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Drayton Manor Park


Managed to find out who the manufacturer for Submarine Splash! A bit surprised to see them go outside the usual Zamperla works! Maybe a sign of things for the future?
I had a look at there catalog and there a French company which they used to supplied rides to some of there parks in Europe.
Maybe they could be building the new coaster.
 
The Soquet coaster I have done (Diablelska Petla) was interesting to say the least. Was boneshaking too but that might have been age.
 
Looking at the looping group profilo of coasters at there parks
Looking at a coaster currently under construction
It looks like they love to use standard layouts of coaster models but theme them up.
I do think it will be the best coaster at any looping group park and Drayton’s MD has really hyped this up as a thrill coaster not available anywhere else in the uk.
 
According to RCDB, looping have at least one Soquet coaster, so that may be why they were chosen to manufacture the flume. Remember, when building a new attraction, parks will tend to get bids from several manufactureres before deciding, so Zamperla may well have bid on this, even if Soquet did eventually win. (In my opinion, this is a better choice than the Zamperla Kiddieflume.)
 
Loopings probably already had the idea to build a kiddie log flume and put out bids to manufacturers to build the ride, I'm assuming Zamperla put in a bid because they offer a very similar model but for whatever reason Soquet managed to beat them. It is absolutely not the case of "We already have one of your rides so we will buy another" because that's not how businesses operate...
 
Loopings probably already had the idea to build a kiddie log flume and put out bids to manufacturers to build the ride, I'm assuming Zamperla put in a bid because they offer a very similar model but for whatever reason Soquet managed to beat them. It is absolutely not the case of "We already have one of your rides so we will buy another" because that's not how businesses operate...
But they have a good working relationship with a company as most of the looping groups coasters are spinning. It’s like under the Bryan’s they used using good run local family businesses for their theming of rides.
The Haunting and some props for sheriff showdown was all done by Victor Creations.
 
But they have a good working relationship with a company as most of the looping groups coasters are spinning. It’s like under the Bryan’s they used using good run local family businesses for their theming of rides.
The Haunting and some props for sheriff showdown was all done by Victor Creations.
God, I love the work done by Victor Crestions! You can tell he really cares about the attractions he's worked on, he adds new things onto them, but makes them stylistically and theming wise very appropriate, as if they were designed by the original creators while adding his own twist on it. I'd love for more Independent Theming Companies/individuals get green-lit by larger parks like Drayton and Alton.
 
The park will work with which manufacture which best meets their need for a given project (such as ride type, availability, cost etc). The park have worked with many manufactures over the years and just because they have gone with a manufacture for one project does not mean in any way they will use them for the next.

The same goes for the looping group, they have already shown at Drayton over past two years they will work with different manufactures with Zamperla, Zierer, Soquet, Intamin (rapids boats and refurb) and the manufacture of the pony ride in Viking’s. If we where basing it on draytons previous investments you would expect them have gone with zamperla for their version of the wave swinger, but they didn’t they went with Zierer instead, and that met the needs of that particular project (I am sure combination of factors went into the decision such as price, quality, delivery time frame etc)

Also you can’t base what the new coaster might be, or the manufacture or budget etc on what Drayton did back in the 90’s and 00’s as for one they have complete different ownership and management in place.
 
Loopings probably already had the idea to build a kiddie log flume and put out bids to manufacturers to build the ride, I'm assuming Zamperla put in a bid because they offer a very similar model but for whatever reason Soquet managed to beat them. It is absolutely not the case of "We already have one of your rides so we will buy another" because that's not how businesses operate...
This makes a lot of sense; Zamperla's kiddie flumes aren't particularily exciting, so I could imagine the layout + double drop concept won Soquet the contract.

Spotted a video of a park that did use the doubledrop concept for this model, and I can see why Looping chose to invest in them!

From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV0z8i2oPyk


Couple that with the Brendam Docks to Vicarstown Museum theming they're going for with the press packet description (and possibly Harold and/or Thomas/Percy making phyiscal appearances), and it seems like this is gonna be a lovely little starter ride!
 
But they have a good working relationship with a company as most of the looping groups coasters are spinning. It’s like under the Bryan’s they used using good run local family businesses for their theming of rides.
The Haunting and some props for sheriff showdown was all done by Victor Creations.

Done by them because at that point, the big theming companies they used in the past, such as Space Leisure and Farmer Studios did not exist like they used to. So they had no choice.

Besides, even if they did exist. Concluding that conclusions based on 2 attraction they lighty touched and spruced up, is quite a jump to make.
 
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Done by them because at that point, the big theming companies they used in the past, such as Space Leisure and Farmer Studios did not exist like they used to. So they had no choice.

Besides, even if they did exist. Concluding that conclusions based on 2 attraction they lighty touched and spruced up, is quite a jump to make.
Victor Creations did the final re theme to the haunting in early 2020 but cause of the restrictions no guests got to enjoy it to July 2021. Shame the lady who use to pop out the tomb don’t work anymore as that was some excellent work.
 
What did they change for 2020
I believe the change was done over time between 2019 and 2020. I think Victor Creations repainted the inside of the first preshow. The lady of the house was introduced for 2019, a really welcomed change. The head in the coffin in the finale was also done in 2019. I think all the work was done during the 2019 season stretched over time.
 
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The animatronic on Hotel Embrujado is similar and works, shame DMP couldn't keep theirs working
 
Victor Creations did the final re theme to the haunting in early 2020 but cause of the restrictions no guests got to enjoy it to July 2021. Shame the lady who use to pop out the tomb don’t work anymore as that was some excellent work.

Victor Creations didn't re theme the Haunting. The theme has always been a haunted house. They slightly tweaked an existing ride. The bulk of the theming you see today was all done by Space Leisure. Minor things were changed around the ride. The biggest changes being in the big room before the mad house. But even in there, the majority of what you see today, is Space Leisures work.

They did plus the ride no doubt. But that is much easier to do when you have a solid attraction and solid theming to work with. Much more difficult to make an attraction from scratch, on that scale. Something Victor have not proven themselves capable of. Hardly surprising given the industry in this country and given the size of his company. This is not knocking Victor Creations, just giving some realism here.

Then onto Wild West Shootout. They made some stuff undoubtedly worse there. Like the fake rock work in the queue and the music. Both are rubbish. Point is. Not everything changes for the better.

The music sounds like you are about to attended a western funeral, not the sort of music you want before going on a shooting dark ride. The upbeat western music that was there before was far better. Really got you in the mood to go shooting, on a shooting ride. Now I know they probably couldn't have used that due to licences. But who's idea was it to sign off a score that would not feel out of place in a funeral processesion or on your bed time table is beyond me.
 
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Drayton have released some photos ahead of tomorrow. Showing the boats and scenery.

Remember that archway that was suggested could be a walkway? It is shown clearly to be a faux tunnel for the train.

FB_IMG_1682703056735.jpgFB_IMG_1682703048549.jpgFB_IMG_1682703029623.jpgFB_IMG_1682703052066.jpg

Not bad from what I can see. Especially for a small children's ride. Very low budget but done well it would appear. A perfect addition to Thomas Land........now, back to the coaster.

I can see physical ride hardware arriving on site September to October time. May be a little earlier, or later, but that is the sort of time it would need to arrive to be open for spring time.
 
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