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2016: Theme Park Developments

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While new big rides are great, both for fans like us and marketing, I would much prefer they spent a good few million on a load of good flat rides. There are hardly any and I think the balance of coasters to flats is really off. It just means that there are huge queues everywhere and the day gets tedious. If there were half a dozen or more decent flats then they would soak up queues and make everyone's day more enjoyable. We all want to see big things like the potential cross valley caoster, but I think in the long term a bigger diversity of rides would be much better.
 
Whilst taking my girlfriend for a short break to the hotel and the spa this Sunday just gone (4th January). We went to eat in emperors grill as secret garden was closed due to work but it was still the secret garden menu. Anyway we listened to 3 gentlemen (3 American, 1 German) speaking about a new ride. So this is what I heard and can remember:

• A woodie roller coaster that has to look like an actual woodie (presumably hybrid)
• like Wodan from Europa park but not as big
• a camel hump into a corkscrew
• talk of launchers rather than chain lifts
• steep drop and mentions of the gardens (looking like it fits in) - possibly a cross valley
• talk between two of the men about how his cars will work on the track and the loading capacity
• finally they were saying that no one knows the theming yet and one man did say "I hope they don't do a thorpe park and make the theming junk as everything in thorpe is junk and that's why thorpe parks theming is s**t!" (Which did make me laugh quite a lot)

That's pretty much all I can remember/ wrote down, they also did mention that some of them have seen the drawing so again I presume we might be seeing a planning application some time soon.

Make of this what you will and believe me or not but this is what I heard and have no reason to lie, also they did mention that some of them have worked on rides at thorpe and alton towers before so if I was to see a picture of any of these men I'd be able to point them out.

All these points to be fair do point to what the vast majority people have been thinking as the next SW for alton towers.
 
Look, I am usually the first person to defend people's rights to post, and defend people who may actually know something - reason being, in other industries, I've known stuff you can't say and I would hazard a guess given some people's professions on here that I am FAR from the only one.

But that to me sounds like absolute junk.

What you have there apparently are three people, one lambasting THORPE's theme attempts, which bar from getting tatty are pretty decent! Colossus was beautiful, Saw is not too bad really, Inferno isn't brilliant but it's alright, and I'd actually say that even though the theme is dark, has a stupid open roof, and a horrid cattlepen that Swarm is pretty good!

So whoever that "expert" was is largely talking out of their arse.

And that person was with the person who does the cars for the track? Inverting woodie? Well that leaves RMC doesn't it but as far as we know they have EXCLUSIVE deals.

And the kinds of parks they install in, well, I can't imagine they'd be lambasting ANY kind of theme given they're installing into SIX FLAGS parks!

There are so many contradictions that even I can find in such a brief statement that for the first time I think EVER on this forum with someone claiming to be ITK (in the know) - I call BS big time.

Apologies to you if I am wrong, but even to me, a FAR from expert on this forum compared to many others, there just seems so much tripe in that little story.
 
A simple terrain test:

Depth of the valley VS height of Wodan.

So, it's going to be a RMC that's like a GCI.

That post may have gotten some kind of interest as did the mystery pictures post on a certain other place that I actually went to just to read that thread (lol, yeah I know), but on here, it's going to get absolutely torn to shreds.

Which is testament to the level of knowledge present on this forum, which at times I find astonishing.
 
And that person was with the person who does the cars for the track? Inverting woodie? Well that leaves RMC doesn't it but as far as we know they have EXCLUSIVE deals.

And the kinds of parks they install in, well, I can't imagine they'd be lambasting ANY kind of theme given they're installing into SIX FLAGS parks!

Not true. Six Flags have exclusivity with RMC for converting wooden coasters into hybrids. Anyone can go and purchase a new RMC coaster like Outlaws Run or Wildfire.

Gravity Group also do inversions on woodies. Plus GCI said at IAAPA in 2013 that Millennium Flyer trains are capable of going through inversions and it is something they would look at if there was demand.

But I agree that the story does sound sceptical. I'm not saying tomg2992 did not overhear a converstation like that. But if it did happen then I don't think it has anything realistically to do with Towers next major coaster. Smaller than Wodan but steep drops potentially in the valley definitely does not add up!

:)
 
Thanks @Rob :D that's exactly what I am on about, even the stuff I think I've learned on here I haven't ha-ha!

I just cannot imagine anyone in the industry talking like that about another park they're potentially selling into the parent company of.

And some of THORPES theme is better than Towers anyway, so it doesn't even make sense.

This is a great forum and not a place for trolling.
(Edit: Unless I am doing it to @Dave, then it's ok)
 
I would love a GCI woodie, but we all know how Merlin feel about woodies....

