Fred Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 Those trees remind me of mothercare trees. Bloody scary trees. Would hate to see it bland though. Has to be themed, has to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 Is it all the theming? Like the walls and statues or just the trees? I would imagine the planting might be gotten rid of to increase seating capacity... The fake trees being gone would be disappointing... But I would imagine seating capacity might be the reason behind it (unless it's a general revamp of theming and they will be replaced)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jom222 Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I hadn't been in there since burger king was put in but it looks great and I hope they don't make it plain now burger king has gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam P Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Both the trees are currently still inside, the purple desk I believe is new and there looks like more theme is inside to be added. Merry-go-girl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I only had a quick look because I was being stared at by builders/construction workers from inside, but all I noticed was a lot of missing theming and tbh I didn't get a chance to see if the trees were still there or not. I'm glad they are though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Excluding the trees, what other theming is there? Apart from chairs and tables.. Yeah, the castley bits around the outside with goblins but I cant imagine it'd be that noticable if they've gone atm, not as much as two massive trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Both the trees are currently still inside, the purple desk I believe is new and there looks like more theme is inside to be added. Thank god. Sir, today you win the Internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Jonny Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I took some pictures of the restaurant and Zufari today go have a look http://www.facebook.com/ThrillNation Benin, pluk and Fred 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDan Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Hopefully there'll be some good on the BK outlet. The Cloud Cuckoo Land outlet at Alton Towers is currently being re-done, and it's probably going to fit in better than ever - with a bright yellow paint job and astro turf roof!There are some pictures on www.facebook.com/towersstreet I suppose it depends on CWOA's budgets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I hope they do sommat with the purple wall of plain... Either way, seems most of the theming remains... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Pretty sure the trees will stay as I can't see them putting sheets over them if they were going to be removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Win. Would be nice if it was properly called Count's Cauldron again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 They can slap whatever humdrum new name they like all over the place, I will always call it Count's Cauldron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Does anybody remember before Count's Cauldron it was called the "Black Forest Chateau"? It had a traditional Bavarian-style façade, like the rest of the Transylvania village, instead of the castle-like appearance it has now. And had an indoor show in which an animatronic organist (brother of the one in the station I assume) would rise up from the floor and play another piece by Graham Smart? It was where the platform seating area is. I guess it was all refurbished in 1998 when McDonalds opened, as part of Tussaudes' late 90s rebranding to make the park more wacky. Hopefully they will de-cartoon the current design whilst not losing the detail and colourfulness inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 I remember the organist that rose out of the stage very well. He made the restaurant as big an attraction as the Bubbleworks itself. I even swiped a shoddy picture: pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 That is the promo photo they used in the 1990 park brochure. There's a higher resolution version at the bottom of this page: http://themeuk.net/Chessington_Site/?page_id=1296 I'm glad the current layout is less blockish and compact, but it's still a shame to lose the animatronic show. They barely use real animatronics in UK theme parks these days, strangely, but there used to be so many. The only recent ones I can think of are stuff like the Billy doll from Saw - quite rubbish really. Yet 20+ years ago they were using quite complicated animatronics everywhere they could. pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Wow, I strangely don't remember that at all, and I went plenty around that time. Maybe it was because we were an on the cheap picnic type family! Although I much prefer the look of the more modern décor I love the organist show idea, shame that couldn't have continued in some form after the refurb. Although if it was there now we'd only be moaning about it inevitably not working any more anyway! I remember Zappomatic having some pretty impressive moves going on too, they really did do a lot more animatronics back then. SteveJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 I think our lack of animatronics is linked to our distinct lack of ride upkeep... See also, Bubbleworks retheme, how many stationary figures are in it now compared to the original? They are also excessively expensive... A shame but there are defo other methods to use in the modern industry... BigBobJones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Yes I fully agree with the Bubble Works, there is so many things there which are no longer working. Also you don't get any real bubbles anymore, my dad pointed the one out a few weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Bubbleworks.. bubbles.. God that question used to bother me so much. Bubbleworks does not mean bubbles, and nor did it have to use (or have many, if any, originally) to use bubble machines! Didn't they only appear for imperial leather anyway? Seeing as they can't possibly of had any use in prof burp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I don't remember any bubbles in the original... That's because it didn't need them, instead, it had other beautiful things to look at... Sigh............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I think our lack of animatronics is linked to our distinct lack of ride upkeep...See also, Bubbleworks retheme, how many stationary figures are in it now compared to the original? You definitely have a point, one would think that with new technology theme parks would be using more efficient methods of animations and effects 20 years later, but in the UK instead of innovating everything has gone backwards. Tussaudes may have been a bit overzealous when their parks were growing up in the 90s, packing animatronics, effects and theme in every corner; perhaps without fully considering the long-term, practical aspects like maintenance. But then again, thank goodness they did because the pieces that still survive and work are great. ...Who doesn't love animatronic organists?Bubbleworks is pointless case of laziness, though. I was quite young in 2005 but still remember thinking how worn out the ride was getting, and thought a refurbishment would benefit it. I didn't know they were just going to remove 90% of the animatronics, replace them with static props or leave it as empty space, stick bright white strip lights in all the former UV-lit scenes (to make it brighter and less scary for children, of course), and replace any slight hint of humour with rubber ducks. I'd much rather they had left it to rot than what they did. And yes it was 'BubbleWorks' as in hiccups from the juice, not actually a factory for making bubbles, as that would be pointless - seemingly whoever lead the 2006 refurbishment didn't get the joke. Hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Bubbleworks does fit with imperial leather, purely down to shampoos and shower gels creating bubbles. I think that's the only connection they made there, then the rest of the decision making was: "LOL replace everything with ducks!". Chessington loves it so much they dont even do anything with it. Even keeping the imperial leather stickers, the lucky buggers/lazy staff. Merry-go-girl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry-go-girl Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I definitely don't remember any real bubbles back before the refurb. But then that wouldn't have made sense. The bubbles were gas bubbles in soda pop, if soap bubbles ever came floating out of your Cherryade you'd be quite disgusted. The animatronics in theme parks have gone the way of animatronics in movies. Now we get flat, lifeless pictures instead of tangible creations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBobJones Posted January 8, 2013 Report Share Posted January 8, 2013 Another thing I miss is the Fart/gas ometer, who remembers "Heinz 57" and all the yanks not getting the joke? Now its the bad egg tester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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