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Oakwood Discussion

The only people I could see buying it as a vague going concern would be Gullivers or Bendalls, using the existing infrastructure to make a small local park and demolishing big things like Megafobia.
 
Iā€™ve got a friend who knows the local MP and apparently the mystery buyer is Susan Boyle. I gather she went on holiday to America and visited Dollywood, and loved it so much she wants to do something like that in the UK. Itā€™s going to be a really cool attraction. There are going to be several roller coasters as well as a big museum dedicated to Susan Boyleā€™s career. Itā€™s going to be full of artefacts including actual costumes worn by Susan Boyle, a real microphone used by Susan Boyle, and a replica of Susan Boyleā€™s bedroom.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Yeah but really everything was removed except the entrance and what was once a theme park is now a funfair. Now Oakwood could reopen but it will need major investment as now they really only got 1 ride thatā€™s worth visiting.
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I believe only Wildcat survived the change in ownership and closure and that was on and off
 
I think better precedents for parks being saved can probably be found stateside.

Indiana Beach and Kentucky Kingdom are both examples of parks that originally closed, but were saved by individuals with dedication and the right business plan and are now doing relatively well.

If the Welsh equivalent of Gene Staples or Ed Hart comes along (whether thatā€™s RLP or not), I donā€™t see why Oakwood couldnā€™t be the same.
 
KK has nearly 1 million in catchment between Louisville and Lexington, whilst IB has around 1.1 million, both at least double the metropolitan catchment of Oakwood.
 
Oakwoods location makes it's difficult to see how anyone can make it viable long term. It's a trek for most of the UK or anyone outside of Wales. You would need to have an offering so compelling that it facilitates people making the trip. To do that would take a huge investment not seen at any UK park.
 
The location doesnā€™t help, but I donā€™t think itā€™s insurmountable by any means.

The continued prosperity of Folly Farm within the same immediate locale would suggest that it can work, and a lot of the Zip World-type attractions in Wales that are opening up and doing well are also quite remote.

While the park has now closed, itā€™s also worth remembering that Oakwood itself ā€œworkedā€ for many years. The rot only started to set in following the Hydro incident and Aspro bleeding the park dry; throughout the 90s and early 2000s, it was successful.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Yeah but really everything was removed except the entrance and what was once a theme park is now a funfair. Now Oakwood could reopen but it will need major investment as now they really only got 1 ride thatā€™s worth visiting.
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Its no longer a funfair haven't been for a while but heard it actually has themed areas now
 
In my opinion, they need to scale-down rather than scale-up. Keep Megafobia, because it's too good to get rid of, but add a few, very minor things and keep the price down. It worked as a small, local theme park, but I think they went wrong with getting the major rides after Megafobia. There's not the market to have things like Speed, but there must be enough people to support a very small park. There are everywhere, really.

One thing they could get, if there's the terrain for it, would be a Wiegand Alpine Coaster. Would be an excellent addition to the Toboggan.
 
Matt N said:
While the park has now closed, itā€™s also worth remembering that Oakwood itself ā€œworkedā€ for many years. The rot only started to set in following the Hydro incident and Aspro bleeding the park dry; throughout the 90s and early 2000s, it was successful.
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I think this is an incredibly important point.

A park doesn't become unviable just because the current owner has made a complete hash of it. It does seem like in Oakwood's case it is Aspro that is the problem, rather than the park's prospects. Sure, the park now has the knock on effect of needing additional investment to reverse a period of low upkeep and new additions, but that is actually addressable.

With the correct ownership, operating plan, values and investment there is almost certainly still a viable park in there. And of those four things, I would argue it's finding someone willing to invest that is the biggest challenge - but that's not insurmountable.
 
Funcone said:
Iā€™ve got a friend who knows the local MP and apparently the mystery buyer is Susan Boyle. I gather she went on holiday to America and visited Dollywood, and loved it so much she wants to do something like that in the UK. Itā€™s going to be a really cool attraction. There are going to be several roller coasters as well as a big museum dedicated to Susan Boyleā€™s career. Itā€™s going to be full of artefacts including actual costumes worn by Susan Boyle, a real microphone used by Susan Boyle, and a replica of Susan Boyleā€™s bedroom.
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I heard they are including her hair filled bathroom sink plug too in one exhibit.
 
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