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Oakwood Discussion
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
Even though this is far from ideal, I do genuinely think that the theming will be good, especially if the quality of Neverland is anything to go by.
A lot of people are making silly comments like "this park built Megafobia and Speed, now they're just doing this" Comments like this are just foolish, those rides were built by the old owners who had a totally different business model to Aspro, these rides were also totally unthemed. That's what old Oakwood did. Now what we see at Oakwood is cheap, second hand rides being installed (which is all Aspro will pay for) but with the focus being on heavily theming the rides and surrounding areas to make them look new.
I'm not saying how Aspro do things is the best way to do business, but I'd rather have a well themed ride than a cheap Pinfari just plonked in, so at least Oakwood are making some effort.
Aspro aren't going to spend multi millions of pounds on major new thrill coasters given the park's tiny catchment area. The old owners did (and perhaps that's why when they sold the park they were in £7 million debt) but Aspro won't do that. To expect rides on the scale of Megafobia and Speed to be built at Oakwood now, under the new ownership, is just silly. It won't happen but what they are doing is good for a park of this size, certainly better than Lightwater Valley's recent efforts for example.
A lot of people are making silly comments like "this park built Megafobia and Speed, now they're just doing this" Comments like this are just foolish, those rides were built by the old owners who had a totally different business model to Aspro, these rides were also totally unthemed. That's what old Oakwood did. Now what we see at Oakwood is cheap, second hand rides being installed (which is all Aspro will pay for) but with the focus being on heavily theming the rides and surrounding areas to make them look new.
I'm not saying how Aspro do things is the best way to do business, but I'd rather have a well themed ride than a cheap Pinfari just plonked in, so at least Oakwood are making some effort.
Aspro aren't going to spend multi millions of pounds on major new thrill coasters given the park's tiny catchment area. The old owners did (and perhaps that's why when they sold the park they were in £7 million debt) but Aspro won't do that. To expect rides on the scale of Megafobia and Speed to be built at Oakwood now, under the new ownership, is just silly. It won't happen but what they are doing is good for a park of this size, certainly better than Lightwater Valley's recent efforts for example.
Towerslover
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Icon
I think the James and the giant peach idea is ridiculous, you would have thought the Dahl family had learnt there lesson from CATCF about IPs!
CoasterCrazyChris
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Oakwood has never really been themed and to be honest it doesn't really need to be. The park is located in a great setting they just need to make sure whatever they do is landscaped properly (Speed?!).
I would much rather they invested in family ride hardware of the same quality as Megafobia, Hydro and Speed rather than buying second hand rides and adding cheap theming. Presently there is a massive disparity between the quality of their thrill offerings and what the rest of the park offers (only really a bobsled, pirate ship, mat slides etc).
Instead of buying that pile of junk hand-me-down they should have built a decent quality family coaster (Mack mine train?) on the site of the old Brer Rabbit ride as well as constructing a rapids ride on the field by the main entrance.
Whatever Aspro's strategy is it is completely risk averse and frankly, crap. Much like Merlin, they are hardly short of cash are they?
I would much rather they invested in family ride hardware of the same quality as Megafobia, Hydro and Speed rather than buying second hand rides and adding cheap theming. Presently there is a massive disparity between the quality of their thrill offerings and what the rest of the park offers (only really a bobsled, pirate ship, mat slides etc).
Instead of buying that pile of junk hand-me-down they should have built a decent quality family coaster (Mack mine train?) on the site of the old Brer Rabbit ride as well as constructing a rapids ride on the field by the main entrance.
Whatever Aspro's strategy is it is completely risk averse and frankly, crap. Much like Merlin, they are hardly short of cash are they?
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
Aspro aren't short of cash that's very true, but they are also a company which doesn't like to spend money. They have about 45 attractions across Europe and Oakwoodhave to just work with whatever budget Aspro give them, usually a tiny budget.
They were lucky to be able to get the budget for Neverland, it was around £4 million. That money could have been spent on installing just one new fairly big standard ride, instead they out that money into totally re-vamping the awful kids area, which was in a dire state before and turned it into a fully themed area with, what the public thought was, an IP (thought because Peter Pan was near enough royalty free), if you ask me they made the right decision.
