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2018: Wicker Man - General Discussion - SPOILERS! - Part One

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John Wardley wasn't holding back for a reason. Thank god he changed it.
wickermancrapdrop.jpg
 
Looking at the layout from that angle I get the impression that the reason the rides original design was flawed was because they were trying so hard to focus everything around the Wicker Man.

I presume the Wicker Man is where it is so it dominates the area overlooking the main path. However the lift hill has to be up the other end to get the most height. In order for them to design a ride that passes threw the Wicker Man multiple times (and with very limited space) the ride doubles back a few times (once around what was meant to be the old Flume station). So whoever designed it seemed to take the approach that they wanted all the action down that end and just threaded the rest of the track threw the path of least resistance.

That's my take on it anyway.
 
GCI does what their paymasters tell them.

I hope they've taken into account arms above head syndrome on that roof of the airtime hill and not just kept it there because it was there on the original design. Actually that's the one disappointment, watching people's faces and hearing their reactions to things like that is a highlight of standing around the area or queue line, see how quiet and uninspiring Galatica's area got once they stuck VR on it for example.

What I find a little more disturbing is the lack of communication within Merlin that led certain departments to assume Wardley was involved when he wasn't.
 
I'm sure they have taken the clearances into account, however, the runaway mine train always surprises me. There is at least one support that I could reach out and touch whilst moving a high speed, plus the concrete block as you pass the station at high speed on the second lap. Can never understand how this got passed the clearance envelope.

I wouldn't do it... But there is always some idiot!

Regarding the so called Wardley Drop, I like it better following his modifications. I don't think it was atrocious before, but thankfully, he has put the thrill in family thrill.
 
Altonadvocate1 said:
however, the runaway mine train always surprises me. There is at least one support that I could reach out and touch whilst moving a high speed, plus the concrete block as you pass the station at high speed on the second lap. Can never understand how this got passed the clearance envelope
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Clearance envelopes and the approach to that sort of thing has changed a lot in 26 years. There are several places on the Big One at BPB where the clearance is very very small too.
 
We are talking about the same era of health and safety that passed off a ride that decapitated a US Senators son because they didn't consider that someone might try and assist physics to get more airtime.... Right?

Knowing how 'tick a box' H&S has become, assuming is not something I'd place my faith in, especially considering Alton's history with the concept of assumptions....

I do agree with you @Altonadvocate1 on RMT, I'm amazed the right hand side of that station approach hasn't been flagged up yet, it has Darwin Award stamped all over it.
 
I got to say this coaster is a huge step forward for MMM.

Until now queues and area designs were always last minute, you'll have probably heard the story about Thirteen's queue being laid only the morning of opening. And we've all been through the inhuman Smiler queue which seemed to be plotted according to how many black fences they had ordered.

This is the first big 'Merlin' coaster I know that isn't just on a pavement, with a square building. The coaster's footprint is still unfortunately quite self contained and doesnt really explore anywhere, not really making the most inventive use of the site for maximum excitement, but it's a step in the right direction.

It's not like they've done in previous years dismissing the parts people actually spend most time in - the surrounding area and queuelines - which are so important for building excitement. Not the best coaster by the looks of the layout but will surely be a promising family attraction.

And the best part, the central wickerman genuinly looks impressive. In person when finished, it has the potential to look better than the Nemesis station. It's miles better than the Smiler's grey, flimsy Marmalader with its plastic bins strapped to trusses!!

Please please learn from this Merlin and don't go back to the old formula of Rusty square warehouse + shipping container + junk vehicles plonked around on a paved square = job done. This could be a really fun spectacle ride.
 
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DiogoJ42 said:
Ah, but remember he's the kind of chap who doesn't normally say a bad word about anything. For him to describe the layout as "absolutely atrocious", it must be far, far worse than that.
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Sorry, I am catching up. Where did he say that? Would like to read.
 
It's in the video, he said the layout was ok but the first drop crap so redesigned it in NL and they said ok, but other changes he wanted to make couldn't be done because by this time, the foundations had already been laid.
 
electricBill said:
I got to say this coaster is a huge step forward for MMM.

Until now queues and area designers were always last minute, you'll have probably heard the story about Thirteen's queue being laid only the day before opening. And we've all been through the atrocious inhuman Smiler queue which seemed to be plotted according to how many black fences they had ordered.

This is the first big 'Merlin' coaster I know that isn't just on a pavement, with a square building. The coaster's footprint is still unfortunately quite self contained and doesnt really explore anywhere, not really making the most inventive use of the site for maximum excitement, but it's a step in the right direction.

It's not like they've done in previous years dismissing the parts people actually spend most time in - the surrounding area and queuelines - which are so important for building excitement. Not the best coaster by the looks of the layout but will surely be a promising family attraction.

And the best part, the central wickerman genuinly looks impressive. In person when finished, it has the potential to look better than the Nemesis station. It's miles better than the Smiler's grey, flimsy Marmalader with its plastic bins strapped to trusses!!

Please please learn from this Merlin and don't go back to the old formula of Rusty square warehouse + shipping container + junk vehicles plonked around on a paved square = job done. This could be a really fun spectacle ride.

Layout is pants though soz
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Agreed, the layout doesn't look the most exciting layout there could have been but to be fair there isn't really anywhere a woodie can go exploring round that site due to them not being able to remove any trees. The amount of support structure needed for a wooden coaster would require the removal of a lot of trees around there. If it had been a steel coaster on the other hand it could have utilised some of the flume's old layout. It's like with Th13teen, they'd have never been able to build a woodie where that is, but they got a steel coaster in there without too many trees needing to be removed.
 
If I was in charge at Towers I would seriously consider accidentally burning some trees down. Maybe even hire a questionable company to cut some trees down and accidentally take some down in a different area ;)

Whilst they're at it, they could take down a couple of the ones in front of the Towers too as they spoil the view of the house. Not sure they were ever meant to be so obtrusive in such numbers. It doesn't really work with a view from across the lake, in my personal opinion.
 
BarryZola said:
If I was in charge at Towers I would seriously consider accidentally burning some trees down. Maybe even hire a questionable company to cut some trees down and accidentally take some down in a different area ;)

Whilst they're at it, they could take down a couple of the ones in front of the Towers too as they spoil the view of the house. Not sure they were ever meant to be so obtrusive in such numbers. It doesn't really work with a view from across the lake, in my personal opinion.
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Loads of the trees are protected, it's not quite that easy, without being sued that is

Sent from my Swift 2 X using Tapatalk
 
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