Attraction Source Forum

there's hundreds thousands of teenagers around this area that used to go each year in the holidays but now its just not for them, its actually better suited than Alton in terms of getting too, main roads near to the park & Ilkeston not too far away

I reckon your overestimating the appeal of the american adventure to your average teen. Even before the rides were removed, the park was a laughing stock at my school, it was another way of saying american adventure, and the fact that keeping a potentially unsafe log flume and an ageing Vekoma Boomerang wouldn't have kept the teens coming back. The maintainence costs would've been too high. I also think you misunderstand, that the majority of adults who visit have kids, and aren't going for themselves. The family park idea was the only way for the park to go (except had the investment arrived for Adventure World). It's a shame the park might be closing (still no official word), but they did everything they could, and the fact is, they just didn't have th money to compete.

Thats true. Particularly in the last few years before the major rides were removed in 2005 the park was definately an embarassement.
It clearly couldn't be an all round park. That's what Alton Towers are and they clearly could not even hope to compete with them so they had to develop a more specific target audience. Thopre Park and Chessington did this with their individual 'thrill seeker' and 'family' marketing. If they had not done this they would have been competing with each other and since they are so close together that would be pointless.

The same can be applied to AT and AA (despite them being run by different companies). The parks are too close together to be both all round parks and since AT is such a popular all round park and has been for so many years it would have been impossible for AA to be as good.

2005 was when they finally realised this. Roger Lloyds new family image, in my opininon worked really well and was well on track but the park unfortunatley had to pay for all the mistakes that had previously been made by Tony Sunnley and friends.

The lovely bright orange coaster that lasted just a few months has indeed waved goodbye - the site it resided on it empty. The Balloons are hanging on their main structure which I find baffling as this is an obvious lack of maintenance.

There are no lnger any signs on the logo board at the Heanor Road turn off giving opening times - just a brown void where the advertisment used to reside.

Sad times

Well i dont know where rides from AA could be heading, but a few were rumored for Alton

I just find it very strange, the park is clearly closed for good. But they're doing all this obvious work, without any official announcement just weeks after denying the park would be closing?

This really is a sad time. I used to love that place! I'm actually quite emotional about it. Alot of memories and fun were had at American Adventure.

Such a shame. But i knew this would happen as soon as they announced their kiddie park idea.

Really sad times...

*Adäm

Anyone know what will be happening to the skycoaster from the site now the park has closed?

[quote=""Dara""]The same can be applied to AT and AA (despite them being run by different companies). The parks are too close together to be both all round parks and since AT is such a popular all round park and has been for so many years it would have been impossible for AA to be as good.[/quote]

Drayton doesn't seem to have a problem & they are even closer! Also a couple of years ago they were reporting record number gate figures at the park

As for sky coaster it remains as it was, well it was yesterday while i was at Shipley feeding the duckies, wasn't the sky coaster owned by a different company? that's why there is the extra charge for it, if so i would imagine the company would remove it & put it in another park

Thomas

[quote=""Thomas""]As for sky coaster it remains as it was, well it was yesterday while i was at Shipley feeding the duckies, wasn't the sky coaster owned by a different company? that's why there is the extra charge for it, if so i would imagine the company would remove it & put it in another park[/quote]

The Skycoaster was leased from a third party company, most likey the manufacturer. I believe it was a 10 year deal, and if I'm not mistaken this would have expired this year. Also, I'm sure the skycoaster was advertised as for sale by a disclosed third party company over the summer. Or atleast, a skycoaster somewhere in the UK was for sale, but the image suggested it was the American Adventure's version as this is the only duel swing version in the UK.

The charge did not related directly to the lease of the ride, it was more down to throughput. The ride has a very low throughput, as to be expected and like many parks with similar attractions. AA adopted the pay per fly option. Just like Alton have for thier low throughput attractions: the bungee trampolines thingys, the aqua carts, etc.

They wrecked that place. I live in long eaton about 10 minutes from there. Used to be a huge visiting attraction. since they took the flume away. that place sucks. Best flume ive ever been on.

