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Drayton Manor Park

Apologies for the double post as I missed a reply
Matt N said:
I won’t deny that branding can play a surprising role in a place’s perception to first time visitors and people who’ve never heard of it before, but I agree with @rob666. This branding change is unlikely to have any major impact on the prospects of the business at large, and most people who are likely to visit won’t be affected by the branding change; to the vast majority of theme park visiting guests, Drayton Manor is ultimately still an established theme park as it always was.
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I do agree that Drayton is an established name, and I guess it's less important for people who are more familiar with Drayton like you and me, but times change. You've got to factor in not just people who haven't visited ever but also those who have not visited in any period of time. Even a couple of years ago.

There's also people who like the logo. Which is perfectly fair. Each to their own. I was simply pointing out a widespread negative reaction that I saw on social media, which alligned with my own personal views of it. A lot of people may see that logo and think the park has become geared towards a sole young audience, unless they are well read on Drayton and discover it's got rides for everyone. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of average joe when saying this, and not see things from an 'enthusiasty' lens.

Anyway, my opinion is not more important than anyone elses here, and I have said my bit. I've held back on it for a long time because honestly sometimes things are best not said out loud, but in this case it was the right thing to do. People were dismissive, that's their right to be so, but it's also my right to challenge that dismissiveness.

At the end of the day, let's hope Drayton invests and delivers on some cool new rides, I'm sure we can all agree on that.
 
I always thought the old logo was misleading showing a looping coaster when the park only had Shockwave and G-Force (or Klondike Mine). It sold the park as something it wasn’t.
The new logo represents it far better a fun family park.
 
Sauron97 said:
A lot of people may see that logo and think the park has become geared towards a sole young audience, unless they are well read on Drayton and discover it's got rides for everyone. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of average joe when saying this, and not see things from an 'enthusiasty' lens.
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With that logic the old logo made it look like the park was full of looping coasters with nothing for a family audience.
I think the average joe looking at the old one would never have thought ThomasLand was part of the park, hence them adding “home of Thomas Land” to the entrance signage.
 
Sauron97 said:
Just re-read my posts and don't get where that's come across. I'm just engaging in a two sided debate and defending my case as best as I can because I believe it to be true, and backing it up with evidence which I hoped would be acknowledged and challenged so I could be proven wrong.

I don't agree that no company has ever failed due to inappropriate logos or branding, but I won't go in to why, cause this debate is gonna go on for a looooong time otherwise. We'd have to go in to stock markets/IPOs/short selling stocks and boardroom stuff to debate that one. And it would deviate from the Drayton discussion.

Edit: Laugh react yet no argument. Yet again no civil debate proving why I am wrong, and then accusing me of being uncivil. Talk about gaslighting eh 🤷‍♂️
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Repeat...end of fruitless discussion.
And I can't afford the current cost of gas for needless gaslighting of thoosies on a mission.
And yes, you are quite correct, I'm not disagreeing with you over an insignificant small plastic sign at a lower rate theme park, I'm trying to manipulate you psychologically to make you question your very existance.
Obviously.
 
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Sauron97 said:
Just re-read my posts and don't get where that's come across. I'm just engaging in a two sided debate and defending my case as best as I can because I believe it to be true, and backing it up with evidence which I hoped would be acknowledged and challenged so I could be proven wrong.

I don't agree that no company has ever failed due to inappropriate logos or branding, but I won't go in to why, cause this debate is gonna go on for a looooong time otherwise. We'd have to go in to stock markets/IPOs/short selling stocks and boardroom stuff to debate that one. And it would deviate from the Drayton discussion.

Edit: Laugh react yet no argument. Yet again no civil debate proving why I am wrong, and then accusing me of being uncivil. Talk about gaslighting eh 🤷‍♂️
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I really do not have the time or will to take this comment to pieces but feel the need to at least make a minimal comment.

Your clearly trying to provoke a reaction into an argument for no reason other than to fulfil your own needs. The laughing comment, if you must know was due to the fact you just won't let this go or respect other members opinions.

Not once have I disagreed with your opinion, yet you seem fit to be derogatory towards others? Why, because you cab used big statements like IPO and board room 'stuff' with likely minimal knowledge of how these actually work?

Having a masters degree in Business Management, being a chartered accountant and having sat on numerous boards in my career, I can 100% guarantee to you no company has failed solely due to a change of logo.

What you will likely find is a poor product has led to a rebrand as a last throw of the dice to reinvigorate the brand. This is clearly not what is happening here.

Now, I really have wasted enough of my life arguing here. I think it be sensible to draw a line under this debacle of a debate and move on to more interesting matters.

Anyone would think it is closed season.
 
Wilko said:
Drayton have just announced a free return ticket with any tickets purchased in August. Nice to see they are trying to improve a few things with this and the, albeit it limited, food meal changes.
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Is it a good thing though? Skeptical me would suggest that them offering a 4 for £99 and now a free return ticket during what should be their busiest time (summer hols) might suggest visitor numbers are not as great as they were hoping.
 
Sauron97 said:
Yeah, of course. I respect your opinion and am simply offering my own. That was the point of what I was saying, and I explained why I take the view that I have.

I've given you studies showing that nearly every major company reinvests significant portions of their revenue in to branding, signage and logo design, and that changes in variables such as how elaborate a logo is/ style used /patterns /symmetry etc have made big differences to their perceived value (and financial performance). The studies weren't done on theme parks, and they were a while back, but they involve mass consumer behavior. And theme parks which are catering to consumers need to go for specific types of logos, if they want to do well (already explained previously on what specific features the text based logos have).
And how is social media not important? Drayton Manor have almost 400,000 followers just on Facebook. That's a huge catchment of people that you don't want to deter from visiting.

