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2017/18: SW8 Speculation

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EuroSatch said:
Really fail to see how you can refer to 'target audience' with no reference to the hardware. People didn't ride the flume because it was a roller coaster, they rode it for the exact opposite. A family coaster will not please people who wanted to ride a gentle flume attraction
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Fair enough - I didn't state what I think this ride will be. Let me be clear - I think that this looks like a wooden rollercoaster, we know that Alton Towers were planning one (and it wouldn't be beyond the realms of probability that they still have an agreement with a manufacturer. Having ridden Pegasus (prior to its demolition) at Efteling - a decent wooden family coaster - I feel that this addition could work for the family audience.

Of course this experience will be completely different to The Flume - if making the assumption this is a wooden coaster. The park has plenty of 'entry' level attractions for families with Blade, Cbeebies land and (god willing) when Hex et al re-open. I don't see whats wrong with Alton adding another 'Runaway Mine Train' feel coaster. I was never a great lover of the flume and have never been on a water ride that impressed me, so I feel no sadness at seeing the old experience being replaced with the new.

Its not the cross valley coaster, nor is this what we imagined for the FV site, but it's an addition that replaces an old and dated ride. Chance of getting planning permission would have diminished significantly with movement into the wooded area so I'm not surprised in the slightest to see the conservative floor plan.
 
I just hope this is a fully thought out ride like the FV plan and not just a contingency plan the threw together as a second thought in case, as happened, the FV plan never happened. The Smiler may not have been their first option but the ride definitely doesn't feel like a make-do. Because losing a great family ride, a water ride, that isn't being replaced directly, for a smallish coaster that only takes up half the space, potentially this could be a big let down. I'm sure it will be a good ride but if it's not great there'll always be that thought of what could have been.

But again, I look forward to seeing more plans and I'm getting any initial negativity out the way now because I am fully up for getting excited and following a new ride at Towers all over again.
 
Rob said:
Hmmm, all very interesting! Got to admit I wasn't expecting an EIA screening opinion request for this, funnily enough it looks like this was submitted pretty much exactly a year after the one they submitted for the original (and likely better) SW8 over in Forbidden Valley.
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Think I missed this... Did anyone actually see plans for the original SW8 planned in the valley?
 
EuroSatch said:
Think I missed this... Did anyone actually see plans for the original SW8 planned in the valley?
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We never saw any plans regarding a layout but the screening opinion document (along with other rumours floating around and tree clearance that had already taken place in areas) made it sound rather exciting. Unfortunately the original document is no longer online, only SMDC's response remains as of when I last checked and it is not as detailed.

:)
 
I'm feeling quite optimistic for this development. The prospect of getting a woodie (especially a GCI or GG, but I could look forward to an RMC after riding Wildfire in July :p) is brilliant and exciting. Really can't wait to see more of this! :)
 
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I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Tayto Park in Ireland built a GG woody on a budget of 8.5 million (low for a secret weapon project). It's over a thousand metres long and I don't think that AT would want to see their big new coaster dwarfed by a coaster in small regional park.

I think there is more to see, whether it be a double circuit, a different design, a world's first element or part of a 2 ride development.

The maths somehow don't add up.
 
Altonadvocate1 said:
I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Tayto Park in Ireland built a GG woody on a budget of 8.5 million (low for a secret weapon project). It's over a thousand metres long and I don't think that AT would want to see their big new coaster dwarfed by a coaster in small regional park.

I think there is more to see, whether it be a double circuit, a different design, a world's first element or part of a 2 ride development.

The maths somehow don't add up.
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I admire your optimism. However, as you know, the planning restrictions on AT are absolutely brutal. We can see from what has been released here on the planning site that several different bodies/companies have been recruited to carry out serious surveys on whether these specific plans can be possibly carried out. I doubt that AT/Merlin would choose to have this work carried out if they were not serious about following through on the plans if they were found to be suitable. It's very unlikely that they would then try to push the boundaries (quite literally) on what had been given the go ahead. These surveys are in-depth and take hundreds and hundreds of man-hours. These are serious undertakings and to be taken very seriously, especially when you're Alton Towers. Effects on wildlife, the built environment, plants/trees etc. I doubt Towers are undertaking these things recently (with an actual ride proposal) without being heavily behind following it through. I could be wrong though ;)
 
No idea where people are getting this idea of it being a double circuit from. If you went round twice it wouldn't pass through the maintenance shed and station half way.
 
Martin said:
No idea where people are getting this idea of it being a double circuit from. If you went round twice it wouldn't pass through the maintenance shed and station half way.
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Might be underneath in a tunnel.
 
Just looking at the plans, it looks kind of like this:

- Board
- Pre-Show
- Straight, Lift?
- Corner Left
- Straight, Drop?
- Turn Right
- Big turn Left
- Turn Right
- Short Straight
- Right Turn
- Left Turn
- Right Turn
- Straight
- Right Turn
- Left Turn
- Straight
- Brakes
- Buy things

Hopefully there will be some nice ups and downs thrown in also. Hope I've done that correctly ;)
 
BarryZola said:
Just looking at the plans, it looks kind of like this:

- Board
- Pre-Show
- Straight, Lift?
- Corner Left
- Straight, Drop?
- Turn Right
- Big turn Left
- Turn Right
- Short Straight
- Right Turn
- Left Turn
- Right Turn
- Straight
- Right Turn
- Left Turn
- Straight
- Brakes
- Buy things

Hopefully there will be some nice ups and downs thrown in also. Hope I've done that correctly ;)
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The straights are airtime hills
 
Still confused about the lift hill being really shallow, then getting even more shallow. Is it to do with avoiding going above the trees while still getting far enough out from the station or something?
 
BarryZola said:
I admire your optimism. However, as you know, the planning restrictions on AT are absolutely brutal. We can see from what has been released here on the planning site that several different bodies/companies have been recruited to carry out serious surveys on whether these specific plans can be possibly carried out. I doubt that AT/Merlin would choose to have this work carried out if they were not serious about following through on the plans if they were found to be suitable. It's very unlikely that they would then try to push the boundaries (quite literally) on what had been given the go ahead. These surveys are in-depth and take hundreds and hundreds of man-hours. These are serious undertakings and to be taken very seriously, especially when you're Alton Towers. Effects on wildlife, the built environment, plants/trees etc. I doubt Towers are undertaking these things recently (with an actual ride proposal) without being heavily behind following it through. I could be wrong though ;)
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Your logic is impeccable. Live long, and prosper!
 
I think we have to take the layout as a rough guide on what to expect really. This isn't a planning application in full and I would cautiously suggest they haven't finished on layout planning yet otherwise they would just as likely submit a full application (these applications are almost a "is it worth us wasting our time on this" question to planners and the council.

We will see.
 
Yeah, I believe Tayto Park did a similar thing with Cu Chulainn so I doubt this will be the layout as if we get this, not sure how much they could change it though.
 
If the track comes under GDO too, they might have done something similar to what they did with The Smiler's application, hiding parts of the track. Unlikely, but I wouldn't put it past them to manipulate the track layout somewhat.
 
Selfishly I wanted a monster, a woodie that sprawled a large area and gave us a new thrilling experience. This though I find disappointing, it doesn't look like a thrill coaster, just a small family affair. Non-selfishly I can see how this will work though, for Alton Towers it's ideal and offers a new family ride albeit a tame one :-(

But.....maybe its not the final layout as mentioned above, maybe, just maybe, we're being duped and all is not what it seems...
 
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