TBC: SW9 Speculation

[Matt N]

I just think Thorpe is in need of a big new ride, definitely thrill, probably best as a coaster. That is not what Alton needs now - it has 2 major issues that need rectifying: new permanent flats (thrill) but also more family rides - the issue right now is that for a child that is too old for CBeebies but too small for big thrills have only a handful of rides catering to them. Proper, good quality family rides are desperately needed. Gangsta Granny is a start, but more is needed. Duel is in a dire state, CRR is a shadow of its former self, Battle Galleons doesn’t have wide appeal, it only really leaves RMT, which is old and hardly world class anymore. While I personally would love more dark rides, a true new family coaster would be great (Thirteen is too dark a theme, Spinball and Wicker Man too thrill).

I’d be extremely surprised if Thorpe’s was anything besides a thrill coaster myself. Given that it’s been nearly 10 years since Thorpe’s last thrill coaster, and their last major investment was a non-coaster, I think it does certainly indicate we might be in for a thrill coaster, unless Thorpe goes down the family route.

As for Alton, I reckon a family coaster might be more likely than at Thorpe. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see something more middle-ground that tackles other parts of the lineup, like a water coaster or indoor coaster.

 

[Matt.GC]

We keep coming back to the fact there's really no need for an SW9 right now with the state the park is in and I think AT know this so that'll push any potential date back. I can't see them going for another 1.2 coaster after Wickerman either.

If I had my way, they'd get Walliams World sorted with a new quality dark ride in the Around the World building and a new show in the cinema. KC would get some love with a new family flat and retheme of RMT and CRR (and some theming in the tunne), the Duel issue dealt with, a permanent show somewhere and perhaps a mixture of themed family and thrill flats in DF and XS.

I'd also like to see something new non coaster related in the park. Not sure what, along the lines of a Flying theater. Something that the park hasn't had before/for a long time that all the family can enjoy and adults would also want to ride when visiting on their own.

I wouldn't be looking to add another coaster until all that is sorted first but if I did, a Mack Mega or Intamin Blitz loaded with air time seems like a no brainer to me. Solves 3 of Towers problems in one go as it'll give the park a decent launch coaster and the air time the park just does not have and both coasters can easily be designed to stay below the tree line. Perhaps starting around the Blade sight, shooting and floating around Forbidden Valley.

 

[JAperson]

Whether there’s a need in the parks lineup for SW9 is irrelevant. What we need to be asking is whether that will stop them building it? Which I highly doubt it will. They built WickerMan to get people back after the smiler crash they will want a new coaster to bring people back after the pandemic. I think there’s a 50/50 chance if it’ll be family or thrill. The year of opening it the bit I’m struggling with: I can’t see them waiting until 2025 but Thorpe and chessington coaster are due in the year leading up to it.

 

[Bert2theSpark]

new coaster to bring people back after the pandemic

I'd disagree, with the restrictions eased but foreign travel still restricted, the pandemic has probably caused a spike in attendance this season and the slump in attendance from restrictions is over, if anything they will need to invest in something big to maintain/continue to grow when they have to compete with international travel again. Think about how many people planned a staycation to Alton Towers instead of going to Florida over the summer due to pandemic restrictions and uncertainty.

I think there’s a 50/50 chance if it’ll be family or thrill

I don't see SW9 being a coaster that's either strictly family or thrill, as recent coasters have lower height restrictions and aren't as intimidating like Taron, Untamed, Ride to Happiness, Helix, Lost Gravity, Velocicoaster etc. These coasters have a wider target audience compared to rides like Nemesis, Oblivion or Smiler due to lower height restrictions and less imposing themes whilst still being a compelling theme that would appeal to the 16-25 year old thrillseeker demographic but wouldn't put off too many families with children aged 8+. Personally I hope SW9 is something thrilling but isn't a 1.4m coaster but I'm unsure what model of coaster since there's no real immediate gap in the coaster line-up.

 

[JAperson]

disagree, with the restrictions eased but foreign travel still restricted, the pandemic has probably caused a spike in attendance this season and the slump in attendance from restrictions is over, if anything they will need to invest in something big to maintain/continue to grow when they have to compete with international travel again. Think about how many people planned a staycation to Alton Towers instead of going to Florida over the summer due to pandemic restrictions and uncertainty.

