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Lightwater Valley
- Thread starter Nathan
- Start date
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
All the good rides have been sold off or are SBNO and the park has been sold to Brighton pier.
Jb85
TS Member
Oh …. That’s a shame. A long way back then, there weren’t that many good rides to start with.
Brighton pier? That’s an odd match surely?
Thameslink Rail
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Brighton Pier also own a few bars and crazy golf courses around the country
As for rides,
Ultimate has been SBNO since 2019
Raptor Attack is at Cotaland, Texas
Twister has been sold to Emmerson Edwards.
Ride Rater wrote about the changes to the park here:
Lightwater Valley sold to Brighton Pier Group | RideRater
As for rides,
Ultimate has been SBNO since 2019
Raptor Attack is at Cotaland, Texas
Twister has been sold to Emmerson Edwards.
Ride Rater wrote about the changes to the park here:
Lightwater Valley sold to Brighton Pier Group | RideRater
Jb85
TS Member
thanks for the link I’ll take a look
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
I'll just leave this here...
I'm still not convinced it will ever open again, given that the park has already removed most of the other thrill rides and changed to a more young family-oriented park. And what's the point of even opening it just for a farewell event. Not going to happen.
I'm still not convinced it will ever open again, given that the park has already removed most of the other thrill rides and changed to a more young family-oriented park. And what's the point of even opening it just for a farewell event. Not going to happen.
"After a thorough evaluation by a specialised engineering company, we are sad to announce that t'Ultimate is sadly closed for good. The amount of work that would have to be undertaken to bring it back to a safe standard is beyond economic reason.
Souvenir lumps of wood and metal available in the gift shop."
Souvenir lumps of wood and metal available in the gift shop."
So I can be selfish and actually ride it for the 1ST TIME (Like many others). I mean, I'll pay full entry price just to session it for awhile till my body can take no more, then come home.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
If it ran like it used to it would take just one ride for that. Pure torture.
One year it was so rough I genuinely worried that I had concussion.
Remember: You don’t ride The Ultimate, it rides you
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Promisingly, Lightwater Valley was singled out by Brighton Pier Group as having performed “ahead of expectations” in 2021: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...PLO1MR29zT6dMiUghAHtxDd5wKh4g6NiOg3IG8SIU&s=1
No specific figures were given, but the group singled out Lightwater Valley as a star performer in their recent results reveal, where the group also revealed that their total sales were expected to be £22.7million, which is up by 177% on the same period in 2020 and even up 31% compared to pre-COVID levels in 2019.
Promising stuff, no? While it may not be the future that some desire, I do think Lightwater could have a promising future ahead of it within the next few years as they forge their new path of appealing to the under-10s!
No specific figures were given, but the group singled out Lightwater Valley as a star performer in their recent results reveal, where the group also revealed that their total sales were expected to be £22.7million, which is up by 177% on the same period in 2020 and even up 31% compared to pre-COVID levels in 2019.
Promising stuff, no? While it may not be the future that some desire, I do think Lightwater could have a promising future ahead of it within the next few years as they forge their new path of appealing to the under-10s!
Depends what their expectation was really, doesn't it?
Domestic tourism had a bumper Summer last year, which is great, but it remains to be seen how much of that market share will be retained and how much will return to package holidays in the sun.
With Lightwater in particular I worry that people went (possibly for the first time ever/in many years), found it disappointing and won't return.
No, most of the reviews over the year are positive, it looks like it has found it's niche, just a shame we are now out of their market.
The vast majority of northern theme park visitors are well aware of the changes at Lightwater.
And they seem happy generally with the new focus.
The vast majority of northern theme park visitors are well aware of the changes at Lightwater.
And they seem happy generally with the new focus.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
As much as I know many are keen for The Ultimate to return, I’ve got a slightly controversial take; even if they could afford it, I’m not necessarily sure if returning The Ultimate would be in their best interests from a business perspective, as much as I and many others would love it from a coaster nostalgia and significance perspective.
