TBC: SW9 Speculation

My gut tells me that we'll be waiting for a bit longer than 2023! The lack of planning/any rumours or leaks definitely makes me feel like something is a way off. Unless they reuse some of the existing structures at the park.

With Chessington and Thorpe (likely) getting a large investment in 2023 and 2024 respectively, it's unlikely Towers will get SW9 before 2025, that being the earliest. I can't remember the last time multiple UK Merlin parks opened a coaster/had major investment in the same year.

I think it's likely either going to be 2024 or even 2025. I think COVID has likely pushed it all back a year, I wouldn't be surprised if Merlin pushed all there big projects back a year and thats whats resulted in us waiting so long for SW9.

As for what it could be as I've said before I firmly believe it will be built by B&M. I think that Merlin have likely got a large multi-ride deal with them hence the strange manufacturer choice for Chessington's coaster,

As previously discussed they don't really need SW9 until 2025 anyway.
Four or more flat rides plus some CBeebies revamps and new rides over the next few years, a new 4D show or stage show in the theatre and a new family boat ride to replace the Dungeons are all needed before an new SW coaster.

SW9 is almost certainly not going to come before 2025 at the earliest now I wouldn't have thought.

I think we'll get a new flat ride and/or a ride retheme why we wait though.

I agree that Towers need some other stuff before SW9, mainly permanent flat rides and a general park cleanup, which I absolutely think will happen over the course of the next 3-4 years.

ATI said:

I can't remember the last time multiple UK Merlin parks opened a coaster/had major investment in the same year.

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2013 with Zufari and The Smiler I believe? Back when Merlin were on the 3 year CAPEX cycles. Now the cycles are longer there's much less overlap so I agree they'd look for major investments to be spread across the parks rather than clashing. There's lots of medium sized investments that the park could do with prior to SW9, it's purely selfish me wanting it sooner! I miss the early 10's where it felt like merlin were throwing up rides left, right and centre.

Hopefully Towers will use the following few seasons to flesh out their ride lineup and refresh the park, and then come back in 2025/2026 with a bang.

As much as I love massive new additions, this is the last thing Alton Towers needs right now. As others have mentioned time and time again, the park needs to sort out it’s support line up first: Turn The Dungeons back into a family attraction, reopen the 4D theatre, 3 x permanent flats, a couple more food outlets that don’t just do chips and burgers, and tart up the attractions that already exist.

Oh and please for the love of god sort out the lighting in Duel. It’s beginning to resemble a seedy nightclub which has been decorated for a Halloween party

If they did all of the above, I don’t think anyone would be bothered if we had to wait until 2025/26 for their next major coaster.

As other have said - flesh out the lineup with 4/5 medium investments and get what is already there up to scratch

I then think 2025 will see a large scale investment - but it will be a dark ride. We won’t see a coaster until 2028/2029 - that’s my feeling anyway

Jb85 said:

As other have said - flesh out the lineup with 4/5 medium investments and get what is already there up to scratch

I then think 2025 will see a large scale investment - but it will be a dark ride. We won’t see a coaster until 2028/2029 - that’s my feeling anyway

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That’s interesting that you think it’ll be a dark ride. I just can’t see that happening for a SW. An indoor coaster would be more probable I think.

s_g_k said:

That’s interesting that you think it’ll be a dark ride. I just can’t see that happening for a SW. An indoor coaster would be more probable I think.

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I don’t actually foresee the next big ride investment being SW9 - i think they will keep that brand for roller coasters only.

If I were to be picky I think there are two gaps in the coaster lineup currently.
1) A decent launch coaster (for me Rita just doesn’t cut it after experiencing others)
2) And this is controversial - a wooden thrill coaster (i say wooden loosely) - something like Steel Vengance.

On the whole though I really don’t see the need for another coaster at this time. For me if Merlin choose to go down the coaster route again, we can safely kiss good bye to the days of all round good attractions being the requirement of AT. It will become a coaster park - as coasters are far more easier to market

Not sure what to make of this. To be taken with a p̶i̶n̶c̶h̶ shedload of salt of course.

