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

[Tom]

This thread is ridiculous. See you in 2025.

2024*

 

[QTXAdsy]

This thread is ridiculous. See you in 2025.

You haven't heard nothing yet, wait until you hear the new song about Black Hole coming home to the song of 'Three Lions'...

 

[Matt.GC]

Look, it's a coaster guys. Untill these plans came out, I was sceptical because the building size means it won't be a groundbreaking one (not to say it won't be good). But if they submit legal documents that, if inaccurate, could land them in hot water in court should someone vehemently object, referring to it as a rollercoaster in them means it's going to be..... a rollercoaster.

This is going to be a rollercoaster. The Haunted House is not being recreated. A can of WD40 will not single handedly reopen NST. An app isn't a substitute for being inside the park. The monorail didn't get air gates. Jazz land wasn't real. The tooth fairy doesn't exist.

Speculation, ideas and expressions of excitement and wishes for the future are all well and good. But can't we leave the world of fantasy and keep this grounded in some sort of reality please? The queue app, Duel and NST threads are already becoming no go areas as it is.

 

[Matt N]

This thread has gone in more circles in the past 48 hours than the entire Duel and Sub-Terra threads combined I couldn't be bothered to read the whole thing so just watched Shawn's video instead and that door that looks like it is for getting coaster trains in and out screams indoor coaster to me!

Couldn’t that be for any ride vehicle, though? Surely any ride vehicle is similarly sized to a coaster train, no?

And even in the case of something like a flying theatre, they would still need to get equipment in and out.

Personally, I do think a roller coaster is most likely. The building would support one, and those statements do seem a big giveaway. However, the fact that so many people still believe otherwise (that rollercoaster was simply a typo) does make me think I would be too close-minded if I were to rule out a non-coaster, though… as well as the fact that I got reprimanded for saying that I feel that a coaster is most likely.

 

[Tom]

Look, it's a coaster guys. Untill these plans came out, I was sceptical because the building size means it won't be a groundbreaking one (not to say it won't be good). But if they submit legal documents that, if inaccurate, could land them in hot water in court should someone vehemently object, referring to it as a rollercoaster in them means it's going to be..... a rollercoaster.

This is going to be a rollercoaster. The Haunted House is not being recreated. A can of WD40 will not single handedly reopen NST. An app isn't a substitute for being inside the park. The monorail didn't get air gates. Jazz land wasn't real. The tooth fairy doesn't exist.

Speculation, ideas and expressions of excitement and wishes for the future are all well and good. But can't we leave the world of fantasy and keep this grounded in some sort of reality please? The queue app, Duel and NST threads are already becoming no go areas as it is.

In a world where it could easily be by Vekoma, Cadbury-themed with a Jumanji shop inside one of the 'removed' shipping containers, that is a big ask.

 

[Benjsh]

Please have the courtesy to read the post which, as Matt says, explains in some detail why the rollercoaster references may not be accurate.

Of course they could be accurate, as is pointed out, but it’s not as straightforward as some people seem to believe.

No! Hahahahaha.

It's bleeding obvious it's not a flying theatre. The building is way too big for that.

Shawn of TPW fame has just basically said as much too. It's clearly a rollercoaster.

 

[Matt.GC]

In a world where it could easily be by Vekoma, Cadbury-themed with a Jumanji shop inside one of the 'removed' shipping containers, that is a big ask.

But that's all plausible

 

[Benjsh]

I'm pretty sure John Wardley also hinted at a new coaster as they were discussing the SW projects at that moment of the event when he let it slip that the park were working on groundbreaking projects.

 

[Matt N]

No! Hahahahaha.

It's bleeding obvious it's not a flying theatre. The building is way too big for that.

Shawn of TPW fame has just basically said as much too. It's clearly a rollercoaster.

I wouldn't be so sure.

