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TBC: SW9 Speculation

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I know we’ve always said “Air Car Park” for new coasters , but honestly I would be surprised if that gets used . It would be a really high concentration of coasters at the far end of the park , and that land is the last space they have for Resort expansion - whether that’s entertainment , another Hotel , or a Waterpark expansion . We know Merlin are big on making the resort a destination , and especially with the work that went on to make the Galactica gate usable , I would be surprised if they gave up that space so quickly .

That brings me to what I would like to see from SW9 , and honestly I would not be surprised at the rumoured B&M Surf coaster model being a replacement for Rita. They could really make something truly special that fits the Dark Forest theme and have a greater capacity than Rita
 
I personally would level Dark Forest when Rita leaves and re-do the whole area, it's just a mess. SW9 would be the perfect opportunity.
 
Has anyone convincingly worked out what a surf coaster might be, beyond a copyrighted name? Most stabs in the dark seem be be around a slightly angled position standing coaster, which doesn't sound like much of an innovation to me.
 
pluk said:
Has anyone convincingly worked out what a surf coaster might be, beyond a copyrighted name? Most stabs in the dark seem be be around a slightly angled position standing coaster, which doesn't sound like much of an innovation to me.
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Most people think it could be B&M's take on a multi-launch coaster, but we'll wait and see.
 
Whatever it is, hopefully it won’t end up at Towers. We all know worlds first doesn’t always mean worlds best.
 
Brad97 said:
The first one appears to be going to Sea World Orlando, according to a lien filed by B&M.
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Oh interesting! I look forward to seeing what it is. I kind of think of prototypes like mobile phones. A brand new one comes out, then a year later an improved model of the same phone is released. Hopefully this will be the case for AT for a change :)
 
What I'd love towers to get is an S&S Axis, although it would probably have to be a custom layout as the pre-designed one would be too tall (unless they dug a pit obvs).
 
Matt878787 said:
Oh interesting! I look forward to seeing what it is. I kind of think of prototypes like mobile phones. A brand new one comes out, then a year later an improved model of the same phone is released. Hopefully this will be the case for AT for a change :)
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The lien filed against SeaWorld Orlando would seem to suggest that B&M’s Surf Coaster is some form of launch coaster, so that should be very exciting!
 
tayspru said:
New guest flow and paths are a must ! I can’t see Thirteen going anywhere though :)
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They could fit soo much in that area by removing Rita from it's dumped in the middle position.
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When, realistically, will we likely see any evidence of SW9 being built, if it's even going to happen at all? As in, how long before SW9 opens will we see signs that the park are building it?
 
ATI said:
When, realistically, will we likely see any evidence of SW9 being built, if it's even going to happen at all? As in, how long before SW9 opens will we see signs that the park are building it?
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At a guess, two years before it opens. So for a March 2023 opening we would potentially see things start happening this closed season, or half-way through next.
 
I'd be surprised if anything traditionally SW sized came for 4-5 years now.

There's no way significant investment will be pumped in until they know for sure the time frame for corona virus restrictions to be an absolute thing of the past. You cannot see a return on investment if you are already running at a pretty much full (reduced) capacity. Realistically, even with all the talk of vaccines on the horizons, that it'll not be known for sure for the next year or so. No one knows what the virus will do in the long term.

So if that's the starting point we'll be looking at a couple of years beyond that. And with the investments split across the estate I imagine something bigger coming to both Thorpe and (miracle of miracles) Chessington before Towers get to dip their fingers in the purse.

In the mean time I hope beyond hope that they take the opportunity to stick in a couple of high capacity thriller filler flats. More marketable in grater numbers (remember Thorpe's 'holy trinity' fire damage recovery marking which was quite successful), less susceptible to distancing issues whatever the future holds, and will hit the parks obvious coaster capacity problems. Basically, I demand a polyp. And a breakdance. And maybe something pendulumy. All can be themed well enough to have a place at towers.
 
