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Drayton Manor Park

To put it simply, yes. Myself and a couple of other guys have recently been looking in to parks future strategy including Drayton's mid term plans submitted to Lichfield council not too far back. It involves completely removing greenfield regulations around the area that the park owns, and also involves numerous CAPEX heavy investments: Building a new hotel, building a new entertainments building, having a multistorey car park, going forward with the new Penguin enclosure, another Thomas Land expansion, and a major expansion on the theme park (a new coaster built for an unknown date on the Buffalo and Vertigo site).

Sounds very interesting, although I have no doubts that the Thomas Land expansion will come before any other form of theme park expansion!

I know it works for them, but I do wish that Drayton would add something that's going to make me want to return. I have no desire to visit the park in the immediate future which is a pity.

:)
 
The car parking was suppose to be introduced for the 2018 season. It was delayed but now coming up ready for Christmas/2019 season.

Do you know how much they are going to change or if it will be waived for season pass holders. We visit quite regularly as we live so close (but not walking distance) and if they charged i probably wouldn’t bother renewing the passs for next year which would be a shame.
 
From what I was told 'which is still rumoured', the parking would cost between £3-£4, so it's still much cheaper than what Alton Towers is. Drayton lost so much revenue after the Splash incident so they're trying to gain back some money. Didn't help as well as SF10 and Pandemonium was getting refurbished as well that year.
 
Are there actually any decent offers for single adult admission to this gaff? Online booking via the website is not cheap enough, and if you do Tesco Clubcard you can only exchange the vouchers on the day at the park, so you don't get the discounted online rate, which defeats the purpose of the Tesco offer. No way I'm paying £25 + or whatever it is for this monstrosity of a place! Ok, Maelstrom is pretty good but that's about it, I think.
There's a half price offer at 365 tickets https://www.365tickets.com/drayton-manor-secret-offer#drayton-manor-1-day-tickets-secret-offer. Makes it slightly cheaper.
 
Just read back through this.
Multi storey car park???
Never in a million years.
They cost a bomb, totally unnecessary for 95% of the season, and Drayton can't afford a decent new coaster, let alone a stacking car park, they have masses of land for expansion.
Will not ever happen.
When was this mid term plan submitted, 1980?
 
It's part of a wider district strategy which has a timeframe up to 2029, so it is indeed mid term. Was submitted in October 2016. Bear in mind, if the regulations on the land are laxed, then it will make building it a hell of a lot cheaper, even though it'd be a lot of concrete, it would be absolutely nothing like the costs of building a car park in the city, and it seems alongside these expansions, Drayton is wanting to become a resort of some kind, so perhaps it's accounting for future expansion. It's a shame they've abandoned the water park though, that was a really original concept and had some really cool features to it. But integrating all of it together, and considering the finances of the park, it's all a very large investment, and as we have all agreed, they haven't got the funds to built things right here right now. To add to this, the Splash Canyon incident means it's a bit more precarious potentially. The highest amount of expenditure would be on another Thomas Land expansion , the coaster, the car park and the second hotel (which would be far smaller than the existing hotel and be around the already existing Hamilton suite area). Most of the other things are comparatively inexpensive.
I personally feel that bringing back past attractions that are currently SBNO is more important than having a new coaster or Thomas expansion. Pirate Adventure is a fantastic ride, Excalibur I loved and is pretty much the reason I'm in to theme parks now, and Splash Canyon may not have been a very eventful rapids ride over the last 10 or so years, but going back in to its earlier days it was superb with a variety of effects including smoke, moving pipes and animatronic workmen, and water effects.
Notice that they do also own a very large area of land if you account for the overall site boundary. If the GF regulations are relaxed, then as can be seen, the plan is to make a solar farm.on this land, which could be very good long term.
I don't seem to be able to find it on the web at the moment, and I keep getting error messages, but will try and see if it is there. Here's a picture of it anyway.
42788021_1985783648111560_2317393095395639296_o.jpg
 
Someone just wrote on a Facebook group I'm in that G Force is permanently closed as Drayton couldn't get replacement parts in. Has anyone else heard this? Seems unlikely since there's quite a few X-Car coasters operating.
 
Someone just wrote on a Facebook group I'm in that G Force is permanently closed as Drayton couldn't get replacement parts in. Has anyone else heard this? Seems unlikely since there's quite a few X-Car coasters operating.
I hope not! I was spited by G Force in August, so I was hoping to get the credit on a return visit in 2019!
 
I do know why Diogo, but as it would get a senior manager on the park in trouble, I had better keep the reason to myself.
You know how these things are, and I would really like to give you the full explanation, but being open about it would only get people in to trouble.
Sorry.
 
:banghead: What is it with this hobby attracting bullsh¡tters‽ And do any of them really think they can convince enthusiasts, who actually know what we are talking about, of such obvious lies?

Most 'hobbies' have it, the amount of crap spouted regarding football is outstanding, and that's just the papers!
 
I've seen a few people online claim to have been at the RCCGB event at Drayton yesterday, and allegedly Colin Bryan informed them during a Q&A session at their event that it won't be reopening due to the high maintenance costs involved.

Emphasis on the word claim though. Would take it with a pitch of salt until there is an official announcement from the park or if come next season the coaster is no longer sitting there.
 
I hope it reopens I haven't been on it and was looking forward to going on it in the future. If it didn't reopen what do you think would take it's place?
 
That's what i thought too. Thomas land has been great for the park and my kids love it but needs more for teenagers and adults as i personally wouldn't rush back unless it was for a day out with the kids.
 
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