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What is your guys thoughts on Drayton Removing Apocalypse?

DanBoi

DanBoi

Member
Just wanna find out some of your guys thoughts on Drayton Manor removing apocalypse. Do you think it is a good idea or not?
 
I am gutted as I felt it was an iconic ride on the park and one that I really enjoyed. Kicking myself for never plucking up the courage to do stand up floorless!

Whether it is a good decision to remove it remains to be seen. For me it all depends on what they replace it with. I hope it’s not a decision the park lives to regret. I have faith in Looping Group though, what they’ve done with Drayton so far has been decent.
 
DanBoi said:
Just wanna find out some of your guys thoughts on Drayton Manor removing apocalypse. Do you think it is a good idea or not?
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As many people think removing apocalypse is a bad thing for the park, and in many ways yes , it did bring a lot of attraction to Drayton and many people will be gutted . But the ride only ran one tower, they don’t have the money to fix the other four. The ride was running a too low capacity. Another thing is that the ride is 22 years old , the park needs a refresh and can’t keep these old rides forever . If they fixed the old towers I wouldn’t be surprised if they just broke again in another year . The park also want to accommodate the whole park not just a small minority of thrill seekers who will miss the ride. The majority of people who visit Drayton are families , and they need to accommodate that target audience as they get them most of the dough , unfortunately apocalypse isn’t a family ride.

So to answer your question, yes . I think it’s a great idea that apocalypse has been removed, and I look forward to the next years to come for Drayton . Hoping it comes back to its original glory days .
 
I continue to believe this is a mistake, yes it needed a refresh/referb and maybe a rename and retheme into the new area but its such a small footprint ride I'm sure they could have designed a rollercoaster to use the remaining space and to wrap around it like they do at Hansa park and keep it. Lets not forget sit-down was only 1.2m and I took my 7 year old nephew on it and he loved it (yet he can't ride Stormforce yet). Surely he is the sort of age/market Drayton are going for and from that point of view it was something for everyone (at least sitdown and standup offered something more thrilling for those that wanted it), also to differentiate from Alton Towers where they can't compete on money. Well Alton could never build an attraction like Apocalypse hence it gave them something unique they couldn't get at towers. Drayton say they are going for rides the whole family imo sit-down at least offered that. It was a big tick for thrill seekers to the park sure but also children who were outgrowing Thomasland but not yet up to 1.4m so I think it was a ride worth keeping in a rethemed way.

This still remains a huge gamble for Drayton in a way I don't think the removal of G Force and Pandamonium were as a signeture ride of the park. Yes I know Loopings have a plan but I maintain a Disk-o you get loads of parks these days (Even M&Ds) is nothing special whereas Apocalypse was. I have a really soft spot for Drayton and want to see it doing well but if they want to attract the whole family they need to give me a reason to visit.

I also didn't think that area needed tackling ahead of Pirates Adventure and Excalibur sites both of while are visible and I would have thought needed sorting out first either as replacement/refurbished attractions.
I bought an annual pass so I could ride Apocalypse as much as I could before it was removed but I can't see myself renewing when it expires now unless they surprise me with a reopening of Pirate Adventure (in some form). I'm sure I will visit at least once in 2024 though to see the new attraction but unlikely to justify a new annual pass.
 
SadieAdler said:
I am gutted as I felt it was an iconic ride on the park and one that I really enjoyed. Kicking myself for never plucking up the courage to do stand up floorless!

Whether it is a good decision to remove it remains to be seen. For me it all depends on what they replace it with. I hope it’s not a decision the park lives to regret. I have faith in Looping Group though, what they’ve done with Drayton so far has been decent.
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Stand up floorless was another experience. It was so much better then sit down in my opinion.
 
Charliie said:
I think something is in the works for the PA building. I couldn’t get a photo because I was with my little boy however when we was on Percy going from Thomas land to the zoo, you could see some of the old PA boats in a massive skip.
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I would really like to see something in the building maybe like a re imagined pirates adventure or a dark ride of some sort. It would be great to see as it is such a big space that is just sitting there.
 
