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Coronavirus and Theme Parks

Covid-19 is going to change British theme parks for a long time after the country gets back to normal (hopefully) later this year. Not only are we going to see a reduce once the amount of investments across all parks, but I’d imagine we’ll also see some shut. I’m more optimistic now than I was a few weeks ago about Drayton’s future, as I do think they will survive. In what form, I’m not sure. They have a better chance of surviving this than somewhere like Lightwater Valley, as they don’t have a popular IP for an area (like Thomas Land) that can attract guests from around the World.
 
Blackpool just opened a new hotel and Icon wasn’t the coaster they hoped would bring more guests to the park. Blackpool been going downhill since the early 2000’s.
Merlin know they ain’t got any competition so they really haven’t build many good rides over the past 10 years.
They said by the end of Easter we should have peaked but lockdown will be maybe going back to work in May sometime but mass gathering will be in place as they will be a 2nd wave like in China with visitors going back home.
 
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Themeparksandy1981 said:
Blackpool just opened a new hotel and Icon wasn’t the coaster they hoped would bring more guests to the park. Blackpool been going downhill since the early 2000’s.
Merlin know they ain’t got any competition so they really haven’t build many good rides over the past 10 years.
They said by the end of Easter we should have peaked but lockdown will be maybe going back to work in May sometime but mass gathering will be in place as they will be a 2nd wave like in China with visitors going back home.
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I mean, they lost a lot of money doing Valhalla of course. Then they wasted money of their 4D Cinema and Spin Doctor attractions which were very quickly axed and of course the Big Apple which lost its apple for some reason. Then of course there's the fire on the Grand National and many more incidents. Boulevard Hotel is nice but I was perfectly happy with the Star Pub tbh.
 
I was gonna take my daughter to Blackpool with my wife for the weekend last week but the virus put a stop to that. Found a good review B&B for cheap with the tickets £100. We talking about going for the lights now in September or October as I not seen them in person since 1995.
 
The only thing I can think is that Drayton will still need to pay their zoo team, vets etc. The Govt 80% is for staff not working. They wont be able to claim for staff who go to work. Hopefully there are minimal on site so not too much going out. However, the longer this goes on the more concerned I become. Drayton don't have deep pockets at the moment and whilst they may not be repaying their debt, the interest will continue to mount. Thomas is their pull at the moment so I simply can not see any investment elsewhere for a long time.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
I was gonna take my daughter to Blackpool with my wife for the weekend last week but the virus put a stop to that. Found a good review B&B for cheap with the tickets £100. We talking about going for the lights now in September or October as I not seen them in person since 1995.
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It's a really good opportunity and I hope that won't be cancelled for you. I was planning to go to that in 2021 or 2022 depending how my plans have been postponed. Usually I would visit a variety of theme park each year, but I always do Drayton because I've loved the park ever since I was 4 and it's very local as well. I was hoping to go to Flamingo Land in Yorkshire this year but it looks like it might have to be postponed until next year!!
 
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The government said they will relax the lockdown by June if the rate of deaths have dropped and people will be able to go back to work only as mass gathering places like wedding, Pubs, Cinemas, Theatres and I guess theme parks will remain closed to at least end of September when it will be reviewed again.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Without this government 80% grant a lot of business will be closed for good. Drayton zero hour contact staff with have been moved on with the best kept on file to return to be retrained. Like the only staff there is management, security and maybe some maintenance staff so all power to the park will be off so the parks won’t be making no money but only the minimum going out so they should be fine.
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I mentioned in another thread about zoo staff etc. They won't receive any govt funding for these staff or for vet bills, food etc. That is quite a hefty out going.

They also still have the matter of repaying their sizable debt. Whilst they have probably negotiated another payment holiday, ths interest will still be accumulating. If Theme Parks remain closed throughout summer then I doubt Drayton will be around for long, certainly not in the same way it was last year.
 