I agree that I think it is most likely to be a roller coaster, and I agree that it seems like a very logical explanation for the building dimensions, but there's a chance that it could be a new variant of flying theatre, and that the building space could be filled by multiple pre-shows (Hex-style). Or that they could be building 2 theatres next to each other (although that wouldn't explain why the building is only angled on the one side).

The frank truth is that we don't know at all until 2025. I know that the statements said roller coaster, but there is always a chance that those statements were a typo or that the consultants had a different definition of roller coaster to us (certainly not impossible). At this stage, it could be literally anything.

 

[Benjsh]

I wouldn't be so sure.

I agree that I think it is most likely to be a roller coaster, but there's always the chance that it could be a new variant of flying theatre, and that the building space could be filled by multiple pre-shows (Hex-style). Or that they could be building 2 theatres next to each other (although that wouldn't explain why the building is only angled on the one side).

The frank truth is that we don't know at all until 2025. I know that the statements said roller coaster, but there is always a chance that those statements were a typo or that the consultants had a different definition of roller coaster to us (certainly not impossible). At this stage, it could be literally anything.

Let's examine what we know so far.

1. The planning document mentions rollercoaster several times

2. The building is huge. Way bigger than what we have seen for other flying theatres.

3. Towers major projects are always coasters and the gap to Wickerman will be seven years if this opens in 2025 as expected.

4. Legoland have recently installed a flying theatre. Building a superior one at Towers so soon after wouldn't exactly be that logical.

5. It's a bleeding Rollercoaster.

 

[Matt N]

I agree that I personally think a roller coaster is the most likely outcome. I don't deny the points you set out. There is certainly evidence that could point that way in the planning application, such as the building dimensions.

However, the planning application sends somewhat mixed messages. It says "rollercoaster" in some parts and "indoor attraction" in others, which could lead to the suggestion that "rollercoaster" may have been a mistake in the places where it appeared. I'm aware that the terms are not mutually exclusive, but based on their official communications, I'm guessing that "indoor attraction" was Alton's intended line. As such, I'm not sure we can consider the few instances of "rollercoaster" in the statement bonafide 100% confirmation. They're likely to be correct given the legality aspect of these documents, but we can't be 100% sure given the inconsistency in wording.

The fact that there's so many people still sceptical about it being a coaster, as well as the fact that I've been told that the roller coaster theory is unfounded and that I'm simply using confirmation bias to try and make into a reality, makes me hesitant to say with 100% certainty that it's a rollercoaster.

I agree that a roller coaster is what I feel is the most likely outcome here. However, we don't know for sure until 2025.

 

[pluk]

Whatever side of this absolute jizz fest of a conversation you sit on, if you sit on it with absolute certainty you are a buffoon, if you are trying to persuade others that you are correct rather than just having your opinion then thats even more true.

While a coaster looks most likely, and a flying theatre specifically of all the dark ride options looks very unlikely, the actual knowns are slim pickings. Some people putting waaaay too much emphasis on what are largely third party contributions to planning documentation for a building, when the actual contents have very little relevance to planning application. It is, primarily, an application for a building, not its contents. To many a lay person a ride that moves is a roller coaster, for many weird and wonderful rides types I'm sure many of us wouldn't even agree where the boundary lies for what is or isn't a cred...

We don't know for certain what will be in the building. The end.

 

[Alastair]

There's also absolutely no evidence or suggestion that a flying theatre is any more likely than literally anything else. It's just as likely to be a flying theatre as a flying coaster. The fact that the flying theatre keeps being specifically mentioned is completely nonsensical.

 

[Matt N]

While a coaster looks most likely, and a flying theatre specifically of all the dark ride options looks very unlikely, the actual knowns are slim pickings. Some people putting waaaay too much emphasis on what are largely third party contributions to planning documentation for a building, when the actual contents have very little relevance to planning application. It is, primarily, an application for a building, not its contents. To many a lay person a ride that moves is a roller coaster, for many weird and wonderful rides types I'm sure many of us wouldn't even agree where the boundary lies for what is or isn't a cred...

