2010 sees a closed season not quite like any other we have seen in
the past few years. For the first time since the 90s the park itself
is open for the resort's Winter Season, although only in a limited
capacity. This year as well as the hotel attractions, Towers Street,
Mutiny Bay, Storybook Land and Old MacDonald's Farmyard are open for
hotel guests.
The big news for the closed season is of course the construction of
Thirteen, which involves the transformation of Ug Land into the Dark
Forest. Alongside this the Cloud Cuckoo Land Skyride station is
being rebuilt after last season's fire, creating a very busy corner
of the park.
Elsewhere Spinball Whizzer is receiving a repaint ready to become
Sonic Spinball in time for the February Half Term. Also the entrance
plaza is due to be transformed with the installation of the
Corkscrew's famous inversions as piece of artwork.
For more
information and photos on the attractions open during the festive
period, head over to the
Winter
Season page. And for pictures of the park's February Half
Term event head of to its dedicated
event gallery. And of course we
have construction archives for the construction of
Thirteen and the
Skyride.
Nothing starts a closed season update
quite like an open attraction. Open year round, here's a look at the
Extraordinary Golf at the end of it's third season.
The monorail is also operation in a
limited capacity, ferrying guests to and from the park's Christmas
event.
However the main car parks are deserted
at this time of year.
And absolutely no need for those
overflow car parks.... unless of course you count the need to site a
very quiet Air at the end of one!
To the park and the abandoned Towers sit
beyond a very wintry looking lake.
Down in Mutiny Bay, the Battle Galleons
lake is being filled for the weekend openings and then drained
during weekdays to prevent ice damage.
Meanwhile in the distant the beast
waits, biding its time until February.
December 20th
2009
Down in Adventure Land Spinball Whizzer
is receiving a repaint, with its supports becoming a darker shade of
blue. All of this work has been fuelling closed season rumours that
the ride will receive a retheme for the new season.
The entrance plaza looks everso festive,
possibly soon to be the new
home of the famous Corkscrews
Whilst the entrance plaza still have the
2009 map, on Towers Street
the map has been replaced now Santa has moved out.
Towers Street's decorations look
even more magical surrounded by snow.
In a twist to the traditional Leap Frog
Fountains closed season pictures, not only are the frogs still in
residence, the pond has frozen over.
No, not snow globes, but lighting for
the Towers' Christmas Season.
Looking back at Towers Street, as the
snow lays round about, deep and crisp and even.
Don't be confused, they've not
built a car park in front of Oblivion, but the winter weather has
taken it toll on the lake.
A Christmas look for the Towers, sitting
beyond the frozen boating lake.
And along the shoreline sits Mutiny
Bay...
.... where the Battle Galleons are also
snowed in for winter.
Whilst theoretically open for the Winter
Season, Mutiny Bay is practically deserted.
The Flume and Katanga Canyon - Closed
for the season
The Dung Heap is also deserted, despite
being open for the Festive Season
Riverbank Eyespy is closed as the water
in its trough has frozen over.
The chickens in the farm have gone into
hiding...
...as it seems have the Squirrels from
Storybook Land.
Finally, a look at the very end of
Spinball Whizzer... by February it is likely this will be Sonic
Spinball, heralding Sonic's proud return to the park, previously
having lived in Toyland Tours.