2024: General Discussion

[BarryZola]

It'll be a mixture of all of the things discussed in here.

The weather and cost of living will have definitely played their part, but I wouldn't be so quick to write off how poor the overall experience has been at the park for the last couple of years. Some of those people who are once a year or two visitors will have been there in recent years and been absolutely ripped off on food, merch and car parking. Then they'll have stood in massive queues all day whilst some rides are either SBNO or have been totally removed. They'll have then seen loads of people queue-jumping them using fastrack. Some of them will have been cheesed off enough to say 'NO' to bothering to go back the following year or so.

Then you have people who have wanted to visit but have disabilities and couldn't get a RAP slot, so didn't bother going. My own brother has said he probably won't bother getting a Merlin pass next year as his family struggle to get a RAP slot whenever they want to go anywhere, so have hardly been able to use their passes. It's a lot of money to pay for 4 passes to then not be sure how often you're going to be able to use them.

Alton/Merlin have got work to do, even if we accept that external factors have indeed played a large part.

 

[Bowser]

I don't think Nemesis should be counted in with "new rollercoasters". Besides the fact it isn't really new, i think the public perception is reflected in it's popularity this year which is arguably typical of its age versus a true new coaster such as Hyperia that remains massively popular 6 months after opening or Mandril Mayhem which spent a year under virtual queueing due to its popularity. Of course there are other variables such as throughput etc but i think these are otherwise fair reflections of a rides popularity.

Gold Rush and Miniature Speedway are very much family coasters. The latter isn't particularly exciting as it's a ride that has existed for years elsewhere and i would categorise as a solid addition rather than something people are going out of their way to ride. It certainly isn't topping the queue charts. Gold Rush has also fallen short of at least some expectations in that whilst it seems a fun and popular ride in its own right, it has not attained a level of appeal or reputation that has lead to a notable increase in popularity for Drayton.

So really it has been the year of one coaster and that coaster seems to have performed very well in the publics view. I don't know if we'll ever have accurate figures but i'd wager Thorpe Park has been the most successful park this year in the UK and that's down to one thing.

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

To get some more accurate figures for the driving point, The RAC Foundation seems to think that 80% of trips over 5 miles in length are made by car: https://www.racfoundation.org/motoring-faqs/mobility#a31

If you own a car, and can drive, you're more likely to be making more trips (regardless of length), than someone who relies on public transport, or walks. Doesn't this skew the numbers somewhat?

If I have to go to multiple places, I attempt to do it all in one trip by walking and I often won't make another in the day. It can take a while and it can be a hassle. I'll walk to the gym on my days off/working from home, and then I'll pick up what we need for dinner at the smaller convenience store next door to the gym. If my partner has to go to multiple places, he'll hop in the car. He comes home after work, before heading out again and driving to the gym, and then he'll drive to a large supermarket, and then drive home. My point is, because he has the means to go further, faster and more often, he's increasingly likely to make more "trips".

 

[Mick]

I don't think Nemesis should be counted in with "new rollercoasters". Besides the fact it isn't really new, i think the public perception is reflected in it's popularity this year which is arguably typical of its age versus a true new coaster such as Hyperia that remains massively popular 6 months after opening or Mandril Mayhem which spent a year under virtual queueing due to its popularity. Of course there are other variables such as throughput etc but i think these are otherwise fair reflections of a rides popularity.

Gold Rush and Miniature Speedway are very much family coasters. The latter isn't particularly exciting as it's a ride that has existed for years elsewhere and i would categorise as a solid addition rather than something people are going out of their way to ride. It certainly isn't topping the queue charts. Gold Rush has also fallen short of at least some expectations in that whilst it seems a fun and popular ride in its own right, it has not attained a level of appeal or reputation that has lead to a notable increase in popularity for Drayton.

So really it has been the year of one coaster and that coaster seems to have performed very well in the publics view. I don't know if we'll ever have accurate figures but i'd wager Thorpe Park has been the most successful park this year in the UK and that's down to one thing.

Would agree with this. As far as increasing the appeal of visiting a park goes, nothing beats a statement new coaster. Towers has had nothing since Wicker Man, and whilst there’s a myriad of other issues at the park to sort, nothing makes headlines and boosts popularity than a new coaster which people not only want to ride, but want to keep coming back to re-ride.

And Hyperia is really the only one that has achieved that this year. Nemesis is a case of ‘wow great job/you’ve ruined it (delete as applicable)’, but whatever your thoughts it’s the same coaster.

 

[Benzin]

Even then Hyperia hasn't helped by being broken for a decent proportion of its opening life.

Its a culmination of everything. Poor weather and money issues combined with a fairly poor level of visitor experience over the last 2 years and naturally the ONLY possible course is to increase the cuts and decrease the product offering. That'll get them in.