And so, as night follows day, the 2007/2008 closed season roles
around. It would be amiss of me not to mention that rarest of events
at the park, which is a new area rising from the dust that was
Merrie England. While pictures of the Battle Galleons can be found
in the ride's
construction gallery, the rest of
Mutiny Bay's construction can be found on these pages.
Other notable features of this year's closed season would be one of
The Blade's "Big Ol' Refurbishments" we see every now and again, as well
as significant (and long long, LONG overdue) restoration work on the Towers themselves.
After the fire at the end of last season, the Skyride is also seeing
some TLC over the closed season and McDonald's are departing from
the park after ten years. It looks likely that for 2008 the chain's
three outlets in the park will be handed over the Burger King.
Picture the scene:
it's
the last day of Adrenalin Week and some of the park's biggest rides are
still in operation, but for much of the park closed season has been
in full swing for a week already. Most of these rides are being
prepared for winter maintenance, whilst one or two are having
slightly more major work. Let's take a look around and see what's
happening....
Let's start over in Forbidden Valley,
where the husk that was once the Skyride station sits smouldering.
Well, not quite smouldering, but a
fortnight after the fire destroyed the
roof, the damage is plain to
see.
Meanwhile just down the way,
the rapids
are now closed
for the season...
... though the channel is yet to be
fully drained which means you can see the levels the water naturally
reach when
the pumps are turned off.
At the lowest point of the rapids you
can see all the boats are still floating
in the channel...
...in the coming weeks they will be
hoisted onto dry land, as happens
every closed season.
Now lets take one last look at Merrie
England. 2007 was the last year for the teacups at Alton Towers,
next year
they will be rethemed.
Similarly McDonald's contract with
the
park has now come to the end,
next year Jester's Court will become
a
Burger King.
Over in Merrie Market an end of season
stock take is happening. No word yet on if this shop will still be
here next year.
And next door Eastern Express has
been
cleared, no doubt ready for a retheme in keeping with Mutiny Bay.
It doesn't look like anything too
drastic will be happening to the restaurant though, as the furniture
hasn't been removed, just piled to one end.
Meanwhile, yet another water ride
is
closed for Adrenalin Week, this
time the Flume.
The remote control ducks which have
graced the Flume's lake since 2004
will not be returning next season
All that remains of the sideshow is a
slightly dilapidated piece of theming which has somewhat sunk into
the lake
Meanwhile the Flume itself has been
drained for the closed season.
And one week after it's closure the
bath
tubs are already in their winter storage behind Duel.
It doesn't look like the Flume will be
rethemed for Mutiny Bay, and so bath time with attitude will
continue into 2008.
Elsewhere behind a Duel, a slight blast
from the past sees the old Ribena Berry from the Bish Bash still in
storage.
Whilst over at the far end of the park,
the Bish Bash itself has closed
for the season...
...along with the rest of the farmyard.
The tractors have already been
removed
from Old Macdonald's
Tractor ride.
And it looks like some of the rides
theming is being stored inside
for the winter.
Meanwhile the boats are still waiting
to
be removed from the Riverbank
Eye Spy...
...and the Dung Heap has just begun
it's
first Closed Season in the park.
Bouncing Across to Cred Street,
McDonald's is looking rather closed...
Oh.... so they are. The Cred Street
Diner will also become a Burger King
in the new year.
Cred Street is also home to one of the
few remaining hints of the Scarefest
with the Pumpkin Patch
Playground
still in place.
And on the other side of the Cred Street
Theatre the Bouncing Bugs have been entirely dismantled...
...with only a few bits remain on site.
The Bugs along with the Frog Hopper are likely to be moving to the
hotels for the resort's Winter Season.
