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TBC: SW9 Speculation

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Danscott22 said:
I don't know if I've just completely imagined this, but I thought a few years back Spinball was earmarked for removal within the next 10 years or so.
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It's supposedly been retained until now as it can be used as a bargaining chip with SMDC for future SW planning. Along the lines of "If you let us build this, we'll get rid of this garish, loud, obnoxious ride that spoils the view of a renowned heritage structure". More likely though is that they've just not yet been forced to spend the money to replace or get rid of it.
 
If they get rid of it I'd imagine a Mack Extreme Spinner must be high up on the list of replacements. It's one of the more modern spinning coasters obviously, more thrilling and actually would probably suit Towers nicely with the tree height restrictions.

Just not sold on having any new coaster where Spinball currently is. It's out on it's own and feels a bit pointless where it is.
 
Benjsh said:
If they get rid of it I'd imagine a Mack Extreme Spinner must be high up on the list of replacements. It's one of the more modern spinning coasters obviously, more thrilling and actually would probably suit Towers nicely with the tree height restrictions.

Just not sold on having any new coaster where Spinball currently is. It's out on it's own and feels a bit pointless where it is.
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I’m assuming that if Spinball were to be removed, they’d put something far less obtrusive there; a CBeebies expansion would make sense to me. The principle of removing Spinball, a ride which the locals & planners aren’t a fan of, could unlock potential for an ambitious development elsewhere in the park and potentially get the planners on board with giving Towers more rights elsewhere in the park.
 
Matt N said:
I’m assuming that if Spinball were to be removed, they’d put something far less obtrusive there; a CBeebies expansion would make sense to me. The principle of removing Spinball, a ride which the locals & planners aren’t a fan of, could unlock potential for an ambitious development elsewhere in the park and potentially get the planners on board with giving Towers more rights elsewhere in the park.
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I think thats exactly what they will do or they will use it for behind house operations or something. It's just a bit in the middle of nowhere.
 
rob666 said:
Nemesis needs a big tent putting over it to turn it into a dark ride.
That would do as the next SW.
48 pages of random speculation, with no "real food" to chew on.
Two and a half years after opening this topic Matt...no real news still.
Probably for another two and a half years in the current circumstances.
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I know you’re joking but I’ve said several times that Galactica would make a fantastic dark ride if they did it well.

Probably not realistic (the building would probably be over tree height for one thing,) but Galactica as a flying indoor dark ride coaster (with the Galactica theme) would be a fantastic way to deliver the theme that they originally went for with the VR.

Asteroids, supernovas, you could really go to town on that and it would be one of the few examples where a re-theme of an existing ride would, in my eyes, be a legitimate ‘new ride’ or at least ‘new experience.’

The more I think about it, the more sense it makes as even AIR never delivered on the original theme that JW intended. I’m going to hazard a guess that it would be the only indoor flying coaster in the world so Merlin could even tick their ‘world’s first’ box, it would certainly have more legitimacy to it than the Wicker Man straw clutching ‘world first’ which they eventually had to pull as it was clearly rubbish.
 
I wasn't joking.
I really miss the "local" dark coasters, a rainy day staple...I do most of my visits on wet days due to my job.

Putting nemesis in a tent would be reasonably simple due to the quarry hole.

Air would need a tent ten times bigger.
 
rob666 said:
I wasn't joking.
I really miss the "local" dark coasters, a rainy day staple...I do most of my visits on wet days due to my job.

Putting nemesis in a tent would be reasonably simple due to the quarry hole.

Air would need a tent ten times bigger.
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I’d feel sad to lose Nemesis in its current guise, I’m not convinced it needs anything further to make it any better than it already is (although you could expand on the theme as a result of it being indoors certainly.)

