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Paultons Park: General Discussion
PhalanaxOperativeA1127
TS Member
OTSR aren't for "safety" reasons. Theyre for psychological reasons.
Not that I agree with the line of thinking, but the thinking amongst the majn GP (particularly families who aren't used to inversions), will see OTSR as safer.
You have to remember who this coaster is aimed at. It's a family park, being aimed at families, who perhaps aren't as used to inversions and this is a huge step for them. It's not built for enthusiasts who are used to inversions, and understand all the technical behind restraints.
Not that I agree with the line of thinking, but the thinking amongst the majn GP (particularly families who aren't used to inversions), will see OTSR as safer.
You have to remember who this coaster is aimed at. It's a family park, being aimed at families, who perhaps aren't as used to inversions and this is a huge step for them. It's not built for enthusiasts who are used to inversions, and understand all the technical behind restraints.
The OTSRs go with public sentiment rather then go off on a whim. People are spoiled plain and simple.
We are getting a new thrill coaster and who knows this could be smooth. I have done many Eurofighters most are intense and some are smooth
QTXAdsy
TS Member
Regardless, this Eurofighter will be themed much better than both Saw and Smiler which TBH isn't hard to do. Plus if Paultons do end up down the line getting a larger multi looping ride that will be the flagship ride which the park doesn't have, even with this investment, then this ride will be relegated to being like what Corkscrew was as in being a first inversion coaster.
Quite funny how with all the reaction to this Eurofighter that everyone has forgotten of how good the retheme will be and of Cobra's new look which no doubt will improve that area of the park greatly but alas everyone likes to focus on the negatives.
Quite funny how with all the reaction to this Eurofighter that everyone has forgotten of how good the retheme will be and of Cobra's new look which no doubt will improve that area of the park greatly but alas everyone likes to focus on the negatives.
Leigh
TS Member
I don’t think anyone is being spoiled here. I’m personally saying, having always been on a similar ride of a similar vintage as this will be, that I do not believe it will be good and I believe it to be the complete wrong investment for the park.
And for reference, I’ve done Gerstlaurers with lap bars and I still don't rate all of them (some are decent but some are not all that). My main criticism is why they’ve chose one of them in the first place when there’s significantly better options in 2025 at a similar cost level.
And for reference, I’ve done Gerstlaurers with lap bars and I still don't rate all of them (some are decent but some are not all that). My main criticism is why they’ve chose one of them in the first place when there’s significantly better options in 2025 at a similar cost level.
owenstreet7
TS Member
I personally don't think it's a wrong investment but it's a very safe investment I'd say.
It's tried, tested and doesn't break any ground.
I don't really agree with the OSTR logic when Drayton Manor did The Wave with lapbars.
I still stand by my opinion that the Eurofighter would've been most ideal for an investment around 2013 and still not be jarring for Paultons Park.
QTXAdsy
TS Member
I believe why they chose it was due to space as well as cost. Will agree having OTSR is a mistake unless long term they replace them with lapbar types but that's just my thoughts.
And the end of the day we want to see the park succeed and if it takes a Eurofighter to take them to the next level then so be it.
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
I would imagine that Paulton's have commissioned, or have access to, public research which backs this up. To paraphrase, they talked about taking baby steps and their audience needing to grow and trust Paulton's in a new space.
Drayton Manor Park and Zoo have had coasters, which invert, with OTSRs. Their audience have become used to the idea, it's then possible to pull a switch later.
Paulton's are a very cautious park, which is what they kept alluding to last night. Relatively safe bets, relatively generic themes, just with a "Paulton's Twist".
I think the disappointment comes from thoosies projecting their own feelings, thoughts and wishes onto a park, which were never there in the first place.
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Bowser
TS Member
SAW has excellent theming and the ride authentically replicates the narrative of the films in that riders have to put themselves through excruciating physical pain to survive.
Poisson
TS Member
I'm disappointed that they have chosen a ride type known to often ride poorly and not age well. Not projecting, just whacking your head a lot isn't fun.