I don’t know if anyone knew this but with Drayton Manor debt been around £150 million if the family decided to sell up the site, Rides and Hotel and facilities must be worth around £500 million so they could make a profit but depends on who would buy them. When Merlin was taken over by Blackstone for 7.5 billion last year which included 3 billion of debt. So unless your a big company like Disney or Universal every theme park will have big debts. That’s the problem American Adventure they invested big in the late 80s and to the mid 90s but then just didn’t invest in the parks including maintenance so they were forced to close there log flume,
missile roller coaster and there rapids ride. They sold the missile coaster to Pleasurewood hills and used the money to get the rapids ride reopen, pay off debts and hired some kids rides u see in Thomasland with no theming and pay attentions on the lake. I last went 3 years before it closed in summer 2003 and there was hardly anyone there.
4F7F5CA7-C5C6-47FB-8E6B-A704433DB2F9.jpeg
This was the map from that year so this was the end of The America adventure so I hope with the amount of attractions Drayton removed and not replaced and the flood and now the virus Drayton can recover.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
I don’t know if anyone knew this but with Drayton Manor debt been around £150 million if the family decided to sell up the site, Rides and Hotel and facilities must be worth around £500 million so they could make a profit but depends on who would buy them. When Merlin was taken over by Blackstone for 7.5 billion last year which included 3 billion of debt. So unless your a big company like Disney or Universal every theme park will have big debts. That’s the problem American Adventure they invested big in the late 80s and to the mid 90s but then just didn’t invest in the parks including maintenance so they were forced to close there log flume,
missile roller coaster and there rapids ride. They sold the missile coaster to Pleasurewood hills and used the money to get the rapids ride reopen, pay off debts and hired some kids rides u see in Thomasland with no theming and pay attentions on the lake. I last went 3 years before it closed in summer 2003 and there was hardly anyone there.
View attachment 1646This was the map from that year so this was the end of The America adventure so I hope with the amount of attractions Drayton removed and not replaced and the flood and now the virus Drayton can recover.
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I remember American adventure before they tried to go down the family route by removing all their thrill rides. One of the biggest issues I remember with it was the amount of dead space in between attractions you always seemed to have to walk for miles around the lake to get to anything. It’s a shame it went.

I do hope Drayton weather this. I don’t think it would be the same if it was family owned as merlin parks always feel very corporate in their offerings.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
I don’t know if anyone knew this but with Drayton Manor debt been around £150 million if the family decided to sell up the site, Rides and Hotel and facilities must be worth around £500 million so they could make a profit but depends on who would buy them. When Merlin was taken over by Blackstone for 7.5 billion last year which included 3 billion of debt. So unless your a big company like Disney or Universal every theme park will have big debts. That’s the problem American Adventure they invested big in the late 80s and to the mid 90s but then just didn’t invest in the parks including maintenance so they were forced to close there log flume,
missile roller coaster and there rapids ride. They sold the missile coaster to Pleasurewood hills and used the money to get the rapids ride reopen, pay off debts and hired some kids rides u see in Thomasland with no theming and pay attentions on the lake. I last went 3 years before it closed in summer 2003 and there was hardly anyone there.
View attachment 1646This was the map from that year so this was the end of The America adventure so I hope with the amount of attractions Drayton removed and not replaced and the flood and now the virus Drayton can recover.
Click to expand...
In terms of the American Adventure, they suffered from visitor numbers quite a lot when Shockwave, Nemesis and Pepsi Max Big One opened. They also used the money from the Missle to refurbish their pirate ship the Yankee Clipper as well!!
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
There talk now that mass gathering won’t be allowed to a year or 18 months so I can see the park reopening but with restrictions and no fireworks.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if theme park’s have to reduce their capacity for the foreseeable to try and keep crowds limited.
 
Well, everyone seems to think Drayton Manor, Oakwood and Lightwater Valley are in the most trouble at the moment. With M&Ds already in administration this is actually getting serious now. I hope we don't lose any of the main parks we all love especially Drayton!
 
Theme Park Musician said:
Well, everyone seems to think Drayton Manor, Oakwood and Lightwater Valley are in the most trouble at the moment. With M&Ds already in administration this is actually getting serious now. I hope we don't lose any of the main parks we all love especially Drayton!
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I really hope we don't lose Drayton, given the absolute trash media we have in this country (sorry if anyone works for them), it's difficult to tell what, if any plan there is to allow businesses such as Drayton to reopen given there are so many stories of social distancing continuing to the end of may, rest of the year and forever. It's difficult to see how theme parks will adapt.

I know Florida is pushing to re-open and if they can find a way to re-open their theme parks it might give other parks around the world ideas on how they can re-open safely.
 
remlap said:
I really hope we don't lose Drayton, given the absolute trash media we have in this country (sorry if anyone works for them), it's difficult to tell what, if any plan there is to allow businesses such as Drayton to reopen given there are so many stories of social distancing continuing to the end of may, rest of the year and forever. It's difficult to see how theme parks will adapt.

I know Florida is pushing to re-open and if they can find a way to re-open their theme parks it might give other parks around the world ideas on how they can re-open safely.
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There are a few parks in China gearing up to reopen too, they're seperating people in ride seats (one to a row on coasters) and have a lot of requirements to let people into a park.
I know guests need to pass temperature tests and have a government issued QR code.
 
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