2025: General Discussion

[jon81uk]

The whole layout is clearly bending over backwards to accommodate for the cross-valley-ness, so, what are you left with? It goes up. Then down. Up again. Then keeps doing that really slowly on the other side. Then up. Then down. Again. How Thrilling. And we expect this to be comfortable on a wooden coaster?

A Big Dipper that goes up and down and up again is the classic wooden coaster format, Blackpool has plenty of them. If any park is adding a wooden coaster that is what I would want, its a type of coaster the UK doesn't have enough of outside of Blackpool, Thorpe is full of twisty inverting things, Alton has a a more twisty wooden coaster and plenty of inverting steel ones, but a simple big dipper coaster, wood or steel is actually the one thing no UK park really offers outside of Blackpool (and for wood maybe Yarmouth or Gullivers). There are only seven wooden coasters operating in the UK and four of them are at BPB. I would love a park to add a modern big dipper. Or for steel a non-inverting hyper coaster (like Mako at Seaworld etc).

 

[GaryH]

More chance of me winning Miss World, and I'm not even planning on entering this year.

Cheers Rob, that’s just ruined my whole year now

 

[Hid]

A Big Dipper that goes up and down and up again is the classic wooden coaster format, Blackpool has plenty of them. If any park is adding a wooden coaster that is what I would want, its a type of coaster the UK doesn't have enough of outside of Blackpool, Thorpe is full of twisty inverting things, Alton has a a more twisty wooden coaster and plenty of inverting steel ones, but a simple big dipper coaster, wood or steel is actually the one thing no UK park really offers outside of Blackpool (and for wood maybe Yarmouth or Gullivers). There are only seven wooden coasters operating in the UK and four of them are at BPB. I would love a park to add a modern big dipper. Or for steel a non-inverting hyper coaster (like Mako at Seaworld etc).

There are 9 Wooden Coasters actually in the UK we had 10 last year but also must be said (R.I.P Megafobia)
Big Dipper
Grand National
Nickelodeon Streak
Blue Flyer
Roller Coaster
Antelope
Scenic Railway
Tyrolean Tubtwist
Wickerman

 

[jon81uk]

There are 9 Wooden Coasters actually in the UK we had 10 last year but also must be said (R.I.P Megafobia)
Big Dipper
Grand National
Nickelodeon Streak
Blue Flyer
Roller Coaster
Antelope
Scenic Railway
Tyrolean Tubtwist
Wickerman

Scenic Railway at Margate is SBNO and Tubtwist is a powered coaster so RCDB filtered it out when looking at Roller Coasters https://rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&ol=26161&st=93&cs=277&ty=2&de=6

But still the two main coaster types Alton Towers are "missing" are a simple sit down non-inverting big dipper type coaster (wooden or steel) and an indoor coaster. Although they definitely need shows and flat rides before more coasters.

 

[Matt N]

A big non-inverting sit-down coaster, primarily focused on straight airtime, is probably the UK industry’s biggest gap coaster-wise. Yes, Hyperia is a big coaster with lots of amazing airtime, but very little of it is traditional straight airtime, with most of its weightlessness being exerted via inversions and outerbanks.

I feel like it’s a gap that’s now unlikely to get filled any time soon, as the industry has moved more towards coasters like Hyperia and away from traditional non-inverting airtime machines (unfortunately, in my view; I think there’s a place for both). I also feel like Hyperia was the UK’s one realistic shot at that style of big coaster; the other parks are mostly bound by space, money, planning restrictions or a combination of the three, and Thorpe are unlikely to try and beat their own records, I feel.

 

[rob666]

Are we forgetting the Ghost Train at Blackpool again.
Roller Ghoster really.

 

[rob666]

Cheers Rob, that’s just ruined my whole year now

I thought I had told everyone not to bet on me this year as I wouldn't be entering.
And back on topic, not that I do ridetimes, but the school trip silly season appears over.