They were lucky to be able to get the budget for Neverland, it was around £4 million. That money could have been spent on installing just one new fairly big standard ride, instead they out that money into totally re-vamping the awful kids area, which was in a dire state before and turned it into a fully themed area with, what the public thought was, an IP (thought because Peter Pan was near enough royalty free), if you ask me they made the right decision.
CoasterCrazyChris
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Eurgh. That's a bad situation for the park. What's the point of being owned by a large company when they won't even provide the funds for investment? For all their many shortfalls at least Merlin invest in their theme parks (Chessington aside). Aspro are barely better than your average parasite.
That is literally one medium investment in an entire DECADE. One investment. That's it. The previous 10 years saw Megafobia, Speed, Hydro, The Bounce, Vertigo and various slides and other family attractions built at the park. Perhaps the McNamara family did spend beyond their means but that is hardly a warrant for a large company like Aspro to do nothing for years on end and neither is the rural location or small population catchment of the park. Talk about a cash cow.
It really is dire times for the UK theme and amusement park industry. Like we didn't already know.
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Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
You know that's the case when the park with the most exciting ride coming up over the next few years is BPB! Praise the lord for Mack!
Matt Creek
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I think it's a shame for a big company like Aspro seems to be doing the bare minimum at Oakwood currently and as a result, running it into the ground.
2013 saw so much optimism in the park, we got a decently themed kids area (although the log flume could do with more), but since then they've received next to nothing. They may be getting a new coaster/area next year, but it's only a cheap pinifari.
I may sometimes rant about Merlin, but at least they add new things to their parks. Thorpe got Swarm, Saw & DBGT, Towers got Thirteen, Smiler, Mutiny Bay and CBeebies and Chessington. I'll hold that there.
Oakwood have the potential to be a great park. Give them another top coaster, a decent dark ride, more theming and add better quality food and they would be on to a winner.
At least on the other hand, they still do after dark which is one of the few things that makes it worth travelling the 4+ hours to get there for me.
2013 saw so much optimism in the park, we got a decently themed kids area (although the log flume could do with more), but since then they've received next to nothing. They may be getting a new coaster/area next year, but it's only a cheap pinifari.
I may sometimes rant about Merlin, but at least they add new things to their parks. Thorpe got Swarm, Saw & DBGT, Towers got Thirteen, Smiler, Mutiny Bay and CBeebies and Chessington. I'll hold that there.
Oakwood have the potential to be a great park. Give them another top coaster, a decent dark ride, more theming and add better quality food and they would be on to a winner.
At least on the other hand, they still do after dark which is one of the few things that makes it worth travelling the 4+ hours to get there for me.
@Matt Creek Chessington probably cost quite a bit a year to run, so maybe Merlin see that is where the investment goes. New rides would be fantastic but if you think about it, Thorpe or Alton Towers doesn't have the same yearly outlay looking after animals and paying for animal trainers.
Sorry Matt not a rant at you
With Aspro, they have no excuse really. They would not of gone through the effort to buy Oakwood with the intention to let it die. I believe Oakwood is a slow burner, they are going through a rough time but give it a few years they may have some serious injection of investment.
Apart from the pinfari (not even going to put a capital for them), they are investing in theming which can only help for atmosphere (as long as the staffing is right).
One thing we can maybe take comfort from is that Aspro have not got any intentions on what Cedar Fair did with Geauga Lake. (Criminal)
Sorry Matt not a rant at you
With Aspro, they have no excuse really. They would not of gone through the effort to buy Oakwood with the intention to let it die. I believe Oakwood is a slow burner, they are going through a rough time but give it a few years they may have some serious injection of investment.
Apart from the pinfari (not even going to put a capital for them), they are investing in theming which can only help for atmosphere (as long as the staffing is right).
One thing we can maybe take comfort from is that Aspro have not got any intentions on what Cedar Fair did with Geauga Lake. (Criminal)
Enter Valhalla
TS Member
I get what people are saying about Aspro, but the logic of "big company=lots of money=should be spending it on Oakwood" just doesn't work in reality.
