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Pirate Adventure

Themeparksandy1981 said:
After been to the auction yesterday and seeing what was for Sale I do think it will reopen as a ride as the bodies of the pirates have been kept with just the heads available to buy so they could be reusing them again.
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That’s interesting. If I was to take a guess, they could use the bodies of the pirates for a ride like The Haunting or Sheriff Showdown? They could easily use new clothes for the body, and I doubt new heads would cost much as I’d expect the mechanical side to some of the animatronics could still work.

Did they manage to sell any of the ride’s boats at the auction?
 
AvalancheAttractionsUK said:
That’s interesting. If I was to take a guess, they could use the bodies of the pirates for a ride like The Haunting or Sheriff Showdown? They could easily use new clothes for the body, and I doubt new heads would cost much as I’d expect the mechanical side to some of the animatronics could still work.

Did they manage to sell any of the ride’s boats at the auction?
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No boats sold ^ Same with Excalibur boats no sales
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Found a video with the ghost pirates at the end.
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It's great to see the Ghost Scene working again, it was always an effective and eerie ending to the ride, something I feel always set it aside from Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney, as although there were similarities, it was most certainly not a rip off.

Personally I'm not sure it would open again, surely with the amount of items that were removed from the ride, and the fact that the pictures from the catalogue show that a lot of theming has been cleared, they'd have to start from scratch. I think it's promising that the ride system appears to still be intact from the pictures in the catalogue, I would really hope that this stays intact and they just purchase new boats for it, the ride was very reliable and provided throughput that Drayton hasn't ever seen before, it was also on a scale that couldn't be replicated nowadays.

A lot of the animatronics motion wasn't correct any more, they'd need a good service to get back to operational standards for a new ride. If they rethemed Pirate Adventure, preferably back to Pirates, it would be a huge hit - tonnes of people want it back, and it could be marketed as a new ride. I just hope they don't turn it into Thomas, or split the building, that would be a huge shame.
 

Now this ride was originally built a couple of years before Pirate Adventure and was lost in a fire but fans loved it that much it’s been rebuild and it reopens Spring/Summer this year now I know they got more money than Drayton Manor but if they just got rid of the scenes and I think all Pirates have been tested and most still work I can maybe see this making a comeback. It’s easy to start from a empty shell again like Charlie and the chocolate factory ride cost 8 million but how much of that was for the IP, Marketing and the lifts? Also having a empty shell means they can have the correct emergency exits. They kept the bumper cars pirate themed so it will cost a lot more to retheme half the building. Would love to start a petition to show that it’s not just us theme park fans who wants the ride to come back.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:

Now this ride was originally built a couple of years before Pirate Adventure and was lost in a fire but fans loved it that much it’s been rebuild and it reopens Spring/Summer this year now I know they got more money than Drayton Manor but if they just got rid of the scenes and I think all Pirates have been tested and most still work I can maybe see this making a comeback. It’s easy to start from a empty shell again like Charlie and the chocolate factory ride cost 8 million but how much of that was for the IP, Marketing and the lifts? Also having a empty shell means they can have the correct emergency exits. They kept the bumper cars pirate themed so it will cost a lot more to retheme half the building. Would love to start a petition to show that it’s not just us theme park fans who wants the ride to come back.
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I didn’t know they were rebuilding it after the fire. That’s good to hear.

It would be great if they reopened it at Drayton I think it would still be incredibly popular. It would look great if they made the castle match the bumper cars.

Unless they invested in some other IP which can be expensive pirates seems like a popular theme still.

