| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 24/04/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 64 |
| Copyright: Other |
Big thrills for little people
UK theme parks are pumping millions of pounds into new rides to encourage adrenaline seekers to get their thrills on this side of the Channel.Blackpool Pleasure Beach has spent £15m on Valhalla, a waterborne high-speed dark ride opening in June that takes visitors through fire, water, snow, thunder and lightening effects and temperatures from -20C to 110C.
Thorpe Park’s new Tidal Wave, its first white-knuckle ride, sends riders hurtling down an 85ft water flume – the highest drop on a water ride in Europe – while Alton Towers has opened the £4m Hex, a 15mins walk-through journey that disorientates visitors and ends in a spinning room.
Both the latter parks are part of the Tussauds Group, as is Chessington World of Adventures, which opened Beanoland on April 5 with various water features and Roger the Dodgers Dodgems.
“With Tidal Wave and last year’s new Pirates 4D film, we can now compete with the other theme parks in Europe,” said a Thorpe Park spokeswoman. “You need new attractions but also attractions that have never been done before.”
At Legoland Windsor, which has added its own Lego Millennium Dome for this year, youngsters on the Adventurers Wave Surfer, opening this month, ride ‘pods’ on a lake and must dodge around to avoid getting a soaking from one of the exploding water jets.
All the Tussauds parks, plus Legoland Windsor and Blackpool Leisure Beach, are available for agents to sell with commission but always as an add-on rather than a package.
Crystal Premier Britain product director Simon Box said: “We like to keep it flexible. If we packaged the parks, we would have to select specific hotels. This way, clients can pick any hotel from the brochure and add the theme park.”
Crystal added Alton Towers to its programme this year after restyling the brochure to appeal more to families.
Box is ‘surprised’ at the level of trade bookings for UK theme parks. “We would lose a lot of business without Legoland Windsor,” he said. The theme park attracted more than 1.6m visitors last year.
Highlife only features Alton Towers and hasn’t seen any demand for the other theme parks, while Goldenrail offers Alton Towers and Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Sister brand Superbreak offers all the UK parks but director Ian Mounser said they do not sell well through the trade. “Agents are not skilled at selling extras such as theme parks, even though they earn commission on the sale, often because they are unaware the parks exist,” he said. “We are trying to change that by giving them more exposure in the brochure.”
Mounser said pre-booking is ideal for families that want to pay upfront or for special occasions when people want everything organised in advance but he admitted that many people won’t buy through an operator as they believe they can get tickets cheaper at the theme park.
“When taking a hotel booking, agents should always offer to pre-book tickets,” he added.
“They should emphasise that prices are the same as they will pay at the gate but by buying in advance, they will not have to queue to get in.”
UKtheme parks
Chessington World of Adventure
Main attractions: Samurai, Rameses Revenge and Vampire rollercoaster white-knuckle ride; Rattlesnake train; Creepy Caves; and Beanoland.
Legoland Windsor
Main attractions: Dragon Coaster and Dragon’s Apprentice rollercoasters; Pirate Falls water splash; and Extreme Team Challenge water ride.
Thorpe Park
Main attractions: Tidal Wave flume; Pirates 4-D multi-sensory ride; X:No Way Out backwards rollercoaster in the dark; four water splashes and flumes.
Alton Towers
Main attractions: Oblivion, Nemesis, Ripsaw, Black Hole and Corkscrew white-knuckle rides; Hex; and UG Land.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Main attractions: five wooden rollercoasters and five steel coasters.
Factfile
Parks focus on investment
Ukupdate
Factfile
selling tipsn When booking hotel accommodation for clients in the UK, look to see if there is a theme park nearby and offer to pre-book tickets.
n Point out that pre-booked tickets cost exactly the same as buying at the gate but save time on queuing.
n Remind clients that pre-booked tickets guarantee entry if the theme park is full and others are being turned away.
n With Easter approaching, find space in the shop window to promote UK theme parks – with the offer to pre-book accommodation and tickets, of course.
n Run theme park short-break promotions in the lead-up to all the bank holidays and school breaks.
n Add a note suggesting a theme park visit in any direct mailings to clients.