YAY Merlin!
- Thread starter Ian
- Start date
JoshC.
Strata Poster
The park did trial single rider on Saw in 2009, 2010 and maybe even 2011-12 (memory is hazy). In terms of filling up seats, it worked well. It was always a bit of an organisational faff though, since it didn't have the infrastructure set up for it to work.
As I understand it, this is something which has been pushed to be tried by some staff for a while. So this is serving as a trial period to see if it works at improving utilisation scores (ie number of seats filled), and how it works from a practical / organisation standpoint. Then maybe they can go from there.
The issue the park will face is the same they have always faced - the majority of the park's rides aren't designed with a single rider queue in place. Really, Stealth is the only one which has the infrastructure to do it properly and not interfere with Fastrack / Ride Access Pass queues and ride exits. The current Exodus plans don't show a single rider queue either (though these can of course be changed).
So yeah, hopefully it works, and hopefully longer term the park can implement ways to make single rider queues work properly. But at the same time, it should be stressed this is just a trial, and even if it does go down well, there's no guarantee it will mean it stick.
As I understand it, this is something which has been pushed to be tried by some staff for a while. So this is serving as a trial period to see if it works at improving utilisation scores (ie number of seats filled), and how it works from a practical / organisation standpoint. Then maybe they can go from there.
The issue the park will face is the same they have always faced - the majority of the park's rides aren't designed with a single rider queue in place. Really, Stealth is the only one which has the infrastructure to do it properly and not interfere with Fastrack / Ride Access Pass queues and ride exits. The current Exodus plans don't show a single rider queue either (though these can of course be changed).
So yeah, hopefully it works, and hopefully longer term the park can implement ways to make single rider queues work properly. But at the same time, it should be stressed this is just a trial, and even if it does go down well, there's no guarantee it will mean it stick.
Matt N
CF Legend
The problem with those exit side SRQs, though, is that they actually reduced throughput due to the delays incurred by batching people onto the ride from the opposite side of the platform.
oriolat2
Giga Poster
As I recall, on Nemesis the panel ride op would call single riders on the mic without batching them first (as in, "single rider, row 1", "single, row 3", etc.) as airgates were letting the next group.
spicy
Giga Poster
Just thought this topic deserved a post with all the recent positive things Merlin are doing. It really is exciting to be a UK enthusiast again after a pretty quiet decade in terms of major investment and coasters. The following reasons really are reason for a YAY Merlin.
The show Merlin put on last weekend on Nemesis last day with all the Phalanx actors in the area and the videos they have uploaded to social media, Merlin went way beond anyones expectations.
The fact Nemesis is even getting such attention with a complete retrack when perhaps at one point Merlin wouldn't have put such a huge investment into an existing coaster. It's certainly going to be very exciting to follow Nemesis demolition then resurrection over the next year.
The darkride/indoor coaster going into Alton Towers.
The Duel refurbishment.
Chessington's finally getting some much needed love and attention with it's B&M currently going vertical and the incoming water park.
Project Exodus at Thorpe and the UK's tallest rollercoaster record finally being broken. Again going to be exciting following this construction.
So Yay Merlin!
The show Merlin put on last weekend on Nemesis last day with all the Phalanx actors in the area and the videos they have uploaded to social media, Merlin went way beond anyones expectations.
The fact Nemesis is even getting such attention with a complete retrack when perhaps at one point Merlin wouldn't have put such a huge investment into an existing coaster. It's certainly going to be very exciting to follow Nemesis demolition then resurrection over the next year.
The darkride/indoor coaster going into Alton Towers.
The Duel refurbishment.
Chessington's finally getting some much needed love and attention with it's B&M currently going vertical and the incoming water park.
Project Exodus at Thorpe and the UK's tallest rollercoaster record finally being broken. Again going to be exciting following this construction.
So Yay Merlin!
Nicky Borrill
Strata Poster
It really is insane how much positivity there is around UK parks and more specifically Merlin right now.
What has changed? Didn’t they change hands, or do whatever the opposite of ‘going public’ is not long ago? Is that what we’re seeing the effects of?
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Christian
Hyper Poster
The Lego family (Christiansen) together with a couple investments funds bought Merlin in 2019. I think that has a lot to do with the changes we are seeing. Even if the management is the same, I expect the new owners have given more investments and put more pressure on quality.
Peet
Giga Poster
Fully agree, and don't forget the new duelling shuttle coasters for Legoland
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Niles
Giga Poster
Little things but some tidying and moving is happening at Thorpe.
First the Thorpe Belle (Saw Alive) has moved for the first time in 13 years closer to Saw.
The old queue has gone and the area is being tidied.
The old Containment escape room has also left.
Im still hoping slammer will be leaving sooner than later.
Source
Source
First the Thorpe Belle (Saw Alive) has moved for the first time in 13 years closer to Saw.
The old queue has gone and the area is being tidied.
The old Containment escape room has also left.
Im still hoping slammer will be leaving sooner than later.
