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Lightwater Valley
slappyofmcguire
TS Member
Looping don't seem to give two hoots about WMSP.
A multi park pass has been one of Merlin's strengths, because it gives people an incentive to stay within the group when seeking their alternative visits.
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Poisson
TS Member
See Kingoland in France. There is a model to operate smaller parks on cheap to buy then full refurb coasters rather than large outlay on expensive hardware.
slappyofmcguire
TS Member
Just noticed that the map only mentions the spinning racer as the only new ride; quite surprised at that. Would have thought there would have been at least a couple of flat rides added.
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While not new Skate Karts are back to. Just hoping maybe they be in the process of getting other rides later in the season preferably would like Eagle's Claw, Black Pearl and a Top Scan restored to the park.
owenstreet7
TS Member
I'm completely surprised by that considering Mellors would have rides on the fair circuit that could go to Lightwater.
It might be possible they're taking a more gradual approach to adding in their travelling rides or they're going to be added at a later date when they know what could be added.
slappyofmcguire
TS Member
I agree that adding things slowly is sensible, but for the moment the only thing they have for an older demographic is the spinning racer, and that is going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting if they want to attract older visitors.
While technically they can add anything at any time, I'd imagine the maps are printed and ready to roll so would have thought they aren't intended on anything mid season because there wouldn't be the scope to market it.
Equally having seen the reaction to pleasurewood hills new ride reaction, perhaps I'd still rather 1 decent ride than a multitude of mediocre. Really not sure, but it's definitely not enough on its own to get people back in droves.
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While technically they can add anything at any time, I'd imagine the maps are printed and ready to roll so would have thought they aren't intended on anything mid season because there wouldn't be the scope to market it.
Equally having seen the reaction to pleasurewood hills new ride reaction, perhaps I'd still rather 1 decent ride than a multitude of mediocre. Really not sure, but it's definitely not enough on its own to get people back in droves.
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The Lynch Effect
TS Member
It’s a difficult one this, with all the fanfare of the takeover a lot of people are going to go back and give it another go, but with only spinning racer added then those people may not come back in the future.
In truth the park could probably run for another year or so just fine as just the kiddie park. Evidence suggests it was profitable last year so that buys the Mellors a bit of time to gradually add well themed attractions as they are ready throughout the year and not rush things in for the sake of it.
I’m a bit disappointed there aren’t a few thrill travelling rides in there from the off but maybe they will come as the season progresses. That said if behind the scenes they are theming up rides to go in properly, and working on rebuilding devils cascade (it’s completely rotten and would need it,) along with the rat building etc, then perhaps that is for the greater good long term.
For me devils cascade is a less expensive impact ride (it’s a skip on a track with a winch to pull it back up running down a corrugated steel tunnel) and it would make sense to rebuild that in house for relatively low outlay. The rat building is seemingly ready to go so you could quite easily put a travelling coaster in there, turn the lights off and not many people would know any different.
I trust James knows what he is doing and on the face of it he comes across as having a genuine love for the park so I have a lot of hope.
It’s a different situation to say Pleasurewood hills which even though it is further forward right now than LWV, will be a much harder nut to crack long term.
LWV benefits hugely from its size and location with not a lot of competition around it. Flamingo Land is just a rip off and then your next nearest major theme park is Alton Towers which is some distance away.
In truth the park could probably run for another year or so just fine as just the kiddie park. Evidence suggests it was profitable last year so that buys the Mellors a bit of time to gradually add well themed attractions as they are ready throughout the year and not rush things in for the sake of it.
I’m a bit disappointed there aren’t a few thrill travelling rides in there from the off but maybe they will come as the season progresses. That said if behind the scenes they are theming up rides to go in properly, and working on rebuilding devils cascade (it’s completely rotten and would need it,) along with the rat building etc, then perhaps that is for the greater good long term.
For me devils cascade is a less expensive impact ride (it’s a skip on a track with a winch to pull it back up running down a corrugated steel tunnel) and it would make sense to rebuild that in house for relatively low outlay. The rat building is seemingly ready to go so you could quite easily put a travelling coaster in there, turn the lights off and not many people would know any different.
I trust James knows what he is doing and on the face of it he comes across as having a genuine love for the park so I have a lot of hope.
It’s a different situation to say Pleasurewood hills which even though it is further forward right now than LWV, will be a much harder nut to crack long term.
LWV benefits hugely from its size and location with not a lot of competition around it. Flamingo Land is just a rip off and then your next nearest major theme park is Alton Towers which is some distance away.
They got rid of it because it had a massive queue, followed by a ten second ride, that generated many complaints about the very long queue for a very short ride.
It was a clapped out Victorian style ride, with a throughput at best of about 200 poor bored punters an hour...who usually queued at least an hour for the third rate watersplash, with long periods of zero movement in the "blind" circular queueline round the hill.
Bringing the sad tired heap back into use would not be progress in any way. It was shut for a reason, and that was the simple fact that it was ****...
I don't think that the people requesting its return are ex riders from the past!
Better spending any money on a decent flat, probably cheaper too.
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The Lynch Effect
TS Member
You are not wrong in any of this, however look at it from a non enthusiast point of view. They just see a huge splash and want in!
This is what I mean by an impact ride, it looks way better than it actually is and that alone leaves a positive memory. The cost is also relatively small compared to other options.
I used to take lots of young non thoosies.
It was a small splash into a stinking green swamp.
The parrot "animatronic show" at the start was also "the word similar to crop", and slowed the throughput down even further.
A travelling flume would have double the output and quadruple the fun for half the money.
Rides that look far better than they actually are, after a long slow hidden queue, leave negative memories to anyone older than six.
A very big disappointment, and I have had a few as an old age thoosie.
It was a small splash into a stinking green swamp.
The parrot "animatronic show" at the start was also "the word similar to crop", and slowed the throughput down even further.
A travelling flume would have double the output and quadruple the fun for half the money.
Rides that look far better than they actually are, after a long slow hidden queue, leave negative memories to anyone older than six.
A very big disappointment, and I have had a few as an old age thoosie.
slappyofmcguire
TS Member
I don't think the Devils Cascade is coming back, the picture was just nostalgia bait I reckon, but tbf the park will be left with food for thought about the positive reaction, which may lead to something in the future.
They can coast on last year's figures easily enough, and spinning coaster is a decent addition, and it may well be a good portion of their more marketable rides are contracted to make an appearance at other events and they have decided that rather than just put in fairground stuff they want a much more measured response and next year is the year.
Just a bit of a shame to not have anything else.
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They can coast on last year's figures easily enough, and spinning coaster is a decent addition, and it may well be a good portion of their more marketable rides are contracted to make an appearance at other events and they have decided that rather than just put in fairground stuff they want a much more measured response and next year is the year.
Just a bit of a shame to not have anything else.
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