Matt N

In a nice, but admittedly very random, addition, Colossus now has a smoke effect!
 
https://x.com/ThorpeParkMania/status/1936799436602065404?t=uY0MNotqAIdP5sGeIsb4tA&s=19

Ooh interesting one!
 
I think yes, a park can definitely be too quiet.  
 
Thorpe is by far my most visited park, and back when I had an annual pass I’d frequently visit on quieter days.  The trouble is, it was occasionally possible to have everything, and I mean literally everything, done by lunchtime with ease.
Fantastic for re-rides etc, but it didn’t feel like a “full day out” if you know what I mean, and it certainly lacked the atmosphere and that buzz you get from a bustling theme park.
 
I remember going to a very quiet fright nights one year, having arrived at opening time. We had ridden and re-ridden everything all day, and then when the mazes opened we went through all of them several times, to the point that we weren’t fussed about doing Asylum anymore that night even though it was literally “walk on” with hours to go - unheard of these days for a maze.
 
Don't get me wrong - I look back on those visits with fond memories, and LOVED the amount of rides we could get on, but overall I think it’s a better overall experience when the queue times are around 10 minutes for things.
 
Queueing a little definitely helps space the day out nicely, especially in smaller parks like Thorpe.  It also builds up that anticipation a bit, and forces you to take in the atmosphere and theming around you.
 
Staying with the fright nights as an example - my favourite ever FN was the year Cabin in the Woods opened. The atmosphere around the park really added to the experience, particularly around Cabin where we spoke to several strangers around the park about the different routes etc that could be taken. There was a real buzz about it that could only be felt because so many people were sharing the enjoyment.
 
So yeah, as much as I adore a re-riding marathon, I really do enjoy experiencing a park that is alive and visibly thriving.  The perfect balance for me would probably be no queue exceeding 20 - 30 mins all day, but the last hour or so having walk ons. 👌🏼 best of both worlds!

Depends on the park for me, especially if such place has x amount of rides that requires a minimum number of people to ride in order for it to operate. 
 
some parks when quiet feel pleasant to visit, enabling numerous re-rides and getting lots done, assuming they don’t have silly operating hours (glares at Towers). But then again, with empty paths, areas, fewer or no entertainment (depending on the park), it can definitely impact atmosphere and environment. Making it feel more flat and empty as a result. 
 
Not sure where everyone else is on this, but I find parks on average the most enjoyable when they are between the busier end of quiet and the busier event of lively. But that might just be me. 

Hi guys. On paper, everyone’s dream theme park visit is one with no queues. Queues are the bane of everyone’s existence when it comes to theme parks, so to not have them sounds like a dream… right? After a recent visit to Paultons Park on 5th June that was particularly deserted, as well as some ensuing discussion with people off the back of that, I’ve been pondering this notion. With this in mind, I’d be interested to know; in your view, can a theme park ever be too quiet? Is the theoretical ideal of a park with no queues and no crowds really such an ideal in reality?
 
Personally, I’m actually somewhat undecided on this.
 
From my own perspective, a large part of me would say no. A quiet park means all the more rides for you, and as a person who doesn’t mind doing a good number of rerides on things I enjoy, that suits me down to the ground! There are very few things better than a nice riding marathon, in my view, and depending on the park, some of my best memories in theme parks have been from times where I’ve just been able to ride over and over (a 30-ride day at Thorpe Park in September 2023 sticks particularly fondly in my mind)!
 
On the other hand, though, some might argue that depending on your own tolerance for reriding, queues are almost necessary to lengthen the day and break up the rides a bit. There’s also the argument about atmosphere that I can see; I had a brilliant day, but at points, my Paultons visit was almost quite surreal due to the sheer lack of crowds. When you’re the only person within visible eyeshot at points, it is certainly quite an odd experience!
 
So on balance, I would probably lean towards no, but I can see some of the arguments for yes. I can also see that the answer might differ depending on the park; I’ve certainly found riding lots of rides easier and more enjoyable in some parks on a quiet day than in others!
 
But I’d be keen to know; do you think a theme park can ever be too quiet?

