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Drayton Manor Park

The biggest difference now is value for money . Under the Bryan’s they always offered good value for money deals for families on entry and food deals.
Like in 2019 a family of 4 was £88 and good prices for online bookings. They also offered good priced meal deals.
From the beginning from last season the looping group scraped the family ticket deals to try to get more annual pass sales and in the restaurants instead of the meal deals every item was priced separately.
Been a pass holder I go on average 2 maybe 3 times a month and the crowds last season was quiet to the new area was open and they had a very busy August with the levels dropping down after the kids had gone back to school. So I can understand why the looping group started in October on this new land open for the Easter holidays and if all the footing our now in and the building going up it wouldn’t take them to long to install the 3 rides and then have a week or 2 staff training on them when the main season starts.
 
Realistically how many coaster could DMP fit in? I think they need another thrill coaster, a family thrill and a junior coaster - but can’t see the room.
 
Realistically how many coaster could DMP fit in? I think they need another thrill coaster, a family thrill and a junior coaster - but can’t see the room.
they've got some room, especially if the rumours are true of them removing apocalyse for a coaster in that area. I think Drayton always worked best with two thrill coasters although I think if they build enough thrill coaster they should try something with a bit of middle ground. Something thrilling, with inversions, but with a lower height restriction. They also desperatly need a new family thrill coaster which right now should be there main focus.
When the time comes to remove the buffalo they'll have space their two. Wasn't there rumours of a dueling coaster at one point to replace it? I think they could get one of those deals for vekoma to squeeze in that space.
 
Realistically how many coaster could DMP fit in? I think they need another thrill coaster, a family thrill and a junior coaster - but can’t see the room.

Well it all depends what the looping group want to remove as they could have replaced G force for another coaster but decided to add a wave swinger and play ground instead. Also with the new area there’s no short term plan to replace the Buffalo so they only got to 2 sites left for a coaster. The Pirate Adventure building and where Apocalypse, Pandemonium and test track site.
 
The biggest difference now is value for money . Under the Bryan’s they always offered good value for money deals for families on entry and food deals.
Like in 2019 a family of 4 was £88 and good prices for online bookings. They also offered good priced meal deals.

there is an argument that in a park aimed mainly at children why should the child price be so low?

compared to other theme parks I think DM is still good value. It’s very likely the family tickets you mention didn’t actually make them enough income, hence the bankruptcy.
 
I just hope after this Area is complete, Drayton will start to look onto other projects with their existing rides.

Sheriff Showdown needs relighting, as most of it feels cheap. The sets are fine, but there needs to be more sounds in there. The whole ride just needs to be darker in lighting I think. The ride in general needs a bit of TLC.

It'd be nice if StormForce 10 got some new theming to it on the outdoor section, like a docks, or a seaside village overrun by a storm. Literally anything would be nice for StormForce 10.

The Hauntings facade looks awful from the 2016 refurb. I'd like to see them remove that paint and give it a more realistic look to it, like it's original paint.
The R.I.P.A Van scene doesn't feel right it's very clean when compared to its Previous incarnation, with the Boxy Monitors, the tape, the emergancy lighting, disorganised etc. Maybe give the interior a lick of paint with the walls looking a bit ran down, with more props in there, or remove the blue lights near the floor.

Anyway, by the things that the Looping Group has done for Drayton tlso far, its definitely exciting to See if Drayton Manor ever becomes a contender for the UK Merlin Parks. Cant wait to see the Parks Future :)
 
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I do know that the Haunting will be getting some much needed upgrades ready for the new season as I lot didn’t work last season after been left unused after the 2019 season.
With the looping group already improving action park section to Adventure Cove and the new Viking section I’m sure if the new coaster does open in 2023 we see the Haunting, Sheriff showdown and the Drunken Barrels all linked together some how. Then maybe another thrill ride added in 2024 to replace the Flying Dutchman and fit nicely with another re-theme of the boomerang coaster then hopefully they will sort out Pirate Cove area for 2025 before they think about adding any more attractions to Thomas land.
 
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Never knew the Haunting was having some work done this season. Does anyone know how much extensive work is being done to the Haunting this closed season anyhow? When I first went on it in July, the Skeleton animatromic failed, the basements lights didn't dim down and stayed on during the entire preshow. Apart from that, the ride was working fine and nothing failed.

I cant wait to see whatll replace Pandemonium and see how it'll interact with it surrounding attractions.

If The Looping Group outdo themselves with the new area, I'll be more than excited to see what they'll do to Pirate Cove within the future.

Thomas land though, really doesn't need any more attractions as it is, its fine for now, but I can see a few of them being replaced by newer rides.

Talking about the Haunting, does anyone know why British Theme Park Archive took down his 1996 POV of the Attraction?
 
Never knew the Haunting was having some work done this season. Does anyone know how much extensive work is being done to the Haunting this closed season anyhow? When I first went on it in July, the Skeleton animatromic failed, the basements lights didn't dim down and stayed on during the entire preshow. Apart from that, the ride was working fine and nothing failed.

They were hit or miss all season and in the end they kept the lights off so guests couldn’t see the skeletons but used smoke machines and strobes instead in the corridor.
In the next room the lights were kept on as it was part of the covid rules the park had in place but the floor didn’t move and no smoke with some of the projectors not working or off.
The ride itself the sound was hit and miss all season and the skeleton of the women in the tomb was always facing the wrong way.
The monitors at the end of the ride was also off all season.
I know there’s gonna be new effects added with others repaired or replaced.
 
but the floor didn’t move

The floor did move sometimes, I observed it doing so on several rides, but I agree, it was definitely off more than it was on. It doesn't help that the attendant had to manually engage the floor as well when they started the show by pressing an extra button on the rooms panel, and quite often they simply did not bother.
 
The floor did move sometimes, I observed it doing so on several rides, but I agree, it was definitely off more than it was on. It doesn't help that the attendant had to manually engage the floor as well when they started the show by pressing an extra button on the rooms panel, and quite often they simply did not bother.

It has been like that since 1996. Always manually engaged.
 
Drayton Manor 2022 'Viking Village' Construction Update

Photos from Theme Park Jake on Instagram

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So Coaster Chall's inside source was correct about the Disko Coaster!
 
It seems like they are in no particular rush, if I were them I'd want it open as soon as possible. I think we are looking like it will be at least June before this opens although it could even be later. It looks like they are making a nice effort though which is really good. At least Looping is investing the in the park.
 
Just came back from my Job interview at the Park. When I was heading back the car park near the hotel, the backdate was open, and loom what I found gathering dust there.

https://ibb.co/jWBdsD0

Manage to take a pic of the old Rapid Tubs :), I'm still surprised that they haven't been teared apart already.

And another piece of unfortunate news.
One of the Staff there confirmed that this season is unfortunately the last for the Parks Iconic Drop Tower, Apocalypse :(
I hope that they don't consider selling it for scrap. Maybe a Thunder Looper situation? Let me know what you guys think, I'm interested to see what people think of all this.
 
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