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Drayton Manor Park

That'd be nice, those rides look fun. But if the theoretical throughput is 480pph, it'll almost certainly get below 200pph at Drayton. :(
 
Despite the poor operations, I'd sooner visit Drayton on a full capacity day than any of the Merlin parks.

Buffalo did eventually open mid-afternoon. I spotted it testing after we went on Apocalypse and suggested we ride it before it got a queue, but everyone headed off to Golden Nuggets instead. Shortly after, the entire queue was full and stretching way beyond the entrance.

Capacity on Shockwave is partially down to poor ride design, as the seats rise up unless you put a lot of weight on them (the seats on Apocalypse lower when unlocked, which allows much easier and quicker adjustment as staff do not need to assists riders as much).

Despite the appalling state of Pirates, I'd rather have it open than make the other queues even longer. That said, if I'd had any idea just how poor the capacity was or of the terrible state of the ride I would never have joined the queue.
 
They do say beauty is only skin deep sometimes, and I think this applies to Drayton in some respects. As Dan has already said, aesthetically from the outside the park is looking brilliant. Probably the best I've seen it in 18 years of visiting. Most of the rides have been freshly painted, the signage the theming is on the whole clean, the paths are generally presentable and tidy. All in all the park should be commended for that.

Since working on catering with Love to Eat too I'd say the offerings and quality have both become much better. The choice of food on park has been made much better than in the past, and with the hotel recently being added they've also got themselves two nice, high quality restaurants to offer to guests.

Operations are still their downfall sadly. While they've managed to improve the appearance and quality of the staff somewhat in the past few years they do still struggle to manage some attractions. The dark rides are all a shambles. It's probably one of Drayton's biggest downfalls. Seeing Pirate Adventure in such a state was truly heartbreaking, and I'd probably rather it be SBNO or removed than ride it in that condition. It's a shame too, as the ride system has such potential, but the pumps are supposedly knackered, and a lot of the boats apparently have holes in them and are unusable.

The Haunting, as cheesy as the ride is has become very poorly managed. The park seem to have set out to run the attraction with the bare minimum staff (Two people), and as a result the queues are diabolical. By using such few staff only one group can be in the ride at any given time, as guests are escorted through the length of the ride. The other staff member is sat at the ride operations desk, overseeing the running of the ride. Even just one more staff member would help, and allow twice as many people to be in the attraction at any given time. If they still want to keep staff levels down why not pipe some money into having the effects automated like Hex, and therefore eliminate the need for staff escorting. Have the ride so that a group are counted in, watch the first show, are told to make their way through the door to the right by the operator. The operator manually starts the skeleton corridor when the group have passed through the door, and automate the door at the end so it opens when the effect is finished. The guests then make their own way into the main pre-show and an automated message plays warning them to stand clear of the walls, before the show commences (This could be done manually by the op, or even timed to take place after the skeleton corridor door closes automatically). The show happens and the doors to the right open. Here the riders finally come to the second staff member, who observes loading taking place, before moving out of the on-load doors and waiting for the next group in the passageway while the show takes place. This could allow for two groups of guests to be in the attraction at any one time, and drastically cut waiting times. The idea of unescorted groups works fine for Hex, so why can't this ride be made to do so too? Maybe it's an improvement they can look into if the Scooby Doo retheme happens.

Lets not even go into Golden Nuggets Wild West Shoot Out. The sooner that ride is removed the better in my books. Either that or it receives are Cartoon Network IP which gives the ride some meaning and makes it fit into the surrounding area. Drayton seem to be able to make IPs work most of the time, so I would have high hopes for this.

Like John has said, I'd sooner visit Drayton at capacity than a Merlin park. At least Drayton's capacity is still reasonable for the park, and the park operations team are willing to extend their hours to compensate for it. The extra hour and a half was certainly very welcome.

The Buffalo did reopen later in the day, but we didn't manage to ride it (And it had the usual queue).

I feel that some credit should go to Drayton's staff on some rides. G-Force was being ran flat out by the team, and they were doing very well (For G-Force :p ) at keeping the queue moving. The same goes for Shockwave. Drayton's real downfall seems to be ride design and choice really. G-Force is diabolical, and while two trains would be a big step in the right direction I'm still unsure if it will ever happen.

