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Lightwater Valley

D4n said:
Oakwood still have one, I went on it last year.

Never been more terrified in my life.
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I'm not sure if it's awful or I got my technique wrong, but I hit the bottom of that slide like a sack of manure and hobbled like John Wayne for the rest of the day.

Creally's used to have a couple in a barn, I think they're still going.
 
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Dairyland Farm World near Newquay have a double, staggered height vertical drop. Look it up, there’s a kiddy one with bump in it on one side of the double drop, and also a mini astro glide on the other. If you are a slide nerd it’s the place to go. I was old enough to know better when I went but couldn’t wait to get on them.

As a youngster I bricked it doing Dead Man’s Drop at Dingoland. I’m sure you had to wear long trousers to avoid burn marks. Again, great leaflet Rick

I’m old enough to remember the BPB Astro Glide too
 
Yeah Yorkshire Wildlife Park have three slides next to each other; a wavy racing mat slide with 4 lanes, a vertical slide with a bump that ends in a ball pit, and the big vertical drop slide with two entry points of different heights.
 
Rojo said:
I'm not sure if it's awful or I got my technique wrong, but I hit the bottom of that slide like a sack of manure and hobbled like John Wayne for the rest of the day.
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Yep, that pretty much sums it up. It flattens out too quickly at the bottom, I'm sure, might as well just leap arse first off a ten-metre ledge.
 
I had a little look at LWV’s website today, I haven’t visited or paid any attention to the park since 2015, but before then I used to visit several times a year.

I was pretty shocked to see that a lot of the support rides, including the Enterprise, the flying camels and the big wheel have all been removed, with nothing except a travelling Waltzer ride replacing these attractions (which looks god awful). I also notice that they’ve lost the Angry Birds IP.

So what’s been going on at the park while I’ve been away? Why have so many rides disappeared? The park seemed to be doing pretty well in the 2010-2015 years with lots of buzz around Skeleton Cove, Eagles Creek Farm and general improvements around the park. Is it a different story now? I’m really confused about what’s happened.
 
There was the Twister incident last May, which could have had an impact, but I too am somewhat mystified as to why the park's fortunes have seemingly turned for the worse in recent years. I thought English Heritage purchased the park last year, so it could be safe for the time being and it might receive a little more investment in the coming years? Or did I imagine that?
 
And we've got to take Covid-19 into account too. Do we think they'll survive being closed for so long?
 
skyscraper said:
And we've got to take Covid-19 into account too. Do we think they'll survive being closed for so long?
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The government's financial support announcements for businesses (e.g. paying 80% of wages, business rate holiday until the end of the year and loans/grants) should certainly help them stay afloat to an extent, but it's whether that extent is enough in the long term that's the question. I get the impression that the park was struggling to stay afloat before COVID-19 broke out, so it's definitely one of the UK parks to be most worried about in this whole situation.

I hope they survive, as The Ultimate looks like one of the world's most unique coasters, and as much as it's not a universal crowd pleaser, it has plenty of love around these parts, and something so unique would be a huge loss to the British theme park industry.
 
Matt N said:
There was the Twister incident last May, which could have had an impact, but I too am somewhat mystified as to why the park's fortunes have seemingly turned for the worse in recent years. I thought English Heritage purchased the park last year, so it could be safe for the time being and it might receive a little more investment in the coming years? Or did I imagine that?
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Lightwater Valley used to be owned by Heritage GB, who own the Snowdon Mountain Railway, Lands End, John O’ Groats and The Needles. They did open the Mattel Play Centre in Liverpool, but it’s disappeared off the Heritage GB website and I can’t see who owns it mentioned on the Play Centre’s own website. Have they sold it?

https://www.heritagegb.co.uk/
https://www.mattelplayliverpool.com/
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...s-news/first-look-inside-mattel-play-10916159

In 2017 Heritage GB sold Lightwater Valley to Livingstone Leisure, who own Birdland in Boughton on the Water and Flambards in Cornwall (which I think they bought out of administration).

I don't think Lightwater Valley's an easy park to make money out of, but I suspect a lot of fans had hoped that there might have been a bit more sign of investment by now. The accident on Twister and now the coronavirus haven't given them an easy ride, but it's hard to see what their strategy is for turning the park around. It's a shame, because as Enter Valhalla says, the park did pick up momentum for about 5 years, but it's really died off.
 
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There is so much space there, they really could add a good number of rides without the need to remove anything, but getting rid of stuff they already have and not replacing it is concerning. Raptor Attack is ok but has terrible throughout, the water slides are a good laugh, Ladybird kiddy coaster ok, (even @rob666 drew the line at the Little Dipper coaster) but really it’s a one ride park for me as I’m not a fan of spinnies.

Fortunately that ride (The Ultimate) is an absolutely bonkers, completely insane one off coaster which leaves you wondering what the hell just happened. When some normality returns, I’d really like to get an Ultimate fix
 
Lightwater and Oakwood have so much in common and one of those things is that, despite not having many rides, those that they do have are mainly unique to the UK (or even the world) or are just plain bonkers.

The likes of Megafobia and Waterfall at Oakwood, and The Ultimate and Raptor Attack at Lightwater would be hugely missed if their respective parks were to close. They're also the only theme parks in the country with decent water slides (despite Thorpe having had two attempts at competing).

It's the reason why I have always preferred these parks to the likes of Flamingo Land and Drayton Manor which might technically be better, but really lack anything special.
 
Funcone said:
Lightwater Valley used to be owned by Heritage GB, who own the Snowdon Mountain Railway, Lands End, John O’ Groats and The Needles. They did open the Mattel Play Centre in Liverpool, but it’s disappeared off the Heritage GB website and I can’t see who owns it mentioned on the Play Centre’s own website. Have they sold it?

https://www.heritagegb.co.uk/
https://www.mattelplayliverpool.com/
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...s-news/first-look-inside-mattel-play-10916159

In 2017 Heritage GB sold Lightwater Valley to Livingstone Leisure, who own Birdland in Boughton on the Water and Flambards in Cornwall (which I think they bought out of administration).

I don't think Lightwater Valley's an easy park to make money out of, but I suspect a lot of fans had hoped that there might have been a bit more sign of investment by now. The accident on Twister and now the coronavirus haven't given them an easy ride, but it's hard to see what their strategy is for turning the park around. It's a shame, because as Enter Valhalla says, the park did pick up momentum for about 5 years, but it's really died off.
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Ah right. Thanks for the clarification @Funcone!
 
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