It's an interesting question. I have spent too much of my life waiting so I don't like queuing and when it comes to riding, I do take it into account. It depends also on the people around you, and any themeing, this particularly relates to whether one is alone. The chatter amongst a group can be enjoyable, if you're included. The atmosphere can be affected, especially if the Park is "dead".

Totally agree, the amount of time available to enjoy the rides is fleeting, and sometimes it’s only when rides are gone that you realise how much you love them! Loggers is a big one for me.  But even the rides that do remain, the memories made are done and can’t be re-done, not really.  It’s so important to go and do what you love, and make those memories and keep enjoying what you love doing. You never know what’s round the corner.
 
As for what I’ve learned about being an enthusiast over the years - I think it took me a while to realise I was even an enthusiast. Just because I don’t go to parks every weekend, count creds, collect merch, have a YouTube channel, do big coaster trips, or even visit THAT many theme parks in the grand scheme of things, I am still an enthusiast and still very much enjoy calling it one of my hobbies. There are so many different types of enthusiasts out there, but really we all share that common love for the parks, even if we all have different ways of enjoying them.
 
Secondly for me, I think I used to be all for the rides, but now I’m in my mid-thirties I’ve very much come round to appreciating theme parks rather than just the rides. I’ve never appreciated Disney as much as I do now, especially DLP as it goes through its transformation. Funny how things change isn’t it

One thing I would say about Legoland is that the hill the park is set on can make it quite a trek to negotiate at times if you’re not the most able walker. I’m a relatively adept walker (if I do say so myself!), so I didn’t struggle with it too much on my most recent visit, but I have been in the past with a member of our party being in a wheelchair and it was quite hard work! With a small child, I can imagine that their littler legs might potentially struggle. So I’d recommend making use of the Hill Train, if it’s open.
 
I’d concur with @JoshC. on the note of queues. I found many queues to be pretty overstated on my last visit, and like Josh, I also found Minifigure Speedway’s queue to move quite quickly compared to that of other rides.
 
On the subject of Minifigure Speedway, I should also warn you that they do not let you pick your side as they do on many other duelling coasters. I struck lucky and managed to get on both sides without needing to ask, but if you are keen to try both, you may have to ask.
 
I haven’t visited with a young child (other than when me and my older sister were young children ourselves on our initial visit in 2009, which is now some years ago!), so I apologise if I’m not too useful to advise you on visiting with a child, but I hope you have a nice time regardless!

With the recent announcement of the Universal theme park for the UK, I’ve been wondering about the prospect of other similar mega-parks opening up in this country. There was of course the proposal for the Swanscombe Peninsula theme park, but this has been kicked into the long grass.
 
Then I had an idea. Many British theme parks aren’t really themed around British culture, and with the rise in popularity of immersive experiences and living museums, I think this would be a good opportunity to trial a combined theme park and living museum attraction, that educates the British public on their country’s history through rides and experiences. I’m not expecting this to be the UK’s next thrill park, but more of a family park that appeals to all ages, consisting of a mixture of moderate rides and immersive experiences.
 
Like many theme parks, this park would be split into different lands, with each one corresponding to a period of British history. There would be a big emphasis on theming to fit in with the area’s period, with rides camouflaged or located indoors wherever possible. Some of my ideas for areas include:
 
- A Roman Britain themed area.
- A Tudor and Shakespeare themed area.
- An area themed around British myths, legends and folklore.
- An area themed to British farming, particularly in the West Country.
- An area themed to a remote Scottish fishing village at risk from the effects of global warming.
- An area themed to a Welsh mining village, in an area where the future of coal mining is uncertain.
- A peaceful “flora and fauna” area with no thrill rides, home to native British plants and wildlife.
- An area themed to Wartime Britain, with emphasis on the two world wars and global domination of the British Empire during that period.
- A science and technology area themed around British industry and inventions, celebrating the innovations of the past alongside those of today and tomorrow.
- An area themed to British pop culture from the 1960s to the 90s, with an emphasis on the arts, sport and leisure.
- The park’s hub, themed to a traditional market town in the South East of England.
- A transit system to connect park areas together. Could be a replica of the London Underground.
 
Each area would consist of:
1 rollercoaster, water or dark ride
1 flat thrill ride
2 childrens’ rides
1 immersive attraction
1 food outlet
 
So to round things up, this would essentially combine the thrilling aspects of a theme park with the educational side of museums, and the Insta-worthy appeal of immersive experiences. Do you think such an attraction would work in the UK?

