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Drayton Manor Park
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
I been took now that Drayton on the right track again they plan on adding new rides every 2 years with park upgrades in between.
No I got no concrete evidence of anything going on inside the building but been an Annual pass holder since 2017 ’I speak to a lot of staff. When I asked even last year many staff said to me the maintenance building had been cleared but the ride had not been touched since 2019/2020 when the staff helped to remove the ride. Then lift hills and thrills confirmed to me that some of the boats had gone off side to be refreshed. All staff have now changed there tone to now there is now work going on inside the building but they can’t say what and they don’t want to risk there jobs. Even the maintenance staff have told me they powered up the system and it works and all the 3 lift hill motors work and it’s driving the chain but there’s still no water in the ride or boats back on site.
No one has confirmed it will be pirate themed but the looping group has a habit of bringing SBNO rides back and refurbing rides that should have closed years ago.
Even Shawn who has covered all 3 big construction projects at the park has said that to me and I’m sure to other fans that yes there is something going on in the building but his got to wait to Victoria Lynn gives him the go ahead but was told to keep a eye on the channel around late Summer.
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hhonestly, Drayton Manor are damned if they do and damned if they don’t when it comes to the old Pirates building. Put a new pirates themed dark ride in? Cue no end of tearful and emotional influencers and thoosies waxing lyrical about how bad it is and “it was never as good as that what when the Bryan’s did it” - don’t replace it like for like and we’ll get “they should’ve bought Pirates back, that would’ve been the single best and only way this theme park could ever have been successful and now the rightly deserve their inevitable downfall”. The best thing that could happen to that whole building is to flatten it, redevelop it and move on. For probably a major Thomas land expansion.
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
Yes the building not been used by the public in over 10 years but the building roof has been repaired. Splash Canyon was also left SBNO outside for 4 years and except for the concrete channels and most of the queue line it was really a whole new ride system, boats, replaced all the wood on the lift hill and on the turntable and added more features.
Even Storm force 10 has had a whole new operating system installed at the start of the 2023 season and that’s slowly looking as good as it did when it opened in 1999.
Even Storm force 10 has had a whole new operating system installed at the start of the 2023 season and that’s slowly looking as good as it did when it opened in 1999.
I remember there was a season not too long ago StormForce 10 was down an entire season alongside Pandemonium
Poisson
TS Member
Not sure parks are in the business of telling plans to random seasonal staff.
Having done work experience before at a different park I know staff don't get much information from upper management
owenstreet7
TS Member
I thought that too but with the discussion around Paultons and Valgard before the official reveal, I do wonder how much actually gets revealed to staff.
There was once an urban legend at Thorpe Park stating that Slammer couldn't be removed without doing the same with Rush. It has been proven otherwise as of earlier this year (either it was a time limited clause or it was purely an urban legend).
Matt N
TS Member
It’s worth remembering, though, that if we always believed staff members, Apocalypse would still be here. I seem to remember a post on here very confidently stating that Apocalypse was going nowhere, citing a staff member as the source, just a month before it went… despite the fact that the demise had been confirmed at an Attraction Source event earlier that year and the ride was for sale on Interlink.
I’m not saying that some staff members don’t have connections and that stuff doesn’t get around, but I think they are, at best, an unreliable source.
Not to mention that some staff members in theme parks apparently have a liking for winding up enthusiasts with this sort of thing…
I’m not saying that some staff members don’t have connections and that stuff doesn’t get around, but I think they are, at best, an unreliable source.
Not to mention that some staff members in theme parks apparently have a liking for winding up enthusiasts with this sort of thing…
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
Heck, Paulton's Park has shown that you can't even trust what executive staff / part owners of a park state at PR events...
Jb85
TS Member
DistortAMG
TS Member
Are we talking about the same ride here? The ride objectively looks no where near like it did in 1999. The queue line and station are a shadow of there former selves, many things missing from the original, what is there, is looking very old and tired. The animatronic is also static, all the different audio around the queue is long gone.
The ride itself, many theming pieces are missing, the boat being one, what is there, again is all looking tired and worn.
If you are trying to make the argument that they are excelling at themed entertainment, objectively, there are many reasons to say otherwise. They have built new themed areas yes, but these themed areas are all 95% painted wood. Long gone are the days of actual theming, and bespoke set pieces. This is why I worry about them being able to pull off something as complex as a dark ride.
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Jb85
TS Member
Nail on the head
There is theming then there is theming. Drayton simply paint things nicely.
Storm Force when first opened was a great ride. Now it’s just a mess
That is in your opinion I still think it looks great the queue line is still very well themed this is the difference between long time goers and newbies I have been to Drayton since 2017. Yes it could do with more work sure but it's still a fantastic ride, I think the fence along it looks so much better than before and the green foliage along the waterfalls walls look better to
Themeparksandy1981
TS Member
Sorry I meant what I can see from the outside of the ride as not been on it since 2020 as back then my daughter was just over 1.3m but since 2021 been taking my son a long as his not even 1.2m yet.
As when the ride was down for the 2017 season. It was meant to reopen to the public at the end of May but the Rapids death happened and they spent the rest of the season installing lots of CCTV cameras and a new PA system all around the ride.
Also with the staff it’s full time staff I speak to who’s been at the park since I been an annual pass holder. Staff won’t want to risk losing there job like the person who was an insider for chall chats who revealed everything for the adventure cove and Vikings project.
I think even Shawn knows the plans for the building but his got an agreement with the park not to reveal anything to his given the go ahead which usually is with an interview with Victoria Lynn.
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And if we are a little bit stuck on repeat, can I remind one and all that the park owner told me all about the buffalo coaster replacement ride coming very soon, a full quarter century ago...because the ride was worn out and poorly placed.
Still waiting.
DistortAMG
TS Member
My opinion is in there yes, but much of what I said in that post is not my opinion. It's objective. It is fact.
The queue and ride has lots of things missing and not working from the past, it looks very worn in places, dusty and dirty in some of the scenery in the queue, non of that is my opinion, it is fact. As you can go and see everything ive said there, for yourself.
My opinion is that it still looks relatively good overall, I never once said it still doesnt look good and I never once said it was not a fantastic ride, it is, so I am not sure why you are assuming I said or even implied that for highlighting the fact that many things are missing since the ride opened in 1999.
Highlighting flaws of something does not automatically equal you not liking said thing. It never has either.
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