Pleasure-wood Hills Plans

[Stu]

Thanks to the ECC list for this tip off, the owners of "Pleasure-wood Hills" (as quoted in the article!) have done an interview thing with the press stating their plans for the park

link here

It seems there going to take a look at how the park works next season then come up with a 5 year plan to give the park a more modern quality feel to it, very exciting stuff

although no new rides will come until 2006, for next season they're making some fairly good improvements

- refurbishment of main street to reflect Lowestoft's maritime history

- new eating areas with more healthier menus

- new staff facilities and canteen

- rides repainted

[Graeme]

We will focus a lot on quality and not to attract guests by being the cheapest in town. Our goal is to be the best in quality.

I wonder how serious they are about that. I've always thought Pleasurewood Hills was good value, but not ridiculous, "bargain basement" type prices. After all, you get pretty decent rides there, and I've always felt you get what you pay for.

From this, it sounds like they are aiming to become a Tussauds style park, which will actually be quite interesting (to say the least!) If they are going to put the entrance price up, that can only mean the budget for new installations will go up too.

At the risk of being picky (that's putting it lightly!), to actually be the best in terms of ride quality, they'd have to challenge the big B&Ms of the Tussauds parks! (And Megafobia.) I think we may get a compromise: ie. not as expensive as the Tussauds coasters, but better than what Pleasurewood currently has. I wouldn't be at all surprised at some mid-sized Vekomas, that kind of thing. I quite fancy one of their "inversion bowl" launched coasters, but with a hydraulic launch instead of LSM.

[Stu]

I really think Grevin will do a good job of developing Pleasurewood Hills, after looking at their non Parc Astérix "regional" parks, i think we can expect greater things than a good independent operator (like the Haddens) could have achieved, rides will be custom built and more permanently installed, with a touch of themeing and landscaping, which of course is fantastic for the park

however their existing regional parks have a lack of "big" coasters, it seems they make do with what was already at the park before they took over, the only "new" coasters they have installed seem to be very themed mine coasters, as PWH has two sort of mine coasters in Rattlesnake and Cannonball,

therefore i think we're unlikely to get another coaster from Grevin and the most we can look forward to is having an original fairly major water ride, maybe a fairly extensive family dark ride . . . how often do we get those types of ride built in the uk? not very often especially as the "established" parks already have their own versions, so it is exciting in a way

But hopefully Grevin will buck their trend and go for a new coaster eventually, maybe competitive pressures from Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach will force them to invest in a major new coaster to attract tourists away from the famous sea-side resort!

[Stu]

With the strong rumours of a rapids and 3d overhaul for the canal boat ride, I’d like to share my ideas for PWH’s potential, once again with the assistance of my high tech professional renderings!



[1] Castle Theatre – replace this show building with a themed dark ride, perhaps an ETF Multi Mover

[2] Proposed Rapids Site – great hoping for a hafema product, with a whirlpool element and a chute at least, with delicate themeing that isn’t too OTT, but a lot of great landscaping to make it seem a more natural installation

[3] 3D Boat Ride

[4] a permanent log fume in the style of the link, there would be 2 drops (maybe 3) but it goes back into the trees with only the initial lift climb and final drop actually visible cutting into the park area

[5] Relocate the tidal wave water ride, to elsewhere in the park, freeing up this large rectangular space to make room for a family (non-twister) wooden coaster the scale of thunder eagle

[6] The bottom corner of the park could be used to house a GCI wooden twister coaster, the scale of the Ozark Wildcat the twisted design would provide a ride with a thrilling edge, yet something that was still accessible to family groups

[7] The current sea lion show stadium, could be demolished, to provide extra space for the gci wooden coaster

[8] Current log flume site - as the existing log flume would be replaced by the new one in section [4] the Mouse Trap spinning mouse coaster, which is cause for residents’ concerns in its current position could be relocated here. Alternatively the site could be used for a new junior steel coaster, maybe even a Vekoma family inverted coaster