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Galactica's Future

What would you like to see happen to Galactica?

  • Keep the Galactica Theme

    Votes: 3 1.3%

  • An improved version of air

    Votes: 90 38.1%

  • A new theme to tie in with Nemesis and The Phalanx

    Votes: 125 53.0%

  • Something else

    Votes: 18 7.6%
  • Total voters
    236
GooseOnTheLoose said:
You don't spend months, or years, designing the retheme of a ride, and spending untold tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of pounds to suddenly scrap it at the last moment.

If a retheme was planned, it will happen. If a retheme wasn't planned, and it was just thoosie vapours, then it won't happen.
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You do if there are circumstances you didn’t expect to happen which means youre no longer go through with it
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
You don't spend months, or years, designing the retheme of a ride, and spending untold tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of pounds to suddenly scrap it at the last moment.

If a retheme was planned, it will happen. If a retheme wasn't planned, and it was just thoosie vapours, then it won't happen.
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Plans can be cancelled, changed, or postponed though, just look at how something obviously happened with the plans or timeframe for Project Horizon for example.

We are in an era where the potential opening of Universal GB may have made other park operators reassess their own plans and strategies and change their plans around. Merlin are clearly looking at things right across their estate and putting lots of things in to place right now (Projects Refresh & Play at CWoA, the Thorpe Park hotel, the Beach transformation, the Bear Grylls closure, MMM’s closure, etc). It’s not outside the realms of possibility that any potential plans for the future of Galactica could be changed after months or years of planning. Who knows what discussions and decisions are being made inside Merlin at the moment.
 
Shaggy_Dog_ said:
Plans can be cancelled, changed, or postponed though,
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They can, but the idea that they wouldn't have been cancelled before a Fireworks show, where there were plenty of nods toward possible work doesn't quite float.
Shaggy_Dog_ said:
just look at how something obviously happened with the plans or timeframe for Project Horizon for example.
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I'm still not entirely convinced by this one either, with the speculation for the 2025 opening date mostly being driven by enthusiasts and YouTubers. I still think a 2026 opening was always on the cards. If it doesn't open then, I will concede that it was delayed.

The point is, plans aren't changed on a whim. Corporate governance dictate that decisions like these are months in the making. Certainly long enough, and far enough away, that if changes needed to be made to a Fireworks show it would be entirely possible.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
They can, but the idea that they wouldn't have been cancelled before a Fireworks show, where there were plenty of nods toward possible work doesn't quite float.

I'm still not entirely convinced by this one either, with the speculation for the 2025 opening date mostly being driven by enthusiasts and YouTubers. I still think a 2026 opening was always on the cards. If it doesn't open then, I will concede that it was delayed.

The point is, plans aren't changed on a whim. Corporate governance dictate that decisions like these are months in the making. Certainly long enough, and far enough away, that if changes needed to be made to a Fireworks show it would be entirely possible.
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I’d tend to agree but it’s now likely 2026 will see Chessie open a coaster - awfully similar in plot size to Horizon.

Hope I’m wrong but I’ve given up all hope these days
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
The point is, plans aren't changed on a whim. Corporate governance dictate that decisions like these are months in the making. Certainly long enough, and far enough away, that if changes needed to be made to a Fireworks show it would be entirely possible.
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Whilst the Phalanx Expo was very Galactica coded without them mentioning it as such, if it doesn’t go ahead they never said it would. If it does, it’s suitable foreshadowing.

There was no need to change the fireworks show as it can be viewed standalone even if the intention was it being a Galactica retheme announcement.
 
AltonLover123 said:
Whilst the Phalanx Expo was very Galactica coded without them mentioning it as such, if it doesn’t go ahead they never said it would. If it does, it’s suitable foreshadowing.

There was no need to change the fireworks show as it can be viewed standalone even if the intention was it being a Galactica retheme announcement.
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The thing about tea leaves is that you really can read whichever bollocks you want into them. It's the same for horoscopes, tarot and seemingly Alton Towers Firework displays.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
You don't spend months, or years, designing the retheme of a ride, and spending untold tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of pounds to suddenly scrap it at the last moment.

