the meaningful attachment to the rides theme and story, rather than the induced physical sensations you get out of riding it.
For theme parks to be a significant part of UK life, they would need to completely environmentally transformed, witty to reflect the British sense of humor and sarcasm, and elaborate and detailed with at least a decent budget thrown at them.

Problem: No theme park in this country satisfies this criteria. Merlin show no significant willingness to try and create this. Now, I'm not blinded or ideologically driven, and the truth is, that Merlin has, on occasion, shown a kind of willingness to create a themed experience, and Wickerman, Saw, and DBGT do achieve some success in this area. But each time, they fall back on old habits and completely disregard the wider theme parks they own. Their half arsed attempts at making themed areas have not worked at all, and nearly all of their major attractions have giant lackluster elements that let the whole rides down. Ultimately, they have failed to provide complete themed ride experiences in every single one of their investments.
Solution: The only solution is to break the monopoly. Drayton would of been the only candidates to provide Merlin with competition, but after recent events, they are now off the table. Blackpool isn't a theme park, and nor does it try to be. Paulton's does provide competition, but only seemingly on the Junior and younger family. market. As of now, they are not entering the big tent theme park market, and until they do, they cannot be counted. London Entertainment resort: No point even debating it as it will never happen and whilst some great creative minds (Mark Golding produced some incredible stuff which can be seen in public galleries on the web) have worked on the project, it was always an IP driven project and its key objectives clearly were not to provide original and full fledged themed experiences. Off the table.
So truly, Merlin's mistakes can only be undone by a new company who have the money, the passion, the willingness to overcome the ridiculous red tape that theme parks face and the potential nimbyism, and a business model framed more like some of the German theme parks. Merlin will clearly never get it right so this is the only option. The only other solution is some kind of early 1900s America style trust busting that literally breaks Merlin and their assets up in to separate competing businesses.

In summary, I think we can say (with the exception of @Matt N ) that Merlin are never going to get it right. And we should keep a keen eye on how they perform at the end of this year, and how they perform at the end of next year after the respective investments. Until a new theme park arrives on the scene, I don't think any theme park is going to get it right either.

An excellent post that astutely highlights how Merlin are running the UK theme park industry into the ground as they have no competition.

All I will say is one thing... if EuroDisney (as it was called when it was in the planning stages) had been built near Birmingham / the NEC area / M42 - which was a site in the bidding - do you think Merlin would be able to get away with their lacklustre offerings in the UK? I think not. Sure, Merlin have built some good rides at their parks, but they don't look after the rides properly, or indeed run the parks properly. Money is all they are interested in, with resulting price rises & cutbacks on park operations and the guest experience year on year.

I now actively avoid Merlin parks in the UK and visit Florida or Germany instead. I admit having access to very cheap transatlantic flights helps [a lot!] but the parks in Florida & Germany care about and offer a far superior guest experience to Merlin's UK parks. Mr Varney should take note - but he won't.

 

[Coaster]

Wicker Man is much, much better than I expected, and it's rightfully deserved that the coaster has done well for Towers in my opinion. Finally we have a ride that isn't built around a gimmick, but is purely a quality addition.

It is frustrating that it's taken this long for Merlin to build a wooden coaster, and that it isn't what it could have been, but the end product of WM is a solid, successful coaster.

 

[RicketyCricket]

I now actively avoid Merlin parks in the UK and visit Florida or Germany instead. I admit having access to very cheap transatlantic flights helps [a lot!] but the parks in Florida & Germany care about and offer a far superior guest experience to Merlin's UK parks. Mr Varney should take note - but he won't.

I don't intend on visiting any Merlin parks whatsoever next season. In fairness Towers in particular has been excellent on every visit this season, but I'd put that down to Wicker Man buzz and the fact I had free tickets. Towers gets bailed out by a stunning setting and good coaster line up, but it should still be so much better.

Thorpe was just awful and I felt somehow ripped off without having spent a penny.

A recent return to Europa Park was enough to convince me that there's absolutely zero chance I'm forking out for a MAP. I'll spend that money visiting parks that deserve it.