I agree. I think certain things could strongly hint towards a coaster, such as the building height and shape, but it's hard to know for sure by virtue of this being an indoor attraction.

I am of the mind that a coaster is the most likely outcome, but it could be a flying theatre, it could be one of those new Intamin motion rides, it could be a tracked dark ride... the options are still virtually endless!

 

[Benjsh]

TT event with JW guest speaker.


18mins 20 seconds in.....

John Wardley basically confirming there's a coaster in the works. He says it is 'It is coming along...here' before huge gasps from the fans in the Audience. Hahaha.

It's a bleeding Rollercoaster chaps. Literally written in black and white on the documents and the famous JW has all but confirmed one in the works for Towers. I really don't know what more evidence is needed at this point.

 

[The Big Mack]

That is true, but I would say that multi-level tracked dark rides are relatively rare (I think only TransFormers has multiple levels, as far as I’m aware), whereas indoor coasters with buildings of that height are a lot more common.

Tomb Blaster says hi

TT event with JW guest speaker.


18mins 20 seconds in.....

John Wardley basically confirming there's a coaster in the works. He says it is 'It is coming along...here' before huge gasps from the fans in the Audience. Hahaha.

It's a bleeding Rollercoaster chaps. Literally written in black and white on the documents and the famous JW has all but confirmed one in the works for Towers. I really don't know what more evidence is needed at this point.

While I'm sure that Alton Towers have a coaster in their masterplan, John Wardley's comments may not mean that it's going to be this next major project. The bottom line is we won't know what this particular ride is for certain until Alton Towers want us to know (or until a goon 'in the know' reveals all on this very forum ). That being said, it's definitely not a flying theatre.

 

[Tom]

Imagine if the rollercoaster was so innovative and new in terms of hardware that even when the precise design is known, and it has been open for years there is still this massive ongoing debate over whether it is actually a rollercoaster or not, and if three entrance doors were actually needed? Could still be fun though.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Watching the TPW video about the three doors, it seems that Shawn might have a point that the reason if there is three preshow rooms is that Towers seem to have learnt mistakes from the preshow of Wicker Man of it being on and off and the throughput problems and this is a way of making sure they won't have the same problems here.

That all said, whatever is built here I can definitely seeing this having a story heavy theme for it.

 

[Ash]

Most fascinating part for me is the sound report using a “attraction similar to project horizon” for reference.

That to me says they really do not want us to know what it is yet.

Then there’s the fact they appear to have gone out their way to bring the entrance path to in front of TWWDW. Suggesting a new area and possibly new thrill level.

Also just sticking my two penketh in, the lack of fire doors and very small service door I think suggests coaster more than theatre as they clearly aren’t expecting lots of people to leave at once (i.e high throughput/small amount of people in the main building)

However the small service door could also be because there’s no chance the simulator type ride is ever coming out so what’s the point.

Also what is more necessary and sellable to the GP? What does AT need more?

I’ve run the whole gamut, dual flying theatres, Jumanji clone, lego factory clone, simulator type ride and I still lean towards dark coaster.

If I was a betting man I could see something akin to Darkoaster at BGW. UK/Europe first, could be something interesting with multiple ways to run a circuit. Get more out of the space and could allow increased capacity.

But I don’t think £12m in the current climate is a lot for a indoor coaster, whatever it is.

Surely the other interesting question nobody seems to be discussing is, is this an original or existing IP? IMO this looks like a completely standalone attraction whatever it is

 

[The Big Mack]

But I don’t think £12m in the current climate is a lot for a indoor coaster, whatever it is.

Surely the other interesting question nobody seems to be discussing is, is this an original or existing IP? IMO this looks like a completely standalone attraction whatever it is

£12 million would be the construction budget, so everything not including marketing and IP (if there is an IP). Add those two elements and you have a budget of least £18 million. It's an indoor attraction so I reckon that an IP is extremely likely.