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Drayton Manor Park

The garden and facade are in an absolutely horrific state too, most of the facade is entirely grown over and the windows are falling to bits.
Themeparksandy1981 said:
and don’t help that they claim the house was built before the 1800’s
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Well it is true the top of the facade has a date "1796" im guessing when it was built.
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Then you got the cellar which hasn’t worked since last season.
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It was trying to work on my visit last week but was getting stopped from moving by something.
Themeparksandy1981 said:
The Ride section has the original audio which is a nice tribute to Colin Bryan as it’s his voice but the effects in there are awful and the projectors haven’t worked for around 2 years.
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The original audio would be nice if they had more than one crappy speaker playing the audio! don't know how the effects are awful when there isn't any :p
 
Of the four madhouses I've done (Hex, Haunting, Haunted House Monster Party and Fluch der Kassandra), I think The Haunting definitely has the weakest main ride portion. It just feels a bit lower budget and lacking in... spectacle, for want of a better term, compared to the other 3. Hex is wonderfully dramatic, Haunted House Monster Party is just so fun and zany, and Fluch der Kassandra has its... odd seating surprises to elevate it above the average madhouse, but The Haunting's main ride portion just falls a bit flat for me.

The pre-shows are decent enough (if a tad cheesy), particularly the final one with the moving portraits, which elevates the overall experience a bit for me. But I definitely feel that Hex is the stronger of Staffordshire's two Vekoma madhouses as an overall package; that one knocks both the pre-shows and the ride out of the park!
 
Well that's a given, Hex is undisputedly one of the best madhouses in existence.

I think they partially might not have known what to do, being the second one to open, within weeks of the first, this ride would have been developed at Drayton with no prior reference material, for what was a relatively tight budget and mediocre theming company.
 
I’m not 100% sure, but don’t The Haunting and Hex have the same cycle?

Only thing that I feel could be consistently improved on is the throughput, Hex usually has a group in every room. But to keep staffing costs down on The Haunting they only have 3 staff members, meaning they only have one group inside the building at the time.

I love The Haunting because it’s so cheesy and many much more gags to it compared to Hex. They have completely different creative visions, it’s like comparing a TV show to a Movie!

Drayton still needs a major dark ride added to the lineup, The Haunting and Wild West Shootout are good supporting dark rides that work as filler attractions. I feel like a new dark ride would really elevate Drayton to the next level!
 
Matt N said:
Of the four madhouses I've done (Hex, Haunting, Haunted House Monster Party and Fluch der Kassandra), I think The Haunting definitely has the weakest main ride portion. It just feels a bit lower budget and lacking in... spectacle, for want of a better term, compared to the other 3. Hex is wonderfully dramatic, Haunted House Monster Party is just so fun and zany, and Fluch der Kassandra has its... odd seating surprises to elevate it above the average madhouse, but The Haunting's main ride portion just falls a bit flat for me.

The pre-shows are decent enough (if a tad cheesy), particularly the final one with the moving portraits, which elevates the overall experience a bit for me. But I definitely feel that Hex is the stronger of Staffordshire's two Vekoma madhouses as an overall package; that one knocks both the pre-shows and the ride out of the park!
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As I said a couple of pages ago they added another member of staff on there now so on busy days it loads on average every 7-8 mins compared to 15 on quiet days. Now they load the trailer, show pre show video, Skeleton corridor and as soon as the Library scene finishes they load the trailer again. Then the member of staff who just loaded the ride section goes back to load the next group of guests.
Not sure if a member of the public got injured years ago by the safety bar but the RPH don’t help that the ride cycle was cut from 40 guests to now 28. Also I always said like Hex does has a batching area so Drayton should count for the next group if busy or at least have signage up to explain that it’s only 28 guests per cycle.
 
If they have to keep implementing scare warnings and removing frightened kids from the rides. Surely it makes sense to give it a Wild West makeover as let’s be honest the paranormal isn’t working for them? It needs to be a little more family friendly if that’s there target audience now?

It can still be fun the main chamber could be an explosive gold mine theme with lots of smoke and loud noises This would make it really unique to any other Mad house out there giving it a ghostly cow boy theme stepping down into the abandoned and falling mines.

