Towerslover
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I do wonder what the future is like for Drayton manor. Unless there's some bigger investments in the next 5-10 years I cant see the park being around long term, but I hope that doesn't happen.
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Drayton Manor Park
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
On the fireworks event on the Friday Apocalypse was using all 4 sides. I only got to go on it once this season back in mid July when my wife joined us for the day and they only had 1 side open for each as there was only 4 people in the queue when I joined the stand up side so if it's not busy it ain't worth loading all 4.
The pirate adventure failed new H&S laws and needed a lot of money to get passed off. Even in its final days the pumps that pumped the water round were in its dying days and took ages to go round.
I know Colin and other management went round on the ride and listed everything that needed repairing/replacing.
The day the pirate adventure died was the day a major electrical fault caused a fire at the end of the ride and damaged the final ghost pirates scene and took out the audio as well. That's why after the pirates in the cave scene was all quiet to you pulled back into the exit station. Where the scene was to the right and the pirates heads when you up and down and turn. It said roughly thanks for riding the pirate adventure I hope you join us again soon. I found a pic where the scene was at the end of the pirate adventure section http://forum.towerstimes.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=22314
The pirate adventure failed new H&S laws and needed a lot of money to get passed off. Even in its final days the pumps that pumped the water round were in its dying days and took ages to go round.
I know Colin and other management went round on the ride and listed everything that needed repairing/replacing.
The day the pirate adventure died was the day a major electrical fault caused a fire at the end of the ride and damaged the final ghost pirates scene and took out the audio as well. That's why after the pirates in the cave scene was all quiet to you pulled back into the exit station. Where the scene was to the right and the pirates heads when you up and down and turn. It said roughly thanks for riding the pirate adventure I hope you join us again soon. I found a pic where the scene was at the end of the pirate adventure section http://forum.towerstimes.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=22314
It's a park of two parts Thomasland and the rest.
Twenty years ago Towers and Drayton competed more directly both investing in a similar area of the market however since then they have moved in slightly different directions Towers with a more thrill rollercoaster bias and Drayton more towards young families. It's our local park but we visit infrequently as prefer to drive to Towers to go on the rollercoasters. On the flip side I have friends with young children who despite having Merlin passes this year still visited Drayton as for them the kids preferred Thomasland.
Whilst Thomasland continues to get investment and is well visited the rest has stagnated a lot over recent years. This was the case before the splash canyon incident and all the incident is likely to do is mean this continues for a longer than previously intended with investment pushed back.
The response from the parks owners post incident has been also been very different to Merlin who immediately appeared to introduced severe cuts to both ride line ups and operating hours, Drayton have not done this to the same extent. Prices have dropped to encourage guests and to a large extent that seems to have worked. Over the summer it certainly did not have the same empty feel to it that Towers had in the summer 2015.
Their planned operating hours certainly put Merlin to shame at the minute. No 2018 season dates have been announced yet however on the website winter 2017 dates show the park open almost twice as many days as it is closed between now and the end of the year and a 2 week February half term event (admittedly Thomasland only etc).
The main issue is the stagnation outside of Thomasland which needs addressing in the near future (it has done for a while now) if they are to stay a whole family destination as opposed to a young family destination similar to Gullivers. I would love them to get some quality thrill coasters and compete more directly however I accept it's not going to happen. An area similar to the dinosaur land at Paultons would be ideal fit for Drayton as it would provide something new and exciting but still family orientated.
Twenty years ago Towers and Drayton competed more directly both investing in a similar area of the market however since then they have moved in slightly different directions Towers with a more thrill rollercoaster bias and Drayton more towards young families. It's our local park but we visit infrequently as prefer to drive to Towers to go on the rollercoasters. On the flip side I have friends with young children who despite having Merlin passes this year still visited Drayton as for them the kids preferred Thomasland.
Whilst Thomasland continues to get investment and is well visited the rest has stagnated a lot over recent years. This was the case before the splash canyon incident and all the incident is likely to do is mean this continues for a longer than previously intended with investment pushed back.
The response from the parks owners post incident has been also been very different to Merlin who immediately appeared to introduced severe cuts to both ride line ups and operating hours, Drayton have not done this to the same extent. Prices have dropped to encourage guests and to a large extent that seems to have worked. Over the summer it certainly did not have the same empty feel to it that Towers had in the summer 2015.
Their planned operating hours certainly put Merlin to shame at the minute. No 2018 season dates have been announced yet however on the website winter 2017 dates show the park open almost twice as many days as it is closed between now and the end of the year and a 2 week February half term event (admittedly Thomasland only etc).
