Pleasurewood Hills

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Sam
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Not sure if this is a press-release or just an e-mail sent to CoasterForce's Martyn B:
Pleasurewood Hills wrote:It may be best to tell you now that due to various and strenuous time consuming complications it has meant that we are unable to acquire the tower which we have planning permission for. We still wanted to be able to offer a big ride for next year so we have purchased a travelling 40m drop tower with the prospect of "upgrading" the ride when the larger one becomes available. For this reason the ride will be mostly unthemed (minus the ship) so we do not incur huge costs for a temporary ride. On the plus side, the ride will be on the park and ready for opening in 2012 and is still slightly taller than Wipeout.

I know that this is frustrating but I thought it would be best to tell you now rather than you showing up on the park to be disappointed. The planning permission does however last for 3 years so we are looking to get the drop tower within this period.
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darkside
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It's also worth noting that the S&S shot at Fantasy Island is 200 feet - at least it is widely stated as that, it may be 180-foot clone of Blackpool's but it is stated as 200 feet everywhere I've seen. So if it's true then the proposed one wouldn't be the tallest anyway
That is not a freefall drop tower.

And if I'm right in thinking, they were actually going to be getting the tower from Karolinelund in Denmark, which is a 65m tower (210ft).

This one they're getting looks awful, but rides so well. I find these Fabbri Drop Zone types to be a lot better than their larger counterparts.
Last edited by darkside on Thu Jan 12, 2012 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tom G
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It's a tower/drop ride. I think most people loosely classify them as the same type of ride. "The UK's tallest freefall drop tower" would be bordering on Merlin-type claims.
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mrbrightside
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Let's hope they keep an eye on this then: http://www.italintl.com/detail_page.php?record_id=1494

It's sad to see that the park will be getting a shoddy travelling model of tower with minimal theming, but at least there will be SOMETHING instead of nothing. As a stop-gap until the real thing can come...

Plus the new branding and logo look great!
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mrbrightside
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Let's have a wee 2012 roundup then of what's been happening since the drop tower disappointment...

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^Prep for kiddy drop tower 'The Lighthouse'

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^ Pony Trek ride (also from Loudoun) is in place

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^Re-painted WoodyCopters (yes theres a lot for kids this year...)

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^ Re-location of Thunderstruck as The Tide Traveller and turning it into a permanent ride rather than the travelling one:
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(Note that the above picture is the location of 'The Jolly Roger' drop tower this year.

BUT most importantly, a new drop tower has been sourced:

http://publicaccess.waveney.gov.uk/PASystem77/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=LYPL5MQX03G00

At 178ft the park have applied for amended planning permission and have presumably sourced a new tower to replace the Fabbri Drop Zone that is being installed this year.
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Nightfall
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Thunderstruck becoming a permanent attraction sounds good. And its new location next to Wipeout seems like a smart move. Pleasurewood Hills appear to be making a lot of investment this year.
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mrbrightside
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Well, it could turn out to  be an absolute shambles, which wouldn't surprise me, but it is good to see it look less like a cheap, fairground ride. It's had a complete re-theme as well.
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darkside
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Says to me that the park is wanting to head in the right direction with investing in a ride to remove the 'travelling' emphasis of it, seems like a lot of effort too, especially with everything else they have going on.

I think I remember reading that there's also going to be a new website and new show & refurb for the theatre?
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merm
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Never been to pleasurewood hills booked hols this year nr Yarmouth so will get my first visit in July looking forward to it nearly as much as riding the scenic coaster at Yarmouth few yrs since I've rode this golden oldy
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mrbrightside
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darkside wrote: Says to me that the park is wanting to head in the right direction with investing in a ride to remove the 'travelling' emphasis of it, seems like a lot of effort too, especially with everything else they have going on.

I think I remember reading that there's also going to be a new website and new show & refurb for the theatre?
Yeah the new website should be up before the end of the month and there will be a brand new magic/illusion show in the theatre starring Sean Alexander who appeared on Britain's Got Talent.

The new site will involve the new branding and the park's new logo:

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mrbrightside
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Another update on the construction / relocation of Thunderstruck / The Tide Traveller

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It's hopefully going to look fantastic when it's finished!
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mrbrightside
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More construction updates from the Pleasurewood twitter / Unofficial Pleasurewood:

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^ The concrete base for "The Jolly Roger" drop tower is in place - the park are definitely going with the 40m Fabbri Drop Zone for this season at least.

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^ Kiddy Drop Tower "The Lighthouse" is in place

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^ And some shots of the newly re-branded park leaflet.
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Rob L
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Is it just me or does that look very similar to Lightwater's new marketing style?

:)
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Nightfall
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Took the words right out of my mouth.
mrbrightside wrote:
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When were the trees removed that blocked Enigma from view? Was it during this construction or has the ride been exposed like that for a while?

A RCDB search shows the trees there in 2005 but nearly all gone in 2011. I'm fairly sure they were still there during my last visit in 09/10. I think it's a shame these trees are gone as it split the ride from the rest of the park and made it feel less like it had been dumped there. But it's nice to see the Cannonball esq trains back.
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darkside
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I remember seeing that they were removed before summer last year. I guess it was something to do with them original drop tower plans? But I agree, it looked better with them blocking the view of the coaster.
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mrbrightside
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They were removed during last season - and they also made what looked like a pathway leading from the right-hand side of Thunderstruck, down to the queue - as if they were thinking of re-routing it.

Unsure whether that will happen now, but the trees were gone because of that, rather than because of the tower. While it does look kind of bare, on park last season it looked quite good seeing Enigma poking out from behind Thunderstruck.
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Benjy Alton Towers Kid
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mrbrightside, Are you by any chance a Norfolk boy like me? I have been to Plasurewood once on a school trip and the experience was ruined by my group being only interested in food (mostly chips) and kiddie rides like the Choo Choo Train. So I didn't get to ride any of the thrills.

However, I intend to go there at some point this year. I think it's great they are adding 5 new attractions especially the drop tower which I am very excited about.
Theme Parks are my way of life.

Benjy Alton Towers Kid :)
Keep smiling!!! :)
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Slappy McGuire
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Rob wrote: Is it just me or does that look very similar to Lightwater's new marketing style?

:)
Ironically, they were once part of the same group...
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mrbrightside
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With not long until the park re-opening, a big update has just been posted on the PWH Facebook and Twitter:

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^ The flag for the top of 'The Jolly Roger' drop tower.

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^ Jolly Roger Merch

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^ The Castle Theatre is about to get a repaint a new sign

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^ The Tide Traveller (relocated Thunderstruck) is in place in its new base...

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AND FINALLY... "The Jolly Roger" Fabbri Drop Zone has arrived!

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mrbrightside
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We have an erection! ;)

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(from PWH Facebook)


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