Yeah that’s sort of what I was aiming for. They really need to keep the numbers as high as they where in the summer months this year. I expect a small drop next year so attempting to keep the audiences who had a good time is key for the future of Alton.

don't see SW9 being a coaster that's either strictly family or thrill, as recent coasters have lower height restrictions and aren't as intimidating like Taron, Untamed, Ride to Happiness, Helix, Lost Gravity, Velocicoaster etc. These coasters have a wider target audience compared to rides like Nemesis, Oblivion or Smiler due to lower height restrictions and less imposing themes whilst still being a compelling theme that would appeal to the 16-25 year old thrillseeker demographic but wouldn't put off too many families with children aged 8+. Personally I hope SW9 is something thrilling but isn't a 1.4m coaster but I'm unsure what model of coaster since there's no real immediate gap in the coaster line-up.

I agree to an extend in that I think if it’s thrill it’ll have a lower restriction than 1.4m but I think if it’s family it’s likely to be 1.2m or lower. I do think there is a small chance of it being a 1.4m ride but we shall see. If it’s a B&M it’s likely to be 1.4m as even there new family ride as chessington is 1.4m so clearly they don’t like lower height restriction restraints.

 

[s_g_k]

I reckon SW9 will be a thrill coaster (I think it may be a water coaster with some sort of worlds first) but I don’t think we’re in any major rush for it because of the amount of other things that need sorting out before hand.

If money was no object, my pipe dream 3 year plan if I owned the park would be: renovate Duel and CRR, turn the dungeons back into a family dark ride, move Spinball to TWoDW and put it indoors with a disco ball theme, turn adventure land into “The Alton Fair” and stick a few vintage fairly non descript flats there (and don’t try to mask the area for what it is - a small area for families to enjoy), put in permanent flats in FV, X Sector and DF and reopen a couple of the mothballed catering units.

Only then would I build SW9.

It’ll never happen, but we can dream!

 

[JAperson]

I reckon SW9 will be a thrill coaster (I think it may be a water coaster with some sort of worlds first) but I don’t think we’re in any major rush for it because of the amount of other things that need sorting out before hand.

If money was no object, my pipe dream 3 year plan if I owned the park would be: renovate Duel and CRR, turn the dungeons back into a family dark ride, move Spinball to TWoDW and put it indoors with a disco ball theme, turn adventure land into “The Alton Fair” and stick a few vintage fairly non descript flats there (and don’t try to mask the area for what it is - a small area for families to enjoy), put in permanent flats in FV, X Sector and DF and reopen a couple of the mothballed catering units.

Only then would I build SW9.

It’ll never happen, but we can dream!

I love this plan! I dont think Alton Towers will bother with a water coaster and to be honest I wouldn't want one.

 

[s_g_k]

I love this plan! I dont think Alton Towers will bother with a water coaster and to be honest I wouldn't want one.

Thanks! I forgot to add also a permanent indoor show venue too.

The reason I said water coaster is because when AT had the “design your own park map” on their website, there was an option to “do something new” and the option they gave was an indoor water coaster. I think the other option was an underground coaster, which I really hope they don’t do because it’ll no doubt mean yet another dark theme!

 

[JAperson]

Thanks! I forgot to add also a permanent indoor show venue too.

The reason I said water coaster is because when AT had the “design your own park map” on their website, there was an option to “do something new” and the option they gave was an indoor water coaster. I think the other option was an underground feature, which I really hope they don’t do because it’ll no doubt mean yet another dark theme!

I know about that but I just don't think it'd be any good and to be honest. I think the ride would just have so many technical issues and effect problems. I think it'd cost fortune. I think its an option they've looked at but I hope they don't for it. If still be excited for it of course. The one thing is I hope its not an IP. SWs should not be IP as they should be immortal and not just relevant to the time they were built. That's why they are all still so liked today.

 

[s_g_k]

I know about that but I just don't think it'd be any good and to be honest. I think the ride would just have so many technical issues and effect problems. I think it'd cost fortune. I think its an option they've looked at but I hope they don't for it. If still be excited for it of course. The one thing is I hope its not an IP. SWs should not be IP as they should be immortal and not just relevant to the time they were built. That's why they are all still so liked today.

