PW Oct 09 P28-29.qxd 9/30/09 11:05 am Page 29
Park Profile
www.parkworld-online.com
But many had already heard Camelot was closed. To
Whirlwind
counter the rumours, leaflets were hastily printed up,
Rides of the
emblazoned with the slogan “The Legend Lives On.”
Amid all the uncertainty, however, the park lost most of its
Round Table
group bookings. The newest addition to
Camelot’s collection of rides
Successful Summer
and attractions is Knightmare,
Nevertheless, June got off to a good start, followed by a
a Schwarzkopf coaster that
lacklustre July and then, despite the weather, a very
formerly operated as BMRX at
positive August, which is when Park World called.
Portopialand in Japan. It
As we are chatting to Dempsey, a guests asks her for a
arrived in England three years
map of the park. Discretely, she directs them to the front
ago in a deal brokered by IE
office. “We had to hide them away because we’re
Park. Close-by in Land of the
running out already,” she confides. “We should have
Brave are two other large
printed more. It’s a nice problem to have I suppose.”
attractions, Whirlwind, a
The season came to a close on September 6, and the
Maurer Söhne spinning
knights of the round table are now planning for 2010.
coaster once travelled in
This time the park will reopen in time for the all-important
Germany, and Excalibur 2, a
Fabbri Evolution. Together, the
Easter holidays, on April 2.
trio of rides give the park
“I’ll meet with Fred [Story] at the end of this year,”
good visibility from the nearby
reveals Page, “and say ‘I’ve proved to you it works. I
M6 motorway.
borrowed some money, paid you pack, there’s a potential
Most of the other attractions
dividend there; you’re better off. It’s all about the
at Camelot have been there
numbers, but I’m confident we can go from on here and
for many years, including the
start looking at introducing new attractions again. And Dragon Flyer, a unique diesel-
we’ll get the groups back too.” powered coaster that circles
Although the season will be longer next year, it will still Knight’s Valley, a Junior
It was, adds Page, “a very traumatic winter. I chased be relatively short compared to some attractions: “We
Dragon Coaster, Caterpillar
every potential buyer I could think of.” looked at what happens after September,” says Page.
Capers (Pinfari family coaster),
In April, just one week before Easter, the Story Group ”Generally we open for whatever the weekends may
Log Flume (by Zamperla), The
purchased the 138-acre site on which the park sits bring, but Blackpool illuminations are still a major
Rack (Vekoma Canyon Raft),
(occupying roughly a third of the land), while Park Hall attraction and that takes away a lot of the business from
Galleon (by Zamperla),
was sold off to Lavender Hotels. September onwards. To then stay open for that two-week
Falcon’s Flight (Zamperla
The Story Group plans eventually to build housing on school holiday in October incurs a lot of costs, in
Balloon Race), Kingdom in the
the site, which had already been earmarked for such electricity, in wages, and the extra cost of insurance. The
Clouds (Zamperla Ferris
development prior to Prime Resorts’ collapse. However, weekends can create too many losses if you are not
Wheel), Sir Lancelot’s
after meeting the group’s CEO, Fred Story, Page careful.”
Chargers (double-deck
convinced him to continue with the theme park. At least A separate winter event is not out of the question,
Bertazzon Carousel),
Dungeon’s of Doom dark ride
for the time being. however: “Because we have the castle and the courtyard
(with a Modern Products ride
“I said, ‘look there’s a use, you’ve got all the assets,’ at the front of the park, we could generate a great
system), Formula-K go-karts
and I agreed to run it for him. Fred loves the park and Christmas show, a jester show, you wouldn’t use most of
and Pendragon’s Plunge, a
put the capital in to reopen it; he’s our bank effectively.” the rides; but it would suit us really well.”
wet/dry slide by Modern
Page set up a new company, Knights Leisure, of which But how much longer has Camelot got before the
Products.
he became managing director, and reunited some of the developers move in? “I don’t think happen for four of five
Children’s rides are grouped
old team, including operations director Mark Leader and years,” concludes Page, “and I think it will be a mixed use together in Merlin’s Playland.
sales and marketing manager Sandra Dempsey. Together development with housing, retail and leisure, whether Inside King Arthur’s Castle and
they set about reopening Camelot for a 15-week season, that’s a big FEC or whatever. I have already done some the Knight’s Realm, guests will
beginning May 23. plans for an indoor entertainment centre, so hopefully find an undercover
“We did still get some people turn up at Easter,” that’s something that will come in future. And it will be
entertainment centre including
remembers Dempsey, “even though we weren’t open.” called Camelot.”
the Jousting Knights Dodgems
(IE Park bumper cars), soft
Pendragon’s Knightmare
play, arcade games, food &
Plunge
beverage. Games are
operated throughout the park
by HB Leisure.
Camelot’s live
entertainment offering
includes the signature Avalon
Jousting Knights, produced
by Richard Timpson, plus
Merlin’s Magic Shows and
the School of Wizadry.
www.camelotthemepark.co.uk
OCTOBER 2009
29
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48