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Oakwood rumours

I've always loved Oakwood. I've been lucky to have grandparents who live in Wales so I got to visit it every year since I've been about 3 years old and got to visit it even more when I lived in Wales for 7 years.
Since then I've seen the park improve year by year and seen things come and go to the park that most people here probably wouldn't have heard of (ie before Bounce they used to have quite a large obstacle course there with loads of slides and zip-wires etc). The park used to be good at adding a new ride every year.

I spoke briefly to the management as well a couple of weeks ago as I was wondering what they were planning for the future as the park has just seem to have frozen for the last few years. Anyway they said they were planning quite an exciting investment and to 'watch this space' and also they're planning to upgrade their Halloween event as well so maybe we'll see the return of Fright House (LINK).

I really hope we do see the return of a yearly investment and a new ride/attraction each year as I love the park and do hope it does well in the future.

I think one of the worst bits of news is that The Crystal Maze was closed in July 2010. This was as a result of the licensor deciding not to renew the contract for them to continue running it. Apparently they fought as hard as they could to keep it open but unfortunately all good things must come to and end! :(
 
Ollie said:
I think one of the worst bits of news is that The Crystal Maze was closed in July 2010. This was as a result of the licensor deciding not to renew the contract for them to continue running it. Apparently they fought as hard as they could to keep it open but unfortunately all good things must come to and end! :(
Click to expand...
What? :(
Not done that, and I'm a huge Crystal Maze fan... shame.

I've been to Oakwood once, and it was in 2006 when we went on a family holiday in the Cardigan Bay area. We didn't go specifically for Oakwood, but it was mentioned when my mum was looking at attractions in the area. It's a fun little park and it reminds me a little bit of Lightwater Valley. I.e. it's not extensively themed and it's got a very calm and pleasant atmosphere (from what I remember). I remember loving Megafobia and Speed. We also did Vertigo, which was amazing (but dwarfed somewhat when we went to do the bigger one in Florida). It's a shame that it's so out of the way, because it's a very nice little park that I'd really like to go back to. Hopefully they can get the funds they need for developement, but I'm not optimistic. When we went, the park was fairly quiet (half hour queues for the busier rides, but generally not too bad) in the middle of summer, when they closed late too.
 
Hey Guys,

Can I please just make clear when I wrote the original statement on another forum that all the information given came straight from one of the parks general managers (who was very polite and friendly and seemed to enjoy talking about the park.)

The theming of Speed was something he personally wanted to happen and he seemed confident it could be done for next year (although if I'm honest I'm not that confident it will be done but what do I know).

I would also like to mention this manager had a real passion for the park and seemed to want to make this small park "great again".

And Bounce. This ride has been having major issues for years now and is by far the most unreliable ride on the park. I know HUSS has been on park several times to look at this ride now and has even given the ride a complete overhaul but still problems persist. She's an old girl now and her seasons left on park could very well be numbered.
 
^ Did you speak to Andy Hygate? I've conversed with him by email on several occasions and he seems very enthusiastic about the park. It seems like the parent company is keeping one hand tied behind his back.
 
I remain unimpressed with Aspro's management of Oakwood - I'll believe reports of investment when I actually see it happening!

No sympathy from me either for anyone whinging about it being in Wales - you can all bugger off :p.

It IS a shame though that they've never managed to sort out a decent public transport arrangement to visit the park - really it would need help from the local authorities, which never seems to happen.

If they've got any sense, Aspro are already aware of their target demographic, the size of that audience, and what the economics are around it.

The worrying aspect is, if they've taken 3 years to reduce the debt by £3m basically by cutting staff and refusing to add to the park, what do they intend to "invest"?

I agree that theming Speed would be pointless in that context, unless they want a quick advertising and/or sponsor win by renaming it - same as for "Drenched" (I still think they at least could have gotten Drench in to sponsor it!). That said, Aspro managed to theme the Blue Reef in Bristol quite nicely.

What budget will they have to spend on something "significant" in 2013 though? Unless they can pull another Megafobia-style deal, it's most likely going to be a crappy relocation.

You very rarely get anything for peanuts in this game...
 
Sorry Ian I really don't know what his name was but I agree with your comment that Aspro is limiting him on what he can do. If he could just get on with his job without Aspro holding him back I do believe he could sort this part out.

I'm not sure about the budget they will be given but by the way he was talking it didn't sound like a relocation job. And yes a speed retheme would give the park something to advertise for next year without spending buckets of money.

I do think the new attraction next year will be a second hand ride though or something "off the shelf" with none or very little of oakwood's charm to make it unique.
 
They should retheme Spooky 3D again and make it into this permanently. :p
292053_238108486233654_114248348619669_762441_3084434_n.jpg
 
They didn't have any 3D glasses yesterday.

What kind of two-bit operation is this?!


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- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Whenever I've been on it they've had 3D glasses. But they've always been crappy ones with an elastic band that goes round your head which leaves the company logo on the glasses imprinted on your head lol.
 
You'd think being owned by Aspro they would put a Merlin-esque attraction into their park i.e. a Blue Reef Aquarium attraction? That would at least bring a few punters.
 
These days you have to be very lucky to get 3D glasses.

This year we got nothing. We were told they were all broken
Last year we were given only the lens part of the glasses which we had to hold over our eyes.

They really need to do something about this attractions it's just a joke of a ride
 
If they get another woodie, it would be amazing if Megaphobia is anything to go by. We could have a welsh Holiday World <3 I would cream everywhere if they did...
 
Nothing new this year besides a conveyor belt on bobsleigh (?? hooray?) and the fireworks, I'm afraid. Oh, and it's £1 more expensive again...
 
^ Is this exciting conveyor belt going up the lift hill and through the station? I need to know these things.
 
It's almost as if they want this place to turn into another Camelot...
 
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