The Next Major Investment?

[Parm Pap]

Spiiiiiin, click click click click spiiiiiin, click click click click spiiiiiin, click click click click spiiiiiin, click click click click

 

 

Last year the golden goddess ding dong danged down to the water and found her wings

 

 

One day, might she navigate to her happy ride?

[Inferno]

There’s no reason this couldn’t be the start of the next big thing in the works.

 

I’m sure there’s a fair amount of forward planning going on with Universal making their appearance.

 

I wonder if logistically they need to get the ball rolling and get things planned in and on the calendar with the manufacturers and those who actually build these things?

I would imagine they need to “book their slots” before Universal “book theirs” - because they will hoover up quite a lot of the manufacturer and construction people’s time for a few years I guess. Merlin won’t want to be forced to wait until universal is built before they can build something!

 

Just guesswork, but I can’t imagine there are many companies out there who do this sort of stuff… and they’re going to be fully booked for a few years 

[JoshC.]

5 hours ago, MattL28 said:

If they are to decrease the gaps in investment, planning permission for a new ride surely has to be put in this year?

 

It's hard to gauge.

 

In terms of major investments (ie big coasters), the best we can do right now is look at Hyperia's timeline, as that is most reflective for how the planning timelines will work in current-day Thorpe.

 

The public consultation started in December 2021, so a 2024 opening (I believe the original hope was for it to open at start of 2024 too). 

 

So, using that:

2029 opening -> December 2026 consultation

2028 opening -> December 2025 consultation

 

Given Hyperia's larger size, if a new coaster is a similar scale to the park's other coasters, it could even be a later.

 

We've got no sense of idea as to when the park will next invest in a major ride. Or anything really. Looking at Chessington, they got World of Jumanji in 2023, and Minecraft Land seems to be coming for 2027. Towers got Nemesis Reborn for 2024 and Project Horizon is rumoured to now be happening for 2027. Thorpe, it's very quiet. The European Merlin Theme Parks it's even longer gaps. 

 

Given the changes at the top of Merlin in the last couple of years, it's hard to know exactly where the resort theme parks stand, and what sort of budget is going to them, or how often major rides are coming their ways.

 

In terms of a smaller investment (ie a new flat ride), planning could be submitted just a few months prior. If we were to see a new flat ride for 2026, for example, we could see plans online any time from this summer onwards.

 

28 minutes ago, Inferno said:

There’s no reason this couldn’t be the start of the next big thing in the works.

 

I’m sure there’s a fair amount of forward planning going on with Universal making their appearance.

 

I wonder if logistically they need to get the ball rolling and get things planned in and on the calendar with the manufacturers and those who actually build these things?

I would imagine they need to “book their slots” before Universal “book theirs” - because they will hoover up quite a lot of the manufacturer and construction people’s time for a few years I guess. Merlin won’t want to be forced to wait until universal is built before they can build something!

 

Just guesswork, but I can’t imagine there are many companies out there who do this sort of stuff… and they’re going to be fully booked for a few years 

 

I think there will be a level of caution too. 

 

Universal is still not confirmed. Certainly feels possible, but by no means certain. If Merlin want to pre-emptively "respond" to Universal and improve their parks, you're right that they will want to "get in there" prior to Universal in terms of constructors, manufacturers, etc. But if the only reason they want to improve and expand and build new rides is to stop people going to Universal, they'll only green light those investments when Universal is confirmed to be happening.

 

Otherwise, if it's just the status quo, and people are still visiting, why would they need to invest and improve?

 

 

I should add, I don't think that Merlin will necessarily knee-jerk with loads of new investments if/when Universal happens. There will be a natural step-up in their game following a major new competitor coming, but I don't think they'll start majorly changing how they've done because of Universal. I think there's a level of coincidence in, for example, Chessington's recent investments and Universal potentially happening. 

[Vinlarr89]

Agree, personally think they will target their 50th anniversary, which is 2029?!??

 

Would make sense as the next major attraction for the park. What that is… or where it goes who knows.

 

I think your point in relation to the anticipation or reaction to universal is really valid. Hard to know what timescales universal assuming it goes ahead would work to, but can’t see it being prior to 2030 as it’s a whole resort from scratch. 
 

It would then also work for Thorpe to go for a major attraction in 2029 prior to universal, then aim to target circa 2032/33 once the universal buzz starts to calm down. 
 

in addition to this, Thorpe Chessington and Legoland all stand to profit from Universal, as it draws people in to visit from afar. Hence why I think all 3 will invest in more accommodation as part of this. 
 

Just my take on it