Steve74
TS Member
No problem.
Thankfully not my age
It's the year I was born so I celebrated half a century back in September!
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[202X] Project Horizon (SW9?): Planning Approved
- Thread starter Danscott22
- Start date
Thankfully not my age
It's the year I was born so I celebrated half a century back in September!
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
TPW has today posted an update on Project Horizon:
In summary:
It is worth noting that minor stuff is still happening with this project, albeit slowly. Just recently, the updated Woodland Management Plan, submitted by Alton earlier this year, was approved.
In summary:
- Shawn’s sources are leading him to believe that Project Horizon is still going ahead and will be opening in 2027, with land clearance beginning in early 2025 and major construction work starting in mid-2025.
- Shawn has suggested that the ride could potentially be an Intamin Multidimensional Coaster, with some form of “double deal” having been formed encompassing both Horizon and the upcoming Chessington coaster. He’s alleged that “a number of manufacturers” were consulted for the attraction, but that Intamin “were the key frontrunner”.
- He has heard rumours of the ride being space-themed.
It is worth noting that minor stuff is still happening with this project, albeit slowly. Just recently, the updated Woodland Management Plan, submitted by Alton earlier this year, was approved.
Bowser
TS Member
Opening essentially the same ride in two parks in the same year but one benefitting from Minecraft IP would be an.... interesting move?
I suppose the closest thing to that would be the Nemesis rides but they were opened almost 10 years apart.
A new indoor attraction will be great of course but opening them together and leaving one very open to claims of being lesser seems risky. Has anyone compared the building sizes of the respective projects?
I suppose the closest thing to that would be the Nemesis rides but they were opened almost 10 years apart.
A new indoor attraction will be great of course but opening them together and leaving one very open to claims of being lesser seems risky. Has anyone compared the building sizes of the respective projects?
AltonLover123
TS Member
For sure. It’s a small update but encouraging nonetheless. It shows they’re still actively aiming towards building.
I don’t have the figures to hand but they’re vastly different in size and footprint shape. Chessies looks to be the smaller “prototype” version of anything.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
The question is, though; are the wider populace outside of enthusiast circles likely to make that connection? I don’t think so.
More so than something like a B&M Inverted Coaster, I think the Intamin Multidimensional Coaster is quite a versatile ride type that’s quite easy to differentiate from other installations. Heck, proof of this comes in the form of Thirteen technically being one; no one’s conflating Chessington’s coaster or the likes of Uncharted with Thirteen!
I’d also say that with a coaster like these two, the theme will be a more important element of differentiation. In a dark ride roller coaster, the theme is arguably more important for differentiation than the ride hardware, and it sounds like the two rides couldn’t be more different in that sense.
I think the video’s a little bit clickbaity for those who’ve kept an active interest in the project as there wasn’t really anything new in there, but still cause for some cautious optimism on this. Would still love them to wrap the dungeons and Walliams World into some new huge brilliant themed family / family thrill area
Bowser
TS Member
Hard to say at this stage but it potentially eliminates any USP/“worlds first” claims they are fond of (though of course Minecraft itself will do that). I would argue the audience are more savvy than ever, even if that is still a minority and the potential for influencers telling people “go here to ride the better version” is there.
Again I think it depends how similar they end up being. Do agree with what you’re saying about the dark ride aspects and theming being crucial.
AT having the more thrilling version whilst Chessington have the IP seems the most sensible outcome.
AT86
TS Member
I guess the closest comparison is Spinball and Dragon’s Fury opening at both parks in the same year, although admittedly these were not on the same investment scale as Horizon and Minecraft seem to be.
In terms of them not cannibalising the visitation of their respective parks I guess it can all be managed by the marketing. As long as they are differently presented to the public in terms of theme/experience it doesn’t really matter if they are essentially the same underlying technology, especially since they will be inside and mostly in the dark.
It’s a potential risk for sure, but one they can mitigate quite easily.
