Lightwater Ideas

[Stu]

Its my dream to own Lightwater Valley and throughout the years i've had some strong ideas of what sort of coasters i'd like to see there, of course the ideas change as new things come out and my tastes change - so something different everyday . . .

In the past I’ve always wanted to designate the park into themed areas, with the back of the park (ultimate, rat ride, former soopa loopa site) becoming the industrial themed mechanical meadows, the area in the middle of the park railway (and the wave) becoming the Polynesian shoreline themed shipwreck shores with a premier rides lim bowl coaster as the centerpiece named “cyclone enforcer” the woodland below the railway would become the American wilderness / rocky mountain themed wild wilderness the park entrance and fairground area would be given a medieval makeover to become the remarkable realm with the orbiter ride’s planet re-themed as a giant oak tree! The fields to the right of the rat ride would become the jungle themed tropical territory with a Vekoma tilt coaster integrated into part of the quarry, named "excavator" themed around unearthing a dinosaur skeleton!

At the present, I wouldn’t separate the park into themed areas (lol after all that!) I’d keep the generic creature/monster/animal theme, and minimalistically decorate/theme any new installations, giving them a more organic / natural appearance, I’d add an old time crafts village to the park and showcase local culture and trades, and maybe a gentle dark ride portraying the natural and historical evolution of the area named “tales from the dales”

Coaster wise, I’d go for a gigantically oversized water coaster around the woodland terrain from the trauma tower to where the caterpillar coaster currently are located, named “Legend of Bigfoot” probably from premier and add a 2 lift, Vekoma suspended swinging floorless around / under a newly extended outlet shopping complex dubbed the “Griffin Adventure Coaster”

[Graeme]

I see what you've done there with the tilt coaster and launched looping. Flamingo Land has got inverted and launched non-looping covered, so the tilt coaster would be a way (like the Gerstlauer EuroFighter) or providing a vertical drop coaster.

I'm not sure what I'd do with Lightwater myself. I like woodies, but I suppose The Ultimate offers the same sort of ride experience as a woodie - and certainly the same appeal. Plus, don't they have planning difficulties? I still might build one, to be honest, perhaps an S&S.

For the launched looper, I think I'd build a Vekoma, and with a hydraulic launch, personally. See if they can build the next version of their "LSM bowl".

Hmm...certainly endorse the swing coaster! To be honest, just that'd do for me!

[Stu]

Actually now I’ve thought about it, I think LWV really need a wooden coaster, in fact a whole variety of wooden coasters carefully crafted into the terrain would be a fantastic direction for the park to take, they would be able to create legendary rides for affordable prices and really help to give the park a unique earthy-organic feel

At present Flamingo Land, the nearest competition are posing a serious threat to the park’s survival, it’s only £1-2 more expensive and it offers a more inviting collection of rides (to suit all tastes) and a zoo which has broader appeal

Lightwater need to get in and put up a woodie and establish themselves before (or if!) Flamingo Land get theirs and ruin any promotional potential a wooden coaster has

How about one that’s already tried and tested and currently in storage in Canada? I’m talking of our old friend, Thunder Eagle! (Re-named Eagles Claw, to just “The Claw” I guess)

The ride could be re-built fairly quickly (even in time for the 2005 season) and would provide a decent sized wooden coaster to set them off, it’s really a major family coaster with a thrilling edge, something that would be the perfect starting point

The company Martin & Vleminchx, were in charge of relocating Thunder Eagle to Canada, I think they’d be perfect to rebuild it, and their Triple Hurricane coaster at cypress gardens, looks fantastic, how about a tiny out n back junior coaster from them, as a little sibling to the Thunder Eagle, maybe call it “Rookie Flyer” and promote it as training for future coaster nuts.

Long term, a juicy GCI terrain twister around the woodlands from where the trauma tower is to where caterpillar coaster are now, diving through tunnels, racing between the woods and tightly banking around the (fairly tall) trees in that forest, would be fantastic, and set against the lake would look fantastic (almost an improved version of a certain welsh wonder)

[spud]

I think a woodie would go well with lwv. But you have to think realistically here. The plans above are great but does lwv realistically have the funds to build it??? If i could sort out the place i would add 2 decent new flat rides to start. Most propely a Huss topple tower and a Huss Jump2 themed as a carnvious creature. I would also move that crappy piffiri know as the "Grizzly bear". The rat is almost the same as it quite simply. Pehaps put the jump2 there. And in the long term i would add a looping rollercoaster not a pifiri but not too expensive.