Although the removal of the flume probably contributed to the demise of american adventure, the park has been swamped with problems since long before 2005.
I do agree that it was the best traditional style log flume around. Whenever people sang the praises of loggers leap at thorpe park (which people still do) I was always quick to say Nightmare Niagara was best, despite the fact that most of the thorpe park fanboys said I was talking rubbish and said AA's log flume was crap (I don't think any of them had ever actually ridden it)
It is a shame Nightmare Niagara was just scrapped. It would be even more of a tradgedy if the runaway train suffered the same fate. I know I've said this before but I'd be so upset if the runaway train didn't get sold to another park.
When it comes to powered coasters, all eyes will be on thorpe park with the return of flying fish. However, much as I'm looking forward to visiting thorpe next year, I cant help thinking that while everyone enjoys flying fish, I'll just be sadly remenising the far superior runaway train.
For me it will always be the best powered coaster ever, and possibly the UK's most underated ride.
Nightmare Niagara was pretty underated but in view of the queues it got, even in 2004, it was still very popular with park guests.
The runaway train however has often been ignored and just blended into the scenery. I really don't think it's tacky red and yellow paint job did the ride any good. It certainly didn't make guests think of it as the great ride that it was.

The log flume was alot better then altons. Themeing was great in the rock and everything and the last drop well. Altons with the ducks is c**p. Its boring and pointless.

A few years ago I wanted to visit AA purely for Nightmare Niagara, thats how amazing I thought it looked. At the time I had absolutely no idea what other rides the park had either.

So for me its a shame to see the park go even though I never got round to visiting, and its demise rounded off a bad year for the UK's smaller parks.

I thought at the time they wouldn't survive the change to becoming a kids park - presumably it was just to hard for the park to change its image quickly enough to make the new direction a success.

Just received a message from Roger Lloyd confirming that Rocky's Adventureland is now closed and will not reopen. There are plans for the park, he wont tell me exactly what but promises to as soon as they are released.

I'll keep you posted.

Oh, and FYI, Nightmare Niagara has not been scrapped as yet. The track is stacked up in the 'ride graveyard' (just behind the old stadium). The only bit which may have been was the supports to the third drop - which looked beyond repair anyway! All of the pieces inside the mountain are still intact because they share the same support network as the Runaway Train.

If American Adventure were to reopen then the buyer could probably rebuild Cherokee Falls (Nightmare Niagara minus the third drop) from parts already on site. This is just speculation mind, all I know is that I've seen a lot of Nightmare Niagara stuff in the ride graveyard.

Quick alton get a lorry and pick up the RMT cars and the log flume

That's positive news. I do hope someone is interested in spending some sort of money on the park. It has one of the best locations, geographically out of alot of theme parks.

It does appear the rides which have been removed (Rascal Rocket, Mini Mine etc)are the most recent, where were all rented anyway. And who is to say, the Carousel as not left to receive the same treatment as the Yankee Clipper?

[quote=""William Squires""]
Oh, and FYI, Nightmare Niagara has not been scrapped as yet. The track is stacked up in the 'ride graveyard' (just behind the old stadium). The only bit which may have been was the supports to the third drop - which looked beyond repair anyway! All of the pieces inside the mountain are still intact because they share the same support network as the Runaway Train.

If American Adventure were to reopen then the buyer could probably rebuild Cherokee Falls (Nightmare Niagara minus the third drop) from parts already on site. This is just speculation mind, all I know is that I've seen a lot of Nightmare Niagara stuff in the ride graveyard.[/quote]

Hmm... interesting. I always got the feeling they hadn't bothered to remove the ride completely. In fact, it begs the question as to why they didn't rebuild the ride back to two-drop in the first place, as an ideal family ride. However, if/when whoever gets to put the puzzle back together again gets the chance, I think they may find some of the parts are truly past their best

Sad to hear that Adventureland won't reopen, no doubt that is so Motion Master can be removed without causing disruption.... It will be interesting to hear what the 'plans' are, at the moment I can't see there being a 2007 season, they haven't had anything apart for checks/repair yet and the fact that so much is missing makes me think there are actually no plans yet...

Colin

Lets hope by the way of news he doesnt mean that the park will close for good and that the site is going to be used for housing.

I would like to see the park closed for the 2007 season and re-open in 2008 as a new park, although keeping with the American theme,

Chances are it will not happen but we can dream

Confirmed

It has just been publically announced on East Midlands news that the American Adventure will not re-open. Assets are to be sold, and the land eventually returned to the council.

More news, has it becomes available...