Alton Towers Almanac

ATA › Need2Know › News Archive › News

What is Project Dolphin?

Just what exactly is Project Dolphin, and how is it going to change the park as we know it?

The first mention of Project Dolphin came back in May, in a news piece here on ATA. We said:

"Also, it was revealed that Rita - Queen of Speed would probably be the last new roller coaster at the park for a few years, because they are looking to invest in what was described as a "quantum leap" for a British theme park. It has been given the name "Project Dolphin", read into that what you will…"

Information on the subject has since been few and far between, with plenty of speculation and rumours on various internet discussion forums, but nothing concrete.

Recently ATA came across some more info on Project Dolphin that hopefully will shed some light on the matter…

Project Dolphin will involve the creation of a new themed area, or possibly the redevelopment of several existing areas, to create a place where visitors can take part in some "once in a lifetime" experiences (the kind of things you get in books like 100 Things to Do Before You Die).

This is going to be a major investment for the park.

It is codenamed Project "Dolphin" because swimming with dolphins is one of the things most people associate with the phrase 'once in a lifetime' - however, we must stress that there will be no actual dolphins involved!

In terms of timescale, the 2006 open season is far too soon for the park to do the kind of work involved in creating or merging areas. So next year will almost certainly only see Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (possibly with one or two extra new attractions in Cred Street), and possibly a replacement for the Tweenies, as the new attractions.

As ever, we will let you know more as and when we hear it.