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Pirate Adventure

Simply put, they should have maintained and modernised the pirate adventure. Absolutely no reason for it to have been neglected forcing it to close. Disneyland never shut pirates of the Caribbean did they.. I know it cost a few quid to build but surely you built that kind of ride as an investment? Else it’s millions of pounds down the drain , an empty building and an inevitable waste of land?
 
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I personally think a difficult decision needs to be made. This is a ride built into the lake. My understanding is that rides now need to use clean water if it is a brand new ride so they may need to update and introduce a new ride system if it is beyond repair, the ride if largely stripped out will need a new ride system and a new theme. It can still be pirate but I agree needs full set of animatronics. There are options but hopefully won't involve demolishing it totally.
 
With the amount of money the looping group has spent this year I don’t think they be worried about money on pirate adventure.
I also not worried that the ride system not been used since March 2015 but it’s been drained and the rapids was left untouched for 4 years and they replaced nearly everything.
 
I agree. Looping seem willing to throw money at the park. Be good to see a reimagination and modern family pirate ride but not screens. If they do it, they need to do it properly and not rushed.
 
I reckon Looping will do it for sure - Maybe not for a while. but as the next major development.
They can see how much the ride is missed and this should lend itself to them as a suggestion on the next big thing. :)
 
They will sort out the building 1st and that’s what you’re seeing now. If they strip it all back to the inner walls then they can theme the outside as they please then they can finish stripping the whole building and then decide if the ride system is saveable and then get it working again or replaced then theme it as they please.
 
I really do hope this and the Excalibur site become the next new themed area for the park.

Preferably not pirates - with Adventure Cove & Vikings that would be 3 nautical-themed areas?
 
Martin Smith said:
Who abandoned it? The Bryan’s or the looping group?
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It was closed pre Looping I believe :)

LT95 said:
I really do hope this and the Excalibur site become the next new themed area for the park.

Preferably not pirates - with Adventure Cove & Vikings that would be 3 nautical-themed areas?
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I would love a "fantasy themed area" - unicorns dragons and mythical creatures (not just because I think they could do Excalibur better, but it's also a theme that could work which is a bit different)
 
Elise said:
I would love a "fantasy themed area" - unicorns dragons and mythical creatures (not just because I think they could do Excalibur better, but it's also a theme that could work which is a bit different)
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You;d need a wizard or two in there or else a lot of boys will get bored.

Unless the dragons are dinosaurs.
 
The ride failed the H&S inspection and heard they went over budget for the Thomas land expansion but had plans to do it in and reopen for the 2016 season but didn’t have the resources so what money they had went on the Yogi bear 4D movie and the haunting re-theme.
The following year they added James and the red balloon for £250000 then the Splash Canyon happened and they had to sell the big wheel to raise funds and sold the cable car for scrap metal.
In 2018 they did re theme golden nuggets and added Ice age to the 4D cinema but visitor numbers were down and they couldn’t even afford to buy a replacement train for G-Force so was left SBNO for the 2019 season and after the fire in Germany they decided to strip 90% of the building and sell a lot of props and signage at the Auction in Jan 2020. So it wasn’t a nice last 5 years in operation the park under the Bryan’s.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
The ride failed the H&S inspection and heard they went over budget for the Thomas land expansion but had plans to do it in and reopen for the 2016 season but didn’t have the resources so what money they had went on the Yogi bear 4D movie and the haunting re-theme.
The following year they added James and the red balloon for £250000 then the Splash Canyon happened and they had to sell the big wheel to raise funds and sold the cable car for scrap metal.
In 2018 they did re theme golden nuggets and added Ice age to the 4D cinema but visitor numbers were down and they couldn’t even afford to buy a replacement train for G-Force so was left SBNO for the 2019 season and after the fire in Germany they decided to strip 90% of the building and sell a lot of props and signage at the Auction in Jan 2020. So it wasn’t a nice last 5 years in operation the park under the Bryan’s.
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( Sorry for off topic here just wanted to add onto the og post )

The Bryan's didn't exactly get a great send-off did they... It's a shame they had to sell the big wheel, it would be a nice ride to still have today. I'm surprised the park haven't built another fairly modernised cable car somewhere in the park, similar to the one at Towers. I can imagine it going from the zoo to Frontier Falls, and then possibly also across the lake to Adventure Cove.
 
I really feel that many have forgot all about the Bryan’s and what they did for 70 years. The looping group paid the administrations 15 million for the park and hotel and that money went towards paying off the money they owed. They lost everything but walked away debt free.
William Bryan is a director of 2 companies

William Edward BRYAN personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
Colin Bryan has retired and last I heard he was living in Torquay.
 
Martin Smith said:
Simply put, they should have maintained and modernised the pirate adventure. Absolutely no reason for it to have been neglected forcing it to close. Disneyland never shut pirates of the Caribbean did they.. I know it cost a few quid to build but surely you built that kind of ride as an investment? Else it’s millions of pounds down the drain , an empty building and an inevitable waste of land?
Click to expand...

Drayton Manor is not and never was Disney though. Large scale animatronic based scenes require ALOT of upkeep and maintenance, that costs quite a bit of money.

Drayton never learned they keep building heavy animatronic based rides that fell into disrepair because they could not afford the upkeep.

Disney have obviously got an almost unlimited supply of money.
 
Just looking at a old park map from 2004
IMG_4389.png

The shop and exit was where the Thomas land shop is now.

IMG_2217.jpeg
 
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