Shockwave's failing, as John has also said, is in the train design. When the ride downloads a train the seats all raise to the highest position, making it very hard for guests for shorted legs to board the ride. I don't think the restraint system is particularly helpful either. It's the only coaster I've seen to use that kind of half and half system. I don't think there'd be an easy way to stop the seats rising, but maybe if the park had some foot plates welded to the side of each seat and painted it yellow and black so it was visible they could have some directions on the station to explain to guests that they can lower the seat by pushing it down. In fact, a whole video similar to those Parc Asterix use would be helpful. Install a couple of screens above the final stairwell and down the platform and just get some staff with a camcorder to film how you board the ride (Looping one arm through and pulling down with the other, standing so both feet are on the floor, etc.). It'd prepare guests better for how to board, and hopefully reduce some of the faff. With the length of the station too I've always wondered why they don't just get someone to reprogram the ride, move the station fences around a bit, and add a restraint release arm at the back. Then have one train downloading at the back while the other takes guests on, rather than sitting on the brake run waiting. The train them moves forward to on-load with the restraints open and starts loading when the one in front has cleared. A similar system to what Rita uses really. Just have offloading on the opposite side, and install a Nemmy style bag locker for each train. That too would have to be something of an improvement for the ride.

Hopefully in the future Drayton will be selecting rides with a high throughput to try and ease the strain on their older ones, and work on improving park operations. Given time I really do hope it happens, as the park is looking the best I have seen it in 18 years of visiting. Come on Drayton, don't spoil it now!
 
After posting on another generic forum about a year ago I will post it on here too. Last year I went on a course at the park for ''Customer Service'' and to which it was pretty interesting, the way that it was presented and etc and so there was a questions and answers kinda thing at the end and also a future topic and these are the points in which I picked up on.

- Water Park
We knew this was happening and in the pipe line at some point and now that the hotel is now built this is one of there other steps to becoming a ''resort''. Expect this to be applied for in the next few years.

- Cartoon Network Expansion
As we know this is already taking place and Scooby Doo will eventually take over The Haunting at some point, to which this season is failed due to funding expect this to happen in the next few coming years depending on the project size.

- Zoo Removal
This was only a suggestion by the park as the zoo currently takes us so much space. Eventually when the park do run out of places to build attractions they've said they would consider giving up the zoo and just turning it into a themepark but this isnt on the cards at the moment, more of a if worse comes to worse.

- Major Coaster
Need I say more, its coming in the next few years obviously not alot of information about this yet.

- Thomas Land Expansion
Already been said, the park are looking at removing Pirate Adventure and turning into a Thomas dark ride of some kind.
 
How do they plan on building a water park and a major new coaster if they can't get the funding for a (relatively) cheap Haunting retheme?

Zak, did they mention if this Thomas dark ride would be using the same ride system as Pirate Adventure or not? Thomas Land would be great with a huge dark ride as its centrepiece, and everything else as support rides.

On Saturday, I imagined a 'Boat Tours of Sodor' attraction, with trains chugging around and speaking to you as you float through various island scenes. Kinda like the Cars Land ride, but with trains. Your ride vehicle could even be Captain, the lifeboat from the series!

Thomas-Friends-Thomas-Friends-Take-n-Play-Die-Cast-Captain.jpg
 
I'm sorry, but a Thomas the Tank Engine themed boat ride?!

We seem to be living in an age where theme parks are milking IP's for all they can get, from Harry Potter at Universal to SAW at Thorpe Park right down to Drayton Manor with Thomas.

It appears to me that Drayton are abandoning thrill seekers for the children's market, I don't think we've seen a new big ride since G-Force in 2005?

:)
 
I imagine the water park will be seen as another long term investment. Looking at the plans that were released online and shown at the presentation it looks asif it will go at the back of the hotel, although this could change and whether or not they actually do get planning permission.

From what I heard this season the lack of funding was due to the hotel and earlier in the year they were making alot of staff cuts and sending staff home earlier than usual to try and save some money, but now it seems the tables have turned and Drayton are raking it in once again.

The park diddnt really mention much apart from that if the ride did go (Pirates Adventure) that they would turn it into a Thomas Ride or at least consider it. No specifications or anything like that were said as it was just some ideas put onto a board of suggestions if you like.
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
I'm sorry, but a Thomas the Tank Engine themed boat ride?!
Click to expand...

What exactly is wrong with that? Done right, it could be absolutely excellent. Certainly a lot better than the tired, second-rate and uninspired Pirate Adventure. At least it'd be unique, while PA is a poor man's Pirates in Batavia, which itself is a poor man's POTC.

CoasterCrazyChris said:
It appears to me that Drayton are abandoning thrill seekers for the children's market, I don't think we've seen a new big ride since G-Force in 2005?
Click to expand...

Let's think why. G-Force is widely considered by enthusiasts as one of the worst rollercoasters in the UK, with an appalling throughput. It must be one of park management's biggest regrets. Thomas Land on the other hand, is rumoured to have doubled gate figures at the park.

