Alton Towers News

[Ringo]

An incident at the water park today. Firefighters & ambulances on site due to guests & staff feeling ill.

 

Most likely caused by poor water management but not good pr for the park before the start of the season.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-51711729

 

 

Quote

Alton Towers Waterpark was closed after dozens of visitors complained of irritation to their eyes and throats.

Paramedics, firefighters and police were sent to the Staffordshire theme park after 39 people - including six children - were affected, a spokesman said.

An air ambulance was also sent, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

The 33 adults and children were assessed and later discharged with no treatment required, crews said.

A spokesman for the park said: "At around [13:00 GMT] today we took the decision to close the Waterpark after a small number of people reported irritation of the eyes and throat.

 

 

 

[pluk]

Presuming there were a lot more people in the waterpark than those taken ill it was probably a chemical spill so localised to that spill location. 

[RobF]

Alton towers gardens reopen 6th June

[Marley]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SINU_qyJf-o&ab_channel=LiftHillsandThrills

 

Interview with John Wardley about SW9, Nemesis and Duel. Only just saw it so haven't watched it yet.

[Theme Park Fanatic]

Is there anyone else like myself who thinks the Cookoo Cars Driving School will not reopen? At the start of 2022/ end of 2021 rumours were rife about the possible closure or relocation of Cookoo Cars Driving School. The main speculation was that the attraction would be relocated and rethemed into Ceebbies Land, obviously nothing became of these rumours and Andy’s Dinosaur Dig and Hay Dugee Adventure Badge opened.
 

Focusing on the upcoming season I can foresee one of a couple of options. Option 1 is that Cookoo Cars Driving School will receive a David Williams retheme. Option 2 is that the attraction will be removed. If the latter was to happen I think  Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango and The Royal Carousel should relocate to this location. My reasoning is in their  current locations the rides are blocking the entrance to the former theatre. This prevents the theatre from being utilised. It’s a real shame to have such a large building is not in use. The theatre could easily house a 3D show for instance Mr Stink. If Alton Towers wanted to be very ambitious the building could be converted into a Flying Theatre, themed around Grandpa’s Great Escape. I think the placement of The Royal Carousel and Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango was a huge oversight on Alton Towers’s part. Furthermore with many Children’s rides opening since Cookoo Cars Driving School it’s becoming redundant. 
 

On a personal note I hope Cookoo Cars Driving School is relocated or rethemed by March. The theme of Cloud Cookoo Land clashes with The World Of David Williams.  I feel the management at Alton Towers left Cookoo Cars Driving School themed to the former area due to budget restrictions or to allow The World Of David Williams to open ASAP. This is solely my hypothesis but The World Of David Williams was under construction when England initially went into lockdown. Due to this I get the feeling the area was left unfinished. It would not be outside the realms of possibility that Alton Towers planned to include Cookoo Cars Driving School into the World Of David Williams,but couldn’t due to the finances lost during the lengthy closure. I am not pointing my finger at Alton Towers if this was the case. That being said Alton Towers are about too enter their 3rd season since the pandemic eased. Logically speaking I would hope this means that changes are in store for Cookoo Cars Driving School. Not only would the relocation of The Royal Carousel and Flavio’s Fabulous Fandango make the theatre accessible but it would also create an entrance for the builders working on Project Horizon (SW9). Of course this depends on whether planning permission is granted.

 

Can other members of this Forum share their feedback on my opinions and suggestions? 

[Benin]

Don't think they could fit a Flying Theatre in that building. They are massive attractions after all.

 

If they were to return a 4D show to the building I'd rather they convert it properly rather than on the cheap. But the likelihood of THAT happening is low. Plus they should get rid of the Dungeons because does anyone actually bother with it? Another wasted building nowadays in a park that has steadily lost filler attractions.

 

Also id say its unlikely much will happen to the area until Project Horizon gets built. Even then it depends what that is themed to. Knowing Towers they'll probably just retheme the area again with another cheap paint job and call it a day.

[Matt 236]

I think it’ll be a good few years before we see anything substantial happen to this area and even then, I’m not holding my breath. 
 

Problem is that each rehash of the area just seems to have been done on the cheap without adding anything original and if anything eradicating further charm from the place. Cloud Cuckoo wasn’t perfect, but at least it felt more consistent than what we have now. A stringy Williams area next door to an upcharge dark Dungeon with a bit of Cloud Cuckoo residue stuck on the side. 

[Theme Park Fanatic]

5 hours ago, Exodus Matt said:

I think it’ll be a good few years before we see anything substantial happen to this area and even then, I’m not holding my breath. 
 

Problem is that each rehash of the area just seems to have been done on the cheap without adding anything original and if anything eradicating further charm from the place. Cloud Cuckoo wasn’t perfect, but at least it felt more consistent than what we have now. A stringy Williams area next door to an upcharge dark Dungeon with a bit of Cloud Cuckoo residue stuck on the side. 