 

[Sauron97]

All I will say is one thing... if EuroDisney (as it was called when it was in the planning stages) had been built near Birmingham / the NEC area / M42 - which was a site in the bidding - do you think Merlin would be able to get away with their lacklustre offerings in the UK? I think not. Sure, Merlin have built some good rides at their parks, but they don't look after the rides properly, or indeed run the parks properly. Money is all they are interested in, with resulting price rises & cutbacks on park operations and the guest experience year on year.

I agree, I certainly don't think Merlin would be allowed to get away with their existing models if a huge theme park was up the road. That being sad, whilst what we are in right now is essentially a worst case scenario and a price maker monopolist getting away with every charge and hidden cost under the book, having Disney in the UK would be a big no no for me. I don't think it would be a desirable solution to the problem we already have either, and I don't think it would help either domestic industries or the average British family wanting to appreciate a theme park. Disney is a huge brand, and their scale of product reflects that, and as such, it's almost a completely different category of theme park. It might be great, but it's expensive, commercialized, and tends to stick round similar themes (even if the rides themselves differ between parks which is a good thing obviously) . Really, I think all it does is add an entirely new market, which might offer a fantastic experience independently, but does nothing to address or change the competition for the markets 'lower down'. I doubt new additions at Disney or Universal will help change the lack of theming you'd find at Cedar Fair or Six Flags parks, for example. And yet that's the extremes that you find in the American theme park industry
It's gotta be British, and as a key theme park of this country, it's got to own that as best it can, and try to become nationally symbolic. Efteling is an unusual, but incredible park, and it draws in huge people from near and afar because it is almost a national symbol . It uses old germanic folklore and fairytales to provide something standoutish, original and visually stunning. I suppose that's exactly what the design panel of Tussauds had in mind when they made Hex. Nemesis is also one of those rides that ties itself in strongly to its location and has a really amazing, unusual backstory. Is it any coincidence that these are 2 extremely good, almost symbolic rides? If Towers had been operated correctly, then every ride at the park would of been done to the level of care, depth and detail that Hex, Haunted House, Nemesis and Toyland Tours (Oblivion too but I just wish they'd gone for the steampunk theme) then I guess we wouldn't be here moaning about the necessity for a new park at all. One of the key things that stands out to me in this country is Ancient Rome and Tudor England. You could make such a good theme park based off these two historical themes alone! Imagine a whole theme park designed with neo classical architecture, and perhaps some kind of water park based off the Roman Baths (without the urine ideally)... There's absolutely no way you can say that this country doesn't provide loads of opportunity for a Theme park with a historical or cultural context.

I think if a new theme park was to exist and obliterate the monopoly we exist in, we'd probably need our own (original) version of Europa Park, because that has a pretty large scale and budget, but does not have the branding element, and cost wise, it is quite remarkably good value. Having a scenario where a British EP style park existed anywhere in the midlands would be serious for Alton Towers. I think it would absolutely decimate them, that's how poor things have got under Merlin. Towers lacks the charm and distinct image that it once had, and people would very quickly flock to a fresh, vibrant, new theme park that delivers on value and guest experience. Merlin bosses and major shareholders really would be crapping themselves and realize the mess that they'd got themselves in to that they had the power to avoid.

 

[TheBolt]

Merlin simply played their cards very well... good advertising and then effectively pay for a 2nd days ticket and you can come all season. Pull them in, then keep them in and buying drinks, food and car parking fees to make the profits back off that loss leader.

Blackpool has to play a different game to Merlin. Annual passes have the disadvantage of a large local population to make heavy use of those, car parking and refreshments are not a monopoly like at AT; so they cannot get away with as much price gouging (I already hear the comments on car parking fees) to make all their profits.

AT are likely to try the same tactic again this year with thre AT dungeon, and are already selling the 2019 £55 season pass.

What has BPB got planned to answer that? The new hotel will help revenue, but not pull in any crowds. More special events seems like their best option, with lots of bounce back offers including good on the day offers. Improve the food. Use an advertising campaign that takes the mickey out of parks that close at 4pm in the afternon and run 5 days a week, BPB open daily until 8pm throughout the Summer etc. Put self service ticketing machines in to make the queues shorter etc.