-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.
2018: Wicker Man - General Discussion - SPOILERS! - Part One
- Thread starter ThemeParkCrafter
- Start date
- Status
Jonathan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Helix <3
I believe I heard the idea of voodoo pirates as a potential theme for SW8 a while ago, so you could be on to something there.With the 'teaser' I can definitely see the pagan ritualistic style consistent with The Wicker Man rumours but It might be worth mentioning that with it being in Mutiny Bay there's something else associated with the pirate theme and that's Voodoo. Just a thought.
Honestly, I'm sticking with the idea that SW8 will eventually be part of Gloomy Wood and not Mutiny Bay. I know it might be far fetched, but I think it's happening - along with a total refurb of Duel next year/2019. This idea comes from stuff I've seen and heard for about a year now. I'm happy to hear arguments/be proven wrong though, speculation is half the fun!
Just because the Flume was part of Mutiny Bay, doesn't mean SW8 has to be. They could incorporate SW8 into Gloomy Wood without too much of a struggle, it would simply depend on where the entrance to the new ride is situated. You'll also remember that we saw a map earlier this year which listed SW8 as being part of Gloomy Wood. That final thought is a stretch, yes, but it happened.
This new image for SW8 suggests a demonic ritual theme, the likes of which would surely happen in a gloomy wood! Plus, it's a wooden coaster...the whole thing is screaming Gloomy Wood.
I simply can't see SW8 having a pirate, or Mutiny Bay, theme. 'Voodoo pirates' is frankly farther fetched than a demonic/horror theme. There's nothing really to Gloomy Wood and this new ride would be the perfect thing to bulk it up a bit - plus Alton Towers clearly have a fondness for darker theming (Dark Forest). Also, with the pirate shows gone - Mutiny Bay is little more than an eating zone with a couple of flats, it doesn't seem like they're giving it much attention.
These are just my internal thoughts. I'm by no means right, or even close. They're just my speculation. I'm enjoying hearing everybody's thoughts.
This new image for SW8 suggests a demonic ritual theme, the likes of which would surely happen in a gloomy wood! Plus, it's a wooden coaster...the whole thing is screaming Gloomy Wood.
I simply can't see SW8 having a pirate, or Mutiny Bay, theme. 'Voodoo pirates' is frankly farther fetched than a demonic/horror theme. There's nothing really to Gloomy Wood and this new ride would be the perfect thing to bulk it up a bit - plus Alton Towers clearly have a fondness for darker theming (Dark Forest). Also, with the pirate shows gone - Mutiny Bay is little more than an eating zone with a couple of flats, it doesn't seem like they're giving it much attention.
These are just my internal thoughts. I'm by no means right, or even close. They're just my speculation. I'm enjoying hearing everybody's thoughts.
Last edited:
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
I won't accept it unless it involves a rubber chicken with a pully in the middle.
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
But we know where the entrance is going to be, in Mutiny Bay (Flume's exit).
I personally do not think that the theme will fit into any of the existing park areas but it will go down as Mutiny Bay as to make sense to guests navigating the park. If they claimed that it was in Gloomy Wood then you would have confused guests standing by Duel wondering where on earth this new ride is.
Good to see a step up in the marketing though. It will now be interesting to see if they take the usual Alton Towers approach of slowly slowly or have a big announcement later this year (like CP and SDC are doing today) after some teasers.
Interesting to hear that the entrance to SW8 will in fact be in Mutiny Bay, but I'm sticking to my guns on this one. Mutiny Bay doesn't make sense in my mind and I'm really hoping for anything other than a pirate theme - but as you said, it may well have a unique theme but simply be listed as part of Mutiny Bay, but that seems sloppy to me.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
No it won't have a pirate theme
Also looking at that whole website basically dedicated to "The Secret Weapon Programme" now.. Don't people think the "Secret Weapon" thing has got quite OTT? A label which never meant anything until Thirteen came along, when Merlin realised it could sell every coaster to fans as a "secret weapon" as if part of a franchise of rollercoasters, no matter what the coasters actually were (as in, Thirteen's coaster was actually less thrilling than the Runaway Train). The Smiler was even called a SW before the final coaster type or location was even decided on.
The fact SW means nothing but PR might be obvious to some, and there's nothing wrong with a bit of fun. But for others it has become some kind of special expectation or classification, as if a panel of coaster consultants have sat around a table in a nuclear bunker and annointed this latest proposal to be "Secret Weapon" worthy. Which is funny, but a load of hot air.
SW1 and SW2 never got beyond drawings stages either, were never put to the Tussauds board, so their forced inclusion to pretend there's ever been a "SW Programme" is silly. It was a bit of fun, but over the last couple years I've seen it turn into another misleading promotional thing to keep geeks in check, just like "Towers Loving Care".
