• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Drayton Manor Park

Hm. The layout plan does look very similar to the one shown in the screenshot of that documentary. If this is what that was and Drayton aren't getting it now then I'm quite pleased, as it looks potentially somewhat average and the park's range of coasters is already underwhelming at the thrill/family thrill/family with older children end. I'd love to see them finally build a surefire winner that would fill that gap in their lineup; I honestly think a good major coaster is the main thing they're missing now, and if they had such a ride I for one would visit a damn sight more frequently!
 
I'm still holding out for that Vekoma multi-looper which also seemed to fit the overlay. That actually looked really good, and given it was advertised on Vekoma's site as using their new track and train designs it could have been quite promising.

Alas, I expect anything that size is still a few years off yet :(
 
Looks an interesting concept but not overly thrilling so I'm not fussed that Drayton might not be getting it. In my opinion Drayton are in desperate need of a good thrill coaster. They've focused on kids/family rides for what feels like an eternity now and I know they are a family park but they cannot just dismiss the thrill market. They're never going to be about to afford something to really compete with the top parks in Europe but there's no reason why they can't get something from say Gerstlauer like Tripsdrill, Plopsa and Hansa have done in recent years. I really hope they feel the same way; my interest in the park falls year on year and I've only ever been three times.

:)
 
The only way to guarantee that they won't complete a hat trick of coaster duffers is to buy a clone of something that's already acclaimed. Alpina Blitz or a Megalite please!
 
Sam said:
The only way to guarantee that they won't complete a hat trick of coaster duffers is to buy a clone of something that's already acclaimed. Alpina Blitz or a Megalite please!
Click to expand...

Personally I think something like Alpina Biltz would suite Drayton better than a launched coaster. Also the upkeep and energy bills would be reduced. Which I'm sure is a key point for Drayton.
 
Russ said:
Personally I think something like Alpina Blitz would suite Drayton better than a launched coaster. Also the upkeep and energy bills would be reduced. Which I'm sure is a key point for Drayton.
Click to expand...

I believe Alpina Blitz cost €7,000,000 (£5,543,300) and Shockwave back in the day cost £4,000,000 (1994) which in today's money is roughly just short of £7,000,000. So if they were to invest like they did with Shockwave then they could afford a ride like Alpina Blitz and I think it would suit them well. Also, like you say with it also not being a launch it would put it into favourable minds of the people at Drayton Manor.
 
I think they need something more unique than Alpina.

This park is in just about one of the most convenient locations you can get. It has an awesome drop tower, a great water coaster, one of the most respected kids areas in the UK, a fantastic new hotel - and the park itself is in nice surroundings as well. It has A LOT going for it. What it needs is some investment for an absolute top drawer coaster not another off the shelf coaster.

They haven't got Alton Towers money to spend unfortunately but that's exactly what they need. I do wonder whether they're saving up for something and just keep building sensible little attractions, the Air Race, Thomas Land, the hotel etc until they unleash something a bit special like Shockwave was back when it was built.

If you think about it, like for like, they've done well. Stormforce10 made a big impact, Shockwave was awesome (comparatively) when built, Apocalypse is still probably the UKs most intimidating drop ride, Ben10 is a brilliant family coaster (not ridden it) - really G Force was the parks main mistake (I cannot believe I still haven't ridden it, I live half an hour away, and that says it all).

I want that ride that's going to make me put my hand in my pocket for a season pass there. Footfall is NOT a problem, location is damn near perfect, really Drayton is a "sleeping giant" that needs to wake and return to the halcyon days and reach it's potential as a park.
 
Sam is absolutely right. The Vekoma multi-looper is an intriguing looking thing and could potentially be great, as Vekoma seem to know what they're doing these days, but it's a risk I'd rather see another park take. An expensive custom coaster from a premium manufacturer would be very exciting indeed if they don't have the budget restrictions we think they do. Being realistic though, they need a guaranteed success and it probably needs to fit within a sensible budget.

An Alpina Blitz clone is to my mind the most sensible choice and would be something new for the UK. Our parks have never really done steel coasters with a focus on airtime. Small, simple, modestly priced and ridiculously fun to ride; they'd be mad not to!
 
