Drayton Manor

[Themeparksandy1981]

Can't believe you moaning about paint jobs. When you think they Painted Shockwave,G force and the big wheel last few years. When was any of the towers rides last painted? Is there any sign of a 2013 ride?

[Luce]

As enthusiasts, we do comment on the state of parks and their rides so to me it seems natural to moan if something looks a bit shabby or in need of some TLC.  I haven't been to Drayton Manor for a  few years now so I'm not sure how bad it looks but sounds as if it could do with some sprucing up.

[Themeparksandy1981]

What don't help the park is that they remove attractions without replacing it with anything? Also closing Excalibur with no plans to upgraded it or replace it yet. The haunting and Pirate adventure is dire state of affairs. They have maintained the outside of the builders but inside in some areas it looks like they havent been worked on since the day they opened. To me the park itself looks the best it's ever looked and the restaurants look better than Alton Towers. The toilets could do with been upgraded.

To me the worst choice Drayton Manor ever did was scrap the Wristband system. My mum hates rides that go round and up in the air so she really only went on the rapids,pirate adventure and jungle cruise. She last went around 98/99. She loved just watching me and my sister go on the rides and she would just buy tickets and enjoy going round the zoo. Now I got a child of my own and in 3 years time I plan to take her to Drayton Manor to enjoy Thomasland and other rides. They even still got a few of the wristband offices so they could bring it back if they wanted to. If it works perfectly at Blackpool why not at Drayton Manor again.

[Don't_Look_Down]

overall 3 out of 5 for drayton manor imo it really needs some tlc mean surely they can afford a lick of paint for the buildings etc for example the toilets were disgusting look like something out of the 80's.

Hmmm, what a ridiculous statement. Drayton have splashed out big time this year, with improvements in all areas. The park has never looked so good.

[synghters]

overall 3 out of 5 for drayton manor imo it really needs some tlc mean surely they can afford a lick of paint for the buildings etc for example the toilets were disgusting look like something out of the 80's.

Hmmm, what a ridiculous statement. Drayton have splashed out big time this year, with improvements in all areas. The park has never looked so good.

Its not a ridicilous comment, shockwave was half painted looked like rust on some of the supports, the building for the rapids is all shabby with flaky paint, the building for shockwave has one window boarded up and most of the windows are of perspex and of yellow colour.

As said if small details are improved the park would look so much better as for the rides being rough i take that back after visiting blackpool pleasure beach lol now those coasters are rough but so much more enjoyable.

[Themeparksandy1981]

Just to let you all know that Drayton Manor are still selling tickets online for £20 with free parking. Just a £3.50 booking fee. http://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/tickets.php

[Don't_Look_Down]

There's quite a bit happening around the park at the moment.

Firstly, the Apocalypse queueline is finally going to see a new system, where riders can wait separately for the stand up floorless element


It looks like there will be a new 4D show for Christmas


There's a completely new line of merchandise in the park now.




Preparations for the fireworks finale are already under way


That's it for now 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Any sign of work been done on the Excalibur site yet? I be there on a the 4th Nov.

[Don't_Look_Down]

Unfortunately I was with someone else, and didn't get a chance to look properly. I'll pop down in the week and find out for you 

[Themeparksandy1981]

Do u get a free parking pass after I collect the tickets?

[djneice]

Do drayton manor do anything over new years like event wise?

[Themeparksandy1981]

The hotel suite is open for Christmas and new year

http://www.draytonmanorhospitality.co.u ... nd-newyear

[Dara]

Has anyone been charged to park at Drayton Manor this year? When I went earlier in the year the charge wasn't in place.

[Themeparksandy1981]

Well I went to Drayton Manor last weekend and took pictures

I start off with the old Black Revolver site

I cant really see a new ride replacing this unless they move the seated covered bench area to the right of this picture.

My next 2 pics are of the site of the former dino land where something was supposed to open there this year.



I went looking round the site to see if anything was getting done but all I could see was Old Dinos that was not moved to the other site.

The next 2 photos are of the old Seal area which has been empty for years.




Heres a picture I took of the site back in 2007


The last lot of pictures are of the new attraction for Christmas this year. The Knight before Christmas which opens next weekend.


















Here it is in more detail
http://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/page.php? ... -christmas

Here is a youtube video I found taken in Sept time of it been worked on and a look inside.


Looking at that video it does look like it will never be a ride that travels round the lake again. I did look round to see if the rest of Excalibur was still in one piece but could only see the scenes that were on the side of the pirate adventure and they were still there.

Here is a ad for the event show shows parts of what you see inside.


After looking round the park and the zoo it looks for 2013 there could be using the budget on the zoo.

[abigsmurf]

Screamscape have reported Drayton are planning for two coasters, a wooden coaster and a launched one. Guessing it's for the 2014 season onwards though.

Perhaps getting Knightmare from Camelot? Not sure if moving a wooden coaster saves enough money to be worthwhile over building a new one though.

[Chaz]

On the DM Xmas add- about 10seconds in. You can see the old final dragon from Ex on the interior roof tops.

So will this 'ride' just sit dormant all year until Xmas again? 

[The Moon]

Perhaps getting Knightmare from Camelot? Not sure if moving a wooden coaster saves enough money to be worthwhile over building a new one though.

It's steel.

[abigsmurf]

It's steel.

Brain fart, think I was thinking of Megaphobia for some unknown reason.

[G-Force]

I know this rumour has come up alot in the past and never seems to happen then we hear various little bits like the location etc well now while watching this video :

there are parts of it where it shows the design engineer and i spotted a orp of apocalypse then next to it spotted certain plans





It basically exactly meets what was rumoured with the loading by the chip shop which Colin said in an interview and that is what it seems like in the plans - so im guessing there is Draytons next coaster

[jackcullen]

It's been there for years!

I was fortunate enough to visit Vekoma a few years back and sit in that very office with that very guy lol

We were shown numerous plans etc for UK parks, including a couple for Drayton Manor and most other parks.