Tayto Park

[hamcake]

The new water ride set to open later this year in Tayto Park could be called 'Viking Voyage', according to the document on the parks website below.

http://www.taytopark.ie/uploads/inner_p ... pdf#page=4

The planning permission is a Hopkin's flume, an interview mentions a "ride from Interlink" and the stock picture is an Intamin spillwater.

They are so weirdly relaxed with promotion, guess the market here doesn't need to be hyped up a year in advance. Kinda wish we knew what was coming though

[dantheman]

Tayto Park have released lots of new photos on the new log flume set to open later this year. It is set to be part of a brand viking themed area of the park. The log flume will have 3 drops, one of which is backwards.









While the flume itself is quite impressive, what surprises me the most is the amount of theming! Its incredible how such a small park like this can produce some high quality theming. Here's a few details from the Tayto Park website:

Construction is well under way at Tayto Park for the exciting new Viking-themed flume ride that will open at Irelands favourite theme park and zoo, this June.

With 1.7 million litres of water, a Viking village, 5 replica Viking ships and 20 life size Vikings, families can expect to feel the splash on the latest addition to Ireland’s favourite theme park and zoo. Over 10,000 tonnes of concrete and 500 tonnes of steel have gone into the construction of the ride so far, with staff learning and using building methods from the Viking age to create a truly authentic experience.

Some interesting Viking Voyage facts:
· Tayto Park have used Viking experts from Sweden and theming contractors who have worked in major worldwide theme parks and film sets including Disneyland and Game of Thrones.
· The construction team used Viking building methods including wattle fencing, Viking ships, currachs and thatch built in the methods from 1000 years ago.
· Over 60,000 man hours when complete.
· 1.7 million litres of water will be used to fill it once complete and over 5000 bundles of straw.
· They are building one of only a couple of round towers to be constructed in Ireland in the last 900 years.
· Over 5000 trees will be planted to recreate the Irish landscape from 1000 years ago.
· There will be a man-made mountain sits 60ft above the ride and the boats pass through it 3 times.

Tayto Park is now open to the public just in time for Easter. The Viking Voyage at the Park will open during June 2017.

All photos are from the Tayto Park website.

[Chris]

Anyone know who the manufacturer is?

[NemesisRider]

Anyone know who the manufacturer is?

Apparently a company called Interlink. They're supposedly a France/UK based water ride specialist. They have installed flumes at parks such as Daftö Resort in Sweden and Euro Park in France (such relevant parks, I know).

[OhShambhala]

Merlin really could do with a similar flume ride at a certain place in the midlands

I'm guessing the ride hasn't cost that much because if a park the size of Tayto can afford it, so can towers, it's really missing a good water ride and they could also incorporate the system into a darkride.

[Ryan.B]

Remember how much money the company that owns tayto has though. In reality, Merlin and Tayto are similar. Both monopolise their countries (Ireland and UK). The difference is Tayto are doing it right, look at how much effort is going into it. Won't be too long until people head over to Ireland for Tayto purely alone. (There's to be a €18M investment either 2018 or 2019) and from what I've heard, they were looking at Mack Mega, B&M floorless or an RMC. Whether anything has gone in to planning permission for whatever it is, I don't know, but considering the fact they seem to open their big attractions in June onwards, it could still be a 2018 opening. Anyone else know anything?

[Burniel]

Well, if we look at Cú Chulainn, construction started in August 2014 (with planning permission presumably going in a little while before) and it was formally announced in February 2015, in time for a June opening. With that in mind, 2018 seems theoretically possible, provided we see planning permission go in soon.

I wouldn't have thought the park will want to give any public announcements before the new water ride has fully settled though.

[hamcake]

In the marketing for this ride they mentioned that €17.5m was set for next years investment which is obviously quite a considerable amount.

If it isn't a coaster I wonder what it could be? They talked about wanting to build a hotel within a few years, that'd be some hotel though.

[Ryan.B]

From what I've heard they were looking at B&M or Mack coasters. The summer openings are slightly annoying though :lol

[Danny]

If they received any of the above I would definitely be making a trip over there purely for Tayto Park! Give me an excuse to visit the family :lol

[Ryan.B]

That's my excuse for a 'family reunion' with family I've never actually met, don't know when viking voyage is going to open though, looks fantastic. If Merlin could do that quality it would be great!

[Burniel]

Here's a photo from Tayto Park's website of the new water ride, which looks superb!


Also, the park has submitted planning permission for a 250-room hotel to be built on-site. I'm not entirely sure why anyone would need more than one day at the park currently, and there's not really anything else nearby, but I guess they're planning big things for the future!


Artist's impression of the hotel, credit to the park.

[MakoMania]

Wow, this park is now firmly on my radar

[Nickolai]

The future is very bright for the park. The theming looks incredible. Personally I think it's a bit of a shame we did not see the same levels of theming for the Cú Chulainn. This is also a park I want to get out to in the future!

[Owen]

It looks great but honestly...


12 rides + a crisp factory tour = 7 story hotel?

[MakoMania]

Chessington pulled it off :P

[Owen]

Chessington pulled it off :P

With 20 odd attractions :lol

Although no time was stated for the hotel was it? So far all we know this could come 2020 onwards when the park line up will be far more fleshed out!

[Ryan.B]

It's also very close to Dublin, so might not strictly be there for park visitors. I guess you could come, spend a day in the park, and then do the city the next day. Also, Cu Chulainn back row is amazing!

[Robert.W]

They have maybe yet to announce more park expansions?

[Burniel]

They have maybe yet to announce more park expansions?

I think this is the answer. I'd say the hotel is likely to open in the early 2020s, so if we assume that we'll get a family coaster, thrill coaster and a few more flats/small attractions (which is by no means an unreasonable estimate, given their current expansion levels), they should be able to get away with a hotel.

Sure, the hotel's quite large and excessive even if they improve their lineup over the next five years or so, but I guess they're a wealthy family, so why not invest for the future?

I don't think they'll cash in too well on central Dublin traffic though. It's a 45 minute drive from the city centre and public transport to Tayto is fairly abysmal right now (something like one or two buses per day in each direction), so that would probably need significant improvements first. I guess Irish people who don't live near Dublin (so would be driving) may do a weekend in and around Dublin including Tayto, in which case the Tayto hotel might be cheaper, but that's going to be a fairly small market.