I visited this park three weeks ago and I had some thoughts. You can tell this was a Disney park on a budget and was obviously planned in the days where Disneyland Paris was seen as a failure and budgets were tight. When it opened, its major rides were Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise and at a push, The many adventure of Winnie the Pooh. Investment has come with an outer ring basically built on the left side of the park with it starting at Grizzly Bear Mountain Railroad, into Mystic Point, Toy Story Land and finally Frozen Land. The right side of the park hasn't been left behind though with the removal of Autopia in favour of the Ironman Experience, Buzz lightyear re-themed to Ant-man and a rumoured Tower of Terror ride themed to Spiderman. 
 
I will say this, it is most definitely a one day park, maybe even a half day. The queues here are minimal (which is refreshing for a Disney park) and a lot of the rides are basically filler (again, quite refreshing). The longest waits are for the Duffy and Friends characters near the park entrances. If you aren't interested in queuing an hour to meet Lina-Bell, you have a problem. 
 
Grizzly Bear Mountain is the parks Big Thunder Mountain equivalent and It's a really good family coaster, it lacks the jank of thunder Mountain and its backwards section is pretty weak but the rest of the ride is great. The bears are used for comedy, one rubbing its bum on a points changer, another two setting of the dynamite in the mountains. The launch is pretty powerful and there's great forces on the turns through the valleys of the mountain.
 
Mystic Manor was closed. This absolutely sucked. 
 
Toy Story land is exactly the same as Paris's, just slightly bigger. 
 
Jungle Cruise is excellent. When we went you could wait for either mandarin or english skippers. Because the English was done in slightly broken English, it made it an absolutely hilarious time. The skippers were so fun and over the top. The finale is sublime and puts this as the best Jungle Cruise in the Disney parks. 
 
Frozen Land was fine. It still pains me that this Frozen Ever After is the big new hope for Disneyland Paris when at its heart, it's a very mid fantasyland reject and isn't really good enough. The Disney Sea equivalent is far superior. Onkens sleds is fine if a bit basic. Its best bit is the lift hilll animatronic. The rest of it is junior rollercoaster fluff.
 
Small World is the best of the five and was in good condition. All figures and effects are working.
 
Hyperspace Mountain is the same as the Disneyland version and is pretty fun if unremarkable. Its permanently hyperspace mountain so does need a proper refurbishment.
 
Antman and the Wasp is dull. All the sets are just grey and brown as you are shrunk down to destroy micro-chips. This leaves you with a very bland experience. Iron Man experience is pretty good, a more modern version of Star Tours. I personally.. prefer star Tours as it feels more mechanical and less fluid. However there's no denying it is a fun and unique experience.
 
When we went there was no parades or special entertainment as the trip was during the parks off-season. The only offering was the fireworks display at the end of the night, called Momentous which was fantastic and a beautiful display. I was pretty emotional towards the end.

Needed new part, took a while to arrive. Just the way these things go sometimes. 

So didn't manage to get Hyperia today 😔
 
Had a surprisingly smooth ride on SAW.  Nemesis is awesome and has aged like a fine wine.  Did Stealth and Swarm, had a Burger King and a pint, and then went home.
 
I do feel for the park, they have had issues with their last two installations (Derron and Hyperia).   

As mentioned in the Sparkle thread, Hyperia now has grass / turf around its queue line:
 
 
It's a small thing, but much better than what was there previously.

I've learned that to enthusiasts, every ride is rough and has a rattle.
 
I've learned that our passion is one of the only ones with such a limited life span. These huge pieces of metal have a limited existence and when they're gone, that's it. No one else will experience Wild Mouse at Blackpool, a 400 foot hydraulic launch rollercoaster, the world's only duelling B&M inverter and much much more.  For a lot of rides all we have is faded memories, hazy POV's and photos of ourselves in our younger days. I wish I'd taken more photos of some of the rides I've done because that's all I have left. It's kind of sad when you think about it. I've become almost obsessed with the demolition of Green Lantern and Kingda Ka. 

