The 'flat ride' future

[Matt Creek]

I do think the park needs more supporting rides got their (growing collection of) coasters, but I'm not sure flats is the solution.

I think in this time of day when the industry is being lead on by the likes of the wizarding world of Harry Potter and Cars Land, there is much more of a turn towards immersive experiences in park's as opposed to rides that give you an intense setting (although doesn't stop rides like Helix or Swarm which are both thrill based but heavily themed).

However never say never as some flats are still being built in major park's and even made in to experiences, look at Sky Force at it's a flat ride which constantly involves going upside down, but the overall red arrows/flying theme has made the ride much more than a white knuckle attraction and to a degree more of an experience (aside from its concerning throughput).

Expanding on Ricky's point, Thorpe does suffer with its rides with Rush having constant problems, Samurai very much on its last legs (it hasn't made it to the end of the season for years now, breaks down constantly and has extreme difficulty parking. Even Vortex and Zodiac have been having reliability issues in recent seasons and they're to an extent the reliable ones, don't get me started on Slammer.

 

[smudge]

I think it will be a sad day when there are no thrilling flat rides left in the park (which seems to be on the cards in the very near future).

Flat rides have been an integral part of Alton Towers success, and I feel the park needs more of them to ease congestion at the busiest periods of the day.

I understand that flat rides can't be worked as hard as coasters and run for the same periods of time, but I don't think people would be too fussed if a flat ride had a late opening and early closing to compensate for this.

The park needs flat rides, whether it be a high octane thrill machine or something more family friendly.

Are we forgetting dark rides? FJ is a thrilling Dark Ride for example. I think people these days want more than fairground rides with a hint of theming - they need to be immersed. Only dark rides can achieve this. I love a good flat ride, I really do - although I very much doubt we'll see a new one at towers. Dark rides usually have a higher throughput, are not as high (massive point for towers) and last longer. The possibilities are endless with what can be created - especially in an age where IP's are becoming more prominent. The only negative is that they cost more. All of my favourite flats are massive - Huss Giant Frisbee & S&S Screamin' swing come to mind.

 

[Rick]

I am surprised (and delighted) that Merlin are going forward with a large scale dark ride at Thorpe Park, I think that's a really cool and unexpected thing. I do wonder if it will perhaps be influential in Merlin's strategy in terms of dark rides going forward.

Is X unpopular because it's dull, or is it unpopular because visitors would rather spend their time queuing for rides that they can see?

It's worth remembering that Forbidden Journey cost £134m. That's more than every roller coaster currently at Alton Towers put together and a whole lot more.

If anything, I think Sub-Terra shows that you can't chuck a budget of £4m at a dark ride, perhaps?

 

[Leah]

Think of other parks. Thorpe park has:

• Detonator
• Rush
• Samurai
• Slammer
• Rocky express
• Quantum
• Voted
• The dark secret that is coming next year

So you can't tell me that flats aren't worth investing in. Love to see more flats at Alton because they actually can raise attendance. Take submission. It was advertised well and was the main New attraction that year. On very busy days it had queues in excess of 40 minutes (the smiler was closed on a day I whent and saw it like this, and I did wait). It was only near the end that it was unreliable and only one side worked and the queues were too short.

 

[smudge]

So you can't tell me that flats aren't worth investing in. Love to see more flats at Alton because they actually can raise attendance. Take submission. It was advertised well and was the main New attraction that year. On very busy days it had queues in excess of 40 minutes (the smiler was closed on a day I whent and saw it like this, and I did wait). It was only near the end that it was unreliable and only one side worked and the queues were too short.

This is 2016 (onwards) we're talking about, not 2001 when submission opened or the 90's before that. Theme parks have changed, people have changed, music has changed (sorry, went into Trainspotting for a minute) If a flat ride opened at towers now, attendance would hardly change.

Flat rides quite simply don't 'cut it' anymore. Excuse the ripsaw pun there.

As said before, I love a flat ride, and will miss them at towers.

 

[Leah]

This is 2016 (onwards) we're talking about, not 2001 when submission opened or the 90's before that. Theme parks have changed, people have changed, music has changed (sorry, went into Trainspotting for a minute) If a flat ride opened at towers now, attendance would hardly change.

Flat rides quite simply don't 'cut it' anymore. Excuse the ripsaw pun there.

As said before, I love a flat ride, and will miss them at towers.

I know that generally flats don't get much attention, but if you invest in them more they do. What is better? Submission or pandemonium at Drayton manor.

 

[bluesonichd]

Submission is total amazeballs

 

[AliceHL91]

I think they both have their own good qualities, but submission makes me feel sick

 

[Rick]

This is 2016 (onwards) we're talking about, not 2001 when submission opened or the 90's before that. Theme parks have changed, people have changed, music has changed (sorry, went into Trainspotting for a minute) If a flat ride opened at towers now, attendance would hardly change.

Flat rides quite simply don't 'cut it' anymore. Excuse the ripsaw pun there.

As said before, I love a flat ride, and will miss them at towers.

And not just that, @Leah, Merlin haven't installed any of those flat rides that you mentioned.

Flat rides are a win in the sense that they are quick, relatively cheap to install compared to a coaster, but they're often unreliable, have poor throughput and virtually no opportunity for having a solid band or associated upsell opportunities.

 

[MaxPower]

And not just that, @Leahvirtually no opportunity for having a solid brