- News all the latest
- Theme Park explore the park
- Resort tour the resort
- Future looking forward
- History looking back
- Community and meetups
-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks. - Thread starter Danscott22
- Start date
- Favourite Ride
- Ug Bugs
- Favourite Ride
- VelociCoaster (Islands of Adventure)
- Favourite Ride
- VelociCoaster (Islands of Adventure)
- Favourite Ride
- Voltron Nevera
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
- Favourite Ride
- VelociCoaster (Islands of Adventure)
- Favourite Ride
- VelociCoaster (Islands of Adventure)
[202X] Project Horizon (SW9?): Planning Approved
Bowser
TS Member
It’s more of an urban myth at this point.
GooseOnTheLoose
TS Member
Planning documents stated that the intention for Project Horizon was to place a rollercoaster within the shed like building.
The planning permission is only for the outside structure itself. Alton Towers would be permitted to place another type of attraction within the building, if they wanted, as it's not contingent on the approval.
The expiry date of the application is June 21st 2026. Construction would need to meaningfully start before that date if they would like to go ahead, without needing to reapply.
Can't tell if you are joking but if you are that's quite funny! Hope it does happen...
Bowser
TS Member
Sorry to bump the thread without an update but from a discussion i was having with @Matt N in another thread, at this point do people think Alton Towers are capable of delivering another Secret Weapon project?
A few things to consider:
- "Secret Weapon" in itself is somewhat subjective. In the past AT were pioneers of new coaster types but the industry has changed and this is increasingly difficult to do.
- WickerMan was the last ride to adopt the SW moniker. It could be argued it didn't qualify but i think it does if we are broadening the definition to be of major landmark attractions
That leaves us with Horizon. From what we knew, it seemed likely this was going to be a version of what Minecraft will be at Chessington. If that does still happen, it will be the first time a SW ride is simply another version of an existing UK coaster, which to me wouldn't fit the bill (not that it wouldn't be a much needed indoor attraction).
I still think it's possible to create landmark attractions, even if they aren't as pioneering as what came before. In fact i'd argue the Minecraft ride will likely qualify by modern standards.
But what do we think, can and will Merlin ever deliver something worthy of the "Secret Weapon" moniker again and if so will it be Horizon?
A few things to consider:
- "Secret Weapon" in itself is somewhat subjective. In the past AT were pioneers of new coaster types but the industry has changed and this is increasingly difficult to do.
- WickerMan was the last ride to adopt the SW moniker. It could be argued it didn't qualify but i think it does if we are broadening the definition to be of major landmark attractions
That leaves us with Horizon. From what we knew, it seemed likely this was going to be a version of what Minecraft will be at Chessington. If that does still happen, it will be the first time a SW ride is simply another version of an existing UK coaster, which to me wouldn't fit the bill (not that it wouldn't be a much needed indoor attraction).
I still think it's possible to create landmark attractions, even if they aren't as pioneering as what came before. In fact i'd argue the Minecraft ride will likely qualify by modern standards.
But what do we think, can and will Merlin ever deliver something worthy of the "Secret Weapon" moniker again and if so will it be Horizon?
Matt N
TS Member
I disagree. I think there is the capability for the park to build another major roller coaster that will grab attention for sure.
Are we past the days of the park pioneering whole new ride types and keeping “secrets” under lock and key until opening weekend? Probably, yes, but I think that’s also in part down to innovation in the wider industry growing more iterative than it was in decades gone by.
But are we past the park building a new major ride that could grab attention? I don’t think so by any stretch of the imagination. It’s definitely within Merlin’s bandwidth; we had Hyperia only last year, and we’ve got Minecraft coming in 2027.
Are we past the days of the park pioneering whole new ride types and keeping “secrets” under lock and key until opening weekend? Probably, yes, but I think that’s also in part down to innovation in the wider industry growing more iterative than it was in decades gone by.
But are we past the park building a new major ride that could grab attention? I don’t think so by any stretch of the imagination. It’s definitely within Merlin’s bandwidth; we had Hyperia only last year, and we’ve got Minecraft coming in 2027.
MaxPower
TS Member
I think they've done away with the whole. SW thing and will stick with the 'project' titles for future investments.
Hyperia and the Nemesis retrack were a Varney swan song so I wouldn't take that as any indication of what's to come in the future.
