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Drayton Manor Park

The single Launch Family Inverted Coaster video is actually set In Drayton Manor, the layout of the grass, lake and paths is exactly the same as where the Buffalo is currently located, so I think we have found what the park is getting.

Some of the others vids are also based in real parks.
 
Ha, so it is! Looks very likely in that case, although I suppose it could have been part of an unsuccessful pitch. I'm pretty disappointed if so, it seems to be on the same level as Ben 10 in terms of thrill. Oh well!

:)
 
Presumably they're not expecting it to be massively popular as one train with 14 passengers isn't going to shift the line very quickly, even if it is a short ride. All the coasters at Drayton Manor seem to have low throughputs. Although I accept that this might not be the ride they chose, and if they do it might not look exactly like the creation in the video. Obviously Drayton Manor don't have a massive budget to work with, but I think it'd be worth them spending the extra for a higher throughput. One of the biggest complaints about the Merlin parks is about the queues. Drayton Manor has a high ratio of rides to guests, they've also got the zoo to help mop up the crowds and they don't do Fast Track, so short quick moving queues could be one of their big selling points. A lot of the rides there do have reasonable throughputs for what they are, except for the coasters which are normally the main draw in a theme park. Obviously it's easy for me to say that from the sidelines. I understand that in a theme park there are a lot of interests competing for budgets. Given that they don't seem to be making big profits spending more on this coaster might restrict the budget for something else.

For a family coaster I do think it looks quite fun, and if they put some fountains around it like on Infusion then that would also add to the experience. At the same time it's hard not to feel slightly disappointed if that is the coaster they're getting.
 
Hmm... It appears the video has been taken down... Suspicious. :rolleyes: Oh well Coaster Studios already have done a video with the video in.

EDIT: Found the pictures again.
Drayton_SS_confirmed2.PNG

Drayton_SS_confirmed.PNG
 
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I think drayton need to revisit the zoo and give that attention, once they sorted out that mess, they need to replace the buffalo with a nice family ride, because paultons is so successful, I think drayton should start to step away from thrill park and go to a family park, Sad to say for enthusiasts, but it wouldn't be open now if it wasn't for Thomas land, it saved it really. Id really like to see a spinning coaster along the lake, I doubt it, but a mack one would be really cool, or like mentioned, S&S can make a good coaster, maybe they can, I just hope they dont get the bland basically suspended launched ben 10, they can do so much more with that land, I really like the look of the backlot stunt coaster style rides, they look quite fun and have some decent launches by the looks of it, Im sure drayton could get a custom one of those that might be quite fun for everyone, maybe act more like th13teen does, and less like a children's coaster.
 
Hmmm @ItsDavid , I see what you're saying in terms of modernisation being necessary for Drayton Manor, but I think we've got to take in to account what made the park what it is today, which is undoubtedly the major/thrill rides installed in the 80s/90s and, of course, the culmination of it all, Shockwave. I know what you're saying, but I really wouldn't go as far as saying the parks survival was at risk. Even if it's revenues were poor (I don't know if they were or not, you probably know more than me) I don't think it would be closed now. In fact I'd argue that the reason Fantasy Island still exists now is the two major coasters that make the park attractive for investment for future large rides.

I will say this though, Thomas Land was genius and it's certainly kept Drayton up there (which is impressive given it's still family run) and hopefully will help the park explore new designs in the future.
 
@Sauron97 I also get what you are saying, but towers is very close to the park, and they have dominated the major thrill rides which no matter what draytons investments is, they wont be able to catch up any time soon. Meanwhile, towers' family offerings are not anything, special lets say. Drayton know this and are dominating in that, which towers have then gone and saw how well its worked for them. Before thomas land, ive been in holidays and saw it almost empty, waiting 5 min for major rides in what should be the busiest time of the year, they lack a stand out ride to the GP and probably always will in terms of thrill. Thomas land however is so big, unique, well done and always expanding, they have a great marketing point. Cbeebies land can only get so much bigger then they cant, drayton have much more space to work with and alot less planning permission.

Im not saying that drayton will exclude the thrill rides either, But I would not expect a B&M or a expensive thrilling coaster there, Probably no more than a S&S. Im suprised they did not get a S&S 4D for this season as they could market it very well, and I believe its 1.2M height to ride, so they can market it as a family ride like Flamingo land did with Mumbo Jumbo
 
rvgEots.jpg

fIXeYDT.jpg

MDz6fbO.jpg

Credit Andy Rumney

So it looks like Ben 10 has been rethemed to Hot Wheels, which is odd because I was playing Rocet League earlier and that seems to have partnered/sponsored with Hot Wheels too. And just before I found this out I was looking through Rita construction images. Strange, very strange.....
 
Bert2theSpark said:
rvgEots.jpg

fIXeYDT.jpg

MDz6fbO.jpg

Credit Andy Rumney

So it looks like Ben 10 has been rethemed to Hot Wheels, which is odd because I was playing Rocet League earlier and that seems to have partnered/sponsored with Hot Wheels too. And just before I found this out I was looking through Rita construction images. Strange, very strange.....
Click to expand...
Well, it hasn't been officially announced yet; It's still listed as Ben 10 Ultimate Mission on the website. Not sure if they'll keep the current colors or repaint it. Hopefully they'll announce it soon.
 
That seems a very odd move for such a new / popular coaster, especially with the theming that went into the queue line. I'm not liking the graffiti style re-paint either, I think it's the last thing that park wants.
 
Rob said:
Well, erm, that's unexpected! I can only assume that the IP ran out and they didn't want to renew it. Or is Ben 10 no longer popular? I have no idea!

:)
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I'm guessing the IP was a 5 year contract. As Pandemonium and Flying Dutchman gettting refurbished and with the addition of the Fish and Chips shop in 2016 oh and The Haunting refurbishment. Drayton are probably refurbing the area as the 2018 coaster comes.
 
The IP's definitely run out. I think Drayton wanted to make a Cartoon Network themed area at some point, but it didn't work out for the long term it seems. Hot Wheels is happening due to the relations with Mattel via Thomas Land.
 
I'm not this is going to look pretty... I imagine you wouldn't choose green track if doing it from scratch, either.

Dreamworld revamped their Arrow looper, Cyclone into Hot Wheels Sidewinder too.

Hot-Wheels-Dreamworld.jpg
 
Inside the queue for Ben 10 was quite good, but from the outside it looked like a series of corrugated metal sheds. Based on those photos it might actually look better after the re-theme, rather than being like the Six Flags rides where you can see the empty spaces where theming used to be. But I do agree that this is an odd story. You wouldn't have thought you'd theme a ride based on a 5 year contract, but what do I know? I'm just a coaster enthusiast.
 
Be interesting to see what happens with the queue line as it was well themed, seems odd after only 5 years but at least no more Cartoon Network as I think it's ip's are quite weak -excluding Ben 10.
 
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