Saw is outstandingly themed those Saw Blades and other elements are phenomenal.
As much as I don't like Smiler theme I do like the Marmilizer and also it is meant to be an asylum/dr facility which the white walls kinda represent
Dave
TS Founding Member
You need to cease telling people who disagree with you that they are spoiled. They have an opinion on a new ride in the UK on a UK theme park discussion forum shock horror.
Fact is this is a mediocre ride system known for being rough, especially the ones with OTSR. The more I think about it the more I’m baffled, there are far better options even within the Gerst portfolio than a Eurofighter, and I am not saying that because I am “spoiled” as I don’t need the UK to provide all my ride needs as I am lucky enough to be able to travel, it’s just objectively a weird and underwhelming choice.
It's more the fact we are getting something new, and the immediate reaction is negative, we could have something better sure there is a reason they have gone for this rather than other manufacturers. Be grateful what we have rather than envy what we don't.
When was the last time we got a new thrill coaster outside of Merlin Parks, Pleasure Beach and Flamingo Land.
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
*Family thrill, which this is. Last season at Drayton Manor Park and Zoo.
Paulton's Park is a business with a commercial interest. It is their fiduciary duty to generate profit, which can be bolstered by prudent investments into their portfolio.
Paulton's Park is not a charity, or a friend. There is no need to "be grateful" for what you're given. They are not a Victorian Workhouse.
Arguably, this investment isn't prudent. As many others have said, there are plenty of reasons why this doesn't seem like the wisest business decision.
No one, on this thread, has been playing Planet Coaster Sandbox Whatifs scenarios. They have mostly made judgmentally sound critiques and criticisms over the ride type that was selected.
We, as casual guests and visitors, or enthusiasts, pay Paulton's Park money to be entertained. We have an expectation of what we're going to get, based on the value that they promise or sell the tickets for.
There is disappointment because, to many, Paulton's Park has/had promise. No one's acting like a child, or throwing their toys out of a pram, or hitting their parent because they're being pulled out of Peppa Pig World and throwing a strop, except, maybe... Well.
Fair point on Gold Rush
I would be curious on their decision making. If they were to go for Gerstlauer ab infinity would infinitely better but I suppose we will just have to put up with it
TedShatner10
TS Member
A Gerstlauer Eurofighter is a relatively sensible investment for their first true thrill coaster as a experiment and I don't mind a bit of roughness (when the Cobra knocked me about too), with Paultons' real flagship thrill ride being the 2027 water coaster.
Could this Water Coaster be a Mack Power Splash would be great as provides a Launch, Some Airtime and a Splash.
Also would not mind if it was like Skatteoen a great Water Coaster. Hoping this one has a wave turn
Matt N
TS Member
It is great that we’re getting a new thrill coaster in a UK park that has never done one before. It absolutely is, and I think it’s a brilliant step for Paultons to be doing something like this!
I’m also sure that the area will be very nice and well-themed. Tornado Springs is, and Lost Kingdom is, so I have no reason to believe that Valgard won’t be equally well-themed if not more so! The flat ride looks fun, and the promise of another major investment in 2027 is incredibly exciting!
However, Paultons has shown a lot of promise and clearly wants to enter the UK big leagues. And if they want to enter those big leagues, I feel they should be critiqued accordingly. I can’t help but feel that this addition would have had a lot more criticism were it being built at any other major UK park apart from Paultons. Had this exact ride and land been announced for Chessington World of Adventures, for example (a park with a similar target demographic to Paultons), I think the choice would have been absolutely slated, even had it been built instead of Mandrill Mayhem in 2023 and been the park’s first inverting coaster like Drakon will be for Paultons.
For me, I question whether this was the best choice of headline attraction, even for Paultons’ likely budget range. To really grow as a park, I feel that Paultons should be going for things that make them stand out from the competition. Is a ride very similar to one that’s existed at Adventure Island in Southend for 18 years and Thorpe Park just an hour up the road in Surrey for 16 years really going to do that? I’m not so sure. I think “unambitious” would be overly harsh given that Paultons are a non-corporate UK park that are investing very, very well, but I think this is an incredibly conservative installation from a park where I was perhaps hoping for something a bit more innovative, unique and/or ambitious. There must be other, similarly budget-friendly thrill coaster models that would have brought something unique and innovative to the UK table, surely? Even if Paultons were to repeat their usual tactic of browsing stock models?