I’m sure that there would be a fair few who’d go back if it did reopen (particularly in enthusiast circles), but I’m unsure if it would really be enough to make the inevitably huge investment required worthwhile. Also, the park has changed a fair amount since The Ultimate last operated; within the park’s current lineup, it would essentially be the sole non-kiddie ride, whereas even in 2019, the park did have a fair few sideliners in the thrill and family thrill departments that made it a little more fitting. These have now been removed, which would sadly leave The Ultimate as somewhat of an outlier if it were to reopen, and a somewhat confusing attraction within the park’s lineup. As significant as it would be compared to everything else, it would also be totally out of step with the rest of the park; it would be of no interest to the park’s core demographic, and those who would be interested in it would have absolutely nothing else to do at Lightwater now that all of the other vaguely thrilling rides have been removed.
As much as I’m not ruling out The Ultimate’s return by any stretch, and I’d love to see it come back, I think that from the park’s standpoint, there are more business-friendly places where the money could go that would both cost less on a per attraction basis and fit the park’s current agenda much better. In the mid to long term, I could see Lightwater Valley becoming something akin to the Yorkshire version of Sundown Adventureland, and I honestly think that would be a pretty good path for them to take, albeit a pretty uninteresting one for us enthusiasts and a sad one for those of us who want The Ultimate to return.
I’m not ruling out The Ultimate’s return; I certainly think it could happen! However, viewing it from a business perspective, I’m not sure that bringing it back would be viewed as the most sensible thing to do by the park’s higher-ups, even if it was technically doable. If it did come back, I should think that there would have to be a lot (and I mean a lot) of lust and passion for it to return from management and visitors alike to justify the spend to corporate.
TL;DR: As much as I’d like to see The Ultimate return, I’m not sure it would be the move that would make the most sense for the park from a business perspective. The amount of money required would be monstrously high on a per-attraction basis, and it would also be somewhat of an outlier within the park’s present lineup and brand now that they’re targeted towards the under-12s. So while I’m not ruling it out by any means, I think there would be better ways they could use the money that would cost less on a per-attraction basis and add far more value to the park under its present agenda.
I’m sure that there would be a fair few who’d go back if it did reopen (particularly in enthusiast circles), but I’m unsure if it would really be enough to make the inevitably huge investment required worthwhile. Also, the park has changed a fair amount since The Ultimate last operated; within the park’s current lineup, it would essentially be the sole non-kiddie ride, whereas even in 2019, the park did have a fair few sideliners in the thrill and family thrill departments that made it a little more fitting. These have now been removed, which would sadly leave The Ultimate as somewhat of an outlier if it were to reopen, and a somewhat confusing attraction within the park’s lineup. As significant as it would be compared to everything else, it would also be totally out of step with the rest of the park; it would be of no interest to the park’s core demographic, and those who would be interested in it would have absolutely nothing else to do at Lightwater now that all of the other vaguely thrilling rides have been removed.
As much as I’m not ruling out The Ultimate’s return by any stretch, and I’d love to see it come back, I think that from the park’s standpoint, there are more business-friendly places where the money could go that would both cost less on a per attraction basis and fit the park’s current agenda much better. In the mid to long term, I could see Lightwater Valley becoming something akin to the Yorkshire version of Sundown Adventureland, and I honestly think that would be a pretty good path for them to take, albeit a pretty uninteresting one for us enthusiasts and a sad one for those of us who want The Ultimate to return.
I’m not ruling out The Ultimate’s return; I certainly think it could happen! However, viewing it from a business perspective, I’m not sure that bringing it back would be viewed as the most sensible thing to do by the park’s higher-ups, even if it was technically doable. If it did come back, I should think that there would have to be a lot (and I mean a lot) of lust and passion for it to return from management and visitors alike to justify the spend to corporate.
