Coaster Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 The sights, sounds, smells and atmosphere of rides like The Dragon in Legoland's early years made a huge impression on me at a young age, and probably went a long way towards forming my fascination for parks, roller coasters and themed attractions. I can't imagine that Haunted House Monster Party would have had the same effect on me, personally. Even if the interior is brilliant, the illusion and thematic element is lost long before you enter that building. SteveJ and Matt 236 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPC Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 Remember this is only the start of refurbishment plan for the resort. Expect a lot more to come in the next few years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosferatu Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 I don't see the point of having a themed facade if you're just going to have the ride building behind so blatantly on show. At least Phantom Manor tries to hide the ugly ride building with a hill and trees. Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted March 17, 2019 Report Share Posted March 17, 2019 That before/after pic of Laser Raiders really does sum up Merlin right now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenVig Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 It really would not have been difficult to cover the warehouse in a cheap fibreglass facade of the same colour as the house though.... That is just pure laziness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 On 3/17/2019 at 10:17 PM, Nosferatu said: I don't see the point of having a themed facade if you're just going to have the ride building behind so blatantly on show. At least Phantom Manor tries to hide the ugly ride building with a hill and trees. When you say try do you actually mean 'hides show building completely'? StevenVig, Imagineer and Kerfuffle 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 On 3/17/2019 at 9:40 PM, Glitch said: On monster houses warehouse are we considering it from a kid perspective maybe the warehouse is not as viewable from their line of sight? Either that or very simply, if they can see it, they wouldn't even care. There's been an ongoing pattern in recent years that Merlin seem to think that the majority of guests are blind to theming or any kind of detail, rather just pay attention to the bare bones of the ride or attraction instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 Visited Legoland yesterday, which was actually my first park of 2019, here’s what I have to report. The Good: Opening show bought an uplifting vibe to the park and countdown until opening (more parks should do this) Majority Of staff seemed helpful and friendly Park was surprisingly quiet (maybe the quietest I have seen), 6 rides on Dragon and two rides on Bosting School (which I has never happened before) Park was clean and tidy (in most areas) This year, the park has invested a noticeable amount of time and resources, refreshing park areas, most look much better. Refreshing to see. Also got an evac off Ninjago, fun times! The Bad £10.50 for Burger Kitchen (£8.40 approx for a mediocre burger at Burger Kitchen is very pricey if you ask me. I’ve had worse but better too. Ninjago is already seeing lots of wear and tear which is Pretty bad for a nearly new ride! Some of the animatronics in Fairy Tale Brook we’re not working The Ugly The front of the Haunted house looks decent. It’s a shame about the warehouse at the back though. Whilst I understand it is in a fairly central location, more definitely could have been done to help blend in the eyesore at the back. Shrubbery, theming landscaping etc. One just needs to look at Phantom Msnor or even Duel to see av’properly’ concealed ride building. I think the entrance could have been better too. The Dragon is one of the rides that helped me got into theme parks. Whilst the front of the ride is looking noticeably better, The sane can’t be said for the rest. This year has seen the back path area rebuilt, however not featuring the former viewing area. This is a massive shame as it used to give great views of the second half of the ride, not to mention people could spectate whilst their family and friends were on the ride. This is adds up to the growing list of features of items that have been “removed but not replaced” including the castle chandeliers, turret theming and old tree. Pirate Falls, Viking Rapids, Raft Racers and Sky Rider were closed all day. Whilst I don’t know the reasons as to why, I really hope it is not as a result of budget cuts. Poor show if it is. beside these thorns, I still had an acceptable day. Glitch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted April 14, 2019 Report Share Posted April 14, 2019 I managed to do Haunted House before it shut for the near future. How this ever got approved shows how little Merlin care at the top (theyve had over 5 years planning this ride and it's turned out THIS badly?) What was already the Pathway From Hell now had this new ride with its entrance/exit backing on to it, seriously the most congested part the park! It's insane. A lot has been said about the 'warehouse' already but seriously, it's shockingly bad. You see the big black warehouse from the moment you look out at the view from The Beginning. Walking towards the ride, you see the box long before you get a proper view of the 'themed' front (which is also very cheap and boring). The "children wont see it" excuse is nonsense The queue is one of the worst cattlepen queues Ive ever seen. The development has totally obliterated what used to be a much needed landscaped buffer space in this part the park. Once looked very nice with the stream running into the lake, lots of models and the train skirting around. Not anymore! The actual madhouse ride is fun and all the kids have a good laugh, which is great but largely thanks to the classic appeal of a madhouse. It's so much better than a drop tower would have been! The party theme is fun and I think it's great they added a colourful twist, but there's absolutely no surprises for kids. All the parents were gearing their kids up for a spooky adventure, only to be greeted with en empty room and some TVs. The preshow is weirdly long considering nothing actually happens. We have a boogie with some disco balls but it reeks of "all the effects planned for this area were cut". There's nothing remotely spooky about the attraction and you feel like you're just in a metal box the entire time. Maybe this won't be so obvious for kids, but design this lazy it takes away so much fun to be had for kids in a good dark ride. The rest the park has made a steady effort to clean up and improve this year, some parts look very refreshing. But on the whole the place still feels tired and soulless. Everything is shoved in. Music will randomly fade out and change as you're walking through an area, suddenly drawing your attention to it. There's so little actual Lego or animations now, other than in Miniland. A very different park to what it used to be. I'm sure there are only going to be more giant warehouses added filled with TVs in the years to come. pluk, Whatever, Matt 236 and 4 others 3 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 The Mirror have latched on to the story of it