Galactica, on the other hand, smacks of an incomplete ride with no cohesion and nothing to support its theme now that the VR has been removed. I know it won’t happen but I think it would be great if it did. I genuinely think if it was pulled off properly (which to be fair, given Merlin’s dark ride track record is unlikely) that you could get something of the quality of Space Mountain de le terre a la Luna from it. The lift hill alone could be fantastic as you’re facing the ground you could have all sorts of theming to look at as you ascend, rather than that themeless mass of trees which you currently get.
 
An Indoor coaster would be great for sw9. Pretty unlikely that's what they will go for but I'd welcome it.

Imagine a longer and more thrilling version of Vanhelsing's factory ( doesn't have to be that exact theme) but with maybe a unique element or two thrown in as you know Merlin like to be different and groundbreaking.
 
AstroDan said:
I honestly think that any talk of SW9 is premature.

I think we're currently inside the bleakest wilderness in terms of capex investment in Alton Towers' history.
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Do you feel that this is down to COVID and the associated complications, or do you feel that this is for a different reason?
 
RoyJess said:
Definitely the Former....

...don't forget any SW is designed to increase gate numbers, currently gate number are capped, so any investment is pointless.
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They should only be capped for the next year or so, however; maybe the next two years at very worst.

Besides, if rumours are true, the attendance cap is seemingly not having too much of an adverse effect on Alton Towers’ finances...

I know that the park’s guest numbers will probably be capped for up to the next year or so, but I maintain my previous stance; if it hasn’t happened by 2025, I’ll be quite surprised.

I don’t think parks are necessarily holding back investment entirely; places are still announcing things, some of which are for quite a long time in the future. I know Futuroscope recently announced a huge expansion plan, for example, which will take them years into the future!
 
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Merlin had already openly stated that large investment capex was being reduced across the RTP estate.

That was before Covid...

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 
RoyJess said:
Definitely the Former....

...don't forget any SW is designed to increase gate numbers, currently gate number are capped, so any investment is pointless.
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and what the park needs is to get the filler rides/shows back instead to help with capacity rather than big new headlines right now.
As has been mentioned several times in this thread, a couple of flat rides and a replacement show or 4D film would probably do a lot for general guest satisfaction right now and will help spread crowds.
 
So we could start by this :
. What coaster type could it be
. Where will it go
. What will it be themed to
. What will it be named
. Which manufacturer will make it
Let me know the answers for what you'd like to see and then I'll give my opinion!
 
Personally, at this point in time, I’m going to go with:
  • Multi-launch coaster
  • Forbidden Valley
  • Themed as a different monster; maybe related in some form to Nemesis
  • Not sure on a name
  • Manufactured by Intamin
 
Matt N said:
Personally, at this point in time, I’m going to go with:
  • Multi-launch coaster
  • Forbidden Valley
  • Themed as a different monster; maybe related in some form to Nemesis
  • Not sure on a name
  • Manufactured by Intamin
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I have to say it sounds like you want it on the space of the Galactica overflow carpark. Well that wouldn't be a bad thing as i heard Alton asked for planning permission to upgrade one of their field car parks recently!
 
Pleasure Beach Valhalla said:
I have to say it sounds like you want it on the space of the Galactica overflow carpark. Well that wouldn't be a bad thing as i heard Alton asked for planning permission to upgrade one of their field car parks recently!
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I was more thinking the huge area at the top of FV; there’s all the empty space left by Ripsaw and Sub-Terra, so if they removed the arcade and potentially Blade, you’d be left with a pretty substantial area to play with!
 
Matt N said:
I was more thinking the huge area at the top of FV; there’s all the empty space left by Ripsaw and Sub-Terra, so if they removed the arcade and potentially Blade, you’d be left with a pretty substantial area to play with!
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I've asked this before and got shown a picture of a map which didn't help. Where would a rollercoaster fit in here as the footprint is pretty small, particularly if we're predicting a launch or even double-launch coaster in this area?

You're going to have to draw on a map a hypothetical coaster and take into consideration the trees and current services and attractions if you're to remove them also.
 
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