Zak said:
The park diddnt really mention much apart from that if the ride did go (Pirates Adventure) that they would turn it into a Thomas Ride or at least consider it. No specifications or anything like that were said as it was just some ideas put onto a board of suggestions if you like.
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Thanks Zak, the hotel is the obvious reason why they didn't add anything new this year. I really hope that a new dark ride replacing PA would use the same ride system, if it was repaired, it would be a top-notch Mack system. It'd also be the biggest (by footprint) new dark ride in the UK since Duel, possibly even Pirate Adventure itself.
 
Sam said:
CoasterCrazyChris said:
I'm sorry, but a Thomas the Tank Engine themed boat ride?!
Click to expand...

What exactly is wrong with that? Done right, it could be absolutely excellent. Certainly a lot better than the tired, second-rate and uninspired Pirate Adventure. At least it'd be unique, while PA is a poor man's Pirates in Batavia, which itself is a poor man's POTC.
Click to expand...

On the whole, indoor boat rides only really work with aquatic themes, or where there is some relevance as to why you are travelling in a boat. It just seems naff to theme a boat ride around steam engines...

And whatever condition Pirates Adventure may be, at least it can claim to be a family ride. Thomas the Tank Engine is clearly a children's IP, and therefore would only appeal to children (and those trying to relive childhood!).

Also, with the loss of Excalibur and The Haunting soon to become Scooby Doo themed, I think it is relatively important that Drayton Manor maintain at least one family dark ride with mass appeal.

Sam said:
CoasterCrazyChris said:
It appears to me that Drayton are abandoning thrill seekers for the children's market, I don't think we've seen a new big ride since G-Force in 2005?
Click to expand...

Let's think why. G-Force is widely considered by enthusiasts as one of the worst rollercoasters in the UK, with an appalling throughput. It must be one of park management's biggest regrets. Thomas Land on the other hand, is rumoured to have doubled gate figures at the park.
Click to expand...

So, because they got one ride wrong, that is a reason to give up on catering for that market?
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
Sam said:
CoasterCrazyChris said:
I'm sorry, but a Thomas the Tank Engine themed boat ride?!
Click to expand...

What exactly is wrong with that? Done right, it could be absolutely excellent. Certainly a lot better than the tired, second-rate and uninspired Pirate Adventure. At least it'd be unique, while PA is a poor man's Pirates in Batavia, which itself is a poor man's POTC.
Click to expand...

On the whole, indoor boat rides only really work with aquatic themes, or where there is some relevance as to why you are travelling in a boat. It just seems naff to theme a boat ride around steam engines...
Click to expand...

If I remember rightly from my childhood wasn't Thomas meant to be based in Sodor, which was meant to be an island/costal town of some form? I distinctly remember docks and quarries always playing a big part in most of the stories. Simply because the main character of the stories happens to be a steam engine doesn't mean the whole plot revolved around them. Boats, cranes, and other machinery always used to have a part to play in the program. I'd say that's a suitable tie in for the area. They've already done it with the crane (Cranky's drop).

It's not as if Drayton are having characters created for the sake of it so a ride will fit. The characters are already a part of the brand, so it would seem a logical step to integrate them into the area.

I still don't understand what some people have against the whole themed area really. I'm generally against IPs and product tie ins on rides as I think they sometimes show a lack of creativity on the park's part, so result in a hashed together theme which has little or no relevance. Thomas Land is not that. It's a brilliant IP executed very well. If anything it's been the big turning point for the park. I doubt it would be doing anywhere near as well as it is today if the area was still Robinson's Fruit Shoot Land (Remember that? The collection of unthemed kids rides? :p ) It's been a solid investment for the park, and has proved very popular with Drayton's family market. I think it would be fair to say that it has proved so popular that it is stretched to meet demand at the moment. Therefore expansion would seem like the next logical step forward.

I'm still unsure wether or not Drayton would want to use the Pirates ride system for this new dark ride though. The pumps are supposedly buggered, and most of the boats are ruined. We all saw how the ride was struggling on Sunday! (Pulling boats out of the station to dispatch them). I think that saw it all really. Personally, I'd welcome a new ride system which makes use of the building. A new dark ride in Thomas Land could turn out brilliant if they keep to the standards of the rest of the area. It'd be a welcome addition that the park needs. Dark rides is one of their major downfalls at the moment, so any investment is good. If they could do Thomas and The Haunting they'd have two good additions to fit their current market. Then they can do something about that other dark ride of theres... :p
 
I don't fully understand why the park are pumping money into Excalibur to turn it into a Christmas attraction that will only last a few weeks? Going to the extent of repainting the castle from yellow to white is going to look abit weird onto the rest of the park and im sure they not going to keep a Christmas themed attraction open all year round now are they. Seems abit of a waste of money!
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
Also, with the loss of Excalibur and The Haunting soon to become Scooby Doo themed, I think it is relatively important that Drayton Manor maintain at least one family dark ride with mass appeal.
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Answered your own question there...


