Mark said:
I see where you are coming from Joey. Although, they did made a clear point of telling us that over the next five years so much would be changing on a very ongoing basis. It may not always be things you see straight away.
They admit that they have been a little bit unsure of their position. I even asked about the fact that surely they must have been concerned by such a similarity in target audience with Legoland. Something that actually came from Merlin. A long time has been spent trying to define where each attraction is aiming for.
Like I say Joey, I see where you are coming from. Yet, they were very honest about the fact they couldn't put the effort in because they didn't know what they were aiming for. It makes it very difficult to run effective marketing and decide on new attractions and keep the place running well without that direction and so on. That lacking effort is the discontent that occurs in all situations that have a lack of direction. Now they have direction... they have the passion and effort back.
Also, on another note. I would say that rather than Chessington wanting to be like Busch Gardens the similarities with Disneys Animal Kingdom are far more apparent (in terms of demographics, attraction types etc.).
I'll be very happy if they work at the park in an ongoing manner - but I don't see how that's a good marketing strategy. They need something to boast about on a yearly basis to get people back. Also, what worries me, is they have a habit of adding new things which if anything prevent expansion - as if there is no overall, ongoing, plan and just a "tart this up, stick this in here".
Creature comforts is a perfect example of how they just dump things in which are, I think, decent attractions but no thought has gone into it in the long term. It's so out of the way and it LOOKS just plonked there.
Even Dragon's Fury kinda does, precisely because the area is so closed off and segregated. It hasn't become a part of the park with age, because the basically closed it off when they build it (both literally, and metaphorically).
I would love to see them become a mini Animal Kingdom/Seaworld type park, but my worry is that what makes those US attractions so out of this world is the animal exhibits are incredible. They are SO good that they actually make animals I usually have no interest in looking at interesting. The penguin exhibit at Seaworld being the greatest example of this.
Chessington's Creature Comforts was a GOOD idea. The meerkat/porcupine enclosure was fantastic. The issue is it was in the back arse of the park, and that area was so ugly and carelessly layed out. The pond in the middle of it was just laughable.
The Aquarium, again, is just dumped there. The building is... just, awful. Alton's is significantly better, because it's not.
Why not build small attractions, and then build on it later, by adding other relevant exhibits.attractions AROUND it. Ya know? This way they don't have to shed lots in one go.
The issue is clearly a lack of direction and planning. Whether that's because Chessington is given the short straw on funding and they are doing the best they can is another matter entirely. Chessington's creative dept is clearly capable, when you look at how Asia is coming along, so what's the deal?
Something I'd love to see Chessie get is a Kilimanjaro Sarafi type ride. Only, at chessie it could be on a track and have restraints and no actor, but instead have speakers. Kinda like what Flamingoland have done with their water ride. I bet that's a HUGE investment though, for possibly little payback.