It’s looking to me like whatever is happening with the Beach might potentially be 2025’s draw instead. I wouldn’t be wholly surprised if they built some sort of ride there.
 
Where did the park get with that proposal to not need planning applications for structures below 25m? If that got passed by the council, then they could theoretically be doing anything below 25m without us needing to know about it.

Chop your legs off. Then you get double bonus of going on rides AND getting RAP.

Manufactures hate tall people. I’ve moved on from theme parks and rollercoasters and prefer to view from the side. There’s only so much rejection you can take……

BTM has always been fairly unreliable over the years for some reason.
 
Can't say for why though. 

There’s definitely something up here isn’t there - during my recent trip (and in the random queue time checking in the weeks leading up to it) BTM went down for several hours every day without fail.
Actually this and Space Mountain had dreadful downtime, lasting several hours, every day all week.
Weird, and very impactful given how the park has been.

I got a few throughputs on my trip, some which slightly surprised me (some didn't)
 
Europa Park
 
Voltron - 1382 people per hour (ppH) - (Theoretical 1600). Slightly down on its theoretical of 1600 but still a good number. My husband tracked a day before and it was running at 1598 an hour which is pretty much bang on.
 
Swiss Bobsleigh - 963 pph (Theoretical 1100). Obviously it's not getting this number as a lot of carriages will only have one person in them. Nonetheless, a very good number for a support rollercoaster
 
Matterhorn Blitz - 784 pph (Theoretical 960). Mightily impressive number for a wild mouse, its run remarkably well and the 20 minute queue board was accurate.
 
Disneyland Paris
 
Thunder Mountain - 1840 pph (Theoretical 2424). Not really sure where that theoretical number comes from, 1800 is still a good number. My only problem with Thunder is that every day it has a massive shutdown which takes it out of action for 2 hours minimum. As regular as a 2pm storm in Florida.
 
Small World - 2723 pph. Amazing number. if you ever see Small World on a 30 minute queue, its a very busy day..
 
Indian Jones and the temple of peril - 925 pph. Not bad for a support rollercoaster but nowhere near the level required for Disney.. well at least it wasn't back in 1995. Nowadays this would be considered a fantastic number for a disney attraction.
 
Buzz Lightyear Spin - 2450 pph. Not much to say here, great number.
 
Phantom Manor - 2050 pph. Number affected by a stoppage for disability guests. However, this is still a great number.
 
Efteling
 
Baron 1898 - 692 pph (Theoretical 1000). This was on two trains with a 20 minute queue and to be honest the third train always sits on the breaks waiting so actually this was the best they can do on a 33% capacity drop. It was running very consistently and lets face it, its an amazing ride whatever the wait time.
 
Python - 583 pph. Not bad considering it was on a one train service. Wait was 30 minutes but the staff were fast and effective.

Big news from Chessie then.
 
https://www.cwoa-consultation.com/
 
TL;DR
 
Wild Asia to be rethemed with a new coaster. Kobra survives. The Glamping binned off too as seemingly only on temp permission anyway.
Mexican (but not Rattlesnake) killed off for a land akin to CBeebies.
Other stuff like Lodges (when did that happen) and Water Park are on-going.

Everyone's favourite Thorpe Park fansite will be checking out the latest developments this afternoon
 
It's an interesting one. There's two possible options the way I see it:
 
Option 1 - Beach tart up
This is the boring option of the two. But the beach is over 30 years old and a shadow of its former self. It needs something doing to it. A tart up and making it more interesting and worthwhile, maybe a mini water park style area, would be nice.
 
Option 2 - Demolition
Get rid of the beach. It's a large space which is wasted. And whilst the park have loads of options to expand the park, and remove some rides, space is still reasonably premium at the park. And I think there's a perfect thing that area can be used for...
 
Event space. Since the Arena was demolished (10 years ago!), the park haven't had a dedicated event space. And that was fine back then, as they didn't need one. But now, with the park's year round events, they could use one. Flattening the beach opens up a huge space for a stage, permanent seats and a more open, relaxed atmosphere. The park gets very crowded at the start of the day, before they open the gates at 10am. Opening up the beach area, maybe with some entertainment on a stage or screen, would help that crush.
 
