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2017/18: SW8 Speculation

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smudge said:
This was great news to read though, I just hope this really happens. How soon would we expect full planning permission?
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If the past two SWs are anything to go by then sometime around December. However I have a feeling we may see this one slightly earlier.

:)
 
Exciting news! Bit of an odd thing to wonder at this stage, I guess, but I am really interested to see how they can get wood to look aesthetically cohesive with the rest of Forbidden Valley, which is all rocks and metal. I wonder if it will be integrated with the area, or if it will become something entirely different. Would launched wooden be a world's first? They sure do love them!
 
This could be amazing!

^There's rumours that Dollywood could be getting a launched RMC next year, so this could be Merlin's first normal non-world's first Secret Weapon!

Maybe this won't start in FV but start nearer Gloomy Wood and come toward FV? Maybe themed to zombies attacking the ride or something?
 
Well there are/were trees in GW marked for removal/have alreadg been removed, so you never know! Would be nice for a ride to start in one area and go through another. Would definitely make that view between GW and FV more attractive to say the least!
 
I'm pretty sure that it will be located on the right hand side of FV (as you stand at the top of the area looking down towards Nemesis and Air). I'd imagine that Blade, Ripsaw and other buildings around this area will be removed and the coaster/station will occupy this side of FV dipping into the valley several times.

We shall have to keep an eye out over the coming months for tree markings!

:)
 
It's great we're finally getting the woodie every Towers enthusiast dreams of, although I do worry a lot about the execution of it and how the final product will turn out. Merlin haven't had a great track record with large projects at Towers. Th13teen, The Smiler and the Enchanted Village, three of Merlin's biggest projects (at Towers) have all had problems here and there, none have been that world class and lacking a lot of imagination. I'm looking forward to seeing how this develops, although given what we've had in the past I'm going to keep my expectations low on this one.

With The Blade and Ripsaw set to be removed too, Forbidden Valley will end up just like Dark Forest, an area of coasters and nothing else. There's Sub-Terra, but then on the opposite side of the area there will be nothing. They need to add some kind of filler attraction with this, whether it be a flat or something different, there are a few places they could add something new and small.

Nonetheless I'm looking forward to plans surfacing soon and hopefully it will look good!
 
*waits for it to go out the station, drop 5 feet and then run in a circle before a small lift hill into the station.*
 
Don't forget we've been here before 11 years ago. Just because the council said it doesn't need an Environmental Impact Assesment there is still not guarantee it will get planning permission. Or as happened last time AT management just decided to pull the application.
It does look more likely to happen this time, but nothing is guaranteed until construction starts.

I agree with others they will need to add another flat back into Forbiddon Valley just to stop it being another area of coasters only. Even just a simple spin'n'spew like Dynamo again so there is another lower height restriction ride in the area.
 
jon81uk said:
Don't forget we've been here before 11 years ago. Just because the council said it doesn't need an Environmental Impact Assesment there is still not guarantee it will get planning permission. Or as happened last time AT management just decided to pull the application.
It does look more likely to happen this time, but nothing is guaranteed until construction starts.
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Yeah but last time it was a monstrous cross-valley woodie. I am confident that they will never be allowed to build a coaster cross-valley.

I wonder if John Wardley is being involved in this at all. Didn't he say after The Smiler that the only thing that would tempt him back would be designing a woodie at Towers? Well here we go!

:)
 
This news seems to remind me of what Nick Varney said at the Nemesis 21 Q&A. He said something along the lines of 'I love wooden coasters, and have seen some of the new products being released over the past few years. We're just waiting for the right product to come along.' Make of that what you will.
 
Of course nothing is guaranteed until construction starts. Although this seems to be in advanced planning stages and has/is being planned very carefully. This is probably the highest ever chance of seeing a woodie becoming a reality at Towers.

The cross valley is a great fanboy wet dream, although will never happen, the only time they could have got that past planning would have probably been in the 90s when the park was young. Now things are stricter and there are more eyes on Towers when it comes to any developments. If we see this woodie appear in a planning application in the near future no doubt it will be quite a lengthy one and lots of locals and groups will be sending their angry letters of objection...

It's strange how after years and years of enthusiasts being informed that woodies perform badly in customer surveys and that it will never happen, it is actually now happening. I wonder why the sudden change of mind and who has been behind pushing this forwards. Reading from Jon's comment above from what Varney has said I'm guessing there's something attached to an upcoming wooden coaster product that will allow Merlin be able to use the USP they desire.
 
We all know there has to be something unique about it for the project to get the green light. It's been documented many times before.

Despite this though it's bloody exciting that they have found whatever it is they needed to make wood appealing. When you look at Towers' coaster hardware and combine it with their planning restrictions - very few original options seem left and wood is the obvious choice!

I'm just glad they've finally gone for it (or seem to be trying to anyway)!

#PrayForWood
 
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Varney did also point out during the Q&A that market research does not totally dictate and direct decisions. It is just that - research. You have to take risks to be successful and going against research in favour of a woodie will be seen by Merlin as a big risk. Buy boy am I glad they've gone for it as it really will help complete Towers' coaster line-up.

Varney obviously knew full well that this woodie was planned at the Nemesis 21 event, he must have found it a tad hard to keep a smug smile off his face with all the questions!

:)
 
Rob said:
Varney did also point out during the Q&A that market research does not totally dictate and direct decisions. It is just that - research. You have to take risks to be successful and going against research in favour of a woodie will be seen by Merlin as a big risk. Buy boy am I glad they've gone for it as it really will help complete Towers' coaster line-up.

Varney obviously knew full well that this woodie was planned at the Nemesis 21 event, he must have found it a tad hard to keep a smug smile off his face with all the questions!

:)
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It's slightly disconcerting how well he can lie...well omit the truth let's say!
 
Perhaps local residents will like this rather than a huge steel coaster. It will look and fit in more with the area, and all the oldies will think of the fun times they rode wood at the seaside
 
I note that the preliminary plans say the new coaster will come within 75 metres of the prospect tower. Does anyone know for comparison, how close John Wardley's epic cross valley wooden coaster design from years ago came to the tower? It could give an indication of if we have any chance of a cross valley ride.
 
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