What should Drayton do to improve itself
- Thread starter Joe
- Start date
A lot of parks have had issues this year, Alton Towers notably have reported issues.
I think the park needs to focus on the core activities, which is the theme park rides and zoo, before events and get these right. Ultimately if it was an events park, it would struggle as the entertainment is not quite at that level. Getting ride operation right and reduced downtime is key, making sure that the park is ready for guests. Looking at ride availability, there are still issues. A lot of rides are getting older so need more maintenance.
I think then fewer higher quality events like the dinosaurs and vikings events. Some events have been weaker, so focussing on events and maintaining the 'normal' entertainment and keeping it affordable. Paultons business model is great but for families may not be affordable.
A new 'big' attraction will be needed before 2030 to give an alternative to Universal, which will be a lot more expensive. We all talk about the Pirate Adventure.
Then they need to look at their bread and butter customers, passholders. Without them their income would be significantly reduced and we are an example, the issues widely reported has meant we have not attended this season which is not normal. We would have been at least four or five times by now. Look at passholder events. Get rid of that first weekend where 'be nice to us' and get the park ready properly. Don't open all the rides at christmas but offer a Thomasland plus half a dozen rides for the christmas event and bring back the old stryle fireworks.
I think the park needs to focus on the core activities, which is the theme park rides and zoo, before events and get these right. Ultimately if it was an events park, it would struggle as the entertainment is not quite at that level. Getting ride operation right and reduced downtime is key, making sure that the park is ready for guests. Looking at ride availability, there are still issues. A lot of rides are getting older so need more maintenance.
I think then fewer higher quality events like the dinosaurs and vikings events. Some events have been weaker, so focussing on events and maintaining the 'normal' entertainment and keeping it affordable. Paultons business model is great but for families may not be affordable.
A new 'big' attraction will be needed before 2030 to give an alternative to Universal, which will be a lot more expensive. We all talk about the Pirate Adventure.
Then they need to look at their bread and butter customers, passholders. Without them their income would be significantly reduced and we are an example, the issues widely reported has meant we have not attended this season which is not normal. We would have been at least four or five times by now. Look at passholder events. Get rid of that first weekend where 'be nice to us' and get the park ready properly. Don't open all the rides at christmas but offer a Thomasland plus half a dozen rides for the christmas event and bring back the old stryle fireworks.
Heavily disagree with this as Alton has made a massive improvement upon previous seasons, Drayton on the other handis in a way worse position.
I think Pirate Adventure makes logical sense given its clearly the area of the park without anything. I think they need a good long closed season to repair all the rides to ensure they are more reliable and have less issues in the main season
I don't know if it is the worst park in the uk, I don't know of many of the others.
But I think that, in the first instance, its a simple matter of improving the park experience. Get rides open, get rides running as quickly as possible. Keep queues down at food kiosks and the like. Staff things properly.
The staff facing the public are generally excellent, it must be hard for them.
But I think that, in the first instance, its a simple matter of improving the park experience. Get rides open, get rides running as quickly as possible. Keep queues down at food kiosks and the like. Staff things properly.
The staff facing the public are generally excellent, it must be hard for them.
I visited today for the first time since January and I have to say whilst quiet, big improvement in operations. Cosmetically the. Park has improved.
Maelstrol, Harold and air race closed. It was good atmosphere. Only disappointment was the lack of entertainment outside of Thomas land, but given amount of people on park not surprising. Biggest queues were 30 mins.
Maelstrol, Harold and air race closed. It was good atmosphere. Only disappointment was the lack of entertainment outside of Thomas land, but given amount of people on park not surprising. Biggest queues were 30 mins.
That sounds a lot better, what cosmetically have they changed around the park.
Has the Tower been fixed or the Waterfalls restored on StormForce 10
I agree with this, I went a few weeks ago and the following are some things I noted. This is just my own opinion from visits, I expect to be flamed
1. Reinstate early park entry for hotel guests. This has only recently been removed and subsidised with additional free fast passes, however I think early park entry is a better perk if you're staying at the hotel.
2. Extend opening hours during the spring, closing at 4-4:30pm is too early. I appreciate their are staff and operational costs involved for decisions such as this.
3. I know The Wave probably only has a single train due to cost when they changed from standing to the ART sit down, but the loading times are very slow whenever I have been, which for a flagship ride isn't a great experience.
4. I think Drayton would benefit from a mobile app, I know this was attempted before but I think it needs to be revisited. An app would help convey queue times, entertainment times, make it easier to find facilitates and do away with the paper map, even though there is something nice about one!
5. Pirates Adventure would be a good resurrection, however I am in the nostalgia crowd from my childhood, but I think a dark ride would be a great addition and use of the now redundant space.
6. Thomas Land needs some improvement, area's are looking tired, I think general maintenance in this area across the board is needed, presuming they continue the franchise.
7. Finally and probably a controversial point but an issue everywhere at parks from what I have seen, is that ride access passes and fast pass need separate queues or the system needs changing, i.e. allocation of a return ride time ticket (if anyone remembers this from Alton Towers many years ago). The amalgamation of both at times, is leading to queue lengths that rival the traditional queues. Obviously there are operational issues this presents.