 

[spotweld]

I think the Cross Valley Dead Horse Coaster would work well. I could see it being the UK's first RMC, but my gut tells me that might be reserved for Thorpe.

And the gardens are in such a state that it does feel intentional, if it was set up as such.

We also desperately need more non inverters. I get that inversions are hip and cool and a core part of Alton's DNA, but with my hypersensitivity I have walked away from many trips at the Towers, admittedly with a smile on my face and zero regrets, overwhelmed. Usually pushing myself to run it back on the likes of Nemesis simply because the the only non inverters are the Runaway Mine Train, Wicker Man and TH13TEEN.

Maybe I just need to grow a pair, I don't know.

 

[Hid]

I think the Cross Valley Dead Horse Coaster would work well. I could see it being the UK's first RMC, but my gut tells me that might be reserved for Thorpe.

And the gardens are in such a state that it does feel intentional, if it was set up as such.

We also desperately need more non inverters. I get that inversions are hip and cool and a core part of Alton's DNA, but with my hypersensitivity I have walked away from many trips at the Towers, admittedly with a smile on my face and zero regrets, overwhelmed. Usually pushing myself to run it back on the likes of Nemesis simply because the the only non inverters are the Runaway Mine Train, Wicker Man and TH13TEEN.

Maybe I just need to grow a pair, I don't know.

Alton Towers only has 3 coasters with inversions that is fact. Nemesis, Galactica and Smiler. We do need more inversion coasters in the park

 

[Steve74]

Alton Towers only has 3 coasters with inversions that is fact. Nemesis, Galactica and Smiler. We do need more inversion coasters in the park

Does Galactica have inversions in the true meaning of the word though? The closest you get to upside down (head first) is the initial drop. The twist onto your back and then out of that and then the twist towards the end is no different to rolling from your front onto your back then front again in bed - does that count as an inversion?

 

[Matt N]

Does Galactica have inversions in the true meaning of the word though? The closest you get to upside down (head first) is the initial drop. The twist onto your back and then out of that and then the twist towards the end is no different to rolling from your front onto your back then front again in bed - does that count as an inversion?

Because you go upside down and rotate 360 degrees, it technically does.

Although admittedly the flying position complicates matters…

Alton Towers only has 3 coasters with inversions that is fact. Nemesis, Galactica and Smiler. We do need more inversion coasters in the park

Do bear in mind that one of those inverting coasters has more inversions than any other in the world. With that in mind, I’d argue the park is quite well covered on multi-inverting rides!

If I were to seek anything at Alton Towers in terms of a thrill coaster, I would want a steel coaster with lap bars that has more of an airtime focus than their existing rides. While some of the existing rides have airtime (Oblivion, Rita, Wicker Man and Thirteen all have their moments!), I don’t think anything at the park really has a great quantity of it.

 

[Steve74]

Because you go upside down and rotate 360 degrees, it technically does.

Although admittedly the flying position complicates matters…

Do bear in mind that one of those inverting coasters has more inversions than any other in the world. With that in mind, I’d argue the park is quite well covered on multi-inverting rides!

If I were to seek anything at Alton Towers in terms of a thrill coaster, I would want a steel coaster with lap bars that has more of an airtime focus than their existing rides. While some of the existing rides have airtime (Oblivion, Rita, Wicker Man and Thirteen all have their moments!), I don’t think anything at the park really has a great quantity of it.

Sorry, I know this is digressing, but what part on Galactica are you upside down? If the motion of twisting from front to back to front again is classed as going upside down then surely we are all upside down when we do that in bed?! I'm not being argumentative, just curious as I've always wondered this with Galactica!

 

[Matt N]

Sorry, I know this is digressing, but what part on Galactica are you upside down? If the motion of twisting from front to back to front again is classed as going upside down then surely we are all upside down when we do that in bed?! I'm not being argumentative, just curious as I've always wondered this with Galactica!