If a retheme was planned, it will happen. If a retheme wasn't planned, and it was just thoosie vapours, then it won't happen.
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I agree if it was an actual retheme and therefore CapEx, but if it is just a repaint and a couple of Phalanx logos then it would be OpEx and similar to the discussion about the repaint money being reallocated to Nemesis.
 
I am not sure I feel like it should be CapEx rarther than OpEx, even for a "cheap" rethem you still have to pay the artists and theming descisions not just for the repaint and posters.

I am not sure whether it would happen this year as I feel like there would have been more hints during the fire works
 
From what I've gathered. A retheme was on the cards, and was in the development phase until the summer. This was communicated to the entertainments team, who have complete creative control over the entire Firework show - story included.

However, there must have been a communication breakdown at some point when the plans were canned, and Ents were not told. Or the show's development was too far down to the road to change. Regardless, a re-theme was on the cards that is now not happening.
 
The shows tend to take many months of planning. If a retheme were planned for Galactica, it would be too late to change the Fireworks show/plans. I don't think it particularly makes a difference to the Fireworks show, as creatively, it works anyway. It’s not exactly like the story was ‘Come to the Phalanax Expo showcasing our NEW RETHEME OF GALACTICA’. Only enthusiasts will take notice, and even then, it’s all based on rumour and hearsay.
 
TBH if something is happening, I don't expect much more than a social media announcement post for a (relatively) minor retheme. The change to Galactica had the VR gimmick to boast about but I don't see them trying anything like that again (hopefully).
 
Mykeprime said:
TBH if something is happening, I don't expect much more than a social media announcement post for a (relatively) minor retheme. The change to Galactica had the VR gimmick to boast about but I don't see them trying anything like that again (hopefully).
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I agree. I can't see Towers doing extra landscaping or adding a noticeable amount of theming for an investment that would be extremely unlikely to bring new guests into the park, therefore there would be very little to advertise.
 
Honestly I think if it is true that there was a plan refurb for Galactica that has been cancelled, I'm guessing that given Merlin's current poor financial state means that this was the last chance for something to happen to that ride and now with all plans for the park totally up in the air, they'll just let it rumble on and wear it down until it gets the chop.

It'll be strange to think that now Galactica and Rita will be playing Russian Roulette at going first.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Towers are deliberating whether to remove it all together. It's coming up to the end of its intended service life (in about 2-3 years), and with each craft costing about £1 million each, all it takes is for one to be unrepairable and the costs will begin to mount.

It's a big patch of land that could be served for something a lot better, especially if they expand onto the car park behind.
 
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Although it does appear that some B&Ms are now coming towards the end of their lives (although I still think in many cases, this is the parks just making decisions to remove and replace them), Galactica is not one of them. It's only 22 year old, and will have at least another 10 years I would imagine.
 
Rob said:
Although it does appear that some B&Ms are now coming towards the end of their lives (although I still think in many cases, this is the parks just making decisions to remove and replace them), Galactica is not one of them. It's only 22 year old, and will have at least another 10 years I would imagine.
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Yeah, manta (which opened in 2009) is still open, and it is open year round unlike Galactica.

I feel like Galactica may go early but just due to the unreliability of the seats or electronics (normally at least one seat is down and they always have to check certain seats) I am guessing for later ride models B&M came out with newer seat designs which are more reliable, and I could see it being quite expensive to fix the issue, whilst the electronics appears to be not much of a problem they are very complex, and probably expensive.
 
It makes sense logically to create a new entrance plaza close to Galactica, or on where it sits.

Removes the need for the monorail or a replacement system. Then turn current entrance into a new hotel with an incredible towers view, or a more upmarket food and entertainment location.

New entrance would need some work to replace the magic (yeah I said it) feeling of walking through Towers entrance and seeing that naturally beautiful house and grounds.

Air/Galactica is still cool for new visitors, but like many rides stuck in limbo, they are not investing and that means the experience is gradually deteriorating each season.

Lots of coasters have been planned for FV area in the past decade or so, obviously AT see it as prime space that they can get permission to use. One of those new Intamin family coasters could be a perfect compliment/replacement to Galactica.
 
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