• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Oakwood Discussion

Ah, OK… I’ve never heard that expression for prison before! Thanks for informing me… you truly do learn something new every day!

On a more on-topic note; it is really sad to see Oakwood in such a struggling state, outwardly at least. For many years now, it’s seemed like one of a number of UK parks that’s been “ticking over”; not really thriving or making any overly interesting investments, but surviving and still managing to operate and maintain the status quo for another season. I don’t think it’s had an especially interesting existence, or an overly promising future, for a number of years now, but it has still maintained an existence.

Things do look a bit bleak at the park based on today’s updates, though… last year, I genuinely thought that the park was starting to turn a corner and show some promise, what with Megafobia’s huge retrack, Bounce’s refurbishment, and Spooky 3D’s retheme. However, it seems like a lot of this momentum has dissipated; Spooky 3D’s retheme appears to have completely stalled despite originally being intended for 2023, there’s little sign of any impending development on the cordoned off land, quite a few rides seemingly haven’t opened for the season yet, Creepy Crawler is half-dismantled, the park has completely missed the Easter holiday period for the first time ever… the overall situation at Oakwood does not seem that great, if I’m being honest.

It’s a shame, because I think the park has real potential. It’s a charming park, with arguably one of the stronger ride lineups of the smaller UK parks; Megafobia and Speed are a very formidable one-two punch of custom thrill coasters, Drenched is quite an impressive water ride, Bounce is an impressive tower ride, Treetops is a fun family coaster, and they have some undeniably unique stuff alongside that. For a UK park of its calibre, I think it has a strong ride lineup with a lot going for it on paper.

As for what the future holds… I don’t know. On one hand, the Megafobia retrack of 2023, alongside other refurbishment projects like Bounce, suggests that Aspro might see a future in Oakwood. On the other hand, though, the current situation of stalled projects, numerous closed rides including one half-dismantled, and a notably reduced operating calendar suggests that the park might be in a spot of bother.

My mum put her prediction out there that the park will close in the next 2 years… I don’t know if I’m quite that pessimistic, but I’d be lying if I said the situation at Oakwood looks promising at the moment.
 
I did some work.for ASPRO several years ago at a few midway attractions and the budget was non existent. I know after speaking to the managers of the 3 attractions they own in Hastings that they don't spend a penny and they are relying on systems installed in the early 90's for smugglers. They rebrand/rename the aquarium more times than they invest in it! The smugglers attraction is still using the branding and marketing materials from 1996!

It's more likely the whole group goes under or will be bought out. Shame really but like others have said it's only a very seasonal park. With no charge on the M4 bridge now I can see people popping up the motorway to Thorpe in 3 hours from Cardiff than oakwood in 2 (4 in the summer as the motorway just stops for the last ½ of the journey).

Be interesting to see who buys it if it did go. I expect it to be turned into a holiday park, or government welcome center/hotel for the male boat immigrants 😜 .
 
Oakwood and Lightwater Valley could both end up as holiday parks of some sort. Niether is suitable for housing but are in very nice locations. I don't want to see parks close but Oakwoods brand visibility outside of Wales is none existent. Both parks are saddled with poor ownership, it would certainly be a blow for south Wales if it goes. Pembrokeshire may be very scenic but there isn't a whole lot to do round there.
 
Oakwood and Lightwater Valley could both end up as holiday parks of some sort. Niether is suitable for housing but are in very nice locations. I don't want to see parks close but Oakwoods brand visibility outside of Wales is none existent. Both parks are saddled with poor ownership, it would certainly be a blow for south Wales if it goes. Pembrokeshire may be very scenic but there isn't a whole lot to do round there.
The problem there for Oakwood is that they’re right next to a large holiday park in Bluestone. It’s unlikely that they’d build another holiday park on the site; if anything, I can imagine Bluestone themselves buying the land and building on it.

Linking in with Bluestone; given the proximity, I am surprised that Oakwood and Bluestone never capitalised on this to offer some sort of reduced price entry deals or anything. If they had, Oakwood could almost have gotten into a Flamingo Land-style arrangement of being given a good leg up by the adjoining holiday park and its guests.
 
During Covid the original owners of Oakwood did an online talk for the European Coaster Club. My club subscription lapsed several years ago when I moved abroad and didn't have a stable address. Did anyone hear the talk? It'd be interesting to know what they said.

Bluestone are doing an online webinar for IAAPA next month about sustainability. It'll be interesting to see whether they say much about Oakwood or future plans.
 
William McNamara owns Bluestone and was a member of the family who owned Oakwood to begin with, so I could imagine they'd possibly consider buying it back for the right price.

