• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

TBC: SW9 Speculation

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Jb85 said:
Let us not forget the are now owned by the makers of Lego…in the personal holding company.

Money is no object therefore….

It depends how Kirkbi now want to run Merlin. I suspect they will spend a while looking at the portfolio, listening to guest opinions etc before making radical change. It does seem clear to me though that budgets across the group have increased
Click to expand...
And yet here we are with a proposed coaster at Thorpe that hasn't even been granted planning permission yet, let alone started vertical construction, thats most remarkable features are the size of its lift hill (for a quick headline grabbing USP) and it's bake run.

With Alton Towers shutting at 4 in the summer once again. Yet another flat soon to be dead and buried, the retro squad still in place and no permanent additions seen on the horizon anywhere.

With a dark ride at Gardaland being rethemed by using an aging IP and TV screens.

With an acceleration of the reliance on accomodation fueled by high overnight stay prices mixed with bargain basement park entry off the back of a chocolate bar wrapper across the RTP estate.

With Cuckoo Dungeon Walliams Land continuing to exist unamended for the start of the 2022 season in it's current state.

Whilst the easing of budgets last season was unexpected - as is the Nemesis retrack- I think the cash splashing strategy is being quickly reversed. I'm starting to come to the view that, a couple of years in, the leopard really hasn't changed its spots that much. I still don't think the non LEGO RTP estate is much of a priority for Merlin and I think they'd sell them all in a heartbeat if someone else came along with a wheelbarrow full of cash. I expect that Alton will continue to limp on with 4pm closures, poor F&B facilities and a short gimmicky SW9 to be built in the near future at the expense of the rest of the place.

It wouldn't surprise me if being taken private was an asset stripping style excercise for the RTP's where they whack a paint brush around and build some expensive gimmick attractions whilst running them on a shoe string in order to flog on piece meal to someone else.
 
dazza4783 said:
Unless S&S have got some new concepts coming that haven't been announced yet, the only realistic options for that space would be a 4D freespin, or a Screamin Swing (i.e Rush at Thorpe Park). I'd be happy with either of those.
Click to expand...
As much as I'd love one at Towers, I think we can be certain that it won't be a Screaming Swing in that area because of the height restriction. I could see one fitting in Blade's spot though as it's sunk into the ground.
 
Skyscraper said:
As much as I'd love one at Towers, I think we can be certain that it won't be a Screaming Swing in that area because of the height restriction. I could see one fitting in Blade's spot though as it's sunk into the ground.
Click to expand...
Not sure a Screaming Swing is actually that tall, would it really be significantly taller than Oblivion?
 
Matt.GC said:
With a dark ride at Gardaland being rethemed by using an aging IP and TV screens.
Click to expand...
Agreed with your whole post except this. I haven’t ridden so can’t comment on the ride presentation but Jumanji is current, forget the Robin Williams film, there is another film in the current series in the works.
 
If S&S were looking at the sites I can see a flat ride being put permanently in one of the 2 spots- maybe even like a 2 for 1 deal
 
Danscott22 said:
If S&S were looking at the sites I can see a flat ride being put permanently in one of the 2 spots- maybe even like a 2 for 1 deal
Click to expand...
Only flats they do are Shot Towers and Screamin Swings mind.
Would probably be too tall, but one of these would be nice.

 
Last edited:
If both are too talk then it does make you wonder why they were looking there - but Towers assumably now know internally that Enterprise is dead and it’s gonna cause even more issues with no RS next year. Who knows
 
A free spin would be a great addition to the park. I can personally see them just getting the one permanent attraction rather than 2, but a big one which is heavily marketed. They can then utilise both existing queuelines.

Paint it yellow and black and call it Marmaliser.
 
Perhaps Merlin have decided to give their Sky Swatter a second life? Carrying on the proud tradition of mildly uncomfortable rides of the X-Sector. :smile:

Seriously though, I believe a Screaming Swing would fit within the GDO height restriction for the X Sector. I wouldn't be made about it if that type of ride were to appear down there... though it would display a certain lack of imagination from Merlin to clone Rush so nearby.
 
Sorry I can’t find the post re S&S
Which sites were they looking at?

Realistically each of the parks main areas now needs two flats….. so that’s at least £10m they would need to commit to achieve this.

Could we see 3/4 next year, like Thorpe did? And a Duel update?
 
jon81uk said:
Agreed with your whole post except this. I haven’t ridden so can’t comment on the ride presentation but Jumanji is current, forget the Robin Williams film, there is another film in the current series in the works.
Click to expand...
It’s worth noting that Gardaland also didn’t retheme Jumanji; it was a brand new dark ride costing €20m!
 
Jb85 said:
Sorry I can’t find the post re S&S
Which sites were they looking at?

Realistically each of the parks main areas now needs two flats….. so that’s at least £10m they would need to commit to achieve this.

Could we see 3/4 next year, like Thorpe did? And a Duel update?
Click to expand...
X Sector, where Spinjam and Enterprise are.

@AT86 I was thinking about that, they are indeed very noisy attractions. A 4D Freespin would probably be more realistic in that respect, although the low capacity and throughput would be an issue.
 
Skyscraper said:
As much as I'd love one at Towers, I think we can be certain that it won't be a Screaming Swing in that area because of the height restriction. I could see one fitting in Blade's spot though as it's sunk into the ground.
Click to expand...
Screamin Swings range in height from around 50 ft to around 130 ft. While they wouldn't be able to put the tallest one in there, without digging down, they could definitely put one of the smaller ones in there.
Regarding the sound, yes they do tend to be quite loud but not sure it would be much louder, if at all louder than Oblivion's brake run.
Although I do think a 4D free spin may well be the more likely of the options, would be my preferred option of the 2 mentioned.
 
If Enterprise is indeed dead I'd honestly like to see Alton Towers get both a 4D Free Spin and Screaming Swing, as unlikely as it is, to make up the loss of support attractions over the years. A Screaming Swing would compliment X-Sector's lineup well and a Freespin would definitely bridge the gap of new a new thrill coaster if SW9 is a dark or water ride. Even if they're just the smaller models for both attractions, I believe Merlin could develop something unique in terms of effects or theme to make them stand out from the others.

If they also got a new incarnation of Sub Terra in whatever capacity, they will certainly have a solid support lineup of attractions that not only bridge the gap between the family rides and major coasters but large queue soakers as to not have the queues of the major coasters drastically inflated if one of them were to suffer significant downtime.
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top