In terms of them not cannibalising the visitation of their respective parks I guess it can all be managed by the marketing. As long as they are differently presented to the public in terms of theme/experience it doesn’t really matter if they are essentially the same underlying technology, especially since they will be inside and mostly in the dark.
It’s a potential risk for sure, but one they can mitigate quite easily.
AltonLover123
TS Member
I mean that was never the case. People are funny.
I’d like to think that would happen but it’s Merlin.
Zeock
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Journey to the Center of the Earth
This seems positive for the park, but I feel like flat rides still need to be prioritised over this attraction, especially considering the new rollercoaster for 2026.
We’ve got so conditioned to low expectations that we automatically expect them to do a one at a time approach. Even Shawn was guilty of such, saying the flat ride for 2025, kids coaster 2026 and Horizon 2027. Apart from Merlin being Merlin, there’s no reason they can’t also invest in more flats in the next couple of years and I’m sure there’s ambition to.
Squiggs
TS Team
Glad it's not just me, who was thinking that. Sounds like it's just reiterating info that was already in circulation.
Even 2027 isn't really new info at this point, the construction timeframe dictates that is the earliest it could open now, unless they were planning on opening it for Fireworks 2026.
If it does turn out to be a Multi-dimension coaster, that could actually prove to be quite a prudent move by the park. Having two coasters of essentially the same type in the park means it should make maintenance easier to scale up, as there will be technically less coaster varieties for the park's in-house team to gain expertise in. Also, with three of this type of coaster in their UK portfolio, it also makes it more economic sense to have spare parts in the country.
There are loads of options of elements and special features along side different train styles for intamin multi dimension coasters to seem very different, even more so when indoors and different themes.
Alton could very well go with the straddle style trains for example.
Alton could very well go with the straddle style trains for example.
AT86
TS Member
With the imminent closure of Merlin Magic Making at Alton Towers it frees up a good chunk of land directly adjacent to the Horizon building.
No idea if the two things are linked in any way. But if there is a longer term plan to expand to a themed area larger than just the one attraction this could help achieve that.
No idea if the two things are linked in any way. But if there is a longer term plan to expand to a themed area larger than just the one attraction this could help achieve that.
Islander
TS Member
Highly highly doubt there’s any link whatsoever.With the imminent closure of Merlin Magic Making at Alton Towers it frees up a good chunk of land directly adjacent to the Horizon building.
No idea if the two things are linked in any way. But if there is a longer term plan to expand to a themed area larger than just the one attraction this could help achieve that.
If they were interested in the land, they’d have looked to relocate MMM, not obliterate them lol
AT86
TS Member
Fair enough - but what's to say they didn't look to relocate them? Then as part of that process decided the 'cheaper' solution all round was to just get rid?
No idea, but its not too much as a stretch as a theory.
Jb85
TS Member
Highly likely I’d say
I think 2027 will be too early and given 2024 being a large capex year I think 2028 feels more likely to me. Especially given what we now know
2025: Toxicator
2026: cBeebies Coaster
2027: Dungeons retheme & 4D cinema reopened
2028: PH & GG retheme
In a dream world they’d spend 2 seasons completely gutting Walliams world in preparation for PH. Re-theme the whole lot to Victorian steam punk “Talbot Street”. With PH in a Jules Verne space mountain style, akin to the Black Hole. As another earls experiment.
The rest of the area writes itself. This area cannot be another “forgotten” land after 3 years and if done right could be the first “all year round” part of the park.
2025: Toxicator
2026: cBeebies Coaster
2027: Dungeons retheme & 4D cinema reopened
2028: PH & GG retheme
In a dream world they’d spend 2 seasons completely gutting Walliams world in preparation for PH. Re-theme the whole lot to Victorian steam punk “Talbot Street”. With PH in a Jules Verne space mountain style, akin to the Black Hole. As another earls experiment.
The rest of the area writes itself. This area cannot be another “forgotten” land after 3 years and if done right could be the first “all year round” part of the park.