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Drayton Manor Park

Personally, I think The Haunting is fine as it is. Some TLC would be welcomed though. If they want to split the original 1996 theme from frontier falls, they could dress up the courtyard to be like a transition between the Western theme to the original 1996 theme. I have this year noticed a lot of formerly broken effects are back up and running, including the library wall lights, the old LED scroller with the lorry in it, and the cellar door outside which wasn't on when the season started. The ride is the best I've seen it in a long time! The Dr. X video is really fun and engaging personally and has stood the test of time a lot better than Dr Ghostman, and The Chapel audio quality sounds a lot better too this year!

And people have stated, if Phantom Manor can exist in Fronteirland in Disneyland Paris, I don't see why the Haunting could get away with it too. I wouldn't want to see the Vicarage coveted in wood now XD. I dare imagine what they would replace the Lorry with. What, a wooden box?
 
Trooper Looper said:
Personally, I think The Haunting is fine as it is. Some TLC would be welcomed though. If they want to split the original 1996 theme from frontier falls, they could dress up the courtyard to be like a transition between the Western theme to the original 1996 theme. I have this year noticed a lot of formerly broken effects are back up and running, including the library wall lights, the old LED scroller with the lorry in it, and the cellar door outside which wasn't on when the season started. The ride is the best I've seen it in a long time! The Dr. X video is really fun and engaging personally and has stood the test of time a lot better than Dr Ghostman, and The Chapel audio quality sounds a lot better too this year!

And people have stated, if Phantom Manor can exist in Fronteirland in Disneyland Paris, I don't see why the Haunting could get away with it too. I wouldn't want to see the Vicarage coveted in wood now XD. I dare imagine what they would replace the Lorry with. What, a wooden box?
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The design of the vicarage itself is out of place in a western area though, it is very much an English vicarage in an American themed area. The ride would and does work in a western area but the front could use some modification to make it more like an American house.

The front is cheap fiberglass anyway, showing it's age a bit now too, I personally would not miss it.
 
DistortAMG said:
The design of the vicarage itself is out of place in a western area though, it is very much an English vicarage in an American themed area. The ride would and does work in a western area but the front could use some modification to make it more like an American house.

The front is cheap fiberglass anyway, showing it's age a bit now too, I personally would not miss it.
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I personally disagree. I like the material it's made of, and I believe only the wall around the door is made of fibreglass. Buildings not made of wood did exist in the wild west, though weren't all that common as the fake front Buildings, but what I do agree in terms of modifications is that it needs a repaint. The worn and grey gothic look doesn't compliment it one bit. When it opened it had a very natural and not so 'in your face' look to it before in 2016 it was painted to look burnt, gothic grey, and old. If they could get it to a less derelict and more convincing look, I think it'd fit in. Same with the courtyard wall, scrap the burnt look and go for something warmer personally.
 
I think they not thought much about the haunting like from the AI signage outside
IMG_3820.jpeg
Now for this to really work they need to remove the Argos garden storage shed and all the RIPA stuff.
Think the pre show video needs updating also as even with the Western area been set in the 1850’s the team wouldn’t have laser guns.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
I think they not thought much about the haunting like from the AI signage outside
IMG_3820.jpeg
Now for this to really work they need to remove the Argos garden storage shed and all the RIPA stuff.
Think the pre show video needs updating also as even with the Western area been set in the 1850’s the team wouldn’t have laser guns.
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I think personally put of all the rides in frontier falls, Sheriff Showdown is the one that needs the most work done. Barely any of the effects have worked properly this year so far when riding it, the scoring system is still really unreliable, and the screens look really tacky now. The guns don't work sometimes too.

The music just doesn't fit in with the ride. It's really boring and slow, compared to the Golden Nuggets music which was very fast paced and fitted in with the ride really well and got you excited to ride it! Now it's just so quiet in the main room. Heck, there's no music in the mine scene.

The lighting isn't good either, everything is just covered in this weird washed out white/purple colour. Not exactly very theatrical now.

The facade is still missing its top section too and looks incomplete.