I personally think we'll see more smaller investments of the scale of Wickerman rather than things like the Smiler that really push the limits.
Hyperia and the Nemesis retrack were a Varney swan song so I wouldn't take that as any indication of what's to come in the future.
I personally think we'll see more smaller investments of the scale of Wickerman rather than things like the Smiler that really push the limits.
Matt N
TS Member
I think it’s fair to say that we’re in uncharted territory with Merlin investment-wise.
Hyperia has Varney’s fingerprints all over it, and Minecraft was one of few investments that has O’Neil’s fingerprints all over it.
We’ve now got Fiona Eastwood at the helm, who probably has different ideas entirely. It remains to be seen how she will feel about big investments into the parks.
Hyperia has Varney’s fingerprints all over it, and Minecraft was one of few investments that has O’Neil’s fingerprints all over it.
We’ve now got Fiona Eastwood at the helm, who probably has different ideas entirely. It remains to be seen how she will feel about big investments into the parks.
Bowser
TS Member
I disagree on the innovation point. Or at least in terms of adding attractions to a UK park.
To me, Voltron or Ride to Happiness would both have qualified and they’re quite recent attractions. As I mentioned, I think Minecraft will too.
A tilt coaster opening in the UK as Europes first would qualify too.
What is being vaguely presented as the BTTF coaster for Universal UK will likely be a major European first.
So I think there are still bold and innovative coasters out there but I do agree they likely won’t be coming to AT. I’d probably expect the next notable one after Minecraft to be at Thorpe Park by the end of the decade.
Skyscraper
TS Member
QTXAdsy
TS Member
Honestly, does anyone truly care for the SW title now? We've had a generation that have grown up not really knowing or caring about such a legacy as honestly Wicker Man might not had been a SW and it really should have ended with Smiler IMO.
Having a SW just adds more pressure to deliver for a ride that might not even be good (looking at you Thirteen) and I honestly feel that having the first is never always good as eventually it'll get blown out of the water by something better so something tried and tested is maybe the way forward and given how more cautious Merlin might be going forward then that becomes more likely long term.
That said, the park is badly needing a new big coaster which the fact we haven't had one since Wicker Man (not counting Bluey) is honestly damning though admittingly other factors got in the way. So yeah if PH isn't a SW and is just a new version of Black Hole that once again baits the nostalgia market then so be it...the park is just needing a big new ride badly.
Having a SW just adds more pressure to deliver for a ride that might not even be good (looking at you Thirteen) and I honestly feel that having the first is never always good as eventually it'll get blown out of the water by something better so something tried and tested is maybe the way forward and given how more cautious Merlin might be going forward then that becomes more likely long term.
That said, the park is badly needing a new big coaster which the fact we haven't had one since Wicker Man (not counting Bluey) is honestly damning though admittingly other factors got in the way. So yeah if PH isn't a SW and is just a new version of Black Hole that once again baits the nostalgia market then so be it...the park is just needing a big new ride badly.
Matt N
TS Member
One thing that might be worth remembering from one of the Q&As around Wicker Man’s launch (so admittedly 7.5 years ago, under a completely different creative lead) is that Bradley Wynne (the creative lead behind Wicker Man) remarked that Alton Towers’ future intention with the SWs was to move away from firsts and into quality experiences, with Wicker Man being the first venture into this new direction:
(Bradley talks about this around 20 minutes into the video)
I know this is under a different creative lead, so maybe out of date now, but perhaps Bradley’s comment would imply that the long-term future intention was to move the SWs away from world’s first elements?
(Bradley talks about this around 20 minutes into the video)
I know this is under a different creative lead, so maybe out of date now, but perhaps Bradley’s comment would imply that the long-term future intention was to move the SWs away from world’s first elements?
Islander
TS Member
To be fair 7.5 years is a very very long time. I imagine they’ll have had a good 5-6 different “long term visions” since then…
You know it says a lot we are complaining about not receiving a major ride for nearly 7 years when other parks around the world have gone decades without new major rides
Matt N
TS Member
Two examples I can think of in Europe are Disneyland Park in Paris and Blackpool Pleasure Beach between Valhalla and Icon (or between Infusion and Icon, if we’re counting that as major).
Granted, though, I don’t think it’s common. It only seems to be common in lower-end Six Flags/Cedar Fair parks (e.g. Michigan’s Adventure, Six Flags America), among the corporate park landscape.