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

Matt N said:
The thing making people think it's SW is that people "in the know" are allegedly saying it's an SW according to TowersTimes.

Also, can I ask; how would an enclosed roller coaster make noise? Surely if the building was well soundproofed, it would be just as quiet as a dark ride?

On an unrelated note, I was pondering ways in which the area could be accessed without needing to build an entrance within TWODW or change TWODW's layout. This initially seemed easier said than done, but looking at the park in Google Street View (admittedly from 2009, so possibly not the most accurate), it could be doable.

Let's take a look at the area down by what is now the Dungeons (or what was then Charlie and the Chocolate Factory):
Potential-Entrance-to-Coaster-Corner-Street-View.png

As you can see, there is a green fence between TWODW and the Dungeons building, blocking off... Coaster Corner/Adventureland 4-11. If you don't know what I mean, I've circled what I'm talking about in black and drawn arrows pointing towards it. At the time of this photo being taken, this area would have been problematic due to CATCF's queue line being in the way... but now the Dungeons is there, this isn't an issue anymore. It might pose an issue if the Dungeons is ever turned back into a family dark ride, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there; I'm sure the park would be able to work around this if they wanted.

Entering the area this way would also allow for TWODW to be bypassed completely, thus meaning that that land is unaffected.

If it would be easier, I've also indicated what I mean from an aerial view:
I've circled both TWODW and the new area. The left arrow is the new area's entrance, and the right arrow is TWODW's current entrance.

P.S. Sorry about the slightly crude drawings...
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Although in this case I’m inclined to agree with TT that this is a coaster, always be cautious with TT and SW predictions, this is the site that said SW7 was going to have a washing machine trick track :p

WillPS said:
Dampen, yes. Subdue, yes. Eliminate - far harder.
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They don’t need to eliminate the sound completely. So long as it’s quieter than the noise of Rita and Thirteen it has no big impact on Alton.
 
I thought that washing machine was genuinely in the design originally or did that just become lore from the speculation?
 
Skyscraper said:
Do you have a source for that?
I for one would be kind of disappointed if that was what was going in the building.
We need a dark ride, water ride, coaster or permanent flats in there, not a portable vintage funfair.
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I always think of how will they market these speculated attractions. I don’t think anyone would be flocking to go to an old fun fair retirement home.
 
A point of note is the cost of a planning application alone determines it is unlikely to be something as low key as a permanent home for a fair ground.

One of the reasons flat rides tend to go on the GDO areas of the park that don’t need permission is because planning doesn’t come easy at Alton Towers - it’s very expensive to run the consultations and to pay for all the ecology, noise, tree, flood reports etc. The process of getting planning alone (especially in a location that has proved controversial in the past) could cost a considerable amount of money.

Probably not really worth the investment for some fair ground rides or anything other than a major project.
 
As much as I feel the park is a bit top heavy with coasters, if any area of the park needs a coaster it is that area of the park. The only time it ever was alive IMO was when Beast and Mouse were there and it does show that any coaster does bring punters to an area.

When both coasters left the area was always something of a dead area, even during the park's golden years and when we had TT it was always an odd ball of an area that has had probably more rethemes in that one area of the park than all the other areas of the park put together which does say a lot. Having an indoor coaster in that area of the park would finally help bring that area up to getting the crowds into that area and I'd welcome that with open arms, just though personally I hope it is something original and not an IP though I wouldn't be that surprised.

Actually given how large the area is and if Merlin had given Towers a blank cheque, could it be possible that one giant building hold not one but two attractions? What I mean is having dark ride share with an indoor coaster which actually would kill two birds with one stone for adding more indoor attractions, not sure how possible it would be but you never know...Worlds first coaster and dark ride sharing the same building! 🤣

However all serious though, does it mean that if the area will be opened up, will that mean that the flag tower will finally be able to be accessed by the public much like the Towers are? Would be a welcomed wee thing to include for something to do on the park for those who want to experience something other than rides and I wonder if the flag tower has ever been thought about being opened fully to the public?
 
Accessed by the public much like the Towers are?
You mean 10% of the total area open to the public for about 2 months of the year???
 
QTXAdsy said:
However all serious though, does it mean that if the area will be opened up, will that mean that the flag tower will finally be able to be accessed by the public much like the Towers are? Would be a welcomed wee thing to include for something to do on the park for those who want to experience something other than rides and I wonder if the flag tower has ever been thought about being opened fully to the public?
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From memory, the flag tower is inaccessible even to staff these days, as it houses several phone masts and related kit.
 
Quite a few people think this is going to be an expansion of TWoDW due to the planned phase 2 expansion.

However, I can’t see this being the case because coaster corner is going to need significant investment to transform it back into a themed area. Phase 2 could utilise the 2 mothballed show buildings, Dungeons and the driving school which would be far more cost effective.

A lot of people are also saying that it wouldn’t make sense for people to walk through a kids area to reach a SW, which I agree with. However, this doesn’t necessarily need to happen.

I’ve crudely drawn a potential access route which would lead to coaster corner. It will obviously need a footbridge over the access road, but a path through the woodland behind X Sector and to the west of the towers would really make you feel like you’re entering a completely different area, much like the path between KC and GW. The backstage areas can be easily concealed also.
AACB1149-8096-4C0F-971D-EFF6897C184F.jpeg
 
MattyH said:
Great idea, but it's been find and they even throw a dinner show in the same building too
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TBH, having a dinner experience in this larger building is not a bad idea. Imagine having a meal and having good views inside the show building watching the indoor coaster fly past. That honestly would be quite an experience.

I know I keep banging on about the Port Discovery concept to return but if we had got that instead of TWODW then if this was an indoor coaster then you could bet your bottom dollar it would've some steampunk themed space ride though incidentally Black Hole during its later days did have some steampunk theming that was a clue of what X-Sector would've been.

Looking at the map, with such a huge space, I can't see them using all that space just for one attraction. Given how both the Nickelodeon and 4D cinema buildings are just for holding storage, maybe the investment might include a purpose built storage facility within the structure which could hold that stuff and thus free up those buildings for future use?
 
Matt.GC said:
Anyone who is truly "in the know" would not be talking about it publicly.
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You say this, but there's been a surprising increase over the past few months/year or so of information like this being 'leaked' and turning out to be correct.

Sensitive information from those 'in the know' definitely doesn't seem to be being treated with the same respect nowadays, as it has been previously, or arguably should be.
 
Islander said:
You say this, but there's been a surprising increase over the past few months/year or so of information like this being 'leaked' and turning out to be correct.

Sensitive information from those 'in the know' definitely doesn't seem to be being treated with the same respect nowadays, as it has been previously, or arguably should be.
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'Leaks' are par for the course in any entertainment/leisure business that has a fan following or enthusiast community. Do you really think they need to lug that MMM trailer around so much and park it conspicuously close to whatever they're working on next? Take a look inside and you'll find two jerry cans and a Ginsters pasty. It's all part of their marketing plan.
 
tech said:
'Leaks' are par for the course in any entertainment/leisure business that has a fan following or enthusiast community. Do you really think they need to lug that MMM trailer around so much and park it conspicuously close to whatever they're working on next? Take a look inside and you'll find two jerry cans and a Ginsters pasty. It's all part of their marketing plan.
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Or maybe you'll find a toilet or two (yes, I'm being serious here)!
 
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