Last edited:
I'm yet to ride Alpina Blitz, but if it's anywhere near as good as reviews make out I'd love to see one in the UK, and DMP seem like a prime candidate for getting one. A woodie would be great too, but I imagine that could cause more problems with noise, which the park really doesn't want.
 
I'm interested by the idea of a new coaster. That Vekoma racing car launch coaster looks awesome and it would be a great investment as they badly need a new thrill coaster.
 
Alpina would be literally perfect for any UK park to get. DMP it'd be like a goldmine for them.

Completely disagree with TheMan. They don't need anything unique. Everytime they go unique it's shit and it flops badly. Get something well grounded, great fun and a huge hit with families (which alpina is, and most definitely would be at Drayton). The 7 million is with the theming yet to arrive for Alpina, the ride itself cost 4m!
 
Every time they go unique it flops lol?

Arguably their biggest flop is GForce. Shockwave basically replaced an old Pinfari looper and was a revelation at the time. It still offers a unique experience in the UK and Europe although it's obviously getting on now. Stormforce10 was also pretty unique, Poccy is still highly regarded, and Thomas Land isn't like Angry Birds and dropped into every park in the UK and has been a fantastic success.

Disagree with my arguments on needed a signature attraction, but not with absolutely flawed logic like that.
 
How many guests does Shockwave bring into the park? How many guests would a ride which is brilliant and very reridable bring into the park?

Not arguing against Stormforce10, apocalypse and Thomas Land, but none of those are coasters. They're good, very good. But not what i'm saying. Unique coasters is what Drayton fail at.

(just read your original post, and see where you're coming from. However stability and damn good attractions will ride over uniqueness. A drop tower, and a water ride aren't too unique. IP was quite unique for drayton and about the only real success they've had).
 
Shockwave probably doesn't bring many guests in now that's for sure, but it was a real headline attraction when it was built and extremely intimidating. You make good points on poccy and Stormforce10 but they were real quality installments. I was a coaster lover then not "enthusiast" and as such remember the impact they had on a desire to visit for me and my friends. They were no less attractive than Alton Towers for a day out. I think this changed with G Force for me. I was still not full on "enthusiast" at that point in terms of community etc, but it's just never made me want to visit, proof being I haven't since before it was built.

I want them to build something that makes ME want to visit again. We are the second city, with a "theme" park attached to it, and said park is not fulfilling it's potential. It couldn't be much easier to get to!

We all know the financial constraints on independent parks which is a shame, because this isn't some back water park, this is a park accessible easily from pretty much the whole country. Whilst I am not sure on planning restrictions etc tbh, the park is in such a prime location I'd really rather it went balls out to do something incredible.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying it's what they can/should do in their circumstances, I am saying it's what it's capable of.
 
The park have strict planning restrictions, from what heard in past they can build within the existing theme park area without planning permission if less than around 70ft and not over certain noise level. The park have stated would be hard to get anything as tall as shockwave or apocalypse passed through planning again.

That being said i would like to see something like alpine blitz as next coaster.
 
Be interesting to see what they will do going forwards.

As a park with not huge amounts of capital expenditure, they should definitely be going down the route of making their park look nice. They started originally, put a bit of grassyness in, repainted. But they should do a full strategic think of how the park is presented. Thomas Land brought in a lot of guests, and a lot of guests who have higher standards than most. Presentation goes a long way when you don't really have money (or are saving up for a big crowd pleaser!)
 
Not really news, and has the wrong photo, but its Dayton Manor anyway.

http://www.itv.com/news/central/upd...theme-park-after-riders-had-to-be-hosed-down/

Sick bags issued at theme park after riders had to be 'hosed down'
article_img.jpg

People wanting to ride the new attraction at a theme park in Staffordshire are being given sick bags to take on with them, in case of emergencies.

It's after a hose had to be installed next to the new ride Air race at Drayton Manor Theme Park to rinse passengers down.

Air Race is a fantastic addition to the park but we felt in light of the effects of the ride, we needed to supply passengers with sick bags. It seemed like the only logical answer to keep our new £1.2 million ride a sick-free zone. It also reduces the work load of our employees and our water consumption by reducing the number of times the ride needs hosing down!”

– HELEN PAWLEY, GENERAL MANAGER
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top