The park would probably be better suited being an outdoor adventure type park, with zip wires like other places such as Go Ape and Zip World.
 
I wonder if Drenched has reopened? It was apparently shut for the entirety of last summer, so I’d be intrigued to know if Oakwood has been able to get it open for 2024. Although admittedly, it’s probably not the right weather for that ride just yet…
It's listed as having a 'seasonal opening' for this year - guess it'll be back in the summer.

Interesting, T3 from Kentucky Kingdom has been sold, and the ride was deconstructed last week. I've seen rumours on twitter and reddit that it's been sold to a UK park! 😧

I can't think of many places that would've bought it, but surely Oakwood is a contender?

large_aadrja_reserved_3ffbef7079-ezgif.com-webp-to-jpg-converter.jpg
 
It's listed as having a 'seasonal opening' for this year - guess it'll be back in the summer.

Interesting, T3 from Kentucky Kingdom has been sold, and the ride was deconstructed last week. I've seen rumours on twitter and reddit that it's been sold to a UK park!

I can't think of many places that would've bought it, but surely Oakwood is a contender?

large_aadrja_reserved_3ffbef7079-ezgif.com-webp-to-jpg-converter.jpg

Oakwood wouldn’t be the park that immediately springs to mind but it’s an interesting question as to where it would go if it is on its way to the UK. Looking at the non-Merlin parks in the UK then we know that Pleasure Beach, Flamingo Land, and Fantasy Island already have a Vekoma SLC so it wouldn’t be them and Paulton’s have their own inverted Vekoma SFC. I don’t think Drayton Manor would be looking at this either and it doesn’t fit Lightwater Valley’s profile (or budget).

So I guess that would in theory leave Oakwood or Southport Pleasureland? We know that the owner is wanting to bring a new coaster there and has already stated that it wouldn’t be the Zamperla Thunderbolt that was previously suggested. They’ve already had one there before of course. There’s also Adventure Island but I’m not sure what things are like there in terms of potential space for an SLC.
 
Last edited:
So I guess that would in theory leave Oakwood or Southport Pleasureland? We know that the owner is wanting to bring a new coaster there and has already stated that it wouldn’t be the Zamperla Thunderbolt that was previously suggested. They’ve already had one there before of course. There’s also Adventure Island but I’m not sure what things are like there in terms of potential space for an SLC.
Southport appears to be getting a Gerstlauer now. The other options are Pleasurewood Hills or M&Ds?
 
Looking at the non-Merlin parks in the UK
even if you look at merlin parks all of them have a similar ride, AT and Thorpe with nemesis reborn/inferno and Chessington has the vampire, (although vampire is a swinging ride and not as similar, T3 dosn't fit in with chesingtons protfolio of rides and guests)
 
If Pleasureland bought it, it wouldn't be the craziest thing ever. But given that Blackpool Pleasure Beach is so close and has an identical coaster, it wouldn't be the ideal coaster for them.

Maybe Universal are trying to do the Bedford park on a budget... :tearsofjoy:
 
even if you look at merlin parks all of them have a similar ride, AT and Thorpe with nemesis reborn/inferno and Chessington has the vampire, (although vampire is a swinging ride and not as similar, T3 dosn't fit in with chesingtons protfolio of rides and guests)

A Merlin park wouldn’t buy a 30 year old janky SLC full stop.

It would have to be a park that doesn’t care too much about ride quality and just wants add a big coaster as an easy headline attraction.
 
It's listed as having a 'seasonal opening' for this year - guess it'll be back in the summer.

Interesting, T3 from Kentucky Kingdom has been sold, and the ride was deconstructed last week. I've seen rumours on twitter and reddit that it's been sold to a UK park! 😧

I can't think of many places that would've bought it, but surely Oakwood is a contender?

large_aadrja_reserved_3ffbef7079-ezgif.com-webp-to-jpg-converter.jpg
I'd bet more money on it being Great Yarmouth Pleasurebeech. They have a large vacant plot where the log flume was, it looks fairly compact as well so I'd wonder if it would fit
 
A Merlin park wouldn’t buy a 30 year old janky SLC full stop.

It would have to be a park that doesn’t care too much about ride quality and just wants add a big coaster as an easy headline attraction.
That is probably very true, I was trying to eleminate them a bit more,
but also didn't T3 have new trains made by kumbac that were not very good?
 
That is probably very true, I was trying to eleminate them a bit more,
but also didn't T3 have new trains made by kumbac that were not very good?
No idea what trains it uses but it does have vest restraints. Which already makes it 10 x better than Infusion.

T3 has a terrible reputation but I thought it was alright.
 
Top