2018 Season

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

2018 Season

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

To confirm and living virtually opposite to the park good Friday we had rain from 3pm, no rain during Saturday operating times and the same Sunday so they would have been ok. Fairly mild Sunday too as I was doing stuff in the garden . Its now Monday and it is raining hard as forecasted. I still find it very odd what's happened yet let's hope they know what they are doing. The next few days look unsettled so if anything more rain forecast until mid week

-- Edited by coolskin on Monday 2nd of April 2018 06:42:40 AM

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

So we have staggered openings this season... Hmm.. It's worse than merlin... Thoughts....

Clarence · Serious Squawker

First time in 35 years the park has closed for Easter bank holiday weekend. Very Strange! Oh yes and it's their 35th birthday this year so hopefully they will mark that will a celebration.

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Might have been dry but would they have had enough guests to break even? Answer is no because they never do during the easter break, more so on an easter that's cold, wet and miserable. we would have lost money.

500 guests across 3 or 4 days isn't cost effective. Open fewer but nicer days and get 500 guest in one day, i can't remember how many people they needed per day to break even, but's not lower than 500.

Anyway, i like to think they have a better knowledge of how it all works than what we do.. after all non of us have run a theme park lol they know there targets, costs, budgets and everything.

But after the new map not showing any new rides for the summer it's worrying, will be two years running without a new ride. I wonder if they made any additions to Target Trail?

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

But they could have always just announced a closure on the Monday morning, As they would do with any other very wet day.

Other parks across the country had a very busy weekend (up until Monday), so there's no reason PWH couldn't have been a part of that.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Exactly. Monday was the only real bad day to which it did rain all day, and then yes fair enough what's the point in opening. So in just over 3 hours we open for the 2018 season

-- Edited by coolskin on Tuesday 3rd of April 2018 06:48:18 AM

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

A shaky start, but to be fair to them, it is only day one:

Deborah on Facebook: "Don’t bother if your reading this. Here now and it’s awful. We required a kiddy kart so went to gift shop as instructed no kiddy karts sent to reception, sent back to gift shop to pay then a kiddy kart was brought out to us and it was thick in mould obviously having been left out all winter, two karts available both mouldy. Now have a three year old moaning and struggling. Queued for two rides and both broke while we waited, so much not open until 12. Huge disappointment and big waste of money. Group of ten were due to return next week and we certainly won’t be bothering."

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

Apparently the raised middle section on Hyperdrive has been removed now, meaning that there is a much larger open space for the cars.

Thanks to Saunderz Cameroon on Facebook for the update.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

what a lovely start

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

Another Facebooker is suggesting that Wipeout, Cannonball Express and Kite Flyer are all not open. If true, that's a big proportion of the major attractions out of action!

Cameron · Serious Squawker

Hi guys,
Yeah it was me who posted on your Facebook status about Hyperdrive it wasn’t to bad without the middle the only main problem was wen you got so far in the middle your car cut out,
Also it was a bad day for rides -Wipeout and Kite flyer didn’t run all day also several rides broke down during the day the likes of Canabel express, Jolly Roger and Rooten tooten also no start on the play area yet and The Tide Travaler is still sitting there.
However there was some improvements like new music being played on selected rides which made it nice
However is was a very quiet

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

That's a lot of breakdowns! This is nothing new though, it happens every year during the first few days.

It's a shame to hear that there is still no progress with the Indoor playground, I wonder why they are dragging their feet so much on this? Any indoor attractions will be a welcome addition, to give people somewhere to go during rain showers.

I can't believe the Tide Traveller is still there, I thought it was almost all gone at the end of last season?

That Hyperdrive issue is a weird one, you would have thought it would have been tested before today.

Thank you very much for the updates Cameron.

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

You know guys I really question how long we have left

Cameron · Serious Squawker

Yeah such a shame,
the tide traveller is mainly gone just the part that use to lift is left
like last season wen they removed it

JGroom · Serious Squawker

Such a shame to see the park like this. The few "improvements" won't really make the cut for the general public to come. I agree if they carry on like this - the parks days will be limited

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

lol. nothing changes at the Hills. they never have things tested and ready to go for Easter, i now wonder if this was why they refused to open then. Everything is left till the last minute. And to give out mouldy karts.. yikes.. why don't they just store them under cover for the winter or just get someone to clean them up prior to opening it's not like the staff have much to do half the time anyway. My word they've got a lot of fixing to to by the sounds of it.

