Paultons Park | Tornado Springs | New Area | 2021
- Thread starter CSLKennyNI
- Start date
InsomniaMelon
Mega Poster
Chessington have already resorted to copying Paultons - I think Merlin are starting to get worried. I know my Dad’s family prefer the extra drive to Paultons over the queues at Chessington anyway and I’m sure many people don’t mind the extra 45 mins journey time if the day out is more enjoyable
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CrashCoaster
CF Legend
I know this is probably a question for another day, but what are the chances that Paultons will get a more thrilling coaster in the future? I mean I would have said not in a million years if they weren't opening Cyclonator. Only reason is despite the fact this looks awesome and the park is really starting to look great, I just still don't feel like there is enough appeal for me to consider a 5-hour drive down there because my demographic is still not really being targeted. Literally any thrill coaster that I could lap for the rest of the day after I have done everything else would change that. Something along the lines of a Mega Lite-style coaster or a decent woodie would be preferenced.
Truthfully? I'm not so sure that'll ever happen.
I could see them get one of the smaller woodies (possibly even up to the size of White Lightning or Heidi), but I doubt you'd ever see anything that was truly an "adult" thrill ride. It would be a hard thing to sell - just as you wouldn't go for the selection they have now, many people wouldn't go if they only had one thrill ride.
That said, they're clearly going up in scale, so maybe one day!
I could see them get one of the smaller woodies (possibly even up to the size of White Lightning or Heidi), but I doubt you'd ever see anything that was truly an "adult" thrill ride. It would be a hard thing to sell - just as you wouldn't go for the selection they have now, many people wouldn't go if they only had one thrill ride.
That said, they're clearly going up in scale, so maybe one day!
MillenniumT
Roller Poster
I honestly feel like Paultons is the one of the parks in the UK that has got us all excited. This is the park that out of them all in the UK currently has the most potential and has me the most excited about its future. I agree with what has been stated earlier, That hopefully this has shaken Merlin and will inspire them to pull there finger out and actually provide some decent investments and proper new themed lands in there parks. This just goes to show you don't need a huge team to design and create something as amazing as Tornado Springs is. I feel they have grown in confidence since there last development Lost Kingdom and expanded and developed upon that, That's why it makes me so interested to see what they bring in the near future.
InsomniaMelon
Mega Poster
I think there is a clear pattern in the Paultons investment strategy - and that is to hold onto the same group of people going to the parks for as long as they can. They have already ditched the 'Family Theme' part of their name, meaning I don't think it is all that long before we see a bigger investment. Lost Kingdom was built to time with children losing interest in PPW, and Tornado Springs is doing the same for the same group of children who now want something bigger than Lost Kingdom. In the process, they are now attracting more families who are progressing up the chain from PPW, Lost Kingdom and now Tornado Springs. If this pattern continues, I believe we could see something more thrilling in 2024/25 as the first 'group' of children want to go to more thrilling parks. I could see this going in over in the Cobra and Edge area of the park, as this area is still mostly undeveloped and the rides over there are generally more thrilling than other sections of the park.
CrashCoaster
CF Legend
Idk, I mean Cyclonator tells me they are starting to branch into the thrill market. Granted it doesn't invert, but I would hardly consider it to be a mild family ride. Perhaps when they expand and add new areas, they will add one thrill ride and two or three family rides? I mean if they did get a larger coaster, I don't think thrill-seekers will get too bored when you've also got Cyclonator, Edge, Magma, and likely Storm Chaser and Cobra.
EDIT:- I do think it would make sense to build their next area next to the Cobra/Edge section in that huge field. There is a lot of land available there and like @InsomniaMelon has stated, they can refresh the Cobra section of the park, and I'm sure they will.
That may be true, but it's a far cry from a mega-lite (which I know was just an example, but still).
Baby steps, I suppose.
InsomniaMelon
Mega Poster
I think saying those are baby steps is a bit harsh. Tornado Springs is a fair bit more thrilling than Lost Kingdom and the Cyclonator does feel like quite a big step for the park. I get that it's no multi-launch, but Storm Chaser will provide a new level of thrill not seen at the park before, because I believe it will be more thrilling than Cobra, which is currently their most thrilling ride. Also, the higher-capacity rides they are putting in is a good sign they are anticipating further growth, meaning they might have the money to invest in more extreme rides should they wish to. I believe TS cost £15mn ($20.7mn), which is not an insignificant amount of money for a park that was irrelevant 11 years ago.