TL;DR: As much as I’d like to see The Ultimate return, I’m not sure it would be the move that would make the most sense for the park from a business perspective. The amount of money required would be monstrously high on a per-attraction basis, and it would also be somewhat of an outlier within the park’s present lineup and brand now that they’re targeted towards the under-12s. So while I’m not ruling it out by any means, I think there would be better ways they could use the money that would cost less on a per-attraction basis and add far more value to the park under its present agenda.
shakey
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Wild Mouse - Blackpool - :(
If the Ultimate was a world class coaster, or even a good UK coaster then I could see the park possibly trying to get it back open, but lets face it, the ultimate was an utter pile of poo!!
The 1st half did absolutely nothing and was literally a train ride to the 2nd lift hill, then the 2nd half amounted to physical abuse !! - it made Grand National seem smooth!!
The 1st half did absolutely nothing and was literally a train ride to the 2nd lift hill, then the 2nd half amounted to physical abuse !! - it made Grand National seem smooth!!
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Interestingly, I get the impression that much of what you don’t like about the ride (and what makes me question whether it would have been my own cup of tea) are actually the exact reasons why the ride’s fans like it!
Correct me if I’m wrong here, Ultimate fans, but it seems like those who revere The Ultimate almost view it as a “so bad it’s good” kind of coaster, where it’s so hideously brutal that the raw brutality ceases to take away from the ride and actually kind of becomes the main attraction of The Ultimate in itself. The ride is almost an endurance test that really tests your mettle, pushes you to your limits, and makes you feel proud and mind-blown to have survived it, and I think that adds to the appeal for many.
I’ll digress that I’m unsure if it would personally have been my kind of ride, as I’m personally more into the fun, comfortable and rerideable coasters over the out and out intense ones, but I gather that The Ultimate is a coaster that bucks the typical ideas of what seems to be rated highly and is almost made better by its roughness in the eyes of those who love it.
I’ll happily concede if I’m wrong there, but that’s just the impression I get from hearing reviews and the like.
Dipper_Dave
TS Member
Under the ride’s name on all the park signs should have read “SO BAD IT’S GOOD!”
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
To put it into perspective, my last ride in 2019 was so rough that I genuinely worried I had concussion.
Just imagine how much worse it would be after three years of being SBNO.
There’s no denying that the Ultimate was rough. I still think it was a decent coaster though. The first half was a bit like a miniature railway, but you don’t get miniature railways that go at 50mph, and depending on where you sat in the trains, weather conditions, weight of riders etc, you did get some airtime as it went over the hills. I know you can go at 50mph in your car, but it’s hardly the same, particularly if don’t have some kind of open top sports car. There aren’t that many roller coasters where you go racing through the countryside with no development around you. Other roller coasters might be themed to feel like the countryside, but here you actually were in the countryside.
For people who liked the Ultimate, I don’t think it was because it was rough. More despite it being rough. The long trains meant you got different rides depending on whereabouts you sat. Although records can be gimmicky, there was something nice about having such a long and varied ride. Although the Ultimate isn’t the fastest coaster, it did almost entirely hug the ground and follow the landscape. This magnified the sense of speed. Although there wasn’t much theming as such, the woodland and Yorkshire countryside also added to the experience.
It was rough, but that was the main criticism of the ride. Otherwise, it was a long and unique experience.
I don’t actually know if it would have got much rougher if it were SBNO. I suspect the main thing that would have made it rougher over time is the track getting slightly bent out of shape or the wheels getting worn. Neither one would happen if it wasn’t running.
For people who liked the Ultimate, I don’t think it was because it was rough. More despite it being rough. The long trains meant you got different rides depending on whereabouts you sat. Although records can be gimmicky, there was something nice about having such a long and varied ride. Although the Ultimate isn’t the fastest coaster, it did almost entirely hug the ground and follow the landscape. This magnified the sense of speed. Although there wasn’t much theming as such, the woodland and Yorkshire countryside also added to the experience.
It was rough, but that was the main criticism of the ride. Otherwise, it was a long and unique experience.
I don’t actually know if it would have got much rougher if it were SBNO. I suspect the main thing that would have made it rougher over time is the track getting slightly bent out of shape or the wheels getting worn. Neither one would happen if it wasn’t running.