They also desperately need a countdown timer outside as so many quests leave the Que as think it’s closed but this has been mentioned for years so maybe there a reason here?
 
I did have an idea that the frontage was themed to a western themed motel.
The trailer front was removed but the trailer stays but it’s themed to the motel reception and as you enter you greeted to a reception desk but instead of tv’s there a projected video of a receptionist who greets you and says welcome to the Drayton Motel and informs us that our rooms are ready and the bell buy/girl will lead us to our rooms when the light goes out and warning are written on the walls with the receptionist been replaced with a outlaw who now haunts this motel and laughs, then the lights come back on and the receptionist is back and says sorry about that and please enjoy your stay.
You enter the Skeleton corridor and now this room has a fake ceiling installed (like in the next room) The lights go out and the Skeletons above are still there but dressed as bell boys and the outlaw voice is heard don’t be alarmed we don’t want to spook you out and laughs.
You enter the next room which is now the motel bar area. Where the picture is now and the other theming is now a bar area and the outlaw is projected behind the bar. He says I bet you wish you never have come here and look above as they were the guests before you. (The figures are all dressed as tourists now) and you soon will be joining them and laughs with ghost outlaws been projected on to the ceiling. Lights going on and off and the pictures on the wall coming alive.
The bellboy/girl then says I don’t know what’s going on here but your rooms are just thought them doors. As you walk thou the door you hear the outlaw laughing and hear gun shots.
The enter the mad house but now its themed to a motel room and now there is a bed in the middle of the ride and the walls have fake windows and the coffins are still underneath. Also when the lights go out the warnings on the walls are back with the projectors of outlaws on the walls and the sounds of guns been fired again. Then the skeleton outlaw raises out of bed and says now you will come and join us here forever and laughs.
Then the doors open and a member of staff is dressed as a sheriff and they here to save us and we exit the ride and you enter a real Saloon.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
So how does it work for Annual pass holders will we get a wristband?
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That is correct.

  • Annual Passholders are also required to pre-book tickets for this promotional period. Passholder will receive a free unlimited ride wristband.
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www.draytonmanor.co.uk

Play Like Back In The Day

From 24th to 26th April, enjoy FREE ENTRY to the park as part of our Play Like Back in the Day celebration! Just like the good ol’ days, you’ll only pay for the rides – either by purchasing ride tokens or grabbing an unlimited wristband.
www.draytonmanor.co.uk www.draytonmanor.co.uk
 
You should do yes. But as an annual pass holder, you have already effectively paid for your wristband AND entry to the park. So what are they giving you?

Your "free" wristband isn't free. You've already brought your pass.

This is total crap if im honest.
 
AT86 said:
They are giving you what you paid for.
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Yes I know, this is my exact point and that's not what im disputing. I am disputing the fact they are telling passholders they get a free wristband. When it's not free. They are giving people what they paid for.

But passholders also paid for entry to the park, as part of their pass. Now they are actually giving that away for free, it lowers the value of the already paid for pass. As the cost of the pass technically covered paid entry to the park for 12 months. Not 12 months less 2 days.

Pedantic maybe, but tired of big companies doing what they can to squeeze more money out of paying customers.
 
DistortAMG said:
Yes I know, this is my exact point and that's not what im disputing. I am disputing the fact they are telling passholders they get a free wristband. When it's not free. They are giving people what they paid for.

But passholders also paid for entry to the park, as part of their pass. Now they are actually giving that away for free, it lowers the value of the already paid for pass. As the cost of the pass technically covered paid entry to the park for 12 months. Not 12 months less 2 days.

Pedantic maybe, but tired of big companies doing what they can to squeeze more money out of paying customers.
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It's only a one-off for two days though, don't have to go if you don't like it.
 
it’s just a promotional event/stunt for one weekend. The vast majority of guests will have a wristband and visit how they would have done any other day this year the difference being will have to wear a wristband. It might attract a few extra non riding guests.

Pass holders still getting exactly what they have paid for, non pass holders still paying same price as they would have done on any other day this season if want to go on unlimited rides.
 
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