MakoMania said:

Not sure what to make of this. To be taken with a p̶i̶n̶c̶h̶ shedload of salt of course.

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The Towers one is totally unrealistic. They can't even build in the highlighted area.
(and just as well because a giant steel mostrosity really would ruin the beauty of the gardens)

Skyscraper said:

The Towers one is totally unrealistic. They can't even build in the highlighted area.

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If you moved it marginally to the right you could. They might have to sacrifice Spinball though, not sure.

MakoMania said:

If you moved it marginally to the right you could. They might have to sacrifice Spinball though, not sure.

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Yeah that's a good point, but I'm still not convinced. We'll have to wait and see though, definitely don't believe anything until planning documents are filed or construction starts.
Would be Towers first B&M in over 20 years though!

Skyscraper said:

Yeah that's a good point, but I'm still not convinced. We'll have to wait and see though, definitely don't believe anything until planning documents are filed or construction starts.
Would be Towers first B&M in over 20 years though!

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Believe me, I’m not convinced either. I’m just intrigued as this guy has been pretty reliable in the past when he claimed to have good sources.

Based on the content creator’s American accent, I’m guessing that there’s a chance that they may never have visited Alton Towers before, so in fairness, they may well have intended to pinpoint an area further to the right, away from the Gardens.

If so, I certainly don’t think it’s the most obscene theory given that Towers masterminded a coaster for that very area before, and the only reasons for it being vetoed were noise and level of tree clearance. Both of which could be worked around by using a steel B&M coaster as opposed to the originally planned wooden coaster. (B&Ms can be fairly quiet if the track is filled with sand, while wooden coasters make a fair old racket, and B&Ms also require very minimal supports compared to a wooden coaster)

I know that using the planned area for the cross valley woodie wouldn’t line up with what the video says, but I don’t think it would be inconceivable that such a ride could turn a little in order to avoid the Gardens instead of being a straight out and back, with a right turn from Dark Forest and then a left turn up towards Blade. This doesn’t seem out of the question to me, especially if it were to be a multi-launch Surf Coaster as was suggested to be a potential option.

MakoMania said:

Not sure what to make of this. To be taken with a p̶i̶n̶c̶h̶ shedload of salt of course.

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A lot of what this guy's said in this video I agree with.
I've mentioned before my opinion of Merlin getting a multi-ride deal with B&M and even if what he says doesn't come exactly true (things like the placement and model of coaster) I believe at lot of what he's said.
Thorpe are due for a new coaster and I do remember a discussion me and @Matt N had in the Thorpe thread about hypers were I think we both came to the conclusion its possible but unlikely. I do think a package with B&M is likely and that explains the odd manufacturer for the Chessington coaster too.

I'm not convinced either but I really don't think what he's saying is out of the realms of possibility.

JAperson said:

Thorpe are due for a new coaster and I do remember a discussion me and @Matt N had in the Thorpe thread about hypers were I think we both came to the conclusion its possible but unlikely

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See, I personally reckon Thorpe’s next coaster could be a B&M Hyper Coaster; it was my personal bet even before this video was posted (it certainly was when we had that conversation), and I personally never thought that it was inconceivable by any means!

With that in mind, B&M Hyper is certainly my Thorpe prediction, although I’m less sure about Towers.

Matt N said:

See, I personally reckon Thorpe’s next coaster could be a B&M Hyper Coaster; it was my personal bet even before this video was posted (it certainly was when we had that conversation), and I personally never thought that it was inconceivable by any means!

With that in mind, B&M Hyper is certainly my Thorpe prediction, although I’m less sure about Towers.

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Sorry @Matt N my post was a slight bit misleading there. I meant that we both thought the ride was highly possible and even likely to an extend although the general consensus is that it is unlikely. Sorry about that should have made it clearer.