Drayton Manor

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Maelstrom
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tHIS IS TAKEN FROM LOCAL PAPER-

Drayton Manor has unveiled plans for a stunning multi-million pound Center Parcs-style water park which could create hundreds of new jobs.

Stormalong Bay will cover between six and ten acres of land with up to 20 slides and attractions, wave pools, a river raft canal, floating restaurant, forest spa and log cabin accommodation.

Although very much in the early stages, the concept is part of Drayton Manor's ambitious ten-year plan.

The exciting development comes on the back of plans for a Drayton Manor hotel with 86 business, themed and family rooms, function suites, swimming pool and even a small cinema.

Plans for the hotel were approved last year following a public inquiry and will complement the park's existing conference and banqueting facilities.

While work on the hotel is expected to be in full swing by early next year, Stormalong Bay is part of a much wider project of expansion plotted out over the next decade.

Colin Bryan is managing director of the family-run park and zoo which was recently voted the UK's best children's attraction.

"We are looking forward with excitement to the next phase in the history of Drayton Manor," he said.

In 2002, Drayton Manor Park and Zoo had more visitors than St Paul's Cathedral, London Zoo, Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral.

Bosses at the park, which already boasts Shockwave - the UK's first stand-up roller coaster - will unveil the latest addition to their catalogue of white knuckle rides in July.
Anonymous

That sounds amazing
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i_dont_get_it
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You got a pic of the concept art?
RU READY TO EXPERIANCE THE FORCE OF THE G
www.draytonmanorplus.tk please join!
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the_j
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which local paper was it any chance of a link to there website, sounds promosing
Williscroft

Things are looking great form DMP in the next few years and a water park would be great. Hopefuly if it gose ahead it will also be open to none hotel guests :D God ive goten so excited now as i know its only up the road and i can get there when i like :)
Anonymous

I have access to plans :D , not on me now though.

Lewis
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daniel_1431
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lets have a look at them lewis if you do ever get your hands on some :D
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Anonymous

Someone on the Manor Mania Team has got them.

I think we can see a contender there up with Alton Towers :wink: Saying that... there are rumours of an even more ambisous 5 year Plan for Alton. Ooooh the world of coasters, don't ya love it :lol:.

Anywho, say hello to Drayton Manor - The Resort. Someone is copying a park I think I've heard of 8).

Lewis
Williscroft

Xx King of Speed xX, is there any way you can get this person to send you a copy as im so so excited :D This is going to make the park so much more popular if it comes true :)
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Doopy Dan
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It was in the Tamworth Herald today, i couldnt belive my eyes when i walked into a local shop to buy some ciggys and saw that on the front page of the paper, ill get it scanned later
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daniel_1431
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thanks dan, i cant wait to see this. it is so excited
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Anonymous

Yeah I have them aswell.

Nothing very exiting, just the text far above and a picture of Sorm Force 10.

The plans will probably go on the new Manor Mania before I post them... but that depends on how long the site will take to get done.

Lewis... :D
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i_dont_get_it
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RU READY TO EXPERIANCE THE FORCE OF THE G
www.draytonmanorplus.tk please join!
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Williscroft

Its huge :shock: OMG, i so so hope this gose ahead now. Thanx for the plans by the way. I cant stop smiling :D If it dose go ahead how many years would you say it will be till we see construction start :?: :D
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daniel_1431
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i think this will go ahead but take like 10 years to get it up and running
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Williscroft

Just read the rest of the page and it is rumourd for the next few years :D They have put 2007/2008. This would make the park so much more popular. Hope we get more information soon :D
Satch

CAll me cynical, but arent they diving before learning to swim? DMP is a far cry from reaching resort status, with few attractions to keep you in the park for a full day. Barnstorm, or whatever it will be is the only real major development in 11 years, but it takes more than 1 good coaster and a couple of flats to bring it up to anywhere near being able to compete in resort status.

11 years ago, there were 2 theme parks that everybody cared about - AT and DMP. AT managed to bring itself up to the place it is now, the UK's top theme park attraction. DMP remained stationary with few installments, some replacements but little improvements, and no coaster in 10 years, whilst AT managed to bring in 4 coasters in this time. Bring to this the lack of any cohesive theme throughout the place, it is almost impossible to call it a theme park, but more favourable to call it a glorified amusement park.

But DMP still see themselves as being AT's rival. AT has some highly ambitious plans, to be able to compete in both the theme park sector, and the Centre Parks/butlins resort sector. DMP fails to compete in just one of these. Their answer? To copy AT with every step. But folliwing AT's shadow is IMO not the answer. They need some serious redevelopment and additions to the park before they can consider themselves as worthy to become a resort. Stormalong Bay in my eyes is them looking through rose-tinted glasses, thinking that the way for them to become close to number 1 again, is to do exactly the same, with no address given to the real problems holding them back.

Dont get me wrong, Im quite excited about Stormalong Bay, but I'd like some originality in their ideas, and maybe some realism. As I said, diving before they can swim. Hopefully there will be some hefty investment in the park itself in coming years too
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Maelstrom
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Project x the first major development in 11 years?-

1994-Shockwave£4.5m
1995-Klondike Mine:£0.5m
1996-The Huanting-£1m
1998-7 New kid/Family Rides-£1.5m
1999-Storm Force 10-£3.5m
2000-Apocalypse, Theatre and Golden Nuggets-£3m+
2002-Maelstrom-1.3m
2003-Excalibur and Cyclone-£3.5m
2004-Pandamonium and Jolly Roger-£1.5m spent
2005-Project X -£3.5

Plus not to mention £3.5m on pirates adventure and £1m on Splash Canyon. Also a huge amount of money has been spent in the last 11 years on transforming the parks facilities and lots of imrpovements around the park.
The major thing to remember is Drayton Manor is small family run business (most parks are owned by big companines) and don't have huge sums of money to spend on new rides they certainly don't have the money to spend £10m on one new ride like Alton can.

Also as reported in local paper all current developemenst at alton towers are on hold awaiting aresult from teh retrail about noise which is due to start on the 11th july 2005.

The new development will be good for the park as stands as a stand alone attraction, a large water park and centre park style place plus works well with the park, its these kinds of developements that will help the park grow in the future. the water park also looks much bigger than the one at alton. Example Arrive friday night, spend saturday in park, visit water park in the evening, Sunday, spend moring in pool and then head home. A family of four are likly to have spent around £300+ for the weekend rather than around £80 if has just been day visitors to the park.
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kurtis
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if Tussauds didn't but alton towers then i doubt alton towers would be as big as it is now and because DMP hasn't got a massive company to back it up with loads of money i think this is a good move for DMP and hopefully it will bring in some more money for more coasters :D
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jpecool
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Yes but bigger isnt always better like Liseberg in Sweden have proved with building Kanonen. :D Yes it looks bigger so will have more slides and things, but its also about the quality of the water park itself, and you did say Drayton Manor dont have large amounts of money to spend on huge new attractions, so where is this coming from???? This will cost alot, and i mean alot. I do hope the actual park manages to grow a bit more by the time the water park and hotel is open. They will need another coaster after Barnstorm, or something of that sort. Not another flat they have plenty of them. This is what i think satch was talking about when he said
is the only real major development in 11 years
I think he meant roller coasters as major development, because in many peoples eyes, flat rides are not major development.

Anyway i really hope this does o ahead, it will be a tremendous boost for the park! :D
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Fright nights on the 28th. Im ready to scream!!!!
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