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2016: Air - Re-theme to VR Coaster - Galactica

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^

That's a good point. None of us really expected much if anything to happen with Oblivion and then Towers went and repainted the track, along with some other bits of TLC.

Fingers crossed the same happens when Forbidden Valley gets its next coaster, Nemesis is in a right state these days and could do with some love.
 
Nemesis was meant to get attention either this year or last, alas it never happened! So Towers know that it needs it, they just need to be given the money.

:)
 
AT86 said:
Merchandise in the Air shop is 50% off. More evidence or a rename/rebrand?
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Or just that the shop is being closed to build the FoodLoop restaurant in that space so they don't need as much merchandise as it will only be sold in TowersTrading in 2016.

Still seems strange that X Sector will have two stores (if Smiler reopens) and Forbidden Valley won't have any merchandise shops.
 
jon81uk said:
Still seems strange that X Sector will have two stores (if Smiler reopens) and Forbidden Valley won't have any merchandise shops.
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It should be noted that the 'Formal Screening Option' for SW8 stated that a shop would be built as part of the development - "Construction of new ride including tunnels, ground level changes, maintenance building, station, shop and pre-show building."
 
jon81uk said:
I think that is just going to be PicSolve really. Don't think there would be enough space for much of a shop.
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Picsolve will have a selling point as soon as you come out from the stairs up but as you can see from the plan below there will be a retail area, just not as much floor space as there is now:

Proposed-Floor-Plan.jpg


:)
 
jon81uk said:
I think that is just going to be PicSolve really. Don't think there would be enough space for much of a shop.
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Indeed, it's pretty sizable. It's 121m sq as opposed to the current 311m sq. The current shop is ridiculously big and will certain be more profitable as a restaurant.
 
The current shop mainly has generic clothes and merchandise anyway, so the shop on the plans will be perfect enough as I imagine it will be all Air merch instead.
 
It's generally accepted in the theme park industry that every ride must exit through a retail outlet. You can see that badly designed, half arsed rides don't do this - Rita, Spinball, Sub Terra, and parks which struggle to make money also haven't caught on to this idea.

It doesn't have to be all ride specific merchandise though, and Air simply doesn't get enough traffic through it to warrant a shop of it's original size. The Smiler shop, if it ever reopens will eventually meet the same fate. Although you could argue that The Smiler may stay successful in its merchandise due to having a stronger theme and brand. Guess we'll have to see.

The lack of any decent and sizeable Nemesis shop is the parks biggest failing. Strongest brand, most loved ride, great location for passing traffic of non-riders etc.
 
Just looking at the documents at the bottom of the page. Wow. Definitely a green screen at the points where the standard and fastrack queues meet, two big items of theming (i think that one will be much like the board that you go through on swarm, and the other probably something that you fly over/under) a slightly smaller station, with steps instead of a ramp. The station will remain the same colour, indicating that the theme won't change.

:D:D:D
 
With the entire station being enclosed and strip curtains on the doors then I expect this to be along the lines of Smiler's projection room.

A photo op at the merge point could get messy though, would have been better to do photo on standby only right as beginning of the queue so it doesn't slow the merge down.
 
Queueline photos are an insult.

However, that fact that Air might finally be getting a theme is not to be sniffed at. The deciding point will, naturally, be the tunnel... ;)
 
*raises eyebrow*

Interesting things. Some good, some not.

The biggest question though - why?
 
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PeteB said:
The biggest question though - why?
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A large part of me thinks quick fix / distraction from The Smiler incident. The park needs something to shout about when the new season starts, particularly in the thrill ride area, and it's something that could be done easily. Air has always been lacking themeing, so adding to it wont be hard!

Mixed feelings about this one! I see air as the last great Alton Towers addition - somewhat of a museum piece and despite its flaws I don't really want to see it tampered with! I do imagine that this will be bringing an IP into the picture - can't see why a retheme would need a name change, which is what I suspect from the large discount on Air items.

That said, if they actually did something to the tunnel I think the entire Alton Towers community would rejoice. Then we can move onto whinging about other things, like the rain effect in Hex :p
 
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