[202X] Project Horizon (SW9?): Planning Approved

[AT86]

Beginning construction in Spring 2023 suggests that this is a 2024 project rather than 2025 right?

Construction is stated to take 78 weeks (18 months) so 2024 is unlikely, unless they are targeting a Winter/Christmas opening.

 

[QTXAdsy]

That's a big outdoor queue line!

Hmm, was kinda hoping that they'd use the chance to allow for a better connection for the Dungeons building as ever since 1993 when they almost isolated it from the rest of the area, it has been somewhat out on limb, almost cursed with how many changes that have happened and having Project Horizons might have helped bridge the gap between it and TWODW finally after over 30 years.

If this is a coaster, it is surely a family coaster which I honestly won't mind though it might be a little bit of a tight squeeze to build something in there.

 

[Benjsh]

I suppose with the bulk of, if not all, the queue being located outdoors....it could mean we get a decent length attraction though whether that's a coaster or dark ride.

 

[Matt N]

That building is admittedly not the sort of hipped roof I was anticipating, and it is admittedly an odd shape for an indoor coaster, but I still don’t personally feel that it looks like a flying theatre building.

If you look closely, the building has quite a different shape to Flight of the Sky Lion (probably our best comparison if we’re talking about a Merlin flying theatre).

Flight of the Sky Lion’s roof is shaped more like a pentagon, with the building having angled walls at one end, and it has a somewhat less pronounced slope in its roof:

Whereas Horizon’s roof is shaped more like a rectangle with one straight wall at its South end rather than the angled edges that Sky Lion has, and its roof has a more pronounced slope (look at the South elevation):

I would also counter that the building appears too big for just one flying theatre based on Towers’ given dimensions, and if it had two theatres, with one to the left and one to the right, wouldn’t there be a slope on both sides rather than just on the South side?

20m (the height given at the exhibition) also indicates that it’s a tad too tall for a flying theatre; Sky Lion is only 13m high.

My prediction remains indoor coaster. It’s admittedly an oddly shaped building for one, but I don’t think that the building dimensions and profile fully match up with a flying theatre, and I’m not really sure what else would match the building dimensions.

 

[Benjsh]

To be fair the cost of the actual coaster isn't that much of the total when they talk about investments in PR. It's historically 50% or more marketing spend etc. I.e. a 30m PR figure might be a 10m coaster.

Like Flamingoland saying their 'new' second hand coaster was £20m or whatever it was they claimed. Hahahaha.

Wickerman probably didn't cost much more than £12m either minus the marketing.

 

[AT86]

Irrespective of what costs are being included, the published capex expenditure in the Wicker Man planning application was £16million, project Horizon appears to be £12.5million.

So comparing these two gives the impression this is a lower budget attraction overall.

Edit - this sentence from the transport study could be telling:

'On the face of it, therefore, it is not anticipated that the introduction of a new rollercoaster will give rise to a
demonstrable transport impact'

 

[Coaster Connection]

Hmm, was kinda hoping that they'd use the chance to allow for a better connection for the Dungeons building as ever since 1993 when they almost isolated it from the rest of the area, it has been somewhat out on limb, almost cursed with how many changes that have happened and having Project Horizons might have helped bridge the gap between it and TWODW finally after over 30 years.

If this is a coaster, it is surely a family coaster which I honestly won't mind though it might be a little bit of a tight squeeze to build something in there.

If you look at the (373_104_4 Landscape Plan Proposed) document, it shows that guests would have to walk through the new entrance feature (for Project Horizon) to access the Alton Towers Dungeon. I don't think the two attractions are going to be linked, but it's an interesting design choice.

 

[Ethan]

Seems like a long queue line for a dark ride. This is something big and I've got a feeling it'll be an indoor coaster

 

[RIPCorky]

Seems like a long queue line for a dark ride. This is something big and I've got a feeling it'll be an indoor coaster

Black Hole coming home

 

[Dobba]

Irrespective of what costs are being included, the published capex expenditure in the Wicker Man planning application was £16million, project Horizon appears to be £12.5million.

So comparing these two gives the impression this is a lower budget attraction overall.

Edit - this sentence from the transport study could be telling:

'On the face of it, therefore, it is not anticipated that the introduction of a new rollercoaster will give rise to a
demonstrable transport impact'

Obviously that document is from a third party and not the park themselves, but the wording is still very intriguing. Odd that they call the project an indoor attraction elsewhere in it and not just when they're quoting the planning application directly. Can't even dismiss it down to 'everything a themepark installs is called a rollercoaster' as they make reference to indoor attractions that have been put in since the millennium.

 

[QTXAdsy]

If you look at the (373_104_4 Landscape Plan Proposed) document, it shows that guests would have to walk through the new entrance feature (for Project Horizon) to access the Alton Towers Dungeon. I don't think the two attractions are going to be linked, but it's an interesting design choice.

The strange thing, I can't help but notice that design of the new building, the plaza and the queue line all bear a striking resemblance to the fake Jazz land plans many years ago.

Honestly, it can't be a coincidence when you compare them side by side...honestly if I was the person who designed those plans years ago and saw what was happening now, I'd be taken aback that they'd take these jokes plans on...Towers have taken a joke seriously!

Black Hole coming home

YES, PLEASE BRING HER BACK IN STEAMPUNK GOODNESS PLEASE!!!

 

[Danscott22]

First comedic thing I've seen is them say their opening times are 10am-6pm on the Noise Assessment Report. We all know they'll be closing at 4pm

 

[Blackhole_Sun]

Black Hole coming home

Completely not bias here, this needs to happen!!!

 

[QTXAdsy]

Completely not bias here, this needs to happen!!!

Look at such much pop culture stuff of late of baiting the fans with nostalgia...who's the say Merlin are going to use the technique if it is a return of an old classic? They seem to be doing it already with HH ofc so could Black Hole be next?

 

[AT86]

Black Hole be next?

No.

 

[BigShadowtinytree]

I hope it’s not a flying theatre personally, they’re alright but there’s nothing overly mind blowing about Sky Lion at Legoland, if you end up sitting on the end of a row then the experience is very average imo. That said, it would help with the parks ride capacity issues and be functional in all weathers. I’d be willing to give it a fair chance if it did turn out to be a flying theatre.

Wouldn’t mind some kind of modern reimagining of Black Hole. Could still be a totally different and more exciting coaster type than the original, with them just playing up the nostalgia factor because that kind of stuff sells. I don’t feel like they will go down this route though.

As long as it’s not Walliam’s themed, that would be really disappointing, I don’t think it’s likely thankfully. I think that would be a huge mistake going down that route.

 

[George W]

 

[s_g_k]

According to one of the planning documents, the queueline is going to be suspended above ground.

 

[rob666]

Think that means decking.

 

[RIPCorky]

It's a coaster then?