Throughout the year, they could hold events there. The space would be much better for Oktoberfest and Lucifer's Lair than by Ghost Train. A big Mardi Gras show is better there than in Big Easy Boulevard. During non-event times, they could still have the Ents team perform shows, or use the space like the Victory Plaza area they had where Stitches is (which showed the Euros and Olympics). Having a permanent stage/event space would also take some pressure off the Tech team for having to set up then take down a stage multiple times throughout the season.
 
If the park wanted to keep the beach to some degree (it still has a lot of people enquire about it), they could tart up the smaller side of the beach and retain that. All the pumps, cleaning, etc feed in from the smaller side, so it would be easy to work. Plus a smaller beach is a lot easier to maintain.
 
 
Obviously for now we're jumping the gun a bit. A digger means very little. They might just be doing the bare minimum maintenance work. But hopefully this is a sign of positive change in that area.

1/ A great group can make an average park day a great one
I started attending meets on this forum in early 2013 and have had the privilege of attending meet ups at parks around and beyond the U.K.
 
Though some better than others, a great group of enthusiasts on trips can really make a mid-tier visit a great one. Whether it’s game about asking what people’s chosen coaster is, fun banter and excitement or any other reason. The thorpe park ministry of sound nights were certainly a crazy time indeed.
 
2/ There are different types of park enthusiasts 
The depths of this could honestly be endless, but you have so many different factions on this area. The ones who know literally everything about rides, the ones who just ride coasters, the ones who are more about the experience or those that are there mainly for the social element. In large meet-ups such as the European Coaster Club etc., you are naturally going to get others such as the other halves are just the plus one but ok to be there. 
 
3/ Every enthusiast has different expectations and opinions 
To one person Efteling will be the most magical theme park in the world, to another it will be the most mundane thing to exist. To one person Hyperia will be the best coaster in the country (if not the world). To another it will be an underwhelming experience. 
 
Every enthusiast has a different opinion about rides, parks, expectations and everything else and can say I know some from different circles with similar opinions of the above. At the end of the day, being an enthusiast would be a more boring place if we all shared the same opinions there. 
 
4/ A return park can visit can hit different, in the best and worst ways 
Parks and people, 

sometimes we visit parks 6-8 years ago and find ourselves absolutely amazed and blown away by these places, only sometimes to have a more recent visit and whilst still pleasant, those same wow factors from that previous visit seem missing. 
 
I think this is often down to a number of factors, that wow factor from that first visit has just worn off, you are not the person you were when you went before or the park has declined somewhat. The last 5-10 years have certainly been unkind to the park industry.
 
Contrary to that, I’ve also revisited a number of parks and have felt feelings nothing short of joy. Walking through Europa’s entrance one bright sunny day, forgetting just how mesmerising Phantom Manor is or the amazement of everything random and wonderful in Energylandia. Feelings and emotions can be a strange thing. 
 
5/ Your expectations change over time 
we change through our whole lives, so naturally our expectations to being an enthusiast can and will too.
 
Ten years ago, I was that enthusiastic desperate to travel to as many parks in the whole and do everything physically possible, whilst perhaps trying to vlog like one of those famous YouTubers. I physically wanted to do everything in a park. 
 
Over the years I’ve gone through phases of wanting to visit places based on their coasters, dark rides and even landscaping. But today, I like to value a well rounded park. I would rather value a handful of decent rides than lapping one until I’m tired and nauseous. 
 
As more and more parks gradually get ticked off our lists, through time it becomes more valuable with who you visit these parks with, rather than where you go. Some enthusiasts who you can call your mates.

For those interested, I returned to Drayton Manor yesterday for the first time since 2022, and resultantly managed to ride Gold Rush for the first time. I promised a longer review, so let me properly delve into things, having had quite a few more rides since that initial take!
 
