Paultons Park: General Discussion

[Leigh]

If it’s like Vertika I don’t want it.

 

[Poisson]

Glad they've chosen some high throughput rides to soak the crowds like the park needs.

Oh.

 

[Hid]

A Gerstrauler headbanger is a great way to destroy a kid’s interest in thrill coasters if they’ve never been on one before

And they have had to deal with Pinfari Looping Zyklons for years.

Give this coaster chance

 

[owenstreet7]

With the announcement of accommodation on the other big empty site though this really does start to look like they won't have the space in the future to add anything too big. Maybe there is room for something on the old log flume site / kiddy corner / the sky swinger to add another thrill coaster in the future.

Hmm... I think one option is potentially using some of the car parking space by where Raging River was.

There's an area by Tornado Springs that seems to be grass behind the toilet block.

Another out there option would be buying out some or all of the golf course that is across the river behind Lost Kingdom and expanding into there.

There is also the lake that they could use for something like Jormungandr.

I'm not sure this will all happen but I do think it is fun to speculate.

 

[Benzin]

Glad they've chosen some high throughput rides to soak the crowds like the park needs.

Oh.

ART website reckons 500pph theoretical for the Swing.

Eurofighter could do similar numbers.

Don't think it's that problematic for them given most of the punters won't be able to ride it.

 

[owenstreet7]

ART website reckons 500pph theoretical for the Swing.

Eurofighter could do similar numbers.

Don't think it's that problematic for them given most of the punters won't be able to ride it.

I'm sure Drakon will be closer to Flight to the Pterosaur and go through about 750pph at most.

I don't think it'll do much more, I'm sure with the height restriction being quoted as the highest at the park, I'm sure that will have an effect on the ridership of the coaster (similar to Mandrill)

 

[MrTowers]

Hmm... I think one option is potentially using some of the car parking space by where Raging River was.

There's an area by Tornado Springs that seems to be grass behind the toilet block.

Another out there option would be buying out some or all of the golf course that is across the river behind Lost Kingdom and expanding into there.

There is also the lake that they could use for something like Jormungandr.

I'm not sure this will all happen but I do think it is fun to speculate.

There are certainly options out there if they did indeed want to expand in the future. They already have one of the highest number of rides out of all UK parks so I can't see them wanting to add too much more. Naturally using the car park to expand and moving parking to the other side of the bridge could be a preferred option rather that the golf course. This could create an island or maybe even "an island like no other" or like one other

 

[Quantum]

Nest obvious area for attention after Vikings is the critter creek / tea cups area, not a big space but they could do a smaller themed area.

There is also a possible expansion to Tornado springs near the car park. Could fit a woodie here

Outside of that thee is a field to the left of the golf course that could be suitable for expansion however this is way off in the future.

 

[TedShatner10]

A Gerstrauler headbanger is a great way to destroy a kid’s interest in thrill coasters if they’ve never been on one before

Mind you SAW the Ride is a pretty old ride now and Drakon will be near decades newer (so hopefully the quirks and kinks associated with many years older Eurofighters will get ironed out).

Anyhoo, this new Valgard development is almost exactly what I expected and hoped for, with the Drakon really going to be Paultons' equivalent of the Corkscrew, Python, Shockwave, or Anubis (with the aged Cobra reborn as the Raven), and a ton of Whicker Man grade theming and set dressing laid down.

 

[postglaceon]

I was kind of hoping for something a bit more unique to the UK rather than a eurofighter but hopefully it will be good for the park and people like it.

I'm glad Paultons Park are ambitious with their theming compared to other UK parks but I wish their ideas were more interesting, most of them feel like rip offs of other theme park areas or are a bit generic. Even with the concept art looking good I feel like Valgard also fits into that too.

Also did they confirm OTSRs are on the ride instead of lap bars anywhere?

 

[Dave]

Got to love the copium coming out of the fanfolks trying to big up a Gerst eurofighter (not even one with lap bars).

In all seriousness this will be good for Paultons and the theming will be grand I’m sure but it outlines the fact this is a regional theme park, not a competitor of universal.

Demonstrates that their decision making is sound and to be fair if TG Cruise don’t build them Gersts are tolerable if not smooth.

 

[TedShatner10]

Of course Valgard will be nowhere near as elaborate as Universal and Drakon as a coaster is comparatively modest next to anything big seen at Thorpe or Blackpool, but it will scratch enough of that thrill ride itch to put Paultons in a more similar place that Chessington and Altons were in back in their prime during the 90s/00s.

