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Drayton Manor Park

Looks good to me.

However, probably have to calm my own excitement considering 2022 isn't far away and we know not a lot has happened so far. Won't be anything too major.

However, quite frankly after years of neglect, it is great to see Drayton getting any investment! The fanboy enthusiasm alone for a ride re-opening and a new wave swinger shows how starved the Park has been for years!
 
Yeah definitely Volcano related it would seem. The writing looks Icelandic or like Old Norse (Viking) which would make sense given Iceland have more active volcanoes than anywhere else on earth.
 
It's an interesting one,
It's probably not anything really major because the it's not really that long until the season starts. We could well see a few flat rides and a retheme of the area near buffalo which I think is likely what we are looking at here. Most likely with some form of Viking or volcano theme.
 
As much as that would be cool I'm just not sure they'd have the time to build a family thrill coaster. Although I suppose if it was a fiarly last minute decision (like one taken in the summer) than perhaps they are planning to start construction soon and have it finished by this summer. I however very much doubt it.
 
JAperson said:
As much as that would be cool I'm just not sure they'd have the time to build a family thrill coaster. Although I suppose if it was a fiarly last minute decision (like one taken in the summer) than perhaps they are planning to start construction soon and have it finished by this summer. I however very much doubt it.
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I don't disagree. However Family coasters don't genuinely take that long to build and due to the height of them don't tend to take very long to get planning for if required at all.

Could be a second hand ride too maybe. Plenty of parks around the world that have struggled of late so they may have been able to get a bargain somewhere too.

Reading their social posts and comments to people it does seem to be something more than a retheme to buffalo.
 
Benjsh said:
I don't disagree. However Family coasters don't genuinely take that long to build and due to the height of them don't tend to take very long to get planning for if required at all.

Could be a second hand ride too maybe. Plenty of parks around the world that have struggled of late so they may have been able to get a bargain somewhere too.

Reading their social posts and comments to people it does seem to be something more than a retheme to buffalo.
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Oh I do think it's more than a retheme to buffalo and maybe your right. My personal speculation is the new area with a few new rides and the buffalo and then maybe a stage 2 in 2023 with a family coaster. I'm glad Drayton's getting investment and hopefully it is as good a quality as adventure cove if not better.
 
Yeah it's great the park is trying to make a comeback. If they aimed to be the Paultons of the Midlands/North they would survive for many more years to come.

Must get the new attraction choices right though and it does seem they have a clear idea who their market is. With AT on their doorstep they are very wise to try and wrestle in on the family thrill market. Something Towers is quite poor at.
 
You see I do not think it is a case of Drayton trying to be the Paulton's of the North, more so Paulton's trying to become a Drayton of the South.

I would argue that Drayton Manor have been a far more substantial place for their target market for a long time now, much longer than Paulton's, Paulton's have only recently come into this market and recently started larger investments. Yes Drayton's investments had stagnated - Paulton's increased, but what is on the ground today right now, is far more substantial at Drayton than Paulton's and always has been.
 
DistortAMG said:
You see I do not think it is a case of Drayton trying to be the Paulton's of the North, more so Paulton's trying to become a Drayton of the South.

I would argue that Drayton Manor have been a far more substantial place for their target market for a long time now, much longer than Paulton's, Paulton's have only recently come into this market and recently started larger investments. Yes Drayton's investments had stagnated - Paulton's increased, but what is on the ground today right now, is far more substantial at Drayton than Paulton's and always has been.
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You could be right there. Although I'm not sure if historical bias is playing a part there a bit. Drayton at one point in time was a really good little park but sadly it went belly up. Paultons now has the far superior product for me. It's good news though that loopings Group are trying to rectify that.
 
DistortAMG said:
You see I do not think it is a case of Drayton trying to be the Paulton's of the North, more so Paulton's trying to become a Drayton of the South.

I would argue that Drayton Manor have been a far more substantial place for their target market for a long time now, much longer than Paulton's, Paulton's have only recently come into this market and recently started larger investments. Yes Drayton's investments had stagnated - Paulton's increased, but what is on the ground today right now, is far more substantial at Drayton than Paulton's and always has been.
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What is on the ground at Drayton is pretty clapped out overall though, Paultons is in a different league as far as quality of experience is concerned.
Drayton need to scrap the zoo, and concentrate on doing a theme park fully.
 
DistortAMG said:
You see I do not think it is a case of Drayton trying to be the Paulton's of the North, more so Paulton's trying to become a Drayton of the South.

I would argue that Drayton Manor have been a far more substantial place for their target market for a long time now, much longer than Paulton's, Paulton's have only recently come into this market and recently started larger investments. Yes Drayton's investments had stagnated - Paulton's increased, but what is on the ground today right now, is far more substantial at Drayton than Paulton's and always has been.
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I'd agree, Drayton have always done very well with there target market which I'd say is a little different to any other park in the UK. They were always a park for everyone but focused on the mid aged families. Something for the little ones, lots for the ones in the middle and something for the old ones. They've got Thomas land and then basically everything apart from shockwave is suiteable for kids. Shockwave and g-force before that left the park were the adult and big kid rides.
This is a market Drayton have always been good at and something I think Looping might want to continue. Why only have the park have a small appeal to families with young kids when it can have a much wider appeal.

I think Looping want to revitalise Drayton to capture as big as a market as possible and to do that a family thrill coaster does make the most sense. Do I think it'll be next year? I'm really not sure now. I was a confident no two hours ago however I might be leaning a bit. Even if they do open a family coaster next year it won't be that big ride they need just yet. I do think Drayton within the next few years needs a major big family thrill coaster. On the scale of Chessington's new investment if not more. Something unique for marketing purposes too. If they are building something this off-season it can't be that big because of planning applications and actual building time.
 
rob666 said:
What is on the ground at Drayton is pretty clapped out overall though, Paultons is in a different league as far as quality of experience is concerned.
Drayton need to scrap the zoo, and concentrate on doing a theme park fully.
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Basically what i just said but you were more to the point than I was.

Yeah with West Midlands Safari only down the rd, also owned by Loopings, they'd be wise to close the Zoo, move the animals and improve the offering at DMP.

They could do with two new areas really after the one they have just finished off for 2021.
 
Removing the zoo might well be a long term plan but I think it's probably staying for now. They've got a few area's and spaces in the park currently that need improving first. Pirates Cove needs to be revitalised with something new in the Pirates Adventure space for example.
 
I agree removing the zoo only makes sense when they can afford to replace it with a similar sized area. As it is the zoo provides 30-60 minutes entertainment to the day out and is also very much suitable for all, including non-riders. Its only worth removing if they can offer other new rides to fill the gap. Plenty of other spaces to build/improve for now.
 
rob666 said:
Any news on Pirate Adventure reopening next year?
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@rob666 could the video Drayton has just posted be hinting at a Norwegian retheme of Pirate Adventure? I wouldn’t be surprised if Pirate Advertise is rethemed into a ride similar to Maelstrom that formally operated at EPCOT at Walt Disney World.
 
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