Let's take a look at what Aspro own. Their other UK attractions are mainly aquariums. Oakwood is a theme park but it isn't a theme park on the same scale as anything Merlin owned. To put it into perspective, a busy day at Oakwood is about 5,000 guests. A busy day at Alton or Legoland is 20,000 or more. Quiet days at Oakwood can see fewer than 100 people in the park, something which at a larger park would be inconcievable.
Now think about an aquarium. There will be no days where they attract less than 100 people and on busy summer days they will get more than 5,000 through the doors, bearing in mind that most people only stay for an hour or two. Aquariums are also open all year round meaning that most of Aspro's aquariums actually get MORE guests and make MORE money than Oakwood.
An aquarium can continue with minimal investment. Maybe some new penguins every few years or whatever but relatively small investments.
Now why would Aspro spend multi millions of pounds on Oakwood when it is achieving less success than their other attractions? Their tiny gate figures and small catchment area don't justify big investment. Merlin spend more on their parks because they are capable of getting bigger numbers than the Sealife centres. Is Oakwood capable of that? Probably not. If we're honest.
I'm not saying that Aspro's approach is right but I do understand their logic. I believe that Oakwood would have really benefitted from more investment over the past few years but I get really annoyed with this silly logic of "they're a big company, they can afford to spend money on the park" It really doesn't work like that. Aspro are a highly successful company and they haven't got to where they are today by chucking money around. To expect big coasters and multi million pound investment every year at a park the size of Oakwood is just plain silly, regardless of who runs it. A big company own it yes, but big companies allocate budgets to all divisions of their companies, they don't just give you all the money you want, that's not how it works.
Let's take a look at what Aspro own. Their other UK attractions are mainly aquariums. Oakwood is a theme park but it isn't a theme park on the same scale as anything Merlin owned. To put it into perspective, a busy day at Oakwood is about 5,000 guests. A busy day at Alton or Legoland is 20,000 or more. Quiet days at Oakwood can see fewer than 100 people in the park, something which at a larger park would be inconcievable.
Now think about an aquarium. There will be no days where they attract less than 100 people and on busy summer days they will get more than 5,000 through the doors, bearing in mind that most people only stay for an hour or two. Aquariums are also open all year round meaning that most of Aspro's aquariums actually get MORE guests and make MORE money than Oakwood.
An aquarium can continue with minimal investment. Maybe some new penguins every few years or whatever but relatively small investments.
Now why would Aspro spend multi millions of pounds on Oakwood when it is achieving less success than their other attractions? Their tiny gate figures and small catchment area don't justify big investment. Merlin spend more on their parks because they are capable of getting bigger numbers than the Sealife centres. Is Oakwood capable of that? Probably not. If we're honest.
I'm not saying that Aspro's approach is right but I do understand their logic. I believe that Oakwood would have really benefitted from more investment over the past few years but I get really annoyed with this silly logic of "they're a big company, they can afford to spend money on the park" It really doesn't work like that. Aspro are a highly successful company and they haven't got to where they are today by chucking money around. To expect big coasters and multi million pound investment every year at a park the size of Oakwood is just plain silly, regardless of who runs it. A big company own it yes, but big companies allocate budgets to all divisions of their companies, they don't just give you all the money you want, that's not how it works.
Rojo
TS Member
I had my first visit to Oakwood on Thursday. I have to say that the staffing levels were awful, Drenched didn't open until 2, Speed broke down, Bounce didn't open, Drenched had very few seats working, Dahl land contained a Dixies Chicken and a jail, every ride was single train, only 2 food outlet was open, queues shut at 4 and the park shut at 16:30.
I have to say the whole day felt like shambles, all is forgiven Merlin.
Below are the 3 pictures I could be bothered taking...
Spot the mistake
"New" 2016 attraction
Including peach.
On the plus side Megafobia was great
I have to say the whole day felt like shambles, all is forgiven Merlin.
Below are the 3 pictures I could be bothered taking...
Spot the mistake
"New" 2016 attraction
Including peach.
On the plus side Megafobia was great
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Doesn't sound great from an operations perspective, although free trampolines are good. At the Merlin parks trampolines cost extra as part of the HB Leisure concession. For anyone who's an avid reader of Trip Advisor there are quite a few comments saying things like, 'Chessington's very greedy. They even charge extra for the trampolines'.