The main issue is the stagnation outside of Thomasland which needs addressing in the near future (it has done for a while now) if they are to stay a whole family destination as opposed to a young family destination similar to Gullivers. I would love them to get some quality thrill coasters and compete more directly however I accept it's not going to happen. An area similar to the dinosaur land at Paultons would be ideal fit for Drayton as it would provide something new and exciting but still family orientated.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
Drayton Manor reopens on the 28th March and closes on the 4th November.
Matt N
TS Member
A Wednesday seems random for Drayton to reopen.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
It could be that 30th March is good Friday.
venny
TS Member
For me when I think of Drayton I first think of the coasters - and the two main ones just don’t draw me to the park. Mainly because neither of them are particularly pleasant and are a bit gimmicky. Other than that there’s been a reduction in the supporting rides like Pirates and Excalibur. The only thing making me want to visit really is Maelstrom and Apocalypse.
When there’s just two flat rides drawing you to a park there’s a potential problem. In an ideal world if there were one medium size decent coaster of the likes of a Megafobia I’d be there a lot more often. I know I probably don’t speak for the majority of the GP in this regard, but if there is going to be another major investment at the park I’d like to see it go to something like this.
When there’s just two flat rides drawing you to a park there’s a potential problem. In an ideal world if there were one medium size decent coaster of the likes of a Megafobia I’d be there a lot more often. I know I probably don’t speak for the majority of the GP in this regard, but if there is going to be another major investment at the park I’d like to see it go to something like this.
Matt N
TS Member
I think it is, actually.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
What you got to remember is that 80% of Drayton Manors target crowd is under 1.2m tall. My daughter Isnt tall enough for the thill rides and the big coasters she's not tall enough yet but 75% of the rides we both enjoy.
Alton Towers on the other hand at the moment just really caterers for the kids under 1m tall or kids over 1.3m tall there's nothing really in between there. Like I took her to Alton Towers in September and she found the kids rides boring compared to the rides on offer in Thomasland. Then as you walk round the park she's not tall enough for Marauder's Mayhem and 7 of the parks main coasters. At Drayton she can go on 3 coasters compared to 2 at Alton Towers and 1 was out of service when we were there. Outside of CBeebies land there's not a lot to do unless you want to get wet if your under 1.2m tall.
Alton Towers on the other hand at the moment just really caterers for the kids under 1m tall or kids over 1.3m tall there's nothing really in between there. Like I took her to Alton Towers in September and she found the kids rides boring compared to the rides on offer in Thomasland. Then as you walk round the park she's not tall enough for Marauder's Mayhem and 7 of the parks main coasters. At Drayton she can go on 3 coasters compared to 2 at Alton Towers and 1 was out of service when we were there. Outside of CBeebies land there's not a lot to do unless you want to get wet if your under 1.2m tall.
Drayton is like one of the weirdest parks I've been to. I feel with the exception of Thomas Land and the likes of Stormforce and Apocalypse, the whole place could be either and started over. Odd layout with an odd mixture of rides.
And compared to Paultons, they have a massive lack of imagination when it comes to Thomas Land, adding Zamperla ride after ride. Look at James and the Red Balloon compared to the new Peppa Pig rides for 2018.
The way Paultons is heading, in 10 years it could well be one of Europe's best family parks. Yet in 10 years I fear that Drayton may not even be here. And it would be their own fault too.
IMO they'e just always go for odd investment choice. The park has a bit of a mishmash layout, and a lot of flats.... did they really need AirRace? I don't think so, pump that £1m+ into sorting out Pirates Adventure, and move one of the other flats there, just to free up a bit of space, and do a Merlin, just make a garden out of it.
Been a few years since I've been now, but I always picture the area around Apocalypse being an ugly mess of concrete and rides, so moving some and making a nice green area would make it feel a bit more pleasant IMO.
And compared to Paultons, they have a massive lack of imagination when it comes to Thomas Land, adding Zamperla ride after ride. Look at James and the Red Balloon compared to the new Peppa Pig rides for 2018.
The way Paultons is heading, in 10 years it could well be one of Europe's best family parks. Yet in 10 years I fear that Drayton may not even be here. And it would be their own fault too.
IMO they'e just always go for odd investment choice. The park has a bit of a mishmash layout, and a lot of flats.... did they really need AirRace? I don't think so, pump that £1m+ into sorting out Pirates Adventure, and move one of the other flats there, just to free up a bit of space, and do a Merlin, just make a garden out of it.
Been a few years since I've been now, but I always picture the area around Apocalypse being an ugly mess of concrete and rides, so moving some and making a nice green area would make it feel a bit more pleasant IMO.
I do agree about Air Race. Last time I went I spend two days there during term time with absolutely no queues (we had to wait 20 minutes for more riders at G Force because they need a minimum number to send the train), but I only bothered to do Air Race once.
