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2017/18: SW8 Speculation

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There is no reason they cant build a woodie that is below tree height and also doesn't need to use the valley. Also while it would be more difficult to get planning using the valley and think its unlikly do SW8 no one can say their is zero % chance of that happening, Before the park submit a plan they work closley with the planning office to ensure what they submit has a good chance of being approved.

The biggest things missing from Altons coaster line up are a Wooden Coaster and a coaster with lots of airtime, a wooden coaster would solve both of these and if RMC would also give the park their USP, especially of went with worlds first launched wooden coaster (assuming they use the same track as outlaw run and not the hybrid steal tracks used on the six flags conversions)
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
Personally I am hoping that SW8 turns out to be a major family attraction like a dark ride or water ride/coaster.

After The Smiler the last thing Alton Towers needs is another gimmicky record breaking 1.4m coaster.

More variety in the park's ride line-up is sorely needed.

Thirteen was the first to break the mould with the Secret Weapons, I don't see why they can't do it again.
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I fully expect SW8 to be a 1.2m coaster but I would hardly call the parks coaster line-up unvaried. From memory their height range on coasters is

Nemesis 1.4 -Thrill
Oblivion 1.4 - Thrill
RITA 1.4 - Thrill
Smiler 1.4 - Thrill
Air 1.4 - family thrill
Thirteen 1.2 - family thrill
Spinball 1.2 - family thrill
Mine train 0.9 - family
CBeebies thing ? - kiddie

So the parks coasters are fairly balanced (I agree you can debate Airs position) but that's already a good mix, with a logical conclusion SW8 will be family thrill to balance a little more to the family thrill.

I think the SW's will alternate between thrill and family thrill from now on.
 
They need another Thrill, Family Coaster, and Kiddie Coaster.

A couple of flats and a dark ride they can vary and is based on new technology not the old track style done on the cheap.

I really don't think they need another family thrill coaster at all. Especially given how many little ones you see on bigger rides nowadays.

I agree with air.
 
They need a dark ride family experience. Something modern, a system that meets the requirements of a modern audience. That's where they fail for me when it comes to 'for the whole family' attractions. With Thorpe getting their dark ride in 2016 I would assume Towers are nearing getting a new dark ride soon.

I think if they did build a woodie that doesn't necessarily mean it would be in the valley. It's the ideal location and every enthusiasts wet dream. Although they don't have to build one there. That fact that it has been an area looked at several times for a woodie would suggest it's not an area that would be 100% ruled out. It's just as likely as any other location on park.
 
James said:
They need a dark ride family experience. Something modern, a system that meets the requirements of a modern audience. That's where they fail for me when it comes to 'for the whole family' attractions. With Thorpe getting their dark ride in 2016 I would assume Towers are nearing getting a new dark ride soon.
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I'd be thinking Alton's chances of getting a new dark ride (something the park needs) will probably depend on the reception to Thorpe's endeavour next year.
 
Unfortunately there has been rumours that Duel / Haunted House would go for a new dark ride in that warehouse. Obviously as much as Duel could do with a facelift, I would much rather increase the overall ride count and more indoor rides would really help with all-year opening.
 
Ketz said:
Is that not similar to the Spider-Man and transformers rides, and if this is coming and is half as good as those I think it will be a hit.

I just tried looking for that ride, and thought this was it,


But this is a indoor roller coaster which by the looks of it is very highly themed and only cost £3.5 million. Roughly the same as sub-terra but obviously alton didn't need to purchase an IP. I know which one I would prefer!!
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Nah, the tour ride is Lost Temple:



Perhaps Duel getting redone for a modern dark ride of a large scale would be the best bet for Towers, especially as space for a giant building would be limited... Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if Flume or Charlie's days were numbered for newer and bigger/better attractions...

The park ideally on the coaster front needs another 0.9-1.2m addition... A GCI would solve one of those issues, but really the park needs a few more bits of filler of actual quality in between them, the lack of flat ride in Dark Forest and losing Submission shows that this is were Towers' flaws lie at the current time... Especially if say these filler rides have shorter queues, and therefore producing a perception of better value for money based on rides ridden for guests...
 
Benzin said:
Perhaps Duel getting redone for a modern dark ride of a large scale would be the best bet for Towers, especially as space for a giant building would be limited... Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if Flume or Charlie's days were numbered for newer and bigger/better attractions...

The park ideally on the coaster front needs another 0.9-1.2m addition... A GCI would solve one of those issues, but really the park needs a few more bits of filler of actual quality in between them, the lack of flat ride in Dark Forest and losing Submission shows that this is were Towers' flaws lie at the current time... Especially if say these filler rides have shorter queues, and therefore producing a perception of better value for money based on rides ridden for guests...
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Agree with all of these points, they need some more rides for under 1.2m guests that are too old for CBeebies. A coaster with no hidden suprises plus a couple of flats.

