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Lightwater Valley

I consider the park’s message from a few posts back to be the unofficial closure announcement of the ride.

If the park’s new young family route works well for them, they won’t reopen (what they consider) a white knuckle ride which wouldn’t fit in their target market. Not to mention the “substantial” maintenance required after at least two years SBNO.

If this doesn’t work for them? Well they’ll no doubt shut down. Just like American Adventure did those several years ago.

Regardless of what happens now, The Ultimate is unfortunately doomed if they do and doomed if they don’t.
 
Why do so many people and parks think that rides aimed solely at infants , count as family rides?

Family rides are of interest to a wide age range - e.g dark rides, runaway mine trains, rapids, log flumes, pirate ships, chair swings, mid sized coasters etc..

There is a very successful chain of kids parks, Gullivers (and even they manage the occasional proper family ride) . They are very good at what they do so there is no reason why LWV can't be successful - if they get the ride offering right - but you need more than rides for 3 to 4 year olds.

It's days as a theme park for all the family are over unfortunately.







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shakey said:
Why do so many people and parks think that rides aimed solely at infant school kids are family rides?
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This is unlikely to be a choice, but a reality of having no money.

It certainly was in the case of The American Adventure - after years of having been squeezed so hard that all but essential maintenance was skipped, the park effectively had 3 signature rides and a slew of support attractions which could no longer run without a serious capital investment, which they couldn't afford.

Calling it a shift to the family market is just putting a brave face on it.

I've never been to Lightwater, sadly, but I've watched from afar and it does seem pretty doomed.

What really kills the parks who make this sort of move is the school trips - American Adventure did alright in 2005 against their own expectations, but in 2006 the school trip bookings dropped off a cliff after schools visited in 2005 and found that it was actually quite hard to fill a day for a tween/early teen. I guess this is unlikely to be a problem for LWV this year...
 
Well there we have it, looks extremely unlikely that I am ever visiting Lightwater Valley again. A shame as I actually quite enjoyed The Ultimate on my last visit, however the park itself is just so very very poor.

I've not been to Flamingoland for a while but I reckon they probably have a betters kids line-up than Lightwater are going to have?
 
James Watkins said:
Lightwater Valley have now released an article, in which the manager officially reveals what we already knew.
https://www.lightwatervalley.co.uk/news/view/lightwater-valley-set-to-broaden-offering-for-young-families-in-2021/
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Well they were gonna have to with the amount of messages they were probably be receiving on social media1
AstroDan said:
It won't re-open. Let's not pretend. LWV will just leave it to gradually decay and will become a quasi-cool art installation in the woods.
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No it will become the next Son of Beast literally no jokes and then we'll soon get a video posted of them pulling down the Ultimate's first lift hill.... Not looking good, there will be no enthusiasts or barely any visiting in 2021! I'm glad i got my ride on the Ultimate when i did!
 
Rob said:
I've not been to Flamingoland for a while but I reckon they probably have a betters kids line-up than Lightwater are going to have?
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Let's see;

(I have included family rides as well)
​
Mingo-

- Helitoys
- Go Gator
- Dino Roller
- Vortex
- Frog Hopper
- Runaway Train
- HMS Bouncy
- Zooom
- Twistosaurus
- Cyclosaur
- Muddy Duck Tractor ride
- Voodoo
- Balloon Race
- Rotataur
- Little Monsters Wacky Races
- Lost River Ride
- Splash Battle
- Gallopers
- Flamingo 1
Mischief Mansion

(Total: 20)

LWV-

- Monkey Drop (new)
- Convoy Trucks (new)
- Elephant Flight (new)
- Jumping Kangaroos (new)
- Savanna Express (new)
- Hot Air Balloons (new)
- Carousel
- Clownaround
- Dragon Boats
- Eagles Creek Farm
- Flying Cutlass
- Human Cannonball
- Jurassic Adventure
- Ladybug
- Lightwater Express
- Little Dipper
- Noah's Ark
- Pirate Swinger
- Skyrider
- Skull Rock
- Space Pirates
- Splash Falls
- Swan Boats
- Trauma Tower
- Vintage Cars
- Wave Rider

(Total: 26 (20 excluding the 6 new rides))

Excluding LWV's new rides, both parks actually had the same amount of kids/family rides.