I was intrigued to try Gold Rush, but some of the initial reviews seemed quite muted, so I went in with somewhat lowered expectations. But I have to say that it exceeded my expectations by a fair bit; I thought it was an absolutely excellent family coaster, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
 
The investment doesn’t just comprise of the coaster itself, though, with the wider Frontier Falls themed area also being new for this year. I’ll start with that…
Theming/Area
In terms of the theming for Gold Rush itself, I actually thought it was very nice overall! I think Drayton Manor have done a sterling job with the coaster’s theming and aesthetics, personally! To raise a few specific points of interest:
I quite like the queue; it has some nice vantage points, the tunnels with posters and things are quite neat, and I think it’s overall been finished off very nicely! The station is very nice, with a very nice wooden look to it and some really nice details and thematic touches! As I rode more, I noticed a surprising amount of nice thematic touches around the ride area. For example, I noticed quite a nice water feature in the middle, I noticed that a pipe by the station was billowing out smoke, I noticed some neat little signs and written bits around the area… there are a few nice little touches, and things like that really add substance to the theme! The effects sequence in the “dynamite shed” is quite simplistic, but works well. The smoke and the synchronised audio is quite nice, and it’s reasonably effective overall despite its relative simplicity. On a minor side note, the American accent used on the ride is not terribly convincing (I overheard someone in the queue describing them as “the most British-sounding cowboy ever”, which I think is quite apt…), but that’s nothing more than a fun observation… I certainly couldn’t do any better! I think the overall finish of the ride just looks very pleasant and pleasing to the eye. It has some nice landscaping, the wooden look is quite pleasant, and it feels quite well finished off. In terms of the wider Frontier Falls area; I think here is where things falter slightly. There’s undeniably been real effort put into sections of it, but if I’m being picky, it falls slightly short of being a fully cohesive themed area and comes across a tad unfinished. It seems as though the will to do a full themed area was there, but the budget didn’t quite stretch to an entire themed area and they could only do bits of it.
 
On the positive side, some of the new look facades look really nice with some fun details, I’m a fan of the sand effect paving that goes through parts of the area, and I also think that the rethemed Drunken Barrels (now called Blasting Barrels, I believe?) looks really nice and has clearly had real effort put into it. There was clearly intent from Drayton Manor to do a full Western themed area, and what’s there looks very nice, to be fair.
 
In terms of why I feel the area feels slightly unfinished to me; there are some rides that don’t really fit in with the theme, and resultantly, I also think the area boundaries on the end by Accelerator and Flying Dutchman are slightly blurred. The main examples I’m thinking of are:
The Haunting has had no changes to blend it in at all, with it still retaining the same English vicarage theme it’s always had. To be fair, however, it’s tucked away enough that it’s relatively inoffensive within the wider visuals of the area, so this is quite a pedantic one. The main weak point for me was Accelerator. I admittedly didn’t get to see the indoor queue, as it wasn’t open and I couldn’t ride it, but externally, it looks as though there’s been little to no attempt at retheming it and it now sticks out like a sore thumb. I hope they’re able to do a bit more to make this fit the area in the years to come. Flying Dutchman also really sticks out, but I’m admittedly unsure if it’s in the area or not. But overall, I think the themed area is nice, and the theming of the coaster is particularly nice and well finished off! I hope they’re able to finish off other sections of the area like Accelerator in time, as finishing off those bits will make it a really nice complete themed area!
 
Now let’s discuss the coaster itself…
The Ride
To be honest, Gold Rush was a coaster I was more intrigued by than overly excited by. It was undeniably unique and I could see that from the get go, but when some of the slightly muted initial reviews flowed in, I was sceptical about how it would ride. However, I have to say that Gold Rush thoroughly exceeded my expectations; it was really, really good fun and I enjoyed it a lot! It is not the most intense coaster by any means, but I think it’s just good, clean fun, and I often find that a very enjoyable quality in a ride; intensity isn’t everything!
 
