Top/Bottom 5's review of Lightwater Valley (2007) (Lightwater Valley)

Member Name: slappy mcguire

Product:	Lightwater Valley
Date:	31/07/07 (208 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: see top 5 in review

Disadvantages: see top 5 in review

Overview: One of only two real theme parks serving the North of England, this is the smaller, but cheaper one...

In Brief: Home of Europe's longest rollercoaster, plus the only subterranean one. Boasts 6 rollercoasters, of which two are designed for kids. Roughly 40 attractions, and aimed for the teen market. Has a 'nipper' section, but sadly very neglected, and simply ugly. Huge parklands, but poorly utilised.

Top 5 good points of Lightwater Valley>>>

1. No matter how decrepit it is getting, the Ultimate is still a fabulous roller-coaster. (sadly though, as with most of the good points, this comes with a caveat - the ride is very rough now, and on the day I rode it, it was only running on half capacity with the rear seats all blocked off by sand-barrels. Whether this was just down to maintenance and testing I don't know.)
2. Comparatively cheap for a young family, certainly by theme park standards.
3. Now at least clean, and better maintained than in previous years - although this is hardly a ringing endorsement.
4. Queues much better than previous years - although this is a double edged sword as you run out of things to do quicker, and there isn't the same buzz about the place.
5. Lake area genuinely beautiful - again has a huge amount of potential, it is just a shame to see so little of it used.

Top 5 bad points of Lightwater Valley>>>

1. Sadly, currently completely soulless. Once upon a time the park had a certain character, possibly something of a hellion spirit; now appears not to know quite what it wants to be; terrible theming (particularly the area that greets you on entry to the park) does not help.
2. No new 'must go reason' appeared for years - last years big new attraction was a chair-o-plane.
3. Valligators are just plain creepy. My youngest is scared of men in costumes, and the 'gators have an uncanny knack of appearing to 'lurk.' Unfortunately, in general little people in the park seem an afterthought.
4. Food poor, and expensive - even by theme park standards. Few 'brand names' to choose as 'safe bets.'
5. The area for smaller children is simply awful, while the magician is fun, there is little else good about it; dirty, crammed, worn and frankly unwelcoming area is a disgrace.

Possibly the saddest thing of all, is the fact that this once terrific park has become a shadow of it's former self, which is made all the more galling by the huge strides made by its nearest rival Flamingo land, which ironically went through the same malaise at the point when Lightwater Valley was booming.

s.

Summary: Loads of potential; so little used, unimaginitive and badly in need of improvement.