Ah hold on. I'm not saying that they're not doing a great job and also stepping up the thrill level, but just remember that a Mega-lite - even though relatively small - is a full on thrill coaster. It's akin to Maverick (albeit Maverick is better) and more thrilling that most 'big' rides.
So "baby steps" is perhaps not fair if taken literally - perhaps I mean more figuratively. The chain is not Cobra > Storm Chaser > Mega-Lite - there's at least one more step in the middle if they're gradually increasing their thrill focus.
InsomniaMelon
Mega Poster
Oh ok, yeah I see what you mean. If they are going to go for something more thrilling I could see something like a GCI woodie or perhaps something like Hagrid’s (though I’ve never ridden it so can’t speak from personal experience)
) or something of that nature.
I'd argue that it really isn't, for one simple reason: It doesn't go upside down. In my experience, the addition of an inversion is the dividing line between a "scary" and a "not so scary" coaster for those who are only sort-of comfortable with thrill rides. Having only lap bars help too, by selling the idea that you don't have to be clamped down to prevent you from falling off the coaster. Mega-Lites don't have overwhelmingly large or steep drops either. They are thrilling and forceful, yes, but that's the sort of thing you only notice once you've already committed to riding them.
After all, Djurs Sommerland is a family park too, and they got one (and judging by their visitor numbers, it didn't do them any harm).
MillenniumT
Roller Poster
I agree they do seem to be waiting for the target audience to grow/age and then add attractions relative to that age group. Like PPW into Lost Kingdom into Tornado Springs. It keeps a hold of there audience for longer and means they maximise their revenue. It will be interesting to see over the next few years if they do indeed go more into full on thrill or cap it at Family-Thrill and just increase there offering across these ranges and not try to dilute the park by trying to offer something for everyone.
InsomniaMelon
Mega Poster
I'll be interested to see if anything is added to the park in 2023, as has been hinted by Lawrence Mancey. Maybe we'll have more clarity on where they plan to go in the future
Matt N
CF Legend
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Paultons did go for a thrill coaster, or at very least a moderately thrilling coaster. Maybe something like a Vekoma Suspended Thrill Coaster might work; it would start to introduce the concept of inversions, while still not being too intense or scary.
Howie
Donkey in a hat
We had this 'Will Paultons get more thrilling coasters?' conversation shortly after Lost Kingdom opened and my response then was 'Why not?'
Obviously I don't expect them to plonk Steel Vengeance in the field next to Cobra, but I seem to recall suggesting that a Mack spinner would be a good fit.
If only I could find that post...
Anyways, it makes sense for a park to expand its offerings, yes? There's only so much stuff you can put in a 'family' park before it starts getting repetitive. And besides, even family parks need sumat for the dad's, right? Sumat where he can say one of those dad type things like 'Not this year son, this is for the dads. We'll come back in a couple of years when you're tall enough'.
What about thrill-seeking teenagers, don't they make up a significant portion of 'families' too?
The term 'Family' park should not necessarily mean a park full of kiddy crap, it should mean a park that has something for everyone, including dads and Johnny teenager.
Kolmarden is a 'family' park, didn't stop 'em building Wildfire.
In fact I take it back: Steel Vengeance in the field next to Cobra please.
Obviously I don't expect them to plonk Steel Vengeance in the field next to Cobra, but I seem to recall suggesting that a Mack spinner would be a good fit.
If only I could find that post...
Anyways, it makes sense for a park to expand its offerings, yes? There's only so much stuff you can put in a 'family' park before it starts getting repetitive. And besides, even family parks need sumat for the dad's, right? Sumat where he can say one of those dad type things like 'Not this year son, this is for the dads. We'll come back in a couple of years when you're tall enough'.
What about thrill-seeking teenagers, don't they make up a significant portion of 'families' too?
The term 'Family' park should not necessarily mean a park full of kiddy crap, it should mean a park that has something for everyone, including dads and Johnny teenager.
Kolmarden is a 'family' park, didn't stop 'em building Wildfire.
In fact I take it back: Steel Vengeance in the field next to Cobra please.