Personally I’m really hoping they don’t use it for more Thomas land. I think Thomas land is great but I think it would be a shame and ruin the park if it expands any further.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
Can you help and post the link on Social Media sites and Forums please. The park need to know how much we miss the classic rides at the park.
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i am doing all i can to help i am sharing this on all my social media platforms i have shared this to all my friends via email i hope the park see what a big mistake that they have made by getting rid of pirate adventure
 
I think they need to know that just investing into Thomas land won’t help the park. You only got to look since Thomas land opened the rest of the park had more attractions removed than opened. Since 2008 outside Thomas land the park only added the 4D cinema 2009 Ben 10 coaster 2011 and Air race 2014 but we lost Excalibur 2011, Black Revolver 2010, Sombrero 2010, Pirate Adventure 2015,Drayton Queen 2016, Big Wheel 2017, Chair lift 2017 and G force 2018.
 
If the worst comes to the worst, I think that Drayton need to go with another IP, that’s not related to Thomas. Like if or hate it, another IP could keep Drayton’s future secure for it’s older guests, so an IP aimed at children aged 8-14 would be a good move. The World Of David Walliams coming to Alton Towers is s great move by them, and it fills a gap the park have been missing for years. An IP like that would work wonders for Drayton, and would see guests who visited when they were interested in Thomas Land return for rides suited for them as an older child.

Moving back on topic to Pirate Adventure, I highly doubt (although I’d love) the petition will bring back the ride. The 1990 boat ride and a lot of it’s theming have gone, and it’ll cost them an absolute fortune to get it back to it’s original glory. It’s position doesn't help either, with it being next to Thomas Land, arguably their most successful investment ever. Why would they leave a huge area next to their very successful kids area doing nothing? I’d imagine in 10 years time (what would have been Pirate Adventure’s 40th), the building will be a massive Thomas indoor area.
 
I’m not trying to get the ride back but the Drayton I grew up with in the 90s to 2005 slowly disappearing like Pirate Adventure really put Drayton Manor on the map as before that it was classed as a amusement park with the main attraction the Zoo.
Drayton Manor rough timeline up to Thomas land added.
1990 Pirate Adventure, New bumper cars
1991 ghost train rethemed to the Crupt
1992 Jolly Buccaneer
1993 Splash Canyon
1994 Shockwave
1995 Klondike gold mine
1996 The Haunting
1997 Think nothing was added
1998 Robinson’s land and Sombero
1999 Stormforce 10
2000 Golden nuggets, Apocalypse and the Popeye show
2001 Nothing
2002 Maelstrom
2003 Excalibur and Cyclone
2004 Pandemonium
2005 G force
2006 Drunken Barrels
2007 The Bounty
So in 17 years only 2 years nothing was added but work could have gone on the Zoo them years.

2008 Thomas land
2009 4D cinema
2010 Blue Engine In Thomas land
2011 Ben 10 coaster
2012 Castle of Dreams
2013 Winston ride in Thomas land
2014 Air Race
2015 Thomas land Expansion
2016 Retheme of the Haunting and Monkey trail in the zoo
2017 Retheme of the dodgems and James and the Red Balloon
2018 Ice Age 4D and retheme of Golden nuggets to Sheriff showdown and Stormforce 10 new theming
2019 Car parking charge and new signage across the park. New animals added to the zoo.
2020 Rumoured Beach area, Water play area and a kids ride.

So I hope that the park find out ASAP what’s there fine for the Splash Canyon so they can maybe reopen it with new theming for the 2021 season with a new attraction in the Pirate Adventure building for 2022/23 season.
 
Themeparksandy1981 said:
I’m not trying to get the ride back but the Drayton I grew up with in the 90s to 2005 slowly disappearing like Pirate Adventure really put Drayton Manor on the map as before that it was classed as a amusement park with the main attraction the Zoo.
Drayton Manor rough timeline up to Thomas land added.
1990 Pirate Adventure, New bumper cars
1991 ghost train rethemed to the Crupt
1992 Jolly Buccaneer
1993 Splash Canyon
1994 Shockwave
1995 Klondike gold mine
1996 The Haunting
1997 Think nothing was added
1998 Robinson’s land and Sombero
1999 Stormforce 10
2000 Golden nuggets, Apocalypse and the Popeye show
2001 Nothing
2002 Maelstrom
2003 Excalibur and Cyclone
2004 Pandemonium
2005 G force
2006 Drunken Barrels
2007 The Bounty
So in 17 years only 2 years nothing was added but work could have gone on the Zoo them years.