It's not just Merlin, its Alton Towers, a woodie was discussed at the Nemesis 10th Birthday event back in 2004 and they gave usual reasons of general public not liking them etc.
 
It's not just Merlin, its Alton Towers, a woodie was discussed at the Nemesis 10th Birthday event back in 2004 and they gave usual reasons of general public not liking them etc.

If they don't think they'd like a normal woodie, there's zero chance of them gambling on an RMC or GCI inverting.
 
If they don't think they'd like a normal woodie, there's zero chance of them gambling on an RMC or GCI inverting.

Ah I think they would go for an inverting woodie as this makes it more interesting and less like a standard wooden coaster. Personally I would prefer non-inverting so it can be lapbars with a low height restriction making a family thrill coaster. Make the drop the selling point, not the inversion!
 
Ah I think they would go for an inverting woodie as this makes it more interesting and less like a standard wooden coaster. Personally I would prefer non-inverting so it can be lapbars with a low height restriction making a family thrill coaster. Make the drop the selling point, not the inversion!

Inverting will have lap bars as well though. Which would make it rather spectacular through the valley.

Saying this though, I keep saying I'd love a woodie cross valley in many ways, but in others I'd deplore it. The peaceful nature and escapism you find in a wander through the gardens would be gone.

I'm not sure that's not too big a price to pay and would irrevocably upset the balance of the park.

I visit for the rides. Let's be clear, but that doesn't mean that because I don't like the cross valley cable cars, I don't absolute love a summers walk through that beautiful peaceful garden.

The peacefulness still astonishes me.
 
Am I missing something? tomg2992 just said he overheard some people talking about a woodie. I've heard people at Towers talk about Oblivion having loops added after the drop... Nothing wrong with him sharing that on here (even though it doesn't sound like said men were talking about factual or evident information).

As much as a woodie would be great to see I still doubt it at this point. Who knows though, Merlin may actually surprise us one day.
 
Am I missing something? tomg2992 just said he overheard some people talking about a woodie. I've heard people at Towers talk about Oblivion having loops added after the drop... Nothing wrong with him sharing that on here (even though it doesn't sound like said men were talking about factual or evident information).

You don't see the parallels between that and the infamous post on the other forum?

The "drawings"
Launches.
Cross Valley.

Also the guys apparently talking about "his" trains and how they will work on the track.

Seriously. Who doesn't know how a train works on a track? And who is he telling? Who in the theme park industry doesn't know the basics of how a hybrid works - there's how many videos of them on youtube?

The theme chat about THORPE which is nonsense.

If someone comes on over hearing a genuine conversation that's fascinating, but really, does that SOUND like things GCI or RMC would say in earshot of others?

Talking about a new secret project at Merlin's flagship park in the close company of every day folk?

Will be like Wodan but not as big.

Seriously, watch IAAPA, listen to how these guys talk, the knowledge they have - it doesn't sound remotely true. That's the bit I take issue with. The likely fact IT'S A TROLL. :D

Crikey I even gave Washing Machine guy the benefit of the doubt, that was at least possible.
 
Although these rumous might be a bit weird I'm still not 100% ruling out the cross-valley woodie. There were rumours of Ripsaw moving to make space for a station for a new ride so there has been lots of chatter regarding a new coaster. But this will probably be 2017, not 2016.
 
Although these rumous might be a bit weird I'm still not 100% ruling out the cross-valley woodie. There were rumours of Ripsaw moving to make space for a station for a new ride so there has been lots of chatter regarding a new coaster. But this will probably be 2017, not 2016.

That in itself about the date is a great point.

I'm not ruling out a X-Valley either, I'm pretty sure we know for a fact it was discussed so it's never beyond the realms of possibility.

If they're going to do it I'd just request a station at both sides so I didn't have to use the cable cars :D
 
You don't see the parallels between that and the infamous post on the other forum?

The "drawings"
Launches.
Cross Valley.

Also the guys apparently talking about "his" trains and how they will work on the track.

Seriously. Who doesn't know how a train works on a track? And who is he telling? Who in the theme park industry doesn't know the basics of how a hybrid works - there's how many videos of them on youtube?

The theme chat about THORPE which is nonsense.

If someone comes on over hearing a genuine conversation that's fascinating, but really, does that SOUND like things GCI or RMC would say in earshot of others?

Talking about a new secret project at Merlin's flagship park in the close company of every day folk?

Will be like Wodan but not as big.

Seriously, watch IAAPA, listen to how these guys talk, the knowledge they have - it doesn't sound remotely true. That's the bit I take issue with. The likely fact IT'S A TROLL. :D

Crikey I even gave Washing Machine guy the benefit of the doubt, that was at least possible.

I don't browse the 'other' forum so haven't seen the 'infamous' post.

I'm not arguing the legitimacy of what has been heard. I agree with all that.
 
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