Drayton Manor Park

[Themeparksandy1981]

Called it last year.

Their shiny new wild west area does look a bit of a state though, I have to say.

You've got a bright green rollercoaster, a pirate themed boat ride and an unfinished looking wild west coaster station.....the immersion is strong. I can't seem to recall the time in history when there were aliens and pirates in the American Midwest.

That metal bit on the top of the new coaster station looks a bit ridiculous, mainly due to how small the themed wheels are on it. It makes it look unfinished and out of place.

Theming purchased from Wish?

I think it should have been a bell tower but they must have ran out of time and now decided not to do anything with it.
I did hear the former cafe is currently been themed to a Saloon.
Not sure if the Haunting had any work done to it.
The Jungle Cruise theming is slowly rottening away and coming off the building


Excalibur theming

 

[KolonelKlink]

Accelerator currently hasn’t been worked on outside


As the ride was closed couldn’t tell if the inside been themed.

I think we know the answer to that.

Surely they can find a bit of cash to finish this half-hearted retheme for a ride that currently has two logos and a luminous green track that’s about as Wild West as Tamworth town centre.

 

[TBoy535]

They need to desperately paint Shockwave also that was in such a state for last season considering they were marketing as new?

I don’t know why they don’t close the Zoo maybe keep the reptile house but refurbished. The rest is really never that popular and would free up a lot of funds and In the future it could be developed on.

Feel it’s a big mistake not to relocate that flat ride to Vikings unless it’s still in the plans or perhaps not if they refurbished the Op cabin?

 

[Bert2theSpark]

I'd like to see the zoo redeveloped to focus more on the smaller animals, like meerkats, penguins, birds and small monkeys. Make the enclosures bigger and improve the standards of the enclosures, making the zoo experience more integrative and less looking at exotic animals in cramped cages. I feel like the zoo would benefit from being more open space as well, and improving the overall flow of the area. Drayton's zoo is relatively unimpressive, and is a complimentary addition to the park, rather than it being a selling point in itself. Therefore downsizing the zoo but improving the overall quality and experience would really benefit the park overall.

 

[owenstreet7]

Feel it’s a big mistake not to relocate that flat ride to Vikings unless it’s still in the plans or perhaps not if they refurbished the Op cabin?

I'm thinking that any new ride on that site will use the same ops cabin as before so it'd be natural to refurbish the existing one.

 

[Benzin]

Doubt they could build much else on the zoo land given the noise issues.

 

[Maelstrom]

I am sure I read they are redeveloping the zoo over next few years with more of a focus on smaller animals, plus I am sure they brought across someone from wmsp as part of the management team and looking after that area of the park.

I am also not surprised no new rides this year with gold rush not opening until late summer and being such a big investment they will still take advantage this year to market it as the new thing. Although would have been good for them to have properly rethemed accelerator and painted shockwave this year.

 

[Ash]

Doubt they could build much else on the zoo land given the noise issues.

Indoor rides/area? Seems a sensible compromise?

 

[Alphe86]

The Wave was having a Jet Wash today (or rather the loop was)

Accelerator however. Roof still leaks, graffiti still present inside.. looks very worse for ware

 

[Squiggs]

Good news for everyone wanting the zoo to focus on small animals, birds and monkeys... that is basically the zoo line-up already is.

I believe the biggest animal in there these days is now the Lynx, which is notably the smaller than the other big cats they used to have. The last of their tigers died last year.

So with work going on at the former meerkat enclosure and sea lion pool, perhaps they have got some plans in motion to refresh that main tract of the zoo.

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Good news for everyone wanting the zoo to focus on small animals, birds and monkeys... that is basically the zoo line-up already is.

I believe the biggest animal in there these days is now the Lynx, which is notably the smaller than the other big cats they used to have. The last of their tigers died last year.

So with work going on at the former meerkat enclosure and sea lion pool, perhaps they have got some plans in motion to refresh that main tract of the zoo.

Theses were added at the end of last season to replace the tiger who sadly passed away

They did want to extend the reptile house into the old indoor section of Dinosaur land but I heard the building in bad condition.

 

[rob666]

The Drayton Zoo needed pulling twenty years ago.
My mate with complex needs hated the place because "All the animals look sad".
Nothing wrong with his judgement.

If we must have zoos, and in this day and age maybe we shouldn't, lets keep them large and exclusive.
Not breezeblock minor additions to amusement parks.

 

[Benzin]

Drayton's zoo is what Chessie's looked like in the 90s before being updated.

Probably only zoo in UK where I've seen footage of one of the monkeys/apes (I forget what it was) throwing stuff out of the enclosure at guests.

There's still a place for zoos. But needs to be done from a conservation/education viewpoint first. Bit like Monkey World.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Drayton's zoo is what Chessie's looked like in the 90s before being updated.

Probably only zoo in UK where I've seen footage of one of the monkeys/apes (I forget what it was) throwing stuff out of the enclosure at guests.

There's still a place for zoos. But needs to be done from a conservation/education viewpoint first. Bit like Monkey World.

Actually, Monkey World is more of a rescue centre than zoo in which in its early days was rescuing chimps from Spain that were being used as photographer props before eventually mothing into becoming a breeding centre for endangered animals but I'm going off topic. In fact, most zoos these days are all working together as part of many breeding programs for many a endangered animals.

 

[Benzin]

Actually, Monkey World is more of a rescue centre than zoo in which in its early days was rescuing chimps from Spain that were being used as photographer props before eventually mothing into becoming a breeding centre for endangered animals but I'm going off topic. In fact, most zoos these days are all working together as part of many breeding programs for many a endangered animals.

That's what I mean though, it started (and still is) as a conservation/rescue effort. Having it as a zoo attraction allows for income to reinvest into such activities.