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Paultons Park: General Discussion

AstroDan said:
It depends if you think Maus au Chocolat is quality.

For me I tend to avoid it at Phantasialand as it's just screens and an RSI by the end.

Maus is probably an expensive ride system, Disney use the same one for Toy Story Midway Mania at DLR/WDW/TDR - something a little simpler would probably do Paultons Park. We know how easy it is to fritter money away on dark rides that don't even end up being that amazing.

:p
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True! I do, I think the ride system is great fun though, and would suit Paultons perfectly.

I wonder if it is really that expensive? The Disney originals which included the R&D obviously would have been, but as an off the shelf system it is now I imagine it should be within reach.
 
ETF Rides aren’t the cheapest hardware option from what I understand. Not the most expensive, but there are much cheaper options out there.

However, remember that, at least in the case of Maus, there’s lots of different companies involved. The game system is produced by Alterface (who also did Popcorn Revenge at Walibi Belgium). Then there was also the design and set creation which were different companies too. Individually the parts may not be stupidly expensive, but it will all add up.

Although the throughput would not be up to scratch, I feel something along the lines of Snorri Touren would sit perfectly at Paultons. It wouldn’t be a major headliner attraction, but it would be a much more affordable and lower risk option than a full-blown interactive ride. Not having the interactive element would probably increase the appeal across their whole audience (E.G. particularly young children who would enjoy Peppa Pig World but may struggle a little more with gun-based games).

I would assume for their first foray into something like this Paultons would be going to someone like Sally who can offer a turnkey attraction. I may be wrong, but I’m assuming the park will have limited in-house resource vs the likes of Phantasialand.
 
Realistically, I think the most likely dark ride for Paultons Park would be something themed to swine flu with lots of psycho Pepper Pigs trying to attack you. I'm surprised they haven't built something like that already.
 
Funcone said:
Realistically, I think the most likely dark ride for Paultons Park would be something themed to swine flu with lots of psycho Pepper Pigs trying to attack you. I'm surprised they haven't built something like that already.
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That's not Paultons' style.
Everything there is reasonably happy, they don't do dark themes like Merlin and they don't really need to, even their Halloween event is clearly designed so that three year olds would not be scared (unless they are the sort who doesn't like costume characters).
 
We've booked for Week on Tuesday. Can't wait to check out Tornado Springs.
 
We're staying down here for a week in a lodge nearby to the park. Going to be visiting Tuesday and possibly Wednesday too if we feel we haven't had enough time. Weather looks to be a bit better Tuesday onwards too thankfully.

Excited to see and experience Tornado Springs.
 
Have a great time @Benjsh!

I’m going for my first visit on 30th July, COVID permitting, and I can’t wait! Paultons is probably the most prolific theme park in the UK that I’m yet to visit (I suppose Flamingo Land could also qualify for that, actually), so I’m excited to see what all the fuss is about and tick it off my list of UK parks I need to get to!
 
Not long since we got back to our accommodation after our first ever visit to PP. My god we've had a fabulous day there. My son is 7 just to add so he's not big enough for the Merlin 1.4m beasts yet sadly. PP truly is the perfect park for him.

I won't bore people with a full trip report but instead just share some highlights.

1. Tornado Springs. It really is something else. I went in with high expectations and I'd say it probably exceeded them. Storm Chaser is great, Cyclonator is wild and all the supporting rides are great too. Without doubt the best themed area in the UK. Step your game up Merlin.

2. Staff and general park cleanliness. I knew from friends and word of mouth that they are truly the leaders in service and cleanliness in the UK theme park scene and boy were people right. Superb staff and the park is spotless.

3. Value. We paid £105 for a family of 3. Parking is free (again take note Merlin) and feel like we definitely got our money's worth. As it was an off peak day we easily had 30 rides in total.

4. Rollercoasters are all better than I imagined they'd be. Went in knowing they were family thrill coasters but they all pack a punch.

We will 110% be coming back next year. It's a long way for us being from Manchester so it has to be fitted in around some sort of short break but it's worth it.

:)
 
We really did love the place. It's a great park and look forward to going back against next year hopefully.

Few things id like to see them address soon though.

1. The Log Flume definitely stood out to me as a ride which clearly doesn't belong there now. We didn't ride it as it looked like a typical traveling ride. A top class water ride of some sort would definitely be great in its place. Either a rapids or tidal wave type ride. Or maybe even one of those new Mack Power splash rides.

2. A top class dark ride wouldn't go a miss either. Definitely lacking in their line up.

However they more than make up for it with what they have and I must say the staff and general park cleanliness tips the balance too. That makes such a big difference to me.
 
It’s quite surprising, given the level of investment so far in Paultons, that we haven’t seen a dark ride added.

A clone of the Hotel Transylvania trackless dark ride from Motiongate would fit perfectly at this park and be an appropriate IP for their demographic.
 
Enter Valhalla said:
It’s quite surprising, given the level of investment so far in Paultons, that we haven’t seen a dark ride added.

A clone of the Hotel Transylvania trackless dark ride from Motiongate would fit perfectly at this park and be an appropriate IP for their demographic.
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I'd prefer Paulton's to use their own original idea for a dark ride. If they can theme a whole area with a fantasic original theme, just imagine how a dark ride would look! :)
 
siralgenon said:
I was going to say I think it's one of the worst dark rides I've seen.
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Not wanting to go too off-topic but I think Hotel Transylvania is a great ride which makes optimum use of being trackless (no point having a trackless ride system if all you’re doing is moving between screens *cough* Ratatouille *cough*)

I’ve never understood the hate it gets. I think it’d be a perfect fit at Paultons and an ideal IP for the type of guests they’re aiming at. Obviously in an ideal world I’d love to see the next Mystic Manor be built, but that just isn’t going to happen on a Paultons budget.
 
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Paultons' strategy is to clone existing rides (ideally one that doesn't exist in the UK) and theme them up massively, it's relatively cheap and it has worked wonders for them. I don't see any reason for them to change that but the park so far hasn't even tried dark rides yet so I'm not sure how they'd do it.
 
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