Personally, if I had to guess, I’d forecast that SW9 might come in 2023-2024. There is still a remote chance it could happen in 2022, but I’m by no means expecting 2022 anymore with the way things are going and the fact that we haven’t had any form of planning application or even indication that the park has something on the way besides a few rumours that came out pre-COVID. However, anything is possible, I suppose. But if I had to guess, I’d put my bets on 2023-2024. The chances of a vaccine being available by the end of the year are growing, so by 2021, I reckon the situation will have improved to some degree, and the future may look a little more clear even if it hasn’t been completely resolved. Major projects tend to get green lighted about 2-3 years in advance, which would take us to about that 2023-2024 timeframe if we’re assuming that they reuse whatever they had planned pre-COVID in some capacity and green light it for development in 2021.

Besides, if you look at most other theme park operators, they seem to merely be delaying their plans by a year or two as opposed to cancelling outright, or even just pressing ahead as they’d planned in some cases.

If something major hasn’t happened by 2025, I’ll be surprised.
 
Matt N said:
Besides, if you look at most other theme park operators, they seem to merely be delaying their plans by a year or two as opposed to cancelling outright, or even just pressing ahead as they’d planned in some cases.
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Plans that are delayed by a year or so are, by the fact that we know about them, quite a long way down the process, most likely with contracts signed and an amount of investment already made that is beyond the point of no return financially. I expect a huuuuge industry lull beyond the things we already know about.
 
pluk said:
Plans that are delayed by a year or so are, by the fact that we know about them, quite a long way down the process, most likely with contracts signed and an amount of investment already made that is beyond the point of no return financially. I expect a huuuuge industry lull beyond the things we already know about.
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However, it’s not just stuff that’s far along; for example, Walibi Belgium has merely delayed the end of its expansion to 2025 from 2023. With an expansion due to be finished in 2023, it was bound to still be in a pretty early stage of development, so they could quite easily have just canned it instead of delaying to 2025.

Besides, even if major investment into parks reduces over the coming years, I fully believe that it will never truly dry up. Somewhere in the world, there’s bound to be parks that want to do something big.

@MakoMania had quite a good quote a page or two back that I think is worth bringing up:
MakoMania said:
The certainty being expressed by some that any new projects won't go ahead reminds me of the same unquestionable certainty expressed only weeks ago that theme parks would not open in 2020.

The simple truth is we just don't know.
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Matt N said:
However, it’s not just stuff that’s far along; for example, Walibi Belgium has merely delayed the end of its expansion to 2025 from 2023. With an expansion due to be finished in 2023, it was bound to still be in a pretty early stage of development, so they could quite easily have just canned it instead of delaying to 2025.

Besides, even if major investment into parks reduces over the coming years, I fully believe that it will never truly dry up. Somewhere in the world, there’s bound to be parks that want to do something big.

@MakoMania had quite a good quote a page or two back that I think is worth bringing up:
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Oh, there's no certainly from me, it just seems like good business sense decisions that'll be being made. I don't know what Wallabi have up their sleeve, not a park I follow, but if we are talking large scale expansion I'd be sure deals would already have been at the point of no return contractually and financially if opening is was due in 2 and a half years.

I suppose the greatest unknown in all of this when it comes to Towers is how Merlin's new owners plan to invest and what direction they want to take the whole business in. Right now, at this moment, only a fool would be looking to expand in the themepark market with no real potential for returns. That being said for all we know Towers might have plans set aside they can dust off as soon as the moment is right. I doubt it though.

I'm a betting man, and I'd put a decent wager on a 4+ year wait for a new SW. Set your alarm, I'll meet you back here midway through 2024 and we'll see how things have gone... Maybe the world will have beaten some of that relentless optimism out of you by then! :smile::smile: ...or maybe I'll be strapped in to Towers new hypercoaster in a 200 foot pit...
 
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