Could they build another warehouse on the little-used car park sections behind Duel? Re-route the footpath from the carparks around the building and make a themed queue tunnel from the side of Duel. I'm sure if they really wanted to increase the total dark ride count they could.

The flume does really need replacing too!
 
Whilst that Lost Temple ride looks fun, the main problem I can see with the Lost Temple Ride is re-ridability. I love Duel and Hex and find that Duel's re-ridability comes from beating your last score, or different people in your group. Hex's re-ridability comes from seeing the reaction of those who haven't ever ridden it before. Both, I find, are much more re-ridable than NST. OK you get some of the reaction re-ridability, but for me, not that much. With all of those there is a limit to the number of re-rides you can do in a season before you become uber bored of them. Odd I never get bored of Nemesis, maybe the same reason I never get bored of beer.

Now I know that we life less lot, who like to frequent parks all the time, arent really the audience that they are going for, but we, I feel, have a wider re-ride threshold than most people. We will re-ride just to see that one thing that someone talks about, like a dangling hose on hex or a crystal skull on dual (all praise the crystal skull).

So with that, my only requirement for SW8 is that it is fun to infinately re-ride. To be honest that goes for whatever ride it is, coaster/dark/water ride.
 
I hope that SW8 will bring a new dark ride to Alton; I mean, the terms "family thrill coaster" and "dark ride" are floating about and they could easily kill two birds with one stone. I'd love to see something like Revenge of the Mummy, something really beautifully themed and immersive and thrilling and indoors.
 
I would a highly themed ride of the likes of the Mummy. But obviously that's guan cost an arm and a leg.

But I still can't believe this ride only cost £3.5 million.


After doing some more research it made by gerstlauer and it's a bobsled coaster, reasonably small footprint and very highly themed.
 
Ketz said:
I would a highly themed ride of the likes of the Mummy. But obviously that's guan cost an arm and a leg.

But I still can't believe this ride only cost £3.5 million.


After doing some more research it made by gerstlauer and it's a bobsled coaster, reasonably small footprint and very highly themed.
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But terrible throughput (and most of the building existed before) good ambition though with a better transit system but then costs go up.

It's a really fun ride though.
 
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stretchy said:
Odd I never get bored of Nemesis, maybe the same reason I never get bored of beer.
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:tearsofjoy:

Also, WHAT CRYSTAL SKULL????

There's researchers roaming the planet no doubt looking for the last one, driving themselves mad, then they hear a rumour it's been unearthed at a mysterious theme park during an excavation...

Oh, that's a ride idea. Suits Merlin.
 
Ketz said:
I would a highly themed ride of the likes of the Mummy. But obviously that's guan cost an arm and a leg.

But I still can't believe this ride only cost £3.5 million.


After doing some more research it made by gerstlauer and it's a bobsled coaster, reasonably small footprint and very highly themed.
Click to expand...


It is a great little ride, but ultimately the throughput of around 500 people per hour would be wholly inaccurate at Alton Towers.

It's also a little short and simply too small to be a SW8-scale development (even if I prefer it to, say, Th13teen!).
 
Dave said:
I fully expect SW8 to be a 1.2m coaster but I would hardly call the parks coaster line-up unvaried. From memory their height range on coasters is

Nemesis 1.4 -Thrill
Oblivion 1.4 - Thrill
RITA 1.4 - Thrill
Smiler 1.4 - Thrill
Air 1.4 - family thrill
Thirteen 1.2 - family thrill
Spinball 1.2 - family thrill
Mine train 0.9 - family
CBeebies thing ? - kiddie

So the parks coasters are fairly balanced (I agree you can debate Airs position) but that's already a good mix, with a logical conclusion SW8 will be family thrill to balance a little more to the family thrill.

I think the SW's will alternate between thrill and family thrill from now on.
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No I actually meant almost the exact opposite - the park has too many coasters and should instead build a Secret Weapon that is neither a roller coaster or even a thrill ride.

Apart from the obvious (woodie and kids coaster), I think it is only an indoor coaster that the park is lacking.
 
RMC did confirm in a recent Q&A that they have potential projects for the UK and/or Europe in the next couple of years. Thought was worth mentioning here!

:)
 
The rumours I have heard suggest that Blade will be scrapped and in its place will sit the station for a launched RMC that will dive into and around the valley. RMC did have a contract with Thorpe for their UK project but Thorpe pulled out after the unfortunate New Texas Giant incident.
 
That's come through the grapevine so I'd take it with a pinch of salt but all I'm hearing is RMC RMC RMC so I wouldn't be surprised to see one sitting in Forbidden Valley come 2017.
 
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