Actually, it's a sensible attraction to add. Not a game changer, but it's an unstaffed attraction with next to no overheads and kids will probably love it. Oakwood seems to be making some sensible decisions, but they're coming back from a difficult place and clearly having to make a tight budget go a long way. Not as exciting a the golden years, but still a good use of the money.
Actually, it's a sensible attraction to add. Not a game changer, but it's an unstaffed attraction with next to no overheads and kids will probably love it. Oakwood seems to be making some sensible decisions, but they're coming back from a difficult place and clearly having to make a tight budget go a long way. Not as exciting a the golden years, but still a good use of the money.
MattyH
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- GIIBBB
Visited Oakwood late august. On arrival as we pre-booked we were directed into a queue, to find they were only using half the available ticket windows. Queued nearly an hour for the toboggan ride and got halfway down the hill before catching up someone who's breaks were stuck on. Saw an accident while in the queue where somebody's breaks didn't work and smashed into an empty one. Luckily no injuries. Megafobia opened late, but was epic went on 4 times queueing over an hour 3 times and 45 minutes the 4th time. Speed was very forceless and a bit dull, very meh. Crocodile Coaster was surprisingly good for a kids coaster and Skull Rock was a nice little log flume. The peter pan walkthrough could've been so much better. Ate in the main resturant which was quite nice but rather expensive, they were low on food stocks though. One of our party ordered ribs to be told they were out and another ordered a salad to be told they couldn't have it as they had to save the salad for garnishing dishes. Toilets wise, the new block was very good, but the other ones were poor. Didn't see much sign of cleaners in them either, New land wasn't open. We left about 20 to 10 as Megafobia's queue closed at 9. I did get a dark ride on it though which was brilliant. Drenched and Bounce closed all day, Not sure if Waterfall opened as it was advertised as a 1pm opening, walked past at half 1 and still closed.
Martin
TS Member
Few people giving their opinions of the place recently so here's mine from August. When we arrived there was about three other cars in the car park, got straight in, was supposed to be open until ten with fireworks but we were gone by 5, despite one train operation on everything, we had been on everything within the first hour or so, except Drenched which opened at 2 and closed again not long after, and Bounce which sadly didn't open at all.
Speed is great, mostly smooth and the airtime hill is ridiculous. Megafobia was a let down, it got better as the day went on but for me it's definitely not as good as Nash which is its only real rival in the UK. Not a terrible coaster but expected better, I see Dave saying it only gets good after like 8pm but there was no way we were hanging around that long. Hydro was terrifying and very, very wet. The Peter Pan area is quite nice but the new D.ahl area isn't even close to being done. The Pinfari looks awful, still has the space 'theming' which they were in the process of just spray painting over. The house with the peach looked good though. There was no work being done on the area at all, it may have been a Saturday but I would have thought they'd be trying to get it finished, there didn't even seem much evidence of them doing much during the week, the construction site was empty. The restaurant was nice, but expensive. I'd guess there was less than 500 people on park all day, it was quite depressing.
I can't see Oakwood lasting much longer unfortunately, I didn't like the place and it's in a stupid location but it's never good to see a park close, especially one with rides very much worth saving. Made the journey, won't do it again, RIP Oakwood.
Speed is great, mostly smooth and the airtime hill is ridiculous. Megafobia was a let down, it got better as the day went on but for me it's definitely not as good as Nash which is its only real rival in the UK. Not a terrible coaster but expected better, I see Dave saying it only gets good after like 8pm but there was no way we were hanging around that long. Hydro was terrifying and very, very wet. The Peter Pan area is quite nice but the new D.ahl area isn't even close to being done. The Pinfari looks awful, still has the space 'theming' which they were in the process of just spray painting over. The house with the peach looked good though. There was no work being done on the area at all, it may have been a Saturday but I would have thought they'd be trying to get it finished, there didn't even seem much evidence of them doing much during the week, the construction site was empty. The restaurant was nice, but expensive. I'd guess there was less than 500 people on park all day, it was quite depressing.
I can't see Oakwood lasting much longer unfortunately, I didn't like the place and it's in a stupid location but it's never good to see a park close, especially one with rides very much worth saving. Made the journey, won't do it again, RIP Oakwood.