One thing's for sure, its at least a better way of advetising a coaster than the constant "worlds first" taglines! So no complaints there!
Also looking at that whole website basically dedicated to "The Secret Weapon Programme" now.. Don't people think the "Secret Weapon" thing has got quite OTT? A label which never meant anything until Thirteen came along, when Merlin realised it could sell every coaster to fans as a "secret weapon" as if part of a franchise of rollercoasters, no matter what the coasters actually were (as in, Thirteen's coaster was actually less thrilling than the Runaway Train). The Smiler was even called a SW before the final coaster type or location was even decided on.
The fact SW means nothing but PR might be obvious to some, and there's nothing wrong with a bit of fun. But for others it has become some kind of special expectation or classification, as if a panel of coaster consultants have sat around a table in a nuclear bunker and annointed this latest proposal to be "Secret Weapon" worthy. Which is funny, but a load of hot air.
SW1 and SW2 never got beyond drawings stages either, were never put to the Tussauds board, so their forced inclusion to pretend there's ever been a "SW Programme" is silly. It was a bit of fun, but over the last couple years I've seen it turn into another misleading promotional thing to keep geeks in check, just like "Towers Loving Care".
One thing's for sure, its at least a better way of advetising a coaster than the constant "worlds first" taglines! So no complaints there!
Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Spike
TS Contributor
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
To be fair to Jared he's not the only one who's heard this could be part of Gloomy Wood. Whilst I agree it's perfectly placed for Mutiny Bay and seems the likely to be there, I can't help but think there's a curve ball in the mix here as I too have heard the entrance could be Gloomy Wood.
If you think about it Th13teens entrance isn't near the ride really and there's a lot of extensions around the forest. It wouldn't be entirely out of the question to have the queue going through the forest behind the ride and entrance by the gates of Gloomy Wood.
Being indecisive though, my mind still points to a Mutiny Bay entrance but I wouldn't rule out a Gloomy Wood entrance as odd as it sounds.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
Good point, enthusiasts often criticise this because it doesn't make sense in theory, but in practice a lot of effort was made to make the difference between Nemesis and Air a balanced contrast and landscape the approach to Air's entrance so that it doesn't feel jarring or out of place.
If they do a similar trick with SW8 and make the coaster fairly self contained, then that'll be a great way to go, whether it "fits in" with its neighboring attractions or not.
Thirteen and Rita on the other hand is how not to put two themes together, what even is Rita but a sex-branded coaster painted green and with some signs added !
Haha, thanks for having my back.
I'm by no means claiming to be 100% right, but I've heard the Gloomy Wood rumour too many times, from too many people for it to be written off. Plus the whole map thing I mentioned before - which was a lazy oversight if it meant nothing. In my fictitious head canon, Alton Towers have internally listed SW8 as part of Gloomy Wood, and whoever put the map together didn't realise they weren't revealing that yet, and somehow it made it to print! But that's me clutching at straws.
Benzin
TS Member
It seems perfectly Merlin to me...
Always annoys me that they ignore the cross-valley coaster, which was an unbuilt SW...
Matt.GC
TS Member
SW8 dominates dominates Mutiny Bay, the Katanga Canyon pathway and the last turn of the Rapids. So it's hard to see how they could possibly not make this feel jarring and out of place in at least 1 of those areas, or as predict, it will probably be completely incoherent with both!
ChristmasPud
TS Member
Much of Mutiny Bay is contained the other side of the courtyard or by the lake though. The Flume always felt fairly self contained with no big clash, I imagine it will be contained in much the same way, and sit better than the Flume's theme did at least.
I prefer new concepts weren't shackled to existing themes just for the sake of people's Wikipedia entries making sense. Unless its a really good concept like X Sector which leant itself to a new take on the theme with The Smiler, or the area space is big enough for a new ride not to impose on an old classic like with Air and Oblivion. A generic pirates theme on the other hand...
Also Gloomy Wood was never really anything more than a space for The Haunted House to do its thang down in the woods. It's not exactly a themed ride area in its own right, so it works.
I prefer new concepts weren't shackled to existing themes just for the sake of people's Wikipedia entries making sense. Unless its a really good concept like X Sector which leant itself to a new take on the theme with The Smiler, or the area space is big enough for a new ride not to impose on an old classic like with Air and Oblivion. A generic pirates theme on the other hand...
Also Gloomy Wood was never really anything more than a space for The Haunted House to do its thang down in the woods. It's not exactly a themed ride area in its own right, so it works.
- Status