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Surveying occurring at Paultons Park - potential new attraction?

Joelpagett

Mega Poster
In my opinion (for what it's worth - which isn't much), I think that it would involve a retheme of Edge and Cobra and Magma, and then perhaps an enclosed dark ride or similar.

They've had big issues in that area with noise, I'm 20 mins down the road and the battle was on the local news at several points when it was going back and forth.

I don't think the council would hand over the keys just like that, and the locals would also have something to say I'm sure.

I think the only way they would essentially be able to build something down that end of the park would be something that doesn't create any further noise or something that is enclosed. Maybe if you were to add the Go Karts into the mix as well, that's quite a hefty chunk of land perfect for some rapids, which wouldn't make much noise in comparison to a roaring coaster and screaming.

Just a thought, but the future for the park is very bright if they continue on the same trajectory.
 

Niles

Giga Poster
Im interested in the extent of the development and im glad their trying to expand their useable land. If they get to build here along with a redevelopment of the cobra area it will be a decent space.

But then you have this nice new land separated from lost kingdom by a naff old area so while this would be a lot more work i can see the go-karts as well as the area between Magma and Dragon roundabout also be redeveloped to.

I really hope we get a decent dark ride or water ride.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Interestingly, Paultons Park have now released a feedback survey asking guests what they would like to see in the park’s future: https://paultonsparknews.com/p/4QI7...qLgLWJYbvVT9PXr22kRHzhDw6HFGlqvHJTBedZH3uaRQo

The questions and options are quite wide-ranging, but some interesting things were listed, including “thrilling coasters for older children and adults” and “large white-knuckle rides”… could the park be eyeing up a diversification of their target demographic to encompass the thrillseeker market alongside the existing successful accommodation of the family market?
 

Niles

Giga Poster
I was just writing up a post but you beat me to it, glad there are more Paultons fans☺️

Some very interesting options throughout but for the below question my three votes go to, a thrilling water ride, flying theater and thrilling coaster. While they are just interested in what we think the fact its in their minds as a possible option makes me happy.
IMG_20221114_122626.jpg
 

Jamesss

Hyper Poster
Love a good survey that I can try to fill out without sounding like an enthusiast.

I think a family/thrill water ride should be the number one priority. Remove the current log flume and build a longer one with theming.

Following that, a larger coaster for older children/adults to put the park on the world map a bit more.

A dark ride / haunted house would be great but they're difficult to pull off well without a hefty budget.
 

Bowser

Mega Poster
Paultons is probably my most visited park this year as my son is obsessed with the Peppa Pig area so excited to see this!

Would love a good Dark ride there (especially Flying Theatre) as my only gripe is there isn't a single indoor ride (or queue) to shelter in if it rains.
 

Coastiesaurus

Roller Poster
Love a good survey that I can try to fill out without sounding like an enthusiast.

I think a family/thrill water ride should be the number one priority. Remove the current log flume and build a longer one with theming.

Following that, a larger coaster for older children/adults to put the park on the world map a bit more.

A dark ride / haunted house would be great but they're difficult to pull off well without a hefty budget.
I would love to see what Paulton's could do with an indoor dark ride - that's what I suggested in my response to the survey. Looking at what they achieved with Tornado Springs which had a reported budget of £12 million and the level of theming in there, I think it's a good bet that they could pull something rather impressive out of the bag.
 

JoshC.

Strata Poster
As I've said many a time, a water ride and dark ride (and indoor attractions more generally) should be the park's next logical steps. They have enough coasters, and enough variety in coasters, to cope without adding a new one for a few years.

In terms of next coaster, a woodie is a really obvious next step. Or even one of the family friendly RMCs the manufacturer has touted as possible could do the trick.

An out and out thrill coaster would be an interesting and bold development for the park. But certainly can work - look at Plopsaland with their addition first of Anubis, then of Ride to Happiness. I could very much see Paultons becoming the Plopsaland of the UK, and that is no bad thing.
 

Peet

Giga Poster
I'm a Roller Coaster geek, not a dark ride geek or a water ride geek. So while I agree that the gaps in their line-up are dark rides and water rides, the thing that would make me happiest (and most likely to go back) would be a new roller coaster, especially a wooden one. So that's what I told them 🙂.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
Depending on budget, I’d imagine that they could quite possibly pair in a small to mid scale dark ride or water ride alongside a main coaster investment.

The great thing about Paultons’ recent coaster investments is that they’ve been the headline attractions of wider areas rather than simply coasters on their own. Tornado Springs included the addition of Cyclonator, a pretty substantial non-coaster investment, as well as various filler rides, and Lost Kingdom also included various filler rides alongside the two family coasters.

If a new land fronted by a slightly more thrilling coaster was given a similar budget to Tornado Springs, then I reckon you could quite easily add a little dark ride in alongside the coaster to fill the same void that Cyclonator did within Tornado Springs. Or perhaps the Farmyard Flyer-type void, where it comes in as a very well themed phase 2 addition.
 

jasone

Roller Poster
I'm a Roller Coaster geek, not a dark ride geek or a water ride geek. So while I agree that the gaps in their line-up are dark rides and water rides, the thing that would make me happiest (and most likely to go back) would be a new roller coaster, especially a wooden one. So that's what I told them 🙂.

I also agree. As a coaster geek I haven’t visited Paultons, and probably won’t until they add something larger. I’m sure it’s a lovely park, but I’m seriously not the target market. If it were to start introducing some big coasters to transition to more of a well rounded theme park I’d be more likely to visit.

It really depends what they are looking to do, expand their reach and entice more people of the same/similar demographic, or completely expand their demographic altogether.
 

Niles

Giga Poster
Some small news but the park seems to have closed two rides this year.

First is Temple Heights a magic carpet that came to the park in 2005 and was remodelled in 2016 for the Lost Kingdom, it has already been delivered to Funland at Hayling Island: Source

The second is the 4D cinema, from what I can see It used to get a new film every so often but has not got one since 2019 and instead of announcing a new film it has been taken off the parks website and map, considering this came to the park in 2013 its relatively new and a surprise if it has gone as it was also one of the few indoor attractions.

Last time I went to the park both rides had no queue and last time I did the cinema it was naff, so I wonder if we will see anything in their spaces soon.

Pure speculation now but a new little flat in Temple Heights area would be nice to see, however for the 4D cinema, that could be interesting. Reuse the building for a dark ride, the whole building is around the same size as the Gangster Granny building, some of the building seems to be for staff so if they could use that space as well I'm sure something could fit in there. A dark ride would be great right at the entrance of the park and that little area could do with a refresh.
 
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Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
On that survey thing they did, if I remember correctly, I went for dark ride and water ride, because I think that's what they need most. But of course, my 3rd option was a big massive thrill coaster!!! 🙈 😂

In the comments box I think I made some comment about the log flume being out of touch with the quality of the rest of the park, and it needing replacing by an immersive, themed, water ride.
 

Luke W

Roller Poster
I believe that some of the animal enclosures behind Temple Heights have also been moved, which should help open up even more space for the new ride.

Even with the additional room, I'm not expecting this to be a major attraction. The only way I can see them fitting in a larger water ride is by using some of the land situated behind the Lost Kingdom (the old dinosaur walkthrough/discovery trail).
 
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