Drayton Manor Park

[Skyscraper]

A clone of Lech Coaster would be my vote.

That would be too intense for their target audience (that's extreme thrill), a clone of Fonix would be more likely (family thrill).

 

[George W]

A lech coaster sort of ride would be what we all want just definitely not what the park wants

 

[Matt N]

For what it’s worth, I do remember Coaster Chall suggesting that an S&S 4D Free Spin was on the cards to replace Apocalypse and Pandemonium in a previous video about Drayton Manor’s long term plans, and given that he was pretty much bang on the money with both Adventure Cove and Vikings, I absolutely think that he is a source to keep an eye on.

However, he has also talked about a swing launch coaster, so maybe the details of this project were a little more ambiguous when Chall recorded his previous videos?

 

[BigShadowtinytree]

Please don’t let the new coaster be a 4d free spin. There are so many other options which would be far better and less gimmicky.

 

[Matt N]

The more I think about it, the more I do think that an S&S 4D Free Spin sounds quite logical. It’s a UK’s first, the 1.2m height restriction would make it suitable for Drayton’s current target market (particularly if the park went for the smaller model like Tumbili or Dragon Slayer), it would fit within the area, and for some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, something about a 4D Free Spin seems like it would fit with Drayton Manor’s investment history quite well.

Some of them are quite well liked, and I have faith that such a ride could go down well at Drayton Manor and be a good fit.

However, I’ll admit that it wouldn’t be my first choice. Even putting aside my own personal preferences for a second (I haven’t ridden one, but 4D Free Spins don’t really look like my kind of thing), I do have some reservations about the idea of this coaster being an S&S 4D Free Spin.

For starters, wouldn’t that be a somewhat inefficient use of the fairly sizeable area they’ve cleared? S&S 4D Free Spins are very narrow rides, whereas the area Drayton have cleared by removing Apocalypse, Pandemonium and Test Track is pretty square and could certainly fit a more substantial ride. An S&S 4D Free Spin would only take up a small percentage of that land; for some idea, the 4D Free Spin 106 (the smaller model) would fit within the combined area of Submission and Enterprise at Alton Towers, and the 4D Free Spin 110 isn’t a whole lot larger. To fit one in, the area cleared by removing Pandemonium and Test Track alone would probably have sufficed without needing to remove Apocalypse. Unless they’re doing a full blown land with support rides like Vikings, I struggle to see how they’d need the whole site for an S&S 4D Free Spin. Although I guess that would line up with the rumours from a few months back of Apocalypse not necessarily needing to be removed in order to accommodate this coaster…

Also, I do somewhat agree with the point raised about 4D Free Spins typically being peripheral coasters within parks with considerable pre-existing coaster selections rather than headline coasters for parks that lack them. They are undoubtably solid investments that do well, but you never typically see them in a headlining role within a park. The plethora of Six Flags parks that have installed them had a considerable pre-existing lineup of headline coasters, Kings Dominion had a considerable pre-existing lineup of headline coasters, Nagashima Spa Land had a considerable pre-existing lineup of headline coasters, and even Motiongate Dubai and Adventureland Iowa had 2 or 3 other thrill or family thrill coasters already existing within the lineup. Drayton Manor only has Shockwave for thrills, and even calling Accelerator a family thrill ride could perhaps be pushing it a tad compared to those seen at other parks. This coaster is being billed as a potential new headliner for the park, and it’s their first coaster installation in over 10 years. While certainly a solid investment, I’m not sure that an S&S 4D Free Spin would quite fit that billing.

Overall, I am in two minds about the idea of this being a Free Spin. I’ll digress that one could fit well, and it does seem like a logical investment that could go down really well with the British public in many ways, but I feel that this coaster ideally needs to be a new headline coaster for the park, which is not a role I would typically associate with an S&S 4D Free Spin.

 

[Maelstrom]

There has been no real rumours of it being a free spin. Simply that Chal person on YouTube put two and two together from a susposed insider a few years back who said the plan was a coaster to replace appocalyse and pandemonium that was similar to a Batman coaster. The source, even if it was a genuine source, didn’t say they planned an s&s free spin.