100% agree that it shouldn’t have an IP. If they did end up doing a water coaster then it would have to be pretty special because most I’ve seen have pretty boring layouts.
Let’s just hope we don’t end up with Paul Daniels Ghost Train.

 

[JAperson]

100% agree that it shouldn’t have an IP. If they did end up doing a water coaster then it would have to be pretty special because most I’ve seen have pretty boring layouts.
Let’s just hope we don’t end up with Paul Daniels Ghost Train.

I was thinking it might be a Walliams IP or something like that and I really don't want them to do that.

 

[AT86]

Hopefully Merlin don’t feel the need for an IP when it comes to SW projects. They only go for IP’s when they feel that it will increase the attractiveness of the attraction and pull people in.

SW projects at Towers have proven time after time that they pull in the crowds without the need to spend money on an IP. I hope that continues.

 

[s_g_k]

IPs are short term wins for current trends and in my opinion are an incredibly lazy way of pulling in the punters. I still miss Toyland Tours which was an incredibly well themed original dark ride that was just pure magic to ride ( could also be my childhood nostalgia kicking in! )

I really hope we don’t end up with an IP for SW9 and to be honest I don’t think AT would go for one for a SW. It would be a hell of a gamble on a multimillion pound investment if they did.

 

[JAperson]

IPs are short term wins for current trends and in my opinion are an incredibly lazy way of pulling in the punters. I still miss Toyland Tours which was an incredibly well themed original dark ride that was just pure magic to ride ( could also be my childhood nostalgia kicking in! )

I really hope we don’t end up with an IP for SW9 and to be honest I don’t think AT would go for one for a SW. It would be a hell of a gamble on a multimillion pound investment if they did.

You do have to remember the creative team are humans and they are naturally proud in the work. They know the tradition and history of the SWs and i think they'll want to keep them in the same type and quality.

So in that regard its the higher ups and big wigs who could insist on an IP like they do the killer image but Nick Varney must care about Alton Towers as he used to work there and was a big part of the development of nemesis.

 

[pluk]

SW level investments are effectively marketing tools to get people into the park but have little to do with how much guests enjoy their whole day.

With post pandemic domestic freedom but international restriction the park does not need that very expensive sort of marketing, that's likely to continue to an extent fir a couple of years. The getting people there part is free at the moment, so all the effort (and money) really must go into guest enjoyment; support rides, operations, events, presentation etc. Get that right and they need far less marketing spend in future years as people want to go back.

Retro squad was absolutely the right thing to do this year as a quick fix, now they need to do the same thing with permanent installations. SWs can wait.

 

[s_g_k]

I’ve noticed that AT have been referencing SW9 on Twitter a number of times over the last week, the most recent comments have been where AT have replied to a user who said a Vekoma Shockwave would be a good SW9 choice and CRR replacement, only for AT to reply saying “it’s not quite SW9 is it”. The other occasion was where AT commented on a picture of Oblivion with the moon behind it saying something along the lines of a coaster to the moon would be make a great SW9 - a slight hint at a theme perhaps?

It’s probably absolutely nothing but it’s fun to see them starting to mention it. Perhaps some news is due soon?

Edit: example here

 

[Gingerminks]

Hoping for some sort of wing coaster, due to height restrictions I can see it being a launch version probably not going to happen but one can hope

 

[Gingerminks]

100% agree that it shouldn’t have an IP. If they did end up doing a water coaster then it would have to be pretty special because most I’ve seen have pretty boring layouts.
Let’s just hope we don’t end up with Paul Daniels Ghost Train.

Coming to an Alton Towers near you Paul Daniels haunted subway

 

[Skyscraper]

Hoping for some sort of wing coaster, due to height restrictions I can see it being a launch version probably not going to happen but one can hope

Unlikely I think as Chessy's next coaster is rumoured to be a wing.

 

[s_g_k]

Whilst I love SW9 speculation as much as anyone, there’s a long list of things that need sorting before they put all their focus on building SW9 - flats, 4D cinema in TWoDW, gutting the dungeon and turning it back to a family dark ride and a couple of new food outlets just to name a few things off the top of my head