That’s also before we get into the fact that Euro-Fighters can often be quite uncomfortable and are arguably a bit… 2000s (?) as a ride type. All of the parks that have more recently installed them (e.g. Tivoli Friheden, Glenwood Caverns, La Recre de 3 Cures) are of a much lower calibre than Paultons, I would argue, with a lot of mid-size to bigger parks that installed them doing so 15-20 years ago. I personally disagree with the park’s justification of OTSRs (although I acknowledge that they probably have data backing this up), and I can’t help but feel that the ride might feel a bit dated compared to other contemporary ride installations for a similar demographic in the UK.
I say all of this while trying desperately to be objective and cast aside the fact that I’m not personally a massive fan of Euro-Fighters… I hope I’ve succeeded!
I’m also sure that the area will be very nice and well-themed. Tornado Springs is, and Lost Kingdom is, so I have no reason to believe that Valgard won’t be equally well-themed if not more so! The flat ride looks fun, and the promise of another major investment in 2027 is incredibly exciting!
However, Paultons has shown a lot of promise and clearly wants to enter the UK big leagues. And if they want to enter those big leagues, I feel they should be critiqued accordingly. I can’t help but feel that this addition would have had a lot more criticism were it being built at any other major UK park apart from Paultons. Had this exact ride and land been announced for Chessington World of Adventures, for example (a park with a similar target demographic to Paultons), I think the choice would have been absolutely slated, even had it been built instead of Mandrill Mayhem in 2023 and been the park’s first inverting coaster like Drakon will be for Paultons.
For me, I question whether this was the best choice of headline attraction, even for Paultons’ likely budget range. To really grow as a park, I feel that Paultons should be going for things that make them stand out from the competition. Is a ride very similar to one that’s existed at Adventure Island in Southend for 18 years and Thorpe Park just an hour up the road in Surrey for 16 years really going to do that? I’m not so sure. I think “unambitious” would be overly harsh given that Paultons are a non-corporate UK park that are investing very, very well, but I think this is an incredibly conservative installation from a park where I was perhaps hoping for something a bit more innovative, unique and/or ambitious. There must be other, similarly budget-friendly thrill coaster models that would have brought something unique and innovative to the UK table, surely? Even if Paultons were to repeat their usual tactic of browsing stock models?
That’s also before we get into the fact that Euro-Fighters can often be quite uncomfortable and are arguably a bit… 2000s (?) as a ride type. All of the parks that have more recently installed them (e.g. Tivoli Friheden, Glenwood Caverns, La Recre de 3 Cures) are of a much lower calibre than Paultons, I would argue, with a lot of mid-size to bigger parks that installed them doing so 15-20 years ago. I personally disagree with the park’s justification of OTSRs (although I acknowledge that they probably have data backing this up), and I can’t help but feel that the ride might feel a bit dated compared to other contemporary ride installations for a similar demographic in the UK.
I say all of this while trying desperately to be objective and cast aside the fact that I’m not personally a massive fan of Euro-Fighters… I hope I’ve succeeded!
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Bowser
TS Member
I think you're right about Cobra, it's pretty rough too relatively speaking.
People on here probably overestimate and overanalyse how much the general public care about something being "rough" though. Rides like SAW, Rage and The Smiler are enduringly popular. People still clamour for the Grand National after almost 100 years of whiplash. Unless you're repeatedly riding or regularly visiting theme parks, i suspect most people will laugh it off (and young people will have a higher tolerance in the first place).
In terms of 2027, i think we are once again setting ourselves up for disappointment if we expect some kind of flagship ride that puts the park on the map in the enthusiast community, hence why i believe something like the Mack PowerSplash is most likely.