 

[Call_um]

Great day at Paultons today. I hadn’t been to the park for over 10 years, before the likes of Peppa Pig world so it was great to see how much the park has changed for the better since then.

Ghostly Manor is a great addition to their lineup, fits the area perfectly and is finished to a really high standard.

Seeing the coasters behind the scenes was really cool, particularly enjoyed watching Storm Chaser in the op cabin while it was being operated for the ERT.

A little disappointed they went for a Gerst Eurofighter for their 2026 addition, but I do think it will be a great fit for the park. I think there are definitely better options out there, but think they chose this for budget reasons more than anything.

Particularly disappointed that it will have OTSR’s rather than Lap Bars (the boos from the crowd were hilarious), and I do think that is a mistake. I understand their thinking, that they want it to be as accessible as possible and they feel like OTSR’s will be seen as safer by the GP, especially for their first inversion coaster. But ultimately, Lap Bars are more modern, and I think this will impact the overall guest experience and enjoyment of the coaster.

 

[Dave]

There is a small but funny irony that they are concerned about the safety perspective of guests but are buying a coaster that is made by the same manufacturer and has the same restraint system as the last coaster to have a major accident in the UK.

Funny old world.

But as I say despite all that I think it’s a Solid choice for the messiah park.

 

[Rob]

Not going to lie, a Gerst Eurofighter is a big disappointment after all the rumours of what this might be. Really not sure it’s the best coaster model to venture in to the more thrilling coaster market with. But oh well.

I’m sure it will all be presented beautifully, as per with Paultons.

It’s a shame they’ve fallen foul of the belief that the public will want OTSRs if the coaster has inversions. At the end of the day, it’s going to have little impact on their visitor numbers, whilst those Gerst OTRSs are not at all pleasant.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Question to ask, we all have at best very mixed views on Gerst Eurofighters but admittedly those that were installed in the UK were well over a decade ago and since then you'd think that they would have improved since then as what Vekoma have done.

Anyone been on a modern Eurofighter that can confirm this?

 

[Hid]

I for one am greatful we are getting a new thrill coaster in the UK outside of Flamingo Land, Merlin Parks and Blackpool Pleasure Beaxh when was the last time that happened.

Coaster enthusiasts have become so spoiled that we get something new a thrill coaster and you still complain give this coaster a chance the layout looks awesome I know from experience of doing many Gerstlauer Euro Fighters that not all a rattle or rough.

Be grateful for what we have rather then envy what we don't

Is there better options sure but at the end of the day it's a regional park.

 

[owenstreet7]

There are certainly options out there if they did indeed want to expand in the future. They already have one of the highest number of rides out of all UK parks so I can't see them wanting to add too much more. Naturally using the car park to expand and moving parking to the other side of the bridge could be a preferred option rather that the golf course. This could create an island or maybe even "an island like no other" or like one other

I'd say there is certainly that thinking although I'm thinking the park will want to look at adding different things to enhance the offering rather than dilute the offering by offering duplicated experiences (Towers with two separate frog hopper attractions and Chessington with two Kontiki style rides).

I'd like to think any rides they add moving forwards will be more for broader families and older thrillseekers than young families and children unless it's different from the current line up.

 

[rob666]

...Is there better options sure ...

There are better options.
That is what ungrateful, envious thoosies think.

Could have been worse, could have been a Drayton cast off.

 

[Leigh]

Now I’m sober (thanks Eurovision) I can be a bit more objective.

This is an awful investment in every way I can possibly explain and it is so surprising that Paultons even begin to think either was a good idea. Having done a very recent Eurofighter installation with a similar layout (Vertika at La Récré in NW France), I can say it rides like absolute crap (still rough and uncomfortable like the ones of old), doesn’t have any capacity whatsoever thanks to its single car station, and is also quite frankly dull as a ride experience. I can’t comment on the ride quality of the ART swing as I didn’t go on it when I saw it at Tripsdrill but I haven’t heard amazing things, and I was shocked how abysmal the capacity of it was.

I genuinely can’t think of a worse choice outside of, say, a Zamperla or an SBF Visa. Even Chinese manufacturers like Jinma offer more appealing looking options in 2025 than this. Nobody guessed they would be getting a Eurofighter because nobody thought they would be so stupid as to buy one.

And the OTSRs for “safety reasons”. Give me a break.

Anyone been on a modern Eurofighter that can confirm this?

See above. No improvement.