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Drayton Manor Park

I believe Stengel isn't a one man band like John Wardley, but rather has a company in his name which employs lots of people to do the designing. The company do a lot of different types of work though, sometimes layouts, sometimes designing. It varies a lot. So on one ride they may have just done something small, then on another designed virtually the whole thing!

Anyway, we're straying from Drayton slightly now, so if we can steer back on topic :)
 
This can only be good news, I fancy a trip to Drayton Manor, just to escape the Merlin bubble for a bit! I wonder how long the offer will run for?

I genuinely can't think of anything negative to say about this promotion, upfront pricing beats 50%, 2 for 1, or any other suggested value pricing, or atleast it does in my eyes.

Now if you don't mind I've a road trip to plan!
 
Looks like they have realised how crazy their normal on the gate prices are this year, £20 is a bargain. It still mentions the parking charge on their website but maybe they just haven't it yet?

Just noticed this too thanks to their bus section on the website; anybody who lives in the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire region may be interested:

https://www.trentbarton.co.uk/news-and- ... icle/theme

Looks like if you live anywhere on that map you can get into Drayton and get your transport included for £25! :eek:
 
The new pricing is an online booking offer as far as I am aware and only 2012 tickets available for each day at that price. Also the free parking is only available as part of this online deal. It runs until early sept. it's a great deal though especially over the holidays.
 
I always find that when Drayton is ''busy'' its very unpleasent as you arent able to get on that many rides and because of how small the park is I feel it gets over crowded very easy. Wether or not thats just because im used to going when all the kids are at school and the parks quite I don't know!
 
Drayton aren't great at coping with large crowds. They only have 2 major coasters, both of which have rubbish throughput. They don't have a huge number of support rides either, and staff aren't exactly the most efficient you'll ever find.
 
If anyone has been to the park recently has there been much activity around the old Revolver site? If this new ride is still going ahead next year thats where its apparently going.
 
Zak said:
If anyone has been to the park recently has there been much activity around the old Revolver site? If this new ride is still going ahead next year thats where its apparently going.
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There was nothing happening on Tuesday, unless it was very small so I missed it.

On the subject of that trip, it was one of the worst theme park trips I've ever had, including Camelot!
4 rides over the whole day, and a 3 hour queue for G Force!

All rides were running at the lowest capacity possible, which is unacceptable in my opinion, and I certainly wont be returning soon!
 
To be fair, the lowest capacity possible is also the highest capacity possible for most of their rides. Shockwave is the only exception, but even on 2 trains its throughput isn't exactly spectacular.
 
My sole experience of Shockwave on two trains to date last September suggested that there was virtually no advantage to doing so over one train. The combination of short ride duration and cumbersome restraints means that the train not being loaded slams into the brake run and sits there for about a decade. The hosts are at this point still busy producing an interesting variety of wince-inducing clunking and banging noises as they try to make guests (relatively) secure.

I'm looking forward to visiting the park again for Staffs Sandwich; it might be lacking in soul but it's got a pretty decent collection of rides for all ages. I'm praying that their next coaster is their first good thrill coaster though, as they desperately need something that's genuinely enjoyable to ride and can devour queues. GCI woodies and Mack launched/mega coasters are often suggested for Drayton and I'd be over the moon to see either of these types. However, although it'd perhaps be a riskier bet from the perspectives of ride experience and build quality, I'd be intrigued to see them get a Battlestar Galactica-style modern Vekoma. That could of course result in a third white elephant of a thrill coaster, but 4-across seating and external wheelsets suggest that Vekoma are actually serious about building rides to modern standards if parks will give them the chance.
 
I wouldnt expect to see any construction on next years projects (if any are going ahead) until after the parks closed. If its just a new flat ride it will only take a few weeks to install and build queue lines etc. Although have not heard anything I can very easily see them getting one of those Zamperla air race rides as they have built up a good relationship with Zamperla after Thomas land and wouldn't be overly expensive and would be the first in the uk, something the park like to claim with new additions.

As for the next coaster a worlds first thrill coaster from vekoma is what I keep hearing and have been since Ben 10 was announced. Don't know how true this is though.

As everyone has said a decent major thrill coaster is really what the park needs as their next addition.
 
Just received a marketing email from Drayton stating that Noddy, another popular childrens I.P will be in the zoo area for meet and greets throughout the 6 weeks. Another potential I.P for the park mayby?
 
Zak said:
Just received a marketing email from Drayton stating that Noddy, another popular childrens I.P will be in the zoo area for meet and greets throughout the 6 weeks. Another potential I.P for the park mayby?
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I don't think Noddy would join Thomas, if anything we'd be looking at a more feminine IP next. Ben 10 and Thomas the tank engine are both aimed at young boys primarily, I can see the next IP being one far more targeted at young girls and I'm not sure Noddy would do that.

Personally I'd just like a new decent rollercoaster, low queues, well themed and something not so different as to be either a compromise or useless which Shockwave and G Force ultimately are. I personally would like something similar to 13, a family thrill ride for the whole family.

Cartoon Network street needs to hurry as well! I think the park would do well to carry on with the IPs, but at the same time invest in IP free thrill rides for older guests.
 
Over the last few days the numbers have been lower than recent weeks what with the two very busy school weeks where we had over 15,000 school kids in on a daily basis, over the last few days we've had between 6-8,000 people in, the queues for things such as Shockwave and StormForce 10 haven't ever became very long at all and G-Force and Maelstrom have also been relatively short, the throughput has been good recently!
 
I was on park yesterday (with my dad and little brother who is 8) and overall I had a good day, the park was fairly quiet with the busy areas being Thomas Land as most people who were there had young children. Shockwave was walk on the times I did it.

Everything was open apart from Pirate Adventure which was closed all day. The throughputs on rides seemed pretty average really, but the park was quiet so there wasnt really a need to rush, the only queue that was a bit slow was the big wheel, where they only seemed to be loading 8 (I think) gondalars.

I do think the park is in real need of a new thrill ride, with the park being so dead we did everything twice and that was getting pretty boring, they certainly need something big and thrilling. But at the same time some of their current rides could do with a make over, the haunting is just a laugh, it needs knocking down and starting from scratch really, everything about it just looks so fake and funny.
 
Bearing in mind that The Haunting is still to get its Scooby Doo re-theme to fit in with Cartoon Network Street.. That's if they still go ahead with it but I can't see why they wouldnt!
 
On the subject of the Haunting, my friend and her fellow riders were threw off the ride for talking!

Now, it wasn't loud, but simply quiet mumbles, which happens on every single dark ride!
The operator said that he'd had enough, and threw them off the ride without warning!

In my opinion, this is not acceptable behaviour from the staff, and it will not make people return!

Has anyone else had any similar experiences?
 
That does seem rarther strange.. what day was the visit? Was it that same day as that Michelle is it from corrie? Maby they wanted to make the experience better by people not talking at all perhaps?
 
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