closing: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/legoland-visitors-fury-after-haunted-14311412 As already mentioned - that cattlepen queue and non-hidden show building is pretty damn vile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 Not going to lie, but Legoland used to be such a charming and whimsical place to visit. It’s pretty hard to imagine that now but it definitely was once upon a time. I first visited around 1997 time and remember the park had more curious things to see and do, whether that be the Amazing Mazes (three different themed Mazes), the Magic Theatre and Explorers Institute (which were so imaginative for what they were) and the ‘original’ Pirate Falls. The park landscaping used to be so immaculate with hidden pathways, models and things to discover at every corner and more well kept than what is there now. I think the Dragon was one of those attractions that got me interested in theme parks and attractions, so much attention to detail and creativity. They definitely thought about most things there. It was somewhere around the mid noughties when the park started to lose it’s charm, either just before or after the Lego group sold it’s (full) ownership of the park. Attractions were plonked down more with less care of architecture, landscaping and cohesion. The charming gems gradually chiselled out with more noisy, ‘flash in the pan’, generic and commercialised features. The landscaping and pathways aren’t as pretty as they used to be with older pathways either cheaply re-routed or abruptly stopping. Un-themed ride buildings and exposed “out of house” areas are also more common. I understand Legoland is a little strapped for space, but they could at least do more by theming up warehouses and planting more trees and shrubbery around these areas. Not everything they are doing now is bad, but they could definitely be doing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 2 hours ago, MattyMoo said: The Mirror have latched on to the story of it closing: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/legoland-visitors-fury-after-haunted-14311412 As already mentioned - that cattlepen queue and non-hidden show building is pretty damn vile FURY. Also, new ride breaks down creating obligatory anger headline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 Anyone know what is actually up with Monster Party for it to be so swiftly and lengthily down? Brand new madhouse and simple pre-show seems like something which shouldn't cause too many issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenVig Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 This is classic Merlin. Cheaping out at every opportunity, this has to be a new record for them. Didn't even last a day, even DBGT lasted longer than that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 1 hour ago, pluk said: Anyone know what is actually up with Monster Party for it to be so swiftly and lengthily down? Brand new madhouse and simple pre-show seems like something which shouldn't cause too many issues. I believe it's an issue with the ride hardware itself (although not parking, which is the common problem for Madhouses). Obviously stuff like this happens with new rides, but if it's a lengthy closure, that could suggest they tried rushing it to get it ready in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenVig Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 It has reopened now apparently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted April 15, 2019 Report Share Posted April 15, 2019 To be fair to Merlin, I think in this case the ride's closure is not their fault. "Apprently" it's Vekoma having some quality control troubles. I have no idea personally but am told reliably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatever Posted July 16, 2019 Report Share Posted July 16, 2019 The Legoland Express train held up quite a lot of visitors yesterday as it stopped just metres from the station, meaning the automatic barriers (which it had cleared) were still down. People trying to get to other parts of the park were held up and advised to go under the bridge and around Lego city, which is quite a detour. The train, after much visible confusion from the staff, had to reverse back into the station, which I’ve never seen happen before! I left that part of the park shortly after, but it could have been something to do with the part of the tracks which intersect the laser raiders queue. I’m not sure. Either way, an interesting thing to have witnessed! Matt A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john gray Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Very excited and eagerly waiting to visit Legoland❄️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted August 1, 2019 Report Share Posted August 1, 2019 Lego Movie World will be coming to Legoland in 2021: https://www.southparks.co.uk/2019/07/27/the-lego-movie-world-coming-to-legoland-windsor-resort/ The area will be located near Squid Surfer and the reasonably dead area with some HB Leisure games. The new area will include a dark ride (likely a Flying Theatre like the other Movie World areas), a couple of drop towers and some play equipment: Matt A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted August 1, 2019 Report Share Posted August 1, 2019 That's a MUCH better location, a big dead spot (ever since Jungle Coaster shut) and puts the building on the perimeter, I really hope they're learning they cant get away with Monster Party levels of carelessness forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 Well, it looks like we may see a new coaster at a Merlin park next year. Just maybe not the park we were expecting. Only a kiddie coaster, but a Creds a cred. Source-https://www.southparks.co.uk/2019/08/14/new-family-coaster-planned-for-legoland-windsor-resort/ I have drawn up on the image above roughly where the coaster is expected to go. Would explain the bush trimming in the Duplo area. If you had told me five years ago Legoland were getting a coaster in 2020 and Thorpe were not, I’d be laughing on the floor by now. Irony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuntman707 Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 Alton Towers: STARGAZING PODS, WICKERMAN, DUNGEONS, CUCKOO RE-THEME? Chessington: CAROUSEL, TIGER ROCK + AREA RE-THEME, GRUFFALO, ROTB, NEW ROADS Legoland: CASTLE HOTEL, NINJAGO RIDE, MAD HOUSE, JUNIOR COASTER Thorpe Park: used flats, twd:tr, half day operational dbgt:rotd Matt A, Whatever and JoshuaA 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitch Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 19 minutes ago, Stuntman707 said: Alton Towers: STARGAZING PODS, WICKERMAN, DUNGEONS, CUCKOO RE-THEME? Chessington: CAROUSEL, TIGER ROCK + AREA RE-THEME, GRUFFALO, ROTB, NEW ROADS Legoland: CASTLE HOTEL, NINJAGO RIDE, MAD HOUSE, JUNIOR COASTER Thorpe Park: used flats, twd:tr, half day operational dbgt:rotd I wouldn't get your hopes up for Thorpe. It's not in the Merlin planned pipeline for investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted August 15, 2019 Report Share Posted August 15, 2019 Heh, nice. Looks like it could be a copy of Baa Express at Europa? Nice little investment for the park tbh. Good to see, and I'm sure it'll work for the park. Woo. JoshuaA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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