Trouble is, if the park is naff this week and feedback spreads fast these days people wont bother going over the summer... come on guys at least get the basics rights!!

coolskin as you live fairly close have you not noticed them testing wipeout or the drop tower?

coolskin · Passionate about Pleasurewood

The tower went up a good few weeks ago and I've not seen it going yet today I've been at work so can't comment as for wipe out didn't see anything Saturday so I only assume the whole place was locked up unless they kept just reception open for what must have been a steady flow of enquiries and shocks that they were not open on a dry Easter Saturday and Sunday. One of the biggest issues the park has is the local community have given up long time ago and I'm talking immediate area. They need these people back for it to prosper and grow yet it's too late for that I fear. Everyone does everything online these days, ok so people can make their own mind and go yet they are more than likely to read a review first then not go. I'm sure we've all done it. In particular with the extended closure there is no excuse for not having the attractions ready.

-- Edited by coolskin on Tuesday 3rd of April 2018 08:45:04 PM

Cameron · Serious Squawker

The thing that made my laugh was this morning the toilets near the Pirate Ship didn’t have signs on so it was hard to tell which was women’s and which one was the men’s 😂
They’ve also painted them which didn’t help

Connor M · Serious Squawker

I kind of think that the company that owns PWH doesn't give a damn? The general manager was mega enthusiastic at the recruitment day (& even compared PWH to Alton Towers in regards to guest experience) so how have they gone from the investments of 2012-14 to what we have now? In order to survive they will need consistent investment especially because they rely on the tourism that the area gets. Who wants to go to the same place every summer to find that nothing new has been added and if anything there are less rides then there where on their last visit. People will go, see a boarded up Tivoli and an awful dodgems and ride a vekoma torture machine (because that's how bad it was for me last year) and they will think 'God, this place has gone downhill, I'll find something else to do next time' and they will do exactly that because there is loads to do around here. Realistically, how much would it be to make nice themed areas and add a new flat ride/coaster every once in a while? Obviously they can't invest heavily constantly, but their issues would probably be mitigated with a new decently thrilling flat ride etc. like an air race or one of those 320 plus Eurofighters?

I wouldn't be surprised if a similar situation to merlin or Parques Redunidos is in operation; as long as they make money from PWH then they won't invest in it.

Ronnie · Woody Wannabe

Very disappointing to hear, do wonder whether the delayed park opening was something to do with non functioning rides, perhaps they were holding out for a fix before opening. I cannot believe that the weather that did not happen was the reason for it.

Cameron · Serious Squawker

Marble Maddness had a red cart on it today which I found rougher strange

amigaoneone · Jolly Talkative

This all sounds about right, He (General Manager) did not listen to what people wanted last year, I think this is the begining of the end this year, unless he gets help with his job from someone who knows more how to run a park.

-- Edited by amigaoneone on Wednesday 4th of April 2018 01:03:14 AM

JGroom · Serious Squawker

PWH does need investing in. The customers are there, but like you said, they have ruined relationships with the customers in the area. Such a shame to see a park that was going in the right direction in 2014+ go downhill like this.

PWH better get there act together - and quick!

And for the Red cart on Marble Madness - any reasons why?

Datman · Woody Wannabe

Did anyone else see a post on pleasure woods Facebook yesterday of someone called Gary posting as Pleasure wood hills saying he was there all day to answer questions, then there was questions like why did i have to wait 60 mins for a cup of coffee?, why didn't the staff at the kiosks know how to deal with season pass holders?, guess they wasn't expecting questions like that as the whole post has been removed today, at least they should have addressed the questions and not remove the post :/ does more harm to remove and ignore than to give an answer, which probably could have been the same answer for both, first day on the job, lots to learn, not everyone up to speed etc .

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

Yep, lots of posts were deleted on Facebook yesterday!

Martyn · Passionate about Pleasurewood

Not good at all. I really am fearing for the future of the park. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if a rubbish start to the season results in a sudden closure.

I just don't understand why these big companies want to own PWH, yet do nothing with it.

The park even has that permit with the council where they don't need to apply for planning permission for anything under 25m, that's like 82ft - easily enough height for a decent wooden coaster that WOULD bring guests in by the thousands.

Bubbles · Passionate about Pleasurewood

The reason a big company would own something like PWH and do nothing with it is purely for tax reasons, they don't own it to make a profit, they have it to fiddle the tax.. legally of course. Bit sad really because there only half arsed interested but then the alternative is the park being owned by someone who needs to to turn a profit and there's not chance the hills can do that anymore.

Maybe the Park just had a very bumpy start, but you know it's gone really bad whey they delete social stuff without any explanation. it's like the strong man contest all over again... no bloody communication.

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

I really hope they can turn things around, i'm all for ''thinking outside the box'' with extras and add-ons but until they nail the basics, it's almost a waste of time.

Once the Mad Hatter thing is done and dusted, I really hope they focus on enhancing what the average visitor experiences; fun and friendly customer service, decent food offerings, well organised facilities and efforts to make the best of the rides they already have.

Once they get that sorted, then they should start looking at add-ons to earn extra from guests.

Matt · pleasurewoodplace.com

There are some seriously odd comments on Trip Advisor at the moment. Some are unnecessarily personal, so I won't post them on here. Others are just weird!