It’s worth remembering that the consultation from 2016 was a more wide-spanning consultation regarding the park’s overall masterplan. This is focusing exclusively on one smaller project from the masterplan.This is exactly the same 'consultation' and artwork from circa 2017? Nothing came of it then, I doubt anything will come of it now.
I hope something good happens, but I doubt it.
There have been other planning applications submitted for different parts of the project; I know the park did have planning approved for the mentioned lodges a couple of years back. Not sure what ever happened to them, though, as they don’t seem to have materialised...Still, it has taken 5 years to go from 'masterplan' consultation to 'smaller project' consultation.
My expectations are even lower now.
So with the rollercoaster project, it was a bit like how Air was originally intended to be SW4 instead of Oblivion, but got pushed back due to the technology not being ready (except it was due to different rides being in more pressing need of replacement, in this case)? And if Rameses Revenge and Black Buccaneer hadn’t reached the end of their respective lifespans, we would have seen a new coaster in 2021 instead of Croc Drop/Blue Barnacle?This isn’t what your call a smaller plan. This coaster project actually should’ve happened sooner, but I believe it was pushed back due to the mounting issues of Rameses Revenge and Black Buccaneer reaching the end of their operational life-spans.
The park have been pushing for a new roller coaster for quite some time, but there were more serious issues to fix every time around, hence why it’s only now happening. A lot of the place has been fixed up, tarted up and rethemed over the past 10 years or so. Now they’re in a position whereby there aren’t any more pressing issues, they can now move on to the bigger developments.
I imagine you know much more about the park than me, but I think you’re being incredibly generous to the park here. The coaster project should have happened a few years ago, but some flat rides needed to be removed so they didn’t bother? Especially since plenty of other parks can keep top spins and swinging ships maintained and working for decades.This isn’t what your call a smaller plan. This coaster project actually should’ve happened sooner, but I believe it was pushed back due to the mounting issues of Rameses Revenge and Black Buccaneer reaching the end of their operational life-spans.
The park have been pushing for a new roller coaster for quite some time, but there were more serious issues to fix every time around, hence why it’s only now happening. A lot of the place has been fixed up, tarted up and rethemed over the past 10 years or so. Now they’re in a position whereby there aren’t any more pressing issues, they can now move on to the bigger developments.
To be fair, if we’re talking about like-for-like replacements, that would still in theory mean that we get a new cred out of it, so it’s win-win either way!My money is on Vampire disintegrating just before groundwork is due to start, delaying the project until 2030.
This is the same park that let the rockwork on both the Mine Train and log flume get to such a rotten state that it became a health and safety hazard and had to be removed due to neglect. Merlin manage to turn over that sort of profit because they hoard all the money rather than reinvesting it into the parks. Ideally they want the parks to pick us up by the feet, shake us about so all our money falls out and then toss us away without spending any money on upkeep.Chessington has a global corporation behind it turning over almost £2 billion each year. Regular ride maintenance, removal, and park refresh/sprucing up/retheming shouldn’t even touch the sides and definitely shouldn’t preclude the chain investing in a new coaster a decade and a half after the last one was installed. Similarly, if Rameses and Black Buccaneer coming to the end of their lives came as a complete surprise, I also question the park and their maintenance. Surely the issues with them, and a realisation that they’re becoming too expensive to keep, would have been predicted years in advance and built into their investment plan.
Both S&S and Vekoma provide spares for various arrow coasters, and with Vampire using Vekoma trains it's probably more Vekoma than Arrow at this point.To be fair, if we’re talking about like-for-like replacements, that would still in theory mean that we get a new cred out of it, so it’s win-win either way!
But given that Vampire’s been going strong for 31 years (19 years in its post-refurb form), I’d personally be surprised if another 1 or 2 years of operation tipped it over the edge. It is certainly getting on a bit now, and parts are presumably hard to come by due to Arrow being defunct, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it does sadly go within the next 5-10 years, but I doubt it’ll be on its way out too soon, at least until after the new coaster has opened and bedded in a bit.
I'm not sure who said it first, but the ideal customer is the one who pays a lot but receives nothing in return. Running a business is all about maximizing income while minimizing expenses. For an amusement park, each ride represents a huge cost, but a necessary one to keep customers coming in. And then it's tempting to think: "People come to experience the park the way it is today. They would still come back next year if the park looked the same, so we don't need to add anything this year". From there, the road is short to: "But surely, it wouldn't hurt our visitor figures if this little thing was removed, reducing our expenses ever so slightly? It's still the same park." And then: "They come to the park because they like the park and it's tradition for them to come here. The stuff in the park is of lesser importance, so it doesn't matter if we remove a ride or two." Next is: "We run the only park in this area, it's not like this market segment can go to anyone else. We still have the moneymaking attractions drawing people in and they're working fine like they've done for 30 years. At least for one more year."Ideally they want the parks to pick us up by the feet, shake us about so all our money falls out and then toss us away without spending any money on upkeep.