Also markings on the ground around that area (although might not have all been related to this project) seem much more spread out than that for a freespin.

 

[JAperson]

I don't see the problem with a 4d free spin personally, it shows us Drayton still cares about the thrill audiences for a start. It's something a lot of us haven't experienced and it's sure to be marketable. They're cheap and almost guaranteed a return on investment. To me it seems a fairly decent business decision.

 

[Matt N]

There has been no real rumours of it being a free spin. Simply that Chal person on YouTube put two and two together from a susposed insider a few years back who said the plan was a coaster to replace appocalyse and pandemonium that was similar to a Batman coaster. The source, even if it was a genuine source, didn’t say they planned an s&s free spin.

Also markings on the ground around that area (although might not have all been related to this project) seem much more spread out than that for a freespin.

Plans can of course change, but Chall’s source has been extremely reliable for predicting new additions to Drayton Manor so far, so I’d certainly listen to what he has to say, personally.

The markings are an interesting one. Maybe they’re doing a wider area like Vikings, with the coaster as the principal attraction? It should be noted that Drayton’s own 5 year plan submitted to the council also mentions a “replacement flat ride” (or something along those lines) alongside the “roller coaster” in 2024, for what it’s worth…

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Let’s go back to the 5 year plan

2024
• New rollercoaster within Drayton Manor Park - CONFIRMS new coaster. No mention of manufacturer.
• Replacement ride within Drayton Manor Park - Replacement for either Pandemonium or Apocolypse.
• Replacement cars on an existing ride within Drayton Manor Park
• Raised walkway between Thomas Land along the railway tracks connecting to Drayton Manor Zoo.
I know plans change but it lists a new coaster and a new flat ride on the Pandemonium or Apocalypse site.


The coaster could go on the left side of the site with Apocalypse old Photo Booth re-themed and used again as I’m sure they want on ride photos.
Then the ride queue line could go on the pandemonium site with a new flat ride going on Apocalypse site.

 

[Relife]

Haven't marking also been seen near the old chip shop? I would assume that is useable space as well

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

I think the chip shop will have to be removed as after 1st April to the beginning of November the whole theme park is open and the only way construction vehicles and deliveries will have to come and go from this entrance.

That could have been another reason why Apocalypse had to go.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Sorry about the double post but they teasing something for Thomas land for this year.

From: https://twitter.com/DraytonManor/status/1622565792364601344?s=20&t=Tr6Xk7Qg80XARy716DZiwg
So it’s from the new tv series Thomas and Friends this ride will be themed 2.

 

[TheMilanTooner]

Sorry about the double post but they teasing something for Thomas land for this year.

From: https://twitter.com/DraytonManor/status/1622565792364601344?s=20&t=Tr6Xk7Qg80XARy716DZiwg
So it’s from the new tv series Thomas and Friends.

Likely the new ride that recently started construction! I doubt it's related to the new series given the cost it would take to retheme the whole park to it, but the vagueness does leave more questions compared to the tease for James' ride in 2017 haha

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Likely the new ride that recently started construction! I doubt it's related to the new series given the cost it would take to retheme the whole park to it, but the vagueness does leave more questions compared to the tease for James' ride in 2017 haha

I don’t mean the whole park. The rumours going round last summer was for Thomas land 15th birthday Thomas would be getting his own ride and that social media post says Thomas friends.

 

[Rick]

That would be too intense for their target audience (that's extreme thrill), a clone of Fonix would be more likely (family thrill).

Aren't they the same height and speed, both with three inversions ?

 

[Skyscraper]

Aren't they the same height and speed, both with three inversions ?

Fonix is deliberately less intense with the forces. Farup wanted a ride similar to Lecky but not as intense, to suit their target audience better.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Drayton new level of annual passes

Not bad if you gonna visit the Safari park more than once.

 

[Charliemoore93]

I think that’s good value especially for those with kids because now if you want rides at two parks that are your local then it’s great

 

[Haz]

Hello All when down to the park yesterday to get some photos thought i would share some! (some drone images will come soon when i get around to them)

 

[pjanvil]

Annoyed they are now making passholders book, if they didn't need to during Covid I can't see any good reason from a customers point of view to make them do so.