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John Wardley to Work with B&M Once Again

Darren

Darren

Roller Poster
A podcast has been released in the last few days from The Season Pass which has a long interview with John Wardley. He talks about his past and how he developed Chessington etc and then goes on to talk about the future. In his interview he makes the following statements:
"When I spoke to B&M last week..." - Suggesting he is working closely with them again for new rides.

"And we are now working with B&M on their next new product..." - Which again is confirming his work with them.

He also adds about the future of Merlin's rides and states:
"Merlin are looking in to this type of attraction..." - Referring to Spiderman

His website has now been updated to state:
"His current projects include the creation of a major new ride for Alton Towers for 2010, Heide Park, Gardaland and Thorpe Park as well as acting as consultant to Merlin Entertainments for the development of their other attractions." - Could this mean that Thorpe Park, Heide Park or Gardaland could be in for a B&M? What ever the case, they are all due to be large scale attractions. John also states his commitment to these attractions in the interview.

If anyone wants to hear the interview, it is provided below. I definately recommend any enthusiast to listen as it is very interesting.

http://seasonpasspodcast.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=548438
 
My guess would definately be that it is for Thorpe Park as their next major coaster, but it could be any of the other parks to be honest...
 
Although the gaping hole between Colossos and Rita avec Helicopter needs filling ;)

But Thorpe.....
 
I'm pretty sure that it's either Heide Park or Thorpe, since Alton have SW6 and he might be working on the SAW Live at Thorpe (especially seeing that he originally started his work with "dark rides").
Heide Park really needs something new and big, so I really hope that it's going there.

But this is just my 2 öre...
 
He does state in the interview that the only part of Saw he worked on was the track layout itself. The theme and so on, he had absolutely nothing to do with. I think we can hopefully rule out Saw: Alive as one of the attractions. I would prefer the attraction nearer to home, at Thorpe. :--D
 
Enjoyed that interview a lot. It was very interesting.

For obvious reasons, I hope that this new product from B&M is for the UK. Would be lovely to have it grace Alton Towers. I'm also intrigued about Merlin getting something like Spiderman, but I'm fairly sure I've heard that rumour before. So I suspect they've been thinking about that for a long time.

Thanks for posting that.
 
Joey said:
Enjoyed that interview a lot. It was very interesting.

For obvious reasons, I hope that this new product from B&M is for the UK. Would be lovely to have it grace Alton Towers. I'm also intrigued about Merlin getting something like Spiderman, but I'm fairly sure I've heard that rumour before. So I suspect they've been thinking about that for a long time.

Thanks for posting that.
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Indeed, very much agreed.

Also, I remember hearing that rumour prior to Charlie & the chocolate going in. If memory serves some people were even convinced that the building was being prepared for a Spiderman style attraction. Clearly didnt happen though. I just pray that IF a merlin attraction does get this style of attraction they do it justice.

Money is on Thorpe for the BnM and then Heide...
 
Alton will get SW6 next year and Thorpe got SAW this year, so I definitely think the new B&M will be for either Heide or Garda.. Heide got a lots of space (next to Colossos) to build something new and big, I don't know much of Gardaland but they do lack a major thrilling ride and hence they're Italys most popular theme park I think they need something to keep up to Mirabilandia.
 
About Heide Park, the most unlikely place for a new big coaster is at the side where Colossos and Desert race is, mainly since it's also the side of the park where they have the most noise complaints, and also that they have two big coasters close together. On the other side though there is a lot more space and will also draw out a lot of the crowd from the Colossos/Desert Race area.
 
andrus said:
Alton will get SW6 next year and Thorpe got SAW this year, so I definitely think the new B&M will be for either Heide or Garda..
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All Wardley said was that he was working with B&M on a new product. He didn't say how long he had been or at what stage it was. For all we know, this could be a long way from completion and and due for Thorpe or Alton in/after 2012.

As for Gardaland. It's not in competition with Miri that much, I wouldn't have thought. I suspect Gardaland is actually far better off. More people certainly know of it. From what I understand, Miri is very out in the middle of nowhere.


Maybe I'm just being hopeful, but I think Thorpe is the most likely bet. 2012 isn't that far away, and it's a major UK year... I dunno if something like the Olympics would help a local amusement park though - but I'd have thought so? If there's any time to show off a world's first, surely it's when the world is watching?
 
...and he might be working on the SAW Live at Thorpe (especially seeing that he originally started his work with "dark rides").
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I see this as very doubtful! Due to a couple of reasons...

1. Although he may have started out with 'dark rides', he is far more known for his expertise in large scale thrilling coasters.

2. A Horror Walkthrough/Scare attraction is ALOT different to a Dark Ride imo, not just for the fact you are minus a car system, bu the whole way it is set out, as in Actors, Backstage areas, Path layout, How close you can get to an audience and many more.

3. If Thorpe/Merlin did need help with creating this attraction, then they would go to a specialised Scare Attraction company, hey I mean, it makes more sense then go to a Layout designer (so to speak).
 
The B&M could go to Alton in 2012 but more likely to be Thorpe. One of the European parka
could get it, but he does not say if any of them are getting one, just that he is working on one new ride type and new rides at a number of parks in the next few years, with no exact date.

So far he has given us the dive machine and the next gen flyer, wonder what could be next?
 
He also says about 40 mins in 'I'm currently working on a ride as we speak...', though this was while talking about simulation and how it differs from being on the screen to being rode in the end...He then said 'I have 4 rides in the planning...' about 45.50 in...

I have no idea if indeed the B&M would be for any of those parks. He might just be working with B&M on a new project, not specially on a park, like what someone said earlier in the topic.

Nice podcast actually. Listened to it all :)
 
Ben said:
Thorpe need good flyer, pwease.
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I agree, it seems the perfect oppurtunity considering Alton and Thorpe seem to have a on going topic of comparing coasters, and prehaps SW6 will have to be compared to Colossus, but there is still quite a clear pattern:

Stealth vs Rita
Nemesis vs Inferno
Saw vs Oblivion
Colossus vs SW6 - don't moan, it's closest :lol:

Yet Air has nothing to compare with, even with XWTF and Runaway Train you have:
XWTF vs Spinball maybe?
Runaway Train/Beastie vs Flying Fish even.

Air need a competitor :lol:
 
Ben said:
Thorpe need good flyer, pwease.
Click to expand...
Jools said:
Air need a competitor :lol:
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No, and, erm, no.

Thorpe is all about thrills, spills an everything chavy. I don't think another flyer at a Merlin park, or even in the UK, is necessary. The gimmick is good enough at Alton, even if it is a poor example.

What Thorpe needs is something new and revolutionary. Something this country has not seen and has the ability to thrill, amaze and satisfy.

JW discussed Spiderman thingy in the podcast, and how Merlin are looking at having a similar, if not better, attraction like it in the UK. Personally I think that is what Thorpe needs. Another coaster it does not...not for a few years at least..
 
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