I'm gonna bring up Hitchens Razor "What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence" Unless you can prove what I have shown is wrong with evidence, I can't take that "most people don't care about a sign change" opinion seriously. People might not consciously look and say "Drayton have got a terrible new sign, I won't visit now because of a signpost" yeah obviously not, but it does influence opinion on the place; subconsciously, a point which I have already made and backed up. It can lower the company value, and it makes its competitors more attractive in relative terms. Be that Paulton's, Alton Towers, Gullivers, Legoland, etc

Not thrill based, no, but not small people based either. Young kids are not Drayton Manor or Looping's sole target market.
Loko at their company statement on the brand change and what Looping are looking for in Drayton:
1659374098226.png
"All ages" and "Family-thrill" , which is definitely reflected in the addition of the new Viking area and the fact that a 1.2m ride has been added. That's hardly for toddlers or under 6s. The logo should be in line with their target market, which is all ages in the literal meaning of the word. 1990s logo did that perfectly, and in my opinion better than the logo that has just been replaced: for reference
1659374669698.png
and also without the corkscrew (which was used on adverts with family additions):
1659374754279.png

Why not update and modernise these? I don't get how these logos are so 'outdated' and awful that a complete clean slate is needed. They show a good image of the park, built up over years of both family and thrill expansion, and to be honest they aren't particularly geared towards any specific audience (unlike the new brand) so no harm done in using them.


My personal view of what I want Drayton to look like or be is irrelevant, I'm arguing my point about what I think is best for the park and its image, from a business perspective, and as someone who wants the best for the park. It's not based on nostalgia, which is always the assumption to everyone criticizing newly made decisions, including on the Merlin parks. Drayton is a family park that caters to multiple age brackets, Looping, their parent company have reinforced that view. So the logo and branding should reflect that, right?
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I think you are putting too much thought into this sign.

No one gives a crap about it.

They care about the park experience, ride line up and the quality of their day out.
 
Themepark-newbie said:
Is it a good thing though? Skeptical me would suggest that them offering a 4 for £99 and now a free return ticket during what should be their busiest time (summer hols) might suggest visitor numbers are not as great as they were hoping.
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I suspect that is the case, but I don’t think this is unique to Drayton Manor.

Chessington have pulled their previously advertised 7pm ride closes that were due to start around now and reduced them to 6pm.

Thorpe Park have recently had their annual passes on sale for £99. Legoland are currently having a 2nd day free promotion on hotel stays in the middle of peak season.

I think the fact many people are having summer trips abroad for the first time in years combined with the cost of living issues means visitor numbers are down across the board.
 
AT86 said:
I suspect that is the case, but I don’t think this is unique to Drayton Manor.

Chessington have pulled their previously advertised 7pm ride closes that were due to start around now and reduced them to 6pm.

Thorpe Park have recently had their annual passes on sale for £99. Legoland are currently having a 2nd day free promotion on hotel stays in the middle of peak season.

I think the fact many people are having summer trips abroad for the first time in years combined with the cost of living issues means visitor numbers are down across the board.
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Also the Merlin 2for1 vouchers make people think those parks are better value even when they aren't.
Drayton Manor is £27.50 in advance (£42 on the gate) but Chessington at £57 for 2for1 (so £28.50 each) or Alton at £65 for 2for1 makes people think they are getting a deal as they have a voucher.
Instead of checking and finding DM is cheaper anyway, they assume the Merlin parks are better value because they offer vouchers.
 
I think they moved away from the home of Thomas land branding as now most people know that Thomas land is at Drayton Manor.
Drayton do listen to what people put on social media as they brought back the kids meal deals and hopefully they will introduce adult deals that include a drink.
I’m going tomorrow with my daughter so will see how busy it is and from the parks FB page someone had a photo taken on floorless.
 
It did look as though Drayton was prepping for Fastrack. I thought I saw Fastrack entrances to some of the rides in the Vikings area, but I could have imagined that.
AT86 said:
Fastrack retrofitted to parks that don’t have the infrastructure to implement it efficiently is always pants.
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Out of interest, what sort of “infrastructure” would you say parks need for Fastrack? And what does Drayton lack?

Whether you like Fastrack or not, I guess it is a way to boost secondary spend, which will generate more money for the big new investments Looping Group are seemingly very keen on.
 
Matt N said:
It did look as though Drayton was prepping for Fastrack. I thought I saw Fastrack entrances to some of the rides in the Vikings area, but I could have imagined that.

Out of interest, what sort of “infrastructure” would you say parks need for Fastrack? And what does Drayton lack?
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Separate queue lines for standby and fastrack, merging before the loading point.

Otherwise you end up with clogging up ride exits and stopping guests boarding from the air gates to load a fastrack guest from the exit etc.
 
Yes, if fast tracks have to board from the exit gates, it essentially slows down the whole process. The ride op also has to block off rows at airgates etc. If designer properly as already mentioned, disabled guests and fast track merge at the standard loading side... rather than clogging the exit.

Does Drayton have a genuine need for this? I can't think of too many rides I've been on this last year where I've thought "I wish I could pay a tenner now to get on it!"
 
Themepark-newbie said:
Yes, if fast tracks have to board from the exit gates, it essentially slows down the whole process. The ride op also has to block off rows at airgates etc. If designer properly as already mentioned, disabled guests and fast track merge at the standard loading side... rather than clogging the exit.

Does Drayton have a genuine need for this? I can't think of too many rides I've been on this last year where I've thought "I wish I could pay a tenner now to get on it!"
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Not fully some rides have a fastpass queue thor has it in the exit but in the side and jormongandr it’s by the main queue the exit is for hotel guests
 
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