Parks are using IPs because they are successful if done well (like Thomas Land and Harry Potter, though Universal/Disney get away with it because they themselves are an IP)... The thing is them being done well, otherwise we end up with the company pulling out or an absolute failure of a ride (Charlie)...

Though I do wish parks would try and think of original ideas, you just have to look at how Thomas Land, Peppa Pig and Harry Potter have all put their parks on the map...
 
I do hope Drayton manage to pull Scooby Doo off well really. What they've done of the Cartoon Network area looks very promising, ans Ben 10 is probably one of Drayton's best themed rides outside of Thomas Land. The queueline is brilliant. If they can continue through, making Scooby Doo and Flying Dutchman into CN themes it'd be awesome. Maybe even get a CN show in the 4D cinema.

The only ride I hope they don't touch is Apocalypse. I still believe that could retain its independance it not spoil the area too much. Pandemonium would be a challenge, but not impossible to create a CN theme for.

As for Golden Nuggets and Drunken Barrels I'd say leave both of them as two standalone rides at the top. Maybe try and shuffle the Poccy queue around so the three of them are stand alones. Obviously GN needs something doing to it, but Drunken Barrels is so well themed, and such a good looking ride I'd like to see it remain as such.

Excalibur is an odd duck really... From what I saw there looks to be a bridge going into the final building from the turntable, so I wonder if they are planning to add some kind of show in there. I agree though that painting the castle was a very odd move, which would suggest it isn't going anywhere. Rather annoying really, as if they removed that and the entrance to Pirate Adventure if it becomes a Thomas darkride they would improve the themes of Cartoon Network and Fisherman's Wharf. By killing off what little pirate theme remains it'd give chance for a proper transition of themes between the areas, which is one of the things I think let's a lot of smaller land parks down (Drayton and Thorpe being the main two). They could easily work Bounty into the area, and the littl ships ride could be worked in too. Then there's only really Action Park to try and do much with. Chuck in some more old western looking props and that'd work as its own area I'd say. G-Force could be done for either area (Though proximity to Maelstrom probably makes Fisherman's Wharf preferable).

That's just a direction I think that park could take in order to further their themes and sort out some of their rides. If they can get permission to expand over the other side of the lake the potential for whole new themed areas opens up (Get a GCI woodie in there please!). They'd more than double the size of the park in doing so. There's so much space to use!
 
From what I have heard Apocalypse is being re-themed to ''Dexter'' and presumably Pandemonium is getting a re-theme soon as they have removed the entrance themeing.

Also with Scooby Doo I am hoping that the mystery machine makes a appearance as permanent themeing and not just a one off thing to promote the ride.
 
See I'd heard this too, but like Tom I agree it shouldn't happen. The ride has no place in a family themed area. It's like if Pleasure Beach tried to fit Big One into Nick Land. It simply wouldn't work. The nature of the building means it could quite happily remain as it is, without needing a retheme. Just clean up the building, and move the entrance slightly further up the hill. It'll be the same ride, but not encroach or stick out in the Cartoon Network brand.

As for the Mystery Machine I think it'd look awesome if they had if sat somewhere, and then gave the lorry a makeover so it's the same style. Make out it's their larger mobile laboratory or something. There's so much potential to create an amazing family dark ride out of this :D
 
Am I also right in thinking that they are keeping the same style walk through? So the skeleton corridor, picture and end finale? Im sure I heard or read somewhere although I could be wrong!

It would be better if they turned it in a shoot um' up ride and extended it through to Golden Nuggets and had a larger indoor dark ride, maby place a shop in front of the old Golden Nugget entrance.
 
Zak said:
From what I have heard Apocalypse is being re-themed to 'Dexter'
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As in Dexter's Laboratory? Even though I'm in the minority here, I think that sounds like a really cool and exciting idea!. Let's face it, Most people who like Dexter's Lab or watched it during there Childhood would probably be in their Teens/Early Adults, and they would be old enough to ride Poccy.

Would like to see a Cartoon Network land at Drayton, Just as long as it's got both Classic and New Cartoon themed rides. :)
 
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