2008 Thomas land
2009 4D cinema
2010 Blue Engine In Thomas land
2011 Ben 10 coaster
2012 Castle of Dreams
2013 Winston ride in Thomas land
2014 Air Race
2015 Thomas land Expansion
2016 Retheme of the Haunting and Monkey trail in the zoo
2017 Retheme of the dodgems and James and the Red Balloon
2018 Ice Age 4D and retheme of Golden nuggets to Sheriff showdown and Stormforce 10 new theming
2019 Car parking charge and new signage across the park. New animals added to the zoo.
2020 Rumoured Beach area, Water play area and a kids ride.

So I hope that the park find out ASAP what’s there fine for the Splash Canyon so they can maybe reopen it with new theming for the 2021 season with a new attraction in the Pirate Adventure building for 2022/23 season.
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Splash won't open without a shadow of a doubt. I hope the park will now utilise the area they have created after stripping the Pirate Adventure building. There is A LOT of work that needs to be done with the building - but I hope they can use it as part of a future expansion for a new dark ride, or use it for a new indoor Thomas Land area with rides inside, so it will be perfect during Christmas and rainy days. I heard they were hoping to expand Emily's Play Area so you can tell who they're trying to market for.
 
AvalancheAttractionsUK said:
If the worst comes to the worst, I think that Drayton need to go with another IP, that’s not related to Thomas. Like if or hate it, another IP could keep Drayton’s future secure for it’s older guests, so an IP aimed at children aged 8-14 would be a good move. The World Of David Walliams coming to Alton Towers is s great move by them, and it fills a gap the park have been missing for years. An IP like that would work wonders for Drayton, and would see guests who visited when they were interested in Thomas Land return for rides suited for them as an older child.

Moving back on topic to Pirate Adventure, I highly doubt (although I’d love) the petition will bring back the ride. The 1990 boat ride and a lot of it’s theming have gone, and it’ll cost them an absolute fortune to get it back to it’s original glory. It’s position doesn't help either, with it being next to Thomas Land, arguably their most successful investment ever. Why would they leave a huge area next to their very successful kids area doing nothing? I’d imagine in 10 years time (what would have been Pirate Adventure’s 40th), the building will be a massive Thomas indoor area.
Click to expand...
I don't think an IP would be all that bad, obviously I'd rather them come up with their own unique theme - they've done this so well in the past, but an IP is better than a massive green warehouse building doing nothing. The building is somewhat of a big deal, it takes up a lot of space, and whatever is added inside would be open all year round presumably, it could really improve the winter period lineup. I don't think they'll reuse the Pirate Adventure ride system, it's very old now and sitting for these years likely hasn't done it any good. BUT I would like to see them use the area for a dark ride again, even if the building is split for an indoor Thomas Land section with the entrance behind Rocking Bullstrode. A dark ride in half of that building could be very successful - it will pull the UK enthusiasts as they'll want to see what happened to Pirate Adventure, and it will appeal to the whole family - something rides like Pirate Adventure and Excalibur did perfectly. When you think about family themes... you can't do a haunted style, the only thing I can think of is Pirates - which is ideal as it would secure the future of Bounty and Jolly Bucaneer, you could be looking at another themed area, aiming at young families specifically.

Regarding the building, somebody has pointed out before that it can't go anywhere, there is evidently something on the ground floor that the queue line runs above, dodgems, burger kitchen, sodor cars, Winston and Emily's all use the building. So it has to stay - it can't go anywhere without these attractions being damaged. I hope they either use the whole building or part for a pirate themed dark ride with a different ride system - it'll also save them having to remove or retheme existing rides... And if the itch to invest in Thomas takes over, there is half a building going spare...
 
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