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TBC: SW9 Speculation

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s_g_k said:
What actually was this alleged washing machine element? I’m intrigued ! It was before I joined this forum :D
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I wasn't here then either, but I get the impression that it would have been a piece of trick track that spun you upside down 6 times in a similar fashion to a washing machine during the indoor section in order to claim the inversion record.

Please correct me if I'm wrong there, though...
 
s_g_k said:
What actually was this alleged washing machine element? I’m intrigued ! It was before I joined this forum :D
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Matt N said:
I wasn't here then either, but I get the impression that it would have been a piece of trick track that spun you upside down 6 times in a similar fashion to a washing machine during the indoor section in order to claim the inversion record.

Please correct me if I'm wrong there, though...
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This is an animation of what it could have looked like had it actually been built;



(Click "watch on YouTube" to play it)
 
My unconfirmed understanding - the 'leak' around some of the aspects of The Smiler came from someone with a contact in the team that were contracted to make the graphics displayed on the marmaliser. The representations in those graphics could be interpreted in a number of ways, but one which is used does show a ride vehicle spinning on the spot in a circle. Like a washing machine would.

Which just goes to show, rumours are just that. The person making claim had very good reason to believe it, but anyone who thinks they know something (or believe others claims) before it is demonstrably fact are just setting themselves up to look stupid. Best to keep an open mind with all rumours...
 
James said:
The strangest thing with the washing machine element was a certain fan site confirming it was real and being adamant it was the secret element.
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I think they believed because they were show that 'proof'. And now they look silly.

James said:
The Marmaliser screens show a literal washing machine as a nice little joke/nod to the element that never was.
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As above, I don't think this is a knowing joke, the joke exists because this was misinterpreted by someone with access to the animation.
 
pluk said:
As above, I don't think this is a knowing joke, the joke exists because this was misinterpreted by someone with access to the animation.
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Fortunately, I haven't queued long enough for The Smiler in years to be able to properly recall the animation with any great accuracy, but I believe there is an animation of the car schematics stopped still and spinning as well as some raw footage of an actual washing machine. The former definitely isn't a nod to fanboys, but the latter could be.
 
Apparently JW was seen in near blade in Forbidden Valley yesterday at around 3pn, but was only seen once. SW9-related maybe? 👀
 
s_g_k said:
Yeah, assuming Nemesis retrack is their Capex investment for 2023 which coincides with their 5 year capex plan, it would be fair to assume SW9 is due for 2028.

We don’t need SW9 at the moment, we need flats and indoor fillers.
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I can't see this being the case though - marketing-wise there wouldn't be enough pull to go 10 years with only a re-track of an existing coaster as a major investment. Agreed that there undoubtedly needs to be much more in between major rides, but as we all know the one thing that Merlin know ensures visitors is - you guessed it - a massive rollercoaster 🤔
 
Although coasters are a big draw, flat rides should still keep visitors returning to the park. Ripsaw and Submission both had reasonable adverts to announce they were new and they felt as big an investment as Spinball.
One thrill flat (Ripsaw style) and a more family thrill ride (Boneshaker or Blade level of thrill) together with a CBeebies revamp could all be a good investment one year, adding something for each of the three age groups (under 7 CBeebies, 7-12 family thrill and 13+ big thrills).

They shouldn't really have years like this year where CBeebies is the only addition. A lot of the time in the 90s a new show (Barney, Tweenies) came at the same time as a thrilling ride too.
 
I think we will see a major coaster before 2028 that's just too far away. As has been pointed out coasters are far easier to market and at towers pretty much guarantee some success. Yes the park does need things before SW9 and it will probably get some of them but I don't think we will be waiting until 2028. I'm thinking somewhere around 2025 makes much more sense. This gives them time to add other things and the nemesis retrack with a bit of space in between.
 
It'll be sooner rather than later I think.
Even if the park do make a big song and dance about closing and reopening to the vast majority of guests unless they visit whilst it's being rebuilt probably won't even notice the park has done anything.
 
I’d love a great big new thrill coaster to be announced tomorrow as much as anyone, but I’m just thinking from Merlin’s perspective. Say we get a major permanent flat in 2023 which can be marketed, Nemesis completed for 2024, a new attraction in the dungeons in 2025 followed by another major thrill flat in 2026 and then either another indoor attraction or large family flat in 2027, 2028 for SW9 doesn’t sound too unreasonable does it? That’s without taking into account any new minor attractions, TLC, sub Terra etc
 
Rob said:
I certainly think there will be a major investment before 2028. Whether that is a coaster or not, who knows. You'd imagine it's likely due to the point made by Alistair above - coasters are known winners.

I wouldn't say no to Rita being removed and replaced with a Mack multi-launch.
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The thing it though is that Rita still seems to be massively popular with the general public. All of us on here know that it isn’t a fantastic ride, it’s ok for what it is, great launch but bland layout. But the GP look at it and think “Wow, what a great fast coaster”. If Rita’s job is to provide some moderate thrills and sell lots of fast passes than arguably it’s doing its job and there’s not much incentive for Merlin to replace it. Personally I’d love to see Towers get something along the lines of Taron, a good twisty modern multi-launch but I’m not sure that will happen. Merlin are too fixated on “World’s firsts” and now “high but short” to give us just a really good solid coaster-person’s coaster that we’d all love to see.
 
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Oh FGS can they not just let Wardley have a quiet retirement?

I get that he was big for the mid-90s investments, but he seems to be heralded as a messiah, and any SW must be his brainchild. There are other people out there!
 
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