Source
Source
Rob Coasters
Rob Poster
While I'm obviously happy this is happening... this took a very long time to do consdering when the attractions closed? Some SBNO eyesores that took a (half a) decade to get rid of, seemingly all put away effortlessly in a couple months. What took them so long?
And they've still got Slammer...
And they've still got Slammer...
Coasterfreck
Hyper Poster
Another yay for Merlin and Thorpe Park, Saw The Ride’s Single Rider queueline that was being trialed at the end of the last season has been made permanent, Walking Dead The Ridehas joined the lineup, with Samurai continuing too.
Thorpe have also confirmed they are hoping to roll it out onto Stealth later in the season.
Source: TP AP Group.
Thorpe have also confirmed they are hoping to roll it out onto Stealth later in the season.
Source: TP AP Group.
I'veGotFourB&MsInMyGarden
Mega Poster
Really glad to see this happen, makes those solo trips a little more worth it
Tonkso
Hyper Poster
Alton Towers could open year-round in tourism plan
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is proposing the idea as part of a tourism strategy.
www.bbc.co.uk
Staffordshire Moorlands investigating all year opening for Alton Towers, Merlin haven't committed anything yet but it's positive to see the council appreciating that the park accounts for 1/3 of the district's tourism. It's worth noting that a chunk of the Peak District National park is covered by the Staffordshire Moorlands too so for Alton to be such a big chunk is a real boon for them. Maybe they will look to be a little less restrictive with the parks opening hours and development too?
I'veGotFourB&MsInMyGarden
Mega Poster
After my Thorpe Park trip today, it really made me realise how much effort Merlin is/has put into the park.
- New ride theming panels on Detonator
- New single rider queues
- New fences to encourage plant growth
- Ghost Train repaint and revamp
- Colossus receiving two new replaced pieces of track
- A complete repaint of the whole station of The Swarm
- The small matter of the construction of Project Exodus
Ethan
Strata Poster
Glad they're doing the refurb work, I really am. I do worry how much they'll have to do though, at least to make it a park which is pleasing to look at. There's such a long way to go. If they're deciding to go down the amusement park aesthetic, I can live with that, but it needs a tidy, from the entrance and throughout the park.
But these baby steps are a good sign of things to come, I hope...
But these baby steps are a good sign of things to come, I hope...
Nicky Borrill
Strata Poster
Not a huge part of the peaks though, other than Dovedale (interesting fact about Dovedale, one side of the river is Derbyshire, other side is Staffordshire... Thorpe Cloud is Derbyshire side.) there's the Manifold trail, Thor's cave, a few lovely villages, and Leek, which is lovely too. (There's obviously a lot more places than this worth a visit, but these are the well known, well visited places.)Alton Towers could open year-round in tourism plan
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is proposing the idea as part of a tourism strategy.www.bbc.co.uk
Staffordshire Moorlands investigating all year opening for Alton Towers, Merlin haven't committed anything yet but it's positive to see the council appreciating that the park accounts for 1/3 of the district's tourism. It's worth noting that a chunk of the Peak District National park is covered by the Staffordshire Moorlands too so for Alton to be such a big chunk is a real boon for them. Maybe they will look to be a little less restrictive with the parks opening hours and development too?
In Derbyshire the Peak district brings in more than 14 million visitors per year and adds around £1B to the local visitor economy. Around 50% of the entire tourism economy locally. I'm 'guessing' places just outside the Peak District like Ashbourne, Belper, Amber valley, Chesterfield and Derby itself make up the rest.
This quote is interesting, and good to see...
Because excluding Dovedale on the border there, I've always wondered why some areas of the peak that side of the border are much quieter than similar places in Derbyshire (and South Yorkshire and Cheshire) when you visit. They're beautiful places, and definitely worth visiting.
Back onto the topic at hand though, this seems like it's actually being proposed and driven by the council themselves. I wonder what incentives and support they're offering Merlin to help them grow the out of season trade.
Another thing that's always bugged me, and I do not know the answer, is why in other countries can B&M models operate in temperatures as low as -5c* but in the UK they start having issues at +5c... Are the coasters built and designed in a specific way to withstand lower temperatures? If so, in what ways, and can they be 'retrofitted?'
*To quote Phantasialand's official website... Experience Black Mamba all year round in summer as well as in Wintertraum - riding fun at up to -5°
Tonkso
Hyper Poster
It could be a UK H&S thing, they may be able to run at -5 technically, but legally they can't.
Merlin are yet to comment, which makes me doubt they will go for proper all year opening, but we'll see. The real message I'm taking from this is that the council are going to be more supportive of the park going forward, and we perhaps may see some limits removed and hopefully changes like longer opening hours or longer fireworks.
Merlin are yet to comment, which makes me doubt they will go for proper all year opening, but we'll see. The real message I'm taking from this is that the council are going to be more supportive of the park going forward, and we perhaps may see some limits removed and hopefully changes like longer opening hours or longer fireworks.