In terms of some key points of interest within the coaster itself:
I thought it packed surprising vigour at points; the backwards sections in particular were surprisingly forceful! The launches are quite good fun and have a nice punch to them. They’re not going to blow your head off, but for a family coaster, I think they do the job nicely. Some of the twisty bits were very good fun and felt quite dynamic. I think Intamin are excellent at throwing some nice dynamic twists and turns into their family coasters, and that really shines through here! The coaster is very smooth, with not a hint of rattle or roughness whatsoever. The trains are also lovely and comfortable! It’s a deceptively long ride. The track length isn’t very long, but the switch track technology means that you get quite a bit of ride time out of Gold Rush! In terms of the ride’s overall force set, I’d liken it quite considerably to Thirteen sans the drop track. A lot of the sensations feel very Thirteen-esque. I really like Thirteen, so I liked this! I think Thirteen marginally edges Gold Rush out for me if I were to pick a winner, but it’s actually very close for me; there’s certainly a much closer contest between the two rides than I’d expected before riding! The multi-cycle feature is intriguing. It’s certainly novel, and it does make you want to try the ride again later on! Of the two cycles, I’m unsure which I preferred; I thought the backwards section dropping down the lift was quite neat on Cycle 2, but I did think that the launch out of the effects shed was a bit better when done backwards on Cycle 1. I managed to get a lot of rides in various seats, and I think my preference errs towards the back row on Gold Rush, regardless of cycle. In terms of a critique, one very pedantic thing I would say is that the ride is quite lacking in airtime given that the layout looks like it was designed to offer airtime in places. It has quite a few bits where it threatens airtime, but doesn’t quite go the whole hog and actually give you any airtime. I’m not expecting top-tier ejector by any stretch, but that is one thing I think Thirteen does better; on there, you have a surprisingly decent moment of air on the first drop towards the back of the train, and some of the hills in the outdoor section provide some fun floaty airtime regardless of seat. Gold Rush didn’t quite seem to match the fun floaty airtime pops of Thirteen, and to be honest, that is probably the one thing that keeps Thirteen fractionally ahead of Gold Rush for me. If Gold Rush provided those fun floaty pops, then it might have beaten Thirteen for me. This is a very pedantic critique, though, and doesn’t notably detract from the ride!
 
Overall, then, I think Gold Rush is an absolutely cracking little coaster, and a superb addition to Drayton Manor! It’s my favourite coaster at the park by some margin, and for families, I think it’s a simply superb coaster that should please everyone in the family! It is not the most intense of coasters, but for the 1m height restriction, I think it packs some really good thrills and is a great coaster for the younger kids while also pleasing the older members of the family; I certainly came off with a smile on my face every time, anyhow! For the whole family demographic, I think it’s the fun, rerideable family coaster that they needed, and it suits the park’s new direction down to the ground. If we’re doing like-for-like comparisons with similarly scaled coasters, I would say that it is my favourite coaster in the UK with a height restriction of 1m or below, beating out anything on offer at Paultons Park (the commonly cited poster child for a great family park in the UK, with a thoroughly enjoyable selection of family coasters).
 
The coaster itself is also themed really nicely, and what they’ve attempted with the wider themed area is very nice! I just hope that they’re able to get a bit of additional budget to fully complete the area and theme in some of those rides that currently stand out; that would be the icing on the cake!
 
To close off my Gold Rush review, have a few assorted pictures I took:






On a side note, I also managed to experience The Wave for the first time following the sit-down conversion, so I’ll briefly cover that too. I’ve long held the view that Shockwave would be greatly improved with sit-down trains, so I was intrigued to try it out. I think The Wave does improve somewhat on Shockwave… but sit-down trains aren’t the game changer I’d perhaps hoped they might be. They are generally comfortable and do make some of the better qualities of the ride layout shine through better; some of the inversions are reasonably decent! However, the ride is still a bit rough in places (although you admittedly feel the roughness a bit less with no OTSRs), that brake run slam at the end is still horribly violent, and it still hasn’t got the most interesting of layouts. I also noticed that the lap bar sometimes tightened a fair amount during the ride, and the new trains are also not terribly efficient for operations. The staff need to pull down the lap bar to a very specific place and ask you not to touch your bar, and then they need to press a different button before they push down your bar again to tighten it properly. It does make the operations rather inefficient.
 
With that being said, I think it’s overall an improvement. The ride is more comfortable than before, and it also fits the park’s new direction a lot better seeing as younger kids can ride it. It fits the bill quite nicely as a “first big inverting coaster”!
 
If you’re interested, I also wrote a trip report about the rest of my day at Drayton Manor: 
 

Finally been on it.
 
Area looks crap. Station is a weird attempt at Icon for some reason.
 
It's a great ride until the trims. All that momentum just thrown in the bin, leaving you wanting the rest of the layout rather than awkward corner.
 
Best ride on park? Sure.
Best ride ever? Not even close.