​
 
shakey said:
Why do so many people and parks think that rides aimed solely at infants , count as family rides?
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Yep, the park could at least be honest and say families with young children.

Although not even Disney seem to think too much about one of Walt's original reasons for building Disneyland, that he was fed up of sitting on a bench watching his daughter on a carousel and wanted rides that included the whole family.
 
Pleasure Beach Valhalla said:
No it will become the next Son of Beast literally no jokes and then we'll soon get a video posted of them pulling down the Ultimate's first lift hill.... Not looking good, there will be no enthusiasts or barely any visiting in 2021! I'm glad i got my ride on the Ultimate when i did!
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With it being such a huge coaster it will cost money that they simply don't have to remove it. It will stand until the day someone else equires the land for a different use and eventually tears it down, although chances are the bits in the woods could just be left for many many years to come.
 
jon81uk said:
Yep, the park could at least be honest and say families with young children.

Although not even Disney seem to think too much about one of Walt's original reasons for building Disneyland, that he was fed up of sitting on a bench watching his daughter on a carousel and wanted rides that included the whole family.
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Unfortunately I think in LWV's case, they are simply close to bankruptcy and kiddies flat rides are cheap to buy and maintain. Their statement about the target market is just nonsense really.

Fair point about Walt. Theme parks are at their best when they offer something for everyone, and that is where LWV will have a problem if they don't have some real family attractions.

If they do target families with very young children but ask parents to pay full price - with nothing for them to do but watch little Johnny on Billy Badgers Car Ride - they may find those families will go somewhere else.
 
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jon81uk said:
Yep, the park could at least be honest and say families with young children.

Although not even Disney seem to think too much about one of Walt's original reasons for building Disneyland, that he was fed up of sitting on a bench watching his daughter on a carousel and wanted rides that included the whole family.
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In his own words "Disneyland is you land" and tbh that's what all theme parks and amusement parks should be, for everyone not just singling out a category! I don't feel like Lightwater Valley is "the guests land" now it's just for kids and the only enthusiast will go there probably ride Powder Keggs and Skyrider and then leave because there's nothing else thrilling to do with The Ultimate closed. People are going to go there and be very disappointed when they find some of the best rides are gone! And they won't return and that's what will kill Lightwater Valley!
 
I went to this park it must of been 1996 and was about 15/16. I never rode the Ultimate and Ultimately now regret that decision.

This season 2021 I was hoping that it would be open one last year even on limited days (weekends only) to get a ride to see what i have missed out on. I would have been able to take my family to the park to try the new rides and it would of been a great day, however if my wife now asks if we should go i will just say no due to the fact Gullivers Rother Valley is 5mins away.
 
Spark said:
I went to this park it must of been 1996 and was about 15/16. I never rode the Ultimate and Ultimately now regret that decision.

This season 2021 I was hoping that it would be open one last year even on limited days (weekends only) to get a ride to see what i have missed out on. I would have been able to take my family to the park to try the new rides and it would of been a great day, however if my wife now asks if we should go i will just say no due to the fact Gullivers Rother Valley is 5mins away.
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Probably worth going to Flamingo if wanting the family day out, Gullivers seems good for small kids only
 
I find gullivers perfect for small families, when I used to take my youngest relatives it was always a struggle with most parks as they couldn’t understand why they couldn’t ride certain rides they could see. Taking them to gullivers was perfect day out as everything they could see they could ride so the day went more smoothly than other parks they was taken too.
 
My kids are 5 and 3 so GRV suits them at the moment

Mingo does look good, but maybe in a couple of years
 
I looked at Google Earth to see where about the ultimate went after watching a YouTube video of the coaster.
With nothing else built in the middle of the coaster area do u think they could be selling that area of the park to raise more funds for the rest of the park?
 
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