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Drayton Manor Park
- Thread starter Matty
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Sauron97
TS Member
Vekoma would be great to go to for the new coasters, they fit the park perfectly, especially in the area where the Circus tent was (vertigo area). The next greatest concern is dealing with Pirate Adventure, and dealing with Excalibur's tow boat area, and finding the appropriate Dark Ride or indoor roller coaster to replace them. After this, then it's the mismatching themed areas for rides. These IMO are the major tickbox solutions for Drayton.
Pretty much a park rebuild bar Thomas land then
Sauron97
TS Member
With the mismatched rides, yes, park rebuild would be the right word for it, which isn't actually that awful given it's a very compact park. Let's just face it, whatever the park has to do realistically to compete in the wider European industry and stand out as a Theme Park overall is going to require mountains of borrowing, investing and potentially going in to debt (worst time to raise this kind of point given the Carillion crisis I know). The park has such potential, but it's got a very tricky journey ahead. It can only go so long with the junior market before it loses appeal from wider audiences, which it already is with some of the guys posting in this thread.
Towerslover
TS Member
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I think it already has lost its appeal to a lot of people. I know it has for me and my friends. I live 40 mins from both Towers and Drayton yet I haven't visited there in 4years. There isn't anything drawing me back to the park at all. I'd much rather go to Towers and have done quite a bit since my last visit to Drayton Manor. It's a shame really because I have some lovely memories from that park as a child. 
jon81uk
TS Member
The issue with Drayton Manor is Thomas Land just keeps funding more Thomas Land. As you said at least Paulton Park used profits from the Peppa Pig success to build new areas for older kids and the rest of the family.
I agree with the above, Pirate Adventure and Excalibur should be the next focus. A good family dark or story led ride would help promote to kids who don’t want Thomas. Then move onto adding in new thrills.
jon81uk
TS Member
Part of the thought of adding a hotel though is that it allows people to travel further to come and visit, very helpful for people who have Thomas loving aged kids.You might not need two days in the park, but it means you can travel up the day before and stay over.
Rob
TS Team
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The hotel comes across more of a business/conference/events hotel really, although it obviously caters for theme park guests as well. I'd imagine a high proportion of hotel guests never step foot in to the theme park.
The hotel looks lovely actually, of a far better quality than the offerings at Alton Towers in respects to the rooms and the food offerings.
The hotel looks lovely actually, of a far better quality than the offerings at Alton Towers in respects to the rooms and the food offerings.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
As standard as they tend to be (unless they splash out on a bit of wizardry like Alton's atrium or the Splash Landings/Cariba Creek combination), hotels is where UK parks make their money these days! If they can make it worth it, build them if only to create capital for the park! Although, would be nicer if they tended to be better value for the guests staying in them.
Plastic Person
TS Member
Do DMP manage and cater the hotel themselves, or is it sourced outwards? To be honest, having had no inclination to visit for many years now, I totally forgot they invested in one, but looking at Trip Advisor, the write-ups seems good. Affordable, too!
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Sauron97
TS Member
I'm pretty sure it's managed and catered by the park themselves. I have no need to stay there given I'm only 10 minutes away, but I've heard great stuff about it
Bert2theSpark
TS Member
Does anyone find it funny that the Drayton Manor season passes cost £20 more than the Alton Towers ones...
Just pointing out.
Just pointing out.
jon81uk
TS Member
You probably already know that the two parks are trying to do something different with their season passes.
AT know their gate price is overinflated to make 2for1s work for them and to make booking online or a Merlin pass look good value. The £55 price is to get people to visit twice or more in a season who otherwise may have come once with a 2for1. Two visits means more chance for food spending, hotel stays and other stuff.
Drayton are genuinely offering a season tickrt at a fair price compared to their on the day and online prices. That’s it. Not trying to make their regular price look better, just offering a season pass to those who want it.
For me, the big diffrence between Paultons/Peppa and Drayton/Thomas is that Paultons was a incredibly mediocre small kids park that really wasn't worth visiting. Peppa was a huge success and they'e now transforming the park because of it, investing amounts that we would have never of even dreamed about. They'e seemingly doing everything right, and you can better your house that in 10 years time they'll probably be home to a small woodie and a family launch coaster. Heck, the investments in People Pig land this year look top draw too.
Drayton was already a big player, and if anything, since Thomas land, the main park has got worse. Their main focus seems to be unimaginative Zamperla rides for Thomas land.
So weirdly, since the incredible success of both Thomas/Peppa pig lands, both parks seem to be heading in the opposite direction, which is very unusual really.
Drayton was already a big player, and if anything, since Thomas land, the main park has got worse. Their main focus seems to be unimaginative Zamperla rides for Thomas land.
So weirdly, since the incredible success of both Thomas/Peppa pig lands, both parks seem to be heading in the opposite direction, which is very unusual really.
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Sauron97
TS Member
Very true. I think my over spending idea was rash in retrospect, what Drayton must do is balance out spending more. I think they are very cautious about switching to building thrill rides, so a back up plan of adding a kids attraction with it would probably be the best choice
Bert2theSpark
TS Member
I think Drayton Manor would be very well if they had some sort of transit ride where Excalibur was which takes you round to see some animals similar to Zufari or Chester Zoo's Islands Boat Ride.
Yeah it wouldn't be the most exciting thing for enthusiasts but look at how successful The Islands and Zufari were!
(Both record attendance years)
Yeah it wouldn't be the most exciting thing for enthusiasts but look at how successful The Islands and Zufari were!
(Both record attendance years)