I don't know how much you know about the background to Drayton Manor Lordy, but there are a couple of factors behind the layout, which you may already know about. Firstly, like Alton Towers, Drayton Manor is built in the grounds of a stately home originally owned by the Peel family.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Peel
Most of the stately home was sadly demolished, but a small part remains at the front of the site by the entrance from the hotel and coach park (look out for the clock tower). The park is partly shaped by how the Peel family chose to landscape the site before a theme park was considered. I believe the lakes pre-date the park. There used to be a museum about the stately home in the zoo, next to the museum about Bryan's Penny slot machines, but last time I went to Drayton Manor it looked like it had gone.
Secondly Drayton Manor has quite strict planning issues with a housing estate running down one side of the park. That's why there are signs in Aerial Park asking people not to scream and why they had to remove Cyclone (Huss Enterprise). This also helps determine which rides can go where.
I actually like the layout of Drayton Manor as it's quirky and a bit different. I do, however, agree about the themes being a mish mash. In this respect, aside from Thomasland, things have gone backwards. Maelstrom, Storm Force 10, the miniature railway and Gallopers were all themed to a Cornish seaside town. True, Maelstrom uses a bit of 'artistic licence', but nothing wrong with that in a theme park. Pirate Cove had Pirate Adventure, a pirate ship and pirate raft themed roundabout. Action Park was Wild West themed, but started to lose the theme when Klondike Gold Mine was replaced by G Force. At one time most of the park was divided into themed areas, except Aerial Park which has always been a bit of this, a bit of that.
Drayton Manor has been innovative. Shockwave maybe dismissed a gimmick by some, but I'd rather have Shockwave than a standard Vekoma like quite a few major parks around the world added at the time. The Haunting isn't as good as Hex, but it did come first. The Wild West shoot out was the first of Britain's four shoot 'em ups to be built. Not everyone sees the point in world's first and some people will say, 'just building something that's fun'. But with Drayton Manor there was the sense of, 'what will they come up with next', and I liked that.
I think the theory behind buying up most of Zamperla's catalogue was that if you have lots of rides from a similar manufacturer they're easier to maintain because they will use similar parts. Whether it's been a rise decision I'm not sure. Since they've gone back for more Zamperla's presumably they were reasonably happy with the service. I've heard that Zamperla rides aren't always the highest quality, but I suppose you also get what you pay for and they're probably at the more affordable end of the spectrum.
I don't know how much you know about the background to Drayton Manor Lordy, but there are a couple of factors behind the layout, which you may already know about. Firstly, like Alton Towers, Drayton Manor is built in the grounds of a stately home originally owned by the Peel family.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Peel
Most of the stately home was sadly demolished, but a small part remains at the front of the site by the entrance from the hotel and coach park (look out for the clock tower). The park is partly shaped by how the Peel family chose to landscape the site before a theme park was considered. I believe the lakes pre-date the park. There used to be a museum about the stately home in the zoo, next to the museum about Bryan's Penny slot machines, but last time I went to Drayton Manor it looked like it had gone.
Secondly Drayton Manor has quite strict planning issues with a housing estate running down one side of the park. That's why there are signs in Aerial Park asking people not to scream and why they had to remove Cyclone (Huss Enterprise). This also helps determine which rides can go where.
I actually like the layout of Drayton Manor as it's quirky and a bit different. I do, however, agree about the themes being a mish mash. In this respect, aside from Thomasland, things have gone backwards. Maelstrom, Storm Force 10, the miniature railway and Gallopers were all themed to a Cornish seaside town. True, Maelstrom uses a bit of 'artistic licence', but nothing wrong with that in a theme park. Pirate Cove had Pirate Adventure, a pirate ship and pirate raft themed roundabout. Action Park was Wild West themed, but started to lose the theme when Klondike Gold Mine was replaced by G Force. At one time most of the park was divided into themed areas, except Aerial Park which has always been a bit of this, a bit of that.
Drayton Manor has been innovative. Shockwave maybe dismissed a gimmick by some, but I'd rather have Shockwave than a standard Vekoma like quite a few major parks around the world added at the time. The Haunting isn't as good as Hex, but it did come first. The Wild West shoot out was the first of Britain's four shoot 'em ups to be built. Not everyone sees the point in world's first and some people will say, 'just building something that's fun'. But with Drayton Manor there was the sense of, 'what will they come up with next', and I liked that.
I think the theory behind buying up most of Zamperla's catalogue was that if you have lots of rides from a similar manufacturer they're easier to maintain because they will use similar parts. Whether it's been a rise decision I'm not sure. Since they've gone back for more Zamperla's presumably they were reasonably happy with the service. I've heard that Zamperla rides aren't always the highest quality, but I suppose you also get what you pay for and they're probably at the more affordable end of the spectrum.