Perhaps you aren’t upside down per se, but you do rotate to 180 degrees in 2 spots, which is technically inverting in the track sense.

Your orientation does flip over and flip back again during those 2 elements, which I guess is why they count.

 

[spotweld]

I probably shouldn't have posted something first thing when I woke up so to clarify;

I forgot about Oblivion and Rita being non inverts, so I can add those to the list despite those rides being a one and done for me. Forgive me, I was fresh out the fortress of dreams.

And I would also count Galactica as an invert.

 

[Secret Weapon]

As for Bianca, it is a slightly confusing topic to credit or discredit her for certain decisions on the basis that they may or may not have been within her power to make or indeed driven by her - I don’t think we honestly know the answer to most decisions. From my perspective, there are however a few things which definitely were within her power to fix but weren’t. She certainly had the authority to get someone to clean the monorails for instance, but seemingly never did.

I remember commenting throughout 2024 that nobody had bothered to replace the final "A" in the Galactica lettering near the station (such that it read as "Galactic" for most of the year), and that if I was in charge then I would have replaced it myself (even at my own cost, if required).

Fortunately, it had finally been fixed when I went in April 2025.

More chance of me winning Miss World, and I'm not even planning on entering this year.

Don't sell yourself short!

 

[jon81uk]

Does Galactica have inversions in the true meaning of the word though? The closest you get to upside down (head first) is the initial drop. The twist onto your back and then out of that and then the twist towards the end is no different to rolling from your front onto your back then front again in bed - does that count as an inversion?

RCDB https://rcdb.com/1458.htm says Galactica contains an inline twist, which in terms of rollercoaster elements, is an inversion. I would say it does have an inversion, but agree it is weird because due to the nature of flying coasters you don't really go upside down, but you do invert from the standard position the ride is in.

If I were to seek anything at Alton Towers in terms of a thrill coaster, I would want a steel coaster with lap bars that has more of an airtime focus than their existing rides. While some of the existing rides have airtime (Oblivion, Rita, Wicker Man and Thirteen all have their moments!), I don’t think anything at the park really has a great quantity of it.

I think this is the main thing, AT is well served for thrilling coasters, but a simpler up and down airtime coaster is lacking.

 

[Secret Weapon]

I think this is the main thing, AT is well served for thrilling coasters, but a simpler up and down airtime coaster is lacking

Is that partly due to the height restrictions at AT ?

AT could build a coaster with airtime, but perhaps not to the extent of Hyperia at Thorpe Park (incidentally; I remember hearing that Hyperia was supposed to have a large camelback hill, but there wasn't enough space).

 

[Jb85]

Not that I am a fan or even think it will happen but wouldn’t the valley coasters drop be larger than Hyperia?

I think something should be explored - maybe like the rmc inverted ride that was going round YouTube some years back, but not the valley coasters that was planned years ago

 

[spotweld]

Not that I am a fan or even think it will happen but wouldn’t the valley coasters drop be larger than Hyperia?

I think something should be explored - maybe like the rmc inverted ride that was going round YouTube some years back, but not the valley coasters that was planned years ago

From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpFPw5kxI8M

This one?

Funny how the CVC has one of the larger cult followings of all the rides at Alton Towers. And it doesn't even exist.

 

[QTXAdsy]

From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpFPw5kxI8M

This one?

Funny how the CVC has one of the larger cult followings of all the rides at Alton Towers. And it doesn't even exist.

Remember this one, as I said before, the original CVC was, with all due respect to JW, pretty boring IMO as it was just two big drops and that was it and would have been yet another one trick pony ride for Towers so blessing in disguise it never got built. If they were to go with a RMC like this then it would not only be the top coaster in the UK hands down but one of the best in Europe for sure.

With Towers and Merlin clearly sweating over Universal coming over the hill, they know they'll need a big ride to win back the crowd and a revised CVC might be the Hail Mary attempt that Towers can do to stand any chance to feel relevant.