I think when the looping group brought Drayton Manor in August they spent 6 months reviewing what needs to be done and having theme areas we there main aim and adventure Cove was a easier fix, A new Vikings area to go with Thomas land.
Anyway the area formally known as Aerial park would have been so tough to re theme if Apocalypse and Pandemonium had stayed now they could have a western theme with the haunting re-themed into a haunted hotel, sheriff showdown stay as it is and drunken barrels into a Saloon to go with the new coaster
 
I sort of concur with Alex.

It is sad that Apocalypse is going. And I wish that it was still a part of the park. But I think that if there was any future in keeping the iconic ride then it needed to be brought back into full use. And I genuinely think that there will have been considerable effort to see if this could have been the case. Similarly I can imagine that when the ride was for sale this work would have been considered by a number of other parks too. However I think that if the sums didn't work on site for DMP then it ws stretching it to think that could have worked elsewhere with the cost of moving the piece added on.

The risk would have been that the ride then dies completely. It would have been as much use as an exercise bike bought for Christmas did in February. And it was too big to hang your clothes on.

My guess is that if there were even 3 sides still functioning then it wouldn't have closed.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
I think when the looping group brought Drayton Manor in August they spent 6 months reviewing what needs to be done and having theme areas we there main aim and adventure Cove was a easier fix, A new Vikings area to go with Thomas land.
Anyway the area formally known as Aerial park would have been so tough to re theme if Apocalypse and Pandemonium had stayed now they could have a western theme with the haunting re-themed into a haunted hotel, sheriff showdown stay as it is and drunken barrels into a Saloon to go with the new coaster
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Although Walibi Belgium have a similar Intamin Giant Drop tower called Dalton Terror themed into a western area so it could have worked in a western area. I'm sure with a bit of creativity then could have rethemed Pandemonium into a western theme too although I consider that less of a loss and a coaster would definatly be better.
 
Paul said:
I continue to believe this is a mistake, yes it needed a refresh/referb and maybe a rename and retheme into the new area but its such a small footprint ride I'm sure they could have designed a rollercoaster to use the remaining space and to wrap around it like they do at Hansa park and keep it. Lets not forget sit-down was only 1.2m and I took my 7 year old nephew on it and he loved it (yet he can't ride Stormforce yet). Surely he is the sort of age/market Drayton are going for and from that point of view it was something for everyone (at least sitdown and standup offered something more thrilling for those that wanted it), also to differentiate from Alton Towers where they can't compete on money. Well Alton could never build an attraction like Apocalypse hence it gave them something unique they couldn't get at towers. Drayton say they are going for rides the whole family imo sit-down at least offered that. It was a big tick for thrill seekers to the park sure but also children who were outgrowing Thomasland but not yet up to 1.4m so I think it was a ride worth keeping in a rethemed way.

This still remains a huge gamble for Drayton in a way I don't think the removal of G Force and Pandamonium were as a signeture ride of the park. Yes I know Loopings have a plan but I maintain a Disk-o you get loads of parks these days (Even M&Ds) is nothing special whereas Apocalypse was. I have a really soft spot for Drayton and want to see it doing well but if they want to attract the whole family they need to give me a reason to visit.

I also didn't think that area needed tackling ahead of Pirates Adventure and Excalibur sites both of while are visible and I would have thought needed sorting out first either as replacement/refurbished attractions.
I bought an annual pass so I could ride Apocalypse as much as I could before it was removed but I can't see myself renewing when it expires now unless they surprise me with a reopening of Pirate Adventure (in some form). I'm sure I will visit at least once in 2024 though to see the new attraction but unlikely to justify a new annual pass.
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I absolutely agree. Closing Apocalypse is a huge gamble, and I think everyone knows it.
 
I heard they spent £50000 on trying to get the floor less working but after they send it up it wouldn’t release so had to lower it back down and it stayed down.
The other sit down was used for spares to keep the other 1 going.
Both stand up needed new motors and cables installed and bits of them were used on the floorless.
So the cost to repair/replace Apocalypse wasn’t worth it in the owners eyes.
The biggest challenge now for the park is with the coaster replacing theses 2 rides has big boots to fill.
 
Has anyone ordered anything from the Apocalypse ride parts catalogue? I've managed to reserve a piece of theming
 
Yeah though a lot of the stuff has already been reserved. You can email [email protected] for the full catalogue along with what is left. I would have likes a ride car casing but really practically its too big
 
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