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2026: General Discussion

rob666 said:
Come on now...
The temperature has not been high enough to open the planned ride, all week, so they open another family coaster in the same area...
And still get shot down.
You can't blame them for cold weather at half term, it has been far colder than expected for this time of year.
Click to expand...
Cold weather is not the reason Spinball Whizzer hasn't operated.
 
rob666 said:
Come on now...
The temperature has not been high enough to open the planned ride, all week, so they open another family coaster in the same area...
And still get shot down.
You can't blame them for cold weather at half term, it has been far colder than expected for this time of year.
Click to expand...

Is there a reason that Phantasialand/Europa Park don’t seem to struggle with this?
 
Josh555 said:
Is there a reason that Phantasialand/Europa Park don’t seem to struggle with this?
Click to expand...

I would take an educated guess it is because they have a much bigger budget for engineering, so they can afford to do the necessary changes primarily to the train, to accommodate the wider range of temperatures, not only the changes to the train, but have the actual engineering staff to do this with ease.
 
Better wheel compounds, low temperature specific lubricants, and heaters.
All work to keep coasters running through winter.
However, Alton's rides don't open all winter, therefore different wheel compounds, higher operating temperature lubricants, and no heaters.

All of which would probably have been a little expensive to open one coaster for nine days.
All comes down to money.

So well done Merlin, for once, in opening an alternative ride, when they were not obliged to do so.

Positive thoosiism for a change,
 
Dave said:
You have to reconfigure the ride to run very cold (wheels and oils at a minimum need changing), and they are willing to spend the money/ have the staff to do it.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

I did wonder, assumed for once it wasn’t down purely to Merlin as I know Universal Orlando struggled with the same issue recently.
 
Well, that lasted.

Screenshot_20260221_103451_Samsung_Internet.jpg
 
Last edited:
Probably worth pointing out at this point that Ride Times isn't an official app, and the official Alton Towers app doesn't state the same info.

In fact on Alton Towers app Spinball has now been removed all together, but Wicker Man remains, suggesting they are still working towards it opening.
 
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