My comment regarding the layout was more to do with the placement of rides, than the shape of the park. I just feel that there's too much bunched together and it comes across like a basic RCT park. Better placement of rides and some decent (basic) landscaping could make a huge difference IMO.
The Zamperla comment was more aimed at the repetitive feel of Thomas Land, with so many of the rides being a similar cheap style, and they look it though. Thomas Land started as really good quality attraction, but I feel the more they've added, the worse it has become in terms of quality. Whilst it' taken Paultons a lot longer to expand Peppa Pig world, at least they'e added some top quality attractions to the rest of th park, and the new Peppa Pig rides look really neat to (I don't understand how this development appears to have slipped under the radar? There looks to be a large castle of some sort being built, along with a monorail and a boat ride.)
I just hope they don't go and add yet other flat ride to where the Wheel was. They could so with selling some to Merlin XD
The Zamperla comment was more aimed at the repetitive feel of Thomas Land, with so many of the rides being a similar cheap style, and they look it though. Thomas Land started as really good quality attraction, but I feel the more they've added, the worse it has become in terms of quality. Whilst it' taken Paultons a lot longer to expand Peppa Pig world, at least they'e added some top quality attractions to the rest of th park, and the new Peppa Pig rides look really neat to (I don't understand how this development appears to have slipped under the radar? There looks to be a large castle of some sort being built, along with a monorail and a boat ride.)
I just hope they don't go and add yet other flat ride to where the Wheel was. They could so with selling some to Merlin XD
Sauron97
TS Member
I agree with both of you on the main problem the park faces: placement of rides and the theming area 'identities'.
I think the strongest themed areas in the whole park are Fisherman's Wharf and Pirate Cove, so it would be great if boundaries were made to define these areas further. Perhaps a coastal wall or overhead fishing nets around area next to Neptune's arcade and Maelstrom would help. The problem, as identified, is that G force is not a heavily themed ride, and does not fit well being next to Fisherman's Wharf.
Pirates Cove shouldn't be as difficult. I personally would prefer a retheme to something more Medieval related, given the Fortress shape of the building and the old Excalibur building next to it. A nice medieval village, with foliage at the entrance in the centre of the Park would help immensely.
The areas that are Harder to theme and sort out seem to Action park; Shockwave and Splash Canyon, which used to fit reasonably well with Klondike in to a mining area, feel a little out of place. Unfortunately, I believe the solution to this is a total retheme of the Shockwave and Splash Canyon station to fit the Air Race and G-force undertone. A large metallic, lightly colored building would suit the Shockwave station well. I'm not sure how Splash Canyon could fit this theme as of yet though...
Aerial park also has a random mixture of rides. Pandemonium could fit well if relocated to Action park. The top of the park could be a Bavarian Village (given Drunken Barrels/Oktoberfest theme) and Golden Nuggets would need an Overhaul to fit in with this (Robbers inside a brewery perhaps?), and the Haunting would perhaps just need to undergo one final retheme to fit the area too. An archway between half-timbered buildings on the right hand side of this village area could lead to the apocalypse area.
I think the strongest themed areas in the whole park are Fisherman's Wharf and Pirate Cove, so it would be great if boundaries were made to define these areas further. Perhaps a coastal wall or overhead fishing nets around area next to Neptune's arcade and Maelstrom would help. The problem, as identified, is that G force is not a heavily themed ride, and does not fit well being next to Fisherman's Wharf.
Pirates Cove shouldn't be as difficult. I personally would prefer a retheme to something more Medieval related, given the Fortress shape of the building and the old Excalibur building next to it. A nice medieval village, with foliage at the entrance in the centre of the Park would help immensely.
The areas that are Harder to theme and sort out seem to Action park; Shockwave and Splash Canyon, which used to fit reasonably well with Klondike in to a mining area, feel a little out of place. Unfortunately, I believe the solution to this is a total retheme of the Shockwave and Splash Canyon station to fit the Air Race and G-force undertone. A large metallic, lightly colored building would suit the Shockwave station well. I'm not sure how Splash Canyon could fit this theme as of yet though...
Aerial park also has a random mixture of rides. Pandemonium could fit well if relocated to Action park. The top of the park could be a Bavarian Village (given Drunken Barrels/Oktoberfest theme) and Golden Nuggets would need an Overhaul to fit in with this (Robbers inside a brewery perhaps?), and the Haunting would perhaps just need to undergo one final retheme to fit the area too. An archway between half-timbered buildings on the right hand side of this village area could lead to the apocalypse area.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
I don't think we seen the last of the pirate adventure as the park spend quite a bit of money on the new theming of the bumper cars. Why retheme it to look like a pirates village building if they were planning on retheming pirate cove.
I think the golden nugget ride also has been fixed up as most of the targets work again.
I think the golden nugget ride also has been fixed up as most of the targets work again.