@Exodus Matt technically the Dungeons are not part Of The World Of David Williams. There’s an entrance portal and fences separating the areas. As for Cookoo Cars Driving School I think it could be gone by the start of the 2023. Due to the heavily speculated rumours last year I think Cookoo Cars Driving School could relocate to CBeebies land. At the very least Cookoo Cars Driving School could be rethemed to a David Williams book. A retheme wouldn’t cost much compared to the refurbishment of Duel,reopening of Nemesis Sub Terra and the retrack of Nemesis. Arguably it would be easier to retheme Cookoo Cars Driving School than building attractions from the ground up as Andy’s Dinosaur Dig and Hey Dugees Adventure Bage were. Even removing Cookoo Cars Driving School completely would be better than having a tiny bit of Cloud Cookoo Land incorporated into The World Of David Williams. 
 

Finally I think the Burger Kitchen adjacent to the Alton Towers Dungeons should be halved as half restaurant and half shop. Imagine the profits that could be generated from selling Dungeons merchandise in a designated shop.

[Benin]

Wasn't the Dinosaur Dig just a retheme of the Mr Bloom attraction?

 

Dunno where they'd put the Driving School in CBeebies, but it's not exactly an attraction that you can just shift around ala Carousel or Frog Hopper.

[Matt 236]

7 hours ago, Theme Park Fanatic said:

@Exodus Matt technically the Dungeons are not part Of The World Of David Williams. There’s an entrance portal and fences separating the areas. As for Cookoo Cars Driving School I think it could be gone by the start of the 2023. Due to the heavily speculated rumours last year I think Cookoo Cars Driving School could relocate to CBeebies land. At the very least Cookoo Cars Driving School could be rethemed to a David Williams book. A retheme wouldn’t cost much compared to the refurbishment of Duel,reopening of Nemesis Sub Terra and the retrack of Nemesis. Arguably it would be easier to retheme Cookoo Cars Driving School than building attractions from the ground up as Andy’s Dinosaur Dig and Hey Dugees Adventure Bage were. Even removing Cookoo Cars Driving School completely would be better than having a tiny bit of Cloud Cookoo Land incorporated into The World Of David Williams. 
 

Finally I think the Burger Kitchen adjacent to the Alton Towers Dungeons should be halved as half restaurant and half shop. Imagine the profits that could be generated from selling Dungeons merchandise in a designated shop.

Yeah, well the thing with the Dungeon is where exactly is it actually part of? Dark Forest? David Williams? The outer edge of the universe? It’s any ones guess really given it’s just there in part of its own misshapen area. CATCF was part of Cloud Cuckoo, until its fated post-Smiler mothballing. 
 

I don’t see anything happening to the driving school, not with three substantial investment plans underway in the next few years, but I could be wrong. And if anything happens before 2025 maybe they’ll just close and mothball it, like they did in 2016. 
 

The David Williams area just wasn’t really thought up well and feels very half-baked.

[Theme Park Fanatic]

Due to being disabled I was looking at the ride access list. On the section about Hex it says the following 

 

“The nearest accessible toilet is located in the Burger Kitchen (The Towers Area)”.

@Exodus Matt as The Burger Kitchen is adjacent to the Alton Towers Dungeons I presume the Dungeons are in the Towers area.   
 

When I read this I thought of you,as we were both wondering what area Alton Towers classed the Dungeons to be part of. I think it’s odd classing The Burger Kitchen and Alton Towers Dungeons as part of the Towers area. Nether are that close to the Towers. At least we have an answer as too what area The Alton Towers Dungeons are in. 

[MattyMoo]

A post on Alton Towers' socialz would imply that they are auctioning off all the old tat memorabilia from DUEL in the near future.

 

Either that or they are reusing the Duel guns in Project Horizon.

[Theme Park Fanatic]

Yesterday Alton Towers posted this. Taking the rumours. of Alton Manor’s into account I think Alton Manor is going to receive a hefty improvement. 
 

What do you think this post is implying?

[coasterverse]

I think it'll just end up being an auction of old Duel props to be honest

[Benin]

Lol not even an auction. 

 

https://shop.altontowers.com/products/duel-blaster

 

Not much point as they've already sold out of them in less than 30 minutes, but they were going for £250!

 

Easy money.

[Mark9]

'We could have made a donation to charity for each sale but we chose pure profit instead'

[Cal]

So, its been confirmed retro squad is no more next season. With the loss of enterprise, that means no thrill flat rides apart from Sub Terra, if that counts.

 

I really hope we get at least 1 permanent flat for next year but thats looking really unlikely with no planning gone in yet. 

 

Maybe they're thinking with the extra capacity from Sub Terra and Nemesis back next year they're no longer required? 
 

[Theme Park Fanatic]

Now Alton Towers have revealed the best news of the century the end of the Retro Squad I’m hopeful for the installation of permanent rides next year. In addition I’m anticipating more radical changes within Alton Manor. 
 

If new Flat Rides are built and alterations made to Alton Towers the theme parks in store for a strong season. Nemesis’s return alone will make 2024 a successful year for Alton Towers.

[Benin]

8 hours ago, Cal said:

Maybe they're thinking with the extra capacity from Sub Terra and Nemesis back next year they're no longer required? 
 

 

Sadly I think this is the likely outcome. 

 

Just build filler rides, there's literally nothing wrong with it and certainly helped Thorpe's initial growth.

[MattyMoo]

Would love some permanent flats as replacements but I really can't see it myself. Going to look odd in particular in X Sector if no flat goes in that massive space.