For Haunting, personally just remove the AI signs and the RIPA signage and hut for now.
 
Let's give Drayton credit, it's not a clone, it's the original.

I know Junior Boomerangs aren't exactly ground breaking, but in terms of rides that have changed the industry there's been nearly 40 of these built in the last 13 years. I can't think of another ride type that's been that successful.

Actually with this new ride, Accelerator, and G-Force Drayton have quite the track record of trying new concepts. They just lack the resources of somewhere like Alton to build custom rides that the manufacturers aren't already looking to sell.
 
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Trooper Looper said:
I personally disagree. I like the material it's made of, and I believe only the wall around the door is made of fibreglass. Buildings not made of wood did exist in the wild west, though weren't all that common as the fake front Buildings, but what I do agree in terms of modifications is that it needs a repaint. The worn and grey gothic look doesn't compliment it one bit. When it opened it had a very natural and not so 'in your face' look to it before in 2016 it was painted to look burnt, gothic grey, and old. If they could get it to a less derelict and more convincing look, I think it'd fit in. Same with the courtyard wall, scrap the burnt look and go for something warmer personally.
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I am not on about the material. You didn't find any gothic style buildings in the wild west, period.
 
Oh Rob, ever the occasional disputatious contrarian...
I did sort of know this from following the old westerns...some of them at the time...spaghetti western music is incredible!

"Gothic Western (sometimes referred to as Western Gothic and Gothic prairie) is a subculture, artistically similar to gothic Americana, but blends goth and Western lifestyles that are notably visible in fashion, music, film and literature."
Wikipedia.
Notably visible.

Maybe Drayton are just seeking out a distinct sub cultural appeal, bit like thoosie.

There, I've squeezed out that early morning grumpy old technical moodie, thank you one and all.
 
Trooper Looper said:
Sheriff Showdown is the one that needs the most work done. Barely any of the effects have worked properly this year so far when riding it, the scoring system is still really unreliable, and the screens look really tacky now. The guns don't work sometimes too
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I still maintain this is the worst ride I’ve been on in the Uk. Travelling fairs have better dark rides. Complete lack of immersion to disguise that you’re in a bare warehouse along with all the valid criticisms you mention.

John Wardley would be distraught if he ever rode it.
 
The POV has dropped, looks like cycle 2 is the longer one as it does the reverse spike then goes up and over after.


From: https://youtu.be/1uxLamDiDWo?si=EZcdJ6Tqrnyu3jEU

Edit; Actually, cycle one has the train going up and over then doing a reverse spike after, the opposite of cycle 2. Also, cycle 1 is in the morning then it switches to cycle 2 in the afternoon.
 
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Bowser said:
I still maintain this is the worst ride I’ve been on in the Uk. Travelling fairs have better dark rides. Complete lack of immersion to disguise that you’re in a bare warehouse along with all the valid criticisms you mention.

John Wardley would be distraught if he ever rode it.
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More like Mark Golding instead of John Wardley 😂
 
Tim said:
Let's give Drayton credit, it's not a clone, it's the original.

I know Junior Boomerangs aren't exactly ground breaking, but in terms of rides that have changed the industry there's been nearly 40 of these built in the last 13 years. I can't think of another ride type that's been that successful.
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I did spot the Vekoma logo in the Velociraptor and come to think of it the Minifigure Speedway duel boomerang roller coaster is very similar to the Velociraptor and the Accelerator (though it's manufactured by Zierer). Their success and proliferation is down to their comparative cheapness and their broad accessibility as thrillrides.

The Shockwave is a hugely underrated thrillride too, very innovative for its time, and put Drayton Manor on the UK map alongside Alton Tower's Nemesis, during the "Golden Age" of UK theme parks of the very late 80s, 90s, and 00s.
 
Gold Rush is a great family coaster, not as whippy as I’d personally prefer but does its job very well and is finished off to a really good standard !

I also got my first ride on The Wave, the cars are a faff but very comfortable, and I was very surprised by the forces on the Zero G

Park is looking great overall and I can’t wait to see where we will be going forward with more additions !
 
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