Kam
Member
If anyone remembers the park as it was in 2001, this will hopefully give you a huge nostalgia trip!
Here’s the '01 park map! This was the last year that the Jungle Cruise operated in, before it would depart to make way for Project Neptune (Excalibur). The Haunted Crypt, a UV lit ghost train that existed next to Pirate Adventure was also in its last season during this year. It's history goes all the way back to the 70s, and understandably many of the props and animatronics in the Crypt were changed over time. It had its largest change in 1990, where the entire ride exterior was modified to integrate a castle dungeon facade with Pirate Adventure's fort entrance! Also, any keen eyes will notice that the Jumbos back then existed where Maelstrom currently is! Only a year later they were moved to where the Junior Balloons exist on this map to make way for the large Gyro Swing! They were added 3 years earlier alongside a large order of Zamperla flats that formed up the Kids corner area.
2001 saw Kids Corner become Robinson's fruit shoot land, which was to remain until the end of 2007. Only a few changes were made as part of the then new sponsorship deal, which included the addition of a small entrance area made of 'fruit shoot bottles’ and 'fruit shoot bins’!
Here’s the '01 park map! This was the last year that the Jungle Cruise operated in, before it would depart to make way for Project Neptune (Excalibur). The Haunted Crypt, a UV lit ghost train that existed next to Pirate Adventure was also in its last season during this year. It's history goes all the way back to the 70s, and understandably many of the props and animatronics in the Crypt were changed over time. It had its largest change in 1990, where the entire ride exterior was modified to integrate a castle dungeon facade with Pirate Adventure's fort entrance! Also, any keen eyes will notice that the Jumbos back then existed where Maelstrom currently is! Only a year later they were moved to where the Junior Balloons exist on this map to make way for the large Gyro Swing! They were added 3 years earlier alongside a large order of Zamperla flats that formed up the Kids corner area.
2001 saw Kids Corner become Robinson's fruit shoot land, which was to remain until the end of 2007. Only a few changes were made as part of the then new sponsorship deal, which included the addition of a small entrance area made of 'fruit shoot bottles’ and 'fruit shoot bins’!
Some pretty cool pictures of BWitched launching Apocalypse in its grand opening in 2000 are featured in the guide. Strange fact; a hell of a lot of bands that opened Drayton rides broke up shortly afterwards! Steps opened Stormforce opened in ‘99 (broke up in ‘01), Hear'say opened Maelstrom in 2002 (broke up later that very year), and B*witched broke up 2 years after they opened Apocalypse (or in other words, a year after they featured on this guide). Scientific evidence of mysticism? I’ll let you make your minds up. If the intensity of Apocalypse wasn't self-evident enough already, you only have to look at the band members faces in these pictures to realize what a ride it is.
Merch, and general info!
Stormforce 10; it was only 2 at the time that this guide was made. It’s now just about to hit 20 years of existing at the park. A fantastically themed ride, with an incredible queue-line and station designed predominantly by attraction design company Farmer Studios; who recreated a Cornish seaside setting so well! In its early days, many more effects existed in the ride, including a smoke screen positioned inside the Oil rig turntable section that would set off just before boats were sent down the drop, and beacon alarms that would sound as the turntable moved.
To celebrate the debut of the Popeye show on TV, Drayton held a stage show which only ran from 2000 to 2001. It would be replaced with the Jubilee circus the year after. Golden Nuggets was only a year old at this stage, back when the park still had a sponsorship deal with Nestle. ‘Being Creative/UK event services' upgraded it last year by swapping around some of the animatronics, adding LED lighting on the ceiling, making numerous changes to targets and sound effects, and adding a digital scoreboard that exists in the station and on each car. No changes were made to the ride system itself though, which was originally designed by IE park.
UK inflation really shows on the price page! And yes, wristbands were still in use at this point, though they would be phased out only two years later. They would be both bought and collected by enthusiasts.
Merch, and general info!
Stormforce 10; it was only 2 at the time that this guide was made. It’s now just about to hit 20 years of existing at the park. A fantastically themed ride, with an incredible queue-line and station designed predominantly by attraction design company Farmer Studios; who recreated a Cornish seaside setting so well! In its early days, many more effects existed in the ride, including a smoke screen positioned inside the Oil rig turntable section that would set off just before boats were sent down the drop, and beacon alarms that would sound as the turntable moved.
To celebrate the debut of the Popeye show on TV, Drayton held a stage show which only ran from 2000 to 2001. It would be replaced with the Jubilee circus the year after. Golden Nuggets was only a year old at this stage, back when the park still had a sponsorship deal with Nestle. ‘Being Creative/UK event services' upgraded it last year by swapping around some of the animatronics, adding LED lighting on the ceiling, making numerous changes to targets and sound effects, and adding a digital scoreboard that exists in the station and on each car. No changes were made to the ride system itself though, which was originally designed by IE park.
UK inflation really shows on the price page! And yes, wristbands were still in use at this point, though they would be phased out only two years later. They would be both bought and collected by enthusiasts.
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