Drayton Manor Trip Advice

[silenthillXD]

So I have just booked tickets to go to Drayton Manor for the first time on the bank holiday Monday and have some questions about Drayton. First off what are the queue's generally like at Drayton, and how horrific will bank holiday make them? Also how much are the On Ride Photos? Oh and any recommendations for food, or is it worth bringing lunch to the park? Finally, what is the situation with bags at the park? Do we need to buy lockers or can we leave bags in bag holds/cabinets?

 

[furie]

So I have just booked tickets to go to Drayton Manor for the first time on the bank holiday Monday

Oh dear.

and have some questions about Drayton.

Go on, but I'll bet the first will be about how bad it is likely to be

First off what are the queue's generally like at Drayton, and how horrific will bank holiday make them?

Queues really depend on if they can actually be bothered running multiple trains on things like Shockwave. Usually they don't bother. G-Force is a capacity nightmare. Actually, all the rides are a capacity nightmare. On a good day, Queues will be 20-30 minutes. On a busy day? Easily an hour, probably a lot more.

Also how much are the On Ride Photos?

Less than Merlin's, still too much. Other than that, I don't know but expect a fiver+

Oh and any recommendations for food

It depends if you're a bacteriologist or not.

, or is it worth bringing lunch to the park?

It's always worth bringing lunch to a park, Drayton, doubly so. Actually, the fish and chips can be edible and they had a pie shop thing that was actually okay too. Avoid everything else like the plague (unless you're a bacteriologist ).

Finally, what is the situation with bags at the park? Do we need to buy lockers or can we leave bags in bag holds/cabinets?

When you get to go on the ride. Make some vague motions to try and attract the attention of the ride op away from their phone/conversation about the night out last night. If they see you, they may well gesticulate roughly at the floor on the opposite side of the platform. If you're particularly honoured, they may grunt monosyllablically at you too. I'd suggest just following the lead of every else.

Having said all of that, have a great time I actually really enjoy Drayton :lol:

 

[silenthillXD]

Ha, yeah I did wonder what I had gotten myself in for after I booked the tickets, but Apocalypse just looks too good to miss out on! And having not done a stand up yet Shockwave intrigues me, other than that G-Force looks vile and Stormforce looks good if the weather holds up! Ah those queues aren't too bad... reasonably similar to Thorpe's. Thanks for the advice on food, Merlins is just about edible, but was worried about elsewhere.
Ha thanks! Sounds like I should have an interesting day at least!

 

[furie]

see, I do actually really like Drayton. For all of its huge and many faults, it's a superb family day out.

First of all, everything is really close. I'm not an Apocalypse fan (in a minority there), but while Madame_Furie goes on it (she is a fan), I can take the kids off onto Chuff Nuggets (Golden Nuggets) and the Drunken Barrels. You're never really ever split up and far from each other kind of thing.

I do love Pandemonium though - it's a personal favourite flat ride. So it's great I can ride on it when the rest of the family don't.

We ALL love Maelstrom, lovely ride. The Rapids are fine, Storm Force is actually pretty good, Ben 10 is great fun. Chuff Nuggets is awful, but short so better than Duel, T'Aunting (Bat on a Stick) is so awful it's brilliant. All great rides for everyone in the family to go on and just have a giggle.

It's kind of what going to a Theme Park is all about.

Yes, the paint is flaking all over. Yes the food is bad. Yes the staff are awful at times. Yes the queues are hideous claustrophobic sheds. Yes nothing is actually outstanding. Yet it's still, as a family day out, really appealing.

As far as the big two coasters go, I really enjoy Shockwave. It's too short and a little too violent, but I enjoy it. G-Force though is awful, but it looks cool

On a quiet day, it's very much "done everything in an hour and now I'm getting depressed about the state of the place", unless you find a ride you love. Then suddenly it's a great opportunity to enjoy whoring a ride you rarely get anywhere else.

If you're with childish friends or family, it's also got the fun element and the zoo and everything - you'll have a great day re-riding and laughing.

If it's busy, you'll find it a chore, but at least you'll get to experience everything without getting overly bored (beyond the normal queue boredom).

Oh, and stand up with floor on Apocalypse is the best

 

[Darren B]

I agree with Phil (Furie) on pretty much everything he's said so I'm not going to repeat him word for word, but a couple of bits to add, firstly get to the park half an hour early (the park will let you in) and get straight in the Queue for G-Force (the queue is outside until the ride opens), the indoor cattlepen is Vile! The ride should be near enough a walk on once the ride opens. During the day this is the longest queue in the park so get it done quickly, And don't worry, you won't want to re-ride it, it's **** awful!

Secondly try and get the other coasters done before the park gets to busy (1hour into opening), but don't worry about doing Shockwave (I will elaborate further below). Stormforce 10 will be an hour queue if the weather is good, your best chance of getting on this quicker would be around lunchtime but there won't be much of a difference, it's worth the wait though.

Shockwave, easily the best coaster in the park and the queue never gets that big! I don't know why but on days where I queue an hour + for everything else Shockwave always ends up being 20 mins max, and this is with single train operation. 2 train operation doesn't make a difference either to be honest, you just end up sitting on the break run for 10 minutes waiting for them to despatch the train in the station.

Apocolypse will be a walk on near enough all day and its a must do! unless your a pansie like Furie

I hope you have a great time, I really rate DMP highly because I judge it on its Individual merits as a family owned park and don't compare it to the Merlin parks, if you do the same you'll enjoy your day.

 

[ATTACKHAMMER]

I went today it was incredibly busy, I queued an hour for Ben 10 and G-Force though in the afternoon Shockwave was walk on. The ORP cost £6.

 

[silenthillXD]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I must say I am really looking forward to it! Shockwave sounds fun, but G-Force does look vile. (That loop/lift thing looks ridiculously pointless and uncomfortable) But yeah Maelstrom and Apocalypse look amazing as does Stormforce! I will probably end up doing a trip report once I am back!