-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.
Paultons Park: General Discussion
- Thread starter Maelstrom
- Start date
I’ve also been visiting since the mid-nineties. I suspect it was Cobra that put them on a lot of enthusiast radars, but the history is pretty much the rise and rise of Paultons Park. There’s the sentimental part of me that misses Percy the Owl and was sorry to see Toad Hall go, but looking at things objectively the investment and visitor numbers have pretty much gone in one direction.
£8 million is a lot to spend. I think it’s a shade under what Chessington spent on Zufari or what Legoland spent on Atlantis, but they’re almost matching Merlin pound for pound. Not that I want to make everything into some kind of competition against Merlin, but it is nice to feel there is some real competition down South, Paramount or no Paramount.
£8 million is a lot to spend. I think it’s a shade under what Chessington spent on Zufari or what Legoland spent on Atlantis, but they’re almost matching Merlin pound for pound. Not that I want to make everything into some kind of competition against Merlin, but it is nice to feel there is some real competition down South, Paramount or no Paramount.
Rowe
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Matterhorn Blitz (with an Aperol Spritz!)
I was gutted to find out that Percy had been retired, "It's a hoot hoot!" will always live on in our hearts.
I liked Percy the owl. Admittedly when you see owls in zoos they’re normally just sitting there looking a bit boring. Perhaps because they’re predominantly nocturnal, or perhaps because they haven’t got the need to hunt. But for me Percy was always the face of Paultons Park. Quite a few parks have bears or rabbits. Some even have a mouse. But owls were always Paultons thing
I guess the bird park was how it all started and then it’s gradually morphed into a theme park. Quite a few parks around the world have roller coasters themed to birds, so if they wanted to raise the profile of their aviaries the suspended coaster would have been a golden opportunity. But they’ve never really tried to mix the rides and birds together, and getting rid of Percy the Owl is another step that makes the aviaries seem lower profile.
It would be a bit of a shame if the birds went the same way as the museums, but it is starting to feel like the aviaries are pretty dated compared to the rest of the park.
I guess the bird park was how it all started and then it’s gradually morphed into a theme park. Quite a few parks around the world have roller coasters themed to birds, so if they wanted to raise the profile of their aviaries the suspended coaster would have been a golden opportunity. But they’ve never really tried to mix the rides and birds together, and getting rid of Percy the Owl is another step that makes the aviaries seem lower profile.
It would be a bit of a shame if the birds went the same way as the museums, but it is starting to feel like the aviaries are pretty dated compared to the rest of the park.
Danny
TS Contributor
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I'm genuinely thrilled to pieces for them. Who'd have thought we'd see two coasters in the same park in the same year any time soon, if ever? Paultons deserve to flourish in 2016 and I really will be cheering for them. Hopefully might even be able to pencil a visit in as well.
It looks very similar to Freedom Flyer at Funspot Orlando which also has a 'camel back' after the first drop. Will be interesting to see if it has evacutation stairs on the lift. Freedom Flyer has, but looking at POVs on Youtube Orkanen at Farup Sommerland doesn't. I can't see them on the CGI rendering, but I'd be surprised if they built a coaster without them. Particularly after the problems M&Ds had with Tsunami when it broke down and they struggled to get the riders off.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Indeed it looks like the Suspended Family Coaster (395m) model of which there are three currently in operation and one that was due to open last year in Kiev. So it is the same as the one mentioned above and Freedom Flyer at Fun Spot America. Doesn't look quite as good as Orkanen due to a smaller drop but I'd imagine it is somewhat better than the older model found at Movie Park Germany.
I think an Official Meet at Paultons is needed in 2016. If we can get a large number going it would be a great way to show support for a smaller park who are doing things correctly!
I think an Official Meet at Paultons is needed in 2016. If we can get a large number going it would be a great way to show support for a smaller park who are doing things correctly!
Rowe
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Matterhorn Blitz (with an Aperol Spritz!)
It really isn't that hard to get to from London when driving, all it takes is the M25 junction onto the M3 then the M27, from there it's signposted from the motorway onwards; the journey in total is just over an hour. It's only a huge pain if you're using the poor public transport links as, whilst there are two nearby stations, there's only one bus that connects the road leading to the park that goes from either Salisbury or Southampton.
Last edited:
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Paultons Park are stepping up their promotion for the two new coasters:
The theming in the artwork looks very good. And they've shown this year that they can do good theming with their new Critter Creek area:
Very much looking forward to visiting next year!
The theming in the artwork looks very good. And they've shown this year that they can do good theming with their new Critter Creek area:
Very much looking forward to visiting next year!
Ted
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Kondaa
The park is really stepping up their game now, 2016 will be their biggest year ever. The themeing in Critter Creek looks amazing and the Lost Kingdom concept looks very promising. I can't wait for it all! I think they should add some more themeing to rides like Cobra and perhaps give Edge a bit more character.
Paultons seems like such a great little family park with lots of potential. I hope at some point it becomes a park for everyone and adds some thrill rides which I think will lead them to more success.
Paultons seems like such a great little family park with lots of potential. I hope at some point it becomes a park for everyone and adds some thrill rides which I think will lead them to more success.