January 11, 200916 yr comment_42628 Pfft - we shall see what 2010 brings - we should do round-about about Summer 2009 if anything amazing is going to happen. Coz they'll make preparations.
January 13, 200916 yr comment_42746 oh sorry is our little secret out about Beanoland lol. I would just like to apologise to everyone who saw lol. But Beanoland is awesome fun its ideal not only for families but for groups on a day out with dodgems and whizzer.
January 13, 200916 yr comment_42753 I quite like Billy's Whizzer - I once went on with friends who never went on it before and convienantly forgot to told them that it has squirt cannons - they got wet. I love the water ballon game - quite memorable.Am quite interested in what will happen to Chessie the next couple of years
January 14, 200916 yr comment_42796 Future of Chessington = No future IMO, this park will be 1 of the nxt victims of the credit crunch unless they get some better rides to attract the crowds.
January 14, 200916 yr comment_42797 Future of Chessington = No future IMO, this park will be 1 of the nxt victims of the credit crunch unless they get some better rides to attract the crowds.You do realise that a lot of the time last year Chessington were getting better gate figures than Thorpe? So it does have a future.
January 14, 200916 yr comment_42800 I heard on the news that they where in trouble! If I where you I'd be very careful what you say, that could be seen as libel, unless you actually use it in context, of what was said..Out of pure interest, what was this, where was this and when was this?
January 14, 200916 yr comment_42803 It was on BBC London about a year ago max, they said with the upcomming recession they where worried about the parks finances and it's ability to compete with other UK parks building more popular rides/attractions including neighbouring Thorpe Park! The park where already millions in-dept when they done this report, so I dread to think of the situation they're in atm, they probably counting thier last few pennies lol
January 14, 200916 yr comment_42808 I don't believe you for one second - Merlin is financially the most secure operator in the business, I remember reading it has better books and financial backing from Blackstone - the Recession and weaker pound means more domestic tourism from UK habitants as it's more expensive to go abroad, and also more people will be visiting London in the coming year from abroad as stuff is basically cheaper. I expect CWoA will have a great year and the investment will continue from Merlin.
January 14, 200916 yr comment_42809 Everyone loves UK and our attractions - coz loads of people cant afford to go overseas, profits, revenue w/e you call it will increase. As for attractions, Chessie aren't short of attractions, they aren't short of space, they have just got to be careful and tactical when planning for new rides as all their big spaces of land are near the roads and on greenbelt land. Who would have ever though the likes of Oblivion, Nemesis and Air could have been created. And they have worse restrictions than the likes of our Chessie. ;)Merlin are backed by Blackstone who own 50% of Universal Studios Orlando (Is this IOA included or just hotel or just USF park) and who god knows what else. I wouldn't be suprised if Blackstone was some secret goverment organisation - they're that good muhahah
January 14, 200916 yr Author comment_42816 It was on BBC London about a year ago max, they said with the upcomming recession they where worried about the parks finances and it's ability to compete with other UK parks building more popular rides/attractions including neighbouring Thorpe Park! The park where already millions in-dept when they done this report, so I dread to think of the situation they're in atm, they probably counting thier last few pennies lol No way dude. Last year was Chessington's best year since 2000. During the Easter holidays Chessington was thrashing Thorpes attendance figures everyday and for the rest of the season, the park was doing extremely well. Just as an example, the last 2 and a half weeks of August saw a regular attendance of 11,000 people everyday (Often much higher then that). Considering I was on my Fourth season last year and it was far busier then every other year, I would argue against Chessington being a victim of the credit crunch. Whilst on the ride side, Chessington really cannot compete with the other parks, as an all round entertainment venue it does very well.
January 15, 200916 yr comment_42862 And as for counting their pennies, they'd be counting a hell of a lot. 07 season made £14m profit for them, and 08 is predicted to be in its 30s.Chessington and merlin are fine, just hoping that Blackstone hasn't been affected too much by the credit crunch. Remember its an investment company, which are having to write down their assets pretty much every month, and have posted losses recently due to this!
January 16, 200916 yr comment_42870 Well it was on the news, so whether you believe me or not is ur choice but I'm sure if it was on the news that there was some truth to it! And how are Alton Towers/Thorpe Park more restricted than CWOA? Thorpe Park in particular has way more expansion room what with the large lakes that surround it, Chessington has a housing estate surrounding it so any further expansion would mean permission from council to knock down houses, but this will never happen because the residents who live there will have something to say I'd imagine!
January 16, 200916 yr comment_42872 Well it was on the news, so whether you believe me or not is ur choice but I'm sure if it was on the news that there was some truth to it! And how are Alton Towers/Thorpe Park more restricted than CWOA? Thorpe Park in particular has way more expansion room what with the large lakes that surround it, Chessington has a housing estate surrounding it so any further expansion would mean permission from council to knock down houses, but this will never happen because the residents who live there will have something to say I'd imagine! Alton aren't allowed to build above tree line, Thorpe not over 115ft and CWoA isn't covered by a housing estate...?Not sure what you're on about?
January 16, 200916 yr comment_42874 Well it was on the news, so whether you believe me or not is ur choice but I'm sure if it was on the news that there was some truth to it! And how are Alton Towers/Thorpe Park more restricted than CWOA? Thorpe Park in particular has way more expansion room what with the large lakes that surround it, Chessington has a housing estate surrounding it so any further expansion would mean permission from council to knock down houses, but this will never happen because the residents who live there will have something to say I'd imagine! Harr. The news is full of bull, plus if Chessington were going bankrupt it probably would have been in the local paper. Chessington alone wouldn't go bankrupt anyway as they're part of a chain, not a seperate entity. All the Woolworths stores closed, not just one or two, geddit?Alton and Thorpe are both more restricted in terms of physical space to build. Alton are surrounded by protected woodland and listed buildings, Thorpe are as you quite rightly said, surrounded by lakes. You can't just build on water though.Chessington is surrounded by a housing estate is it? New to me, seeing as I live here. Plus, take a goosey gander at this [click].Odd that, lots of bizzare green houses. I think they call them fields. This is indeed green belt land, however green belt legislation is somewhat less restrictive than a hellava lot of water or listed trees and buildings, as is evidenced by Heathrow building a new runway and terminal on green belt land.Regardless Chessington does need serious investment, the place is starting to look rather tired. Merlin have shown that they don't plan to sell the park any time soon, with plans for a 1,200 seat area having recently been approved by the council. The start of good things to come I hope, and with the Blackstone Group firmly in the... black, I'm sure the future is positive.
January 16, 200916 yr Author comment_42878 I'd argue that rides are only a small part of what makes guests go to Chessington anyway. Whereas it works for thrill-seeker parks like Thorpe (where the only thing to do is rides), CWoA had a bigger jump in guests from the Sea Life centre then in comparison to 2004 when they added Dragons Fury.
January 16, 200916 yr comment_42885 Still not entirely convinced by that arguement (hence, why has the zoo only days over the winter been reduced from everyday to weekends only now?). I'd like to have seen the jump in attendance if fury opened last year. Different economies, different world I suppose.
January 17, 200916 yr Author comment_42894 Still not entirely convinced by that arguement (hence, why has the zoo only days over the winter been reduced from everyday to weekends only now?). I'd like to have seen the jump in attendance if fury opened last year. Different economies, different world I suppose.I call it the Winter
January 17, 200916 yr comment_42899 Ok than, you can see the housing estate as you approach the Chessington entrance!
January 17, 200916 yr comment_42903 Well last time I went CWOA, there where houses immediately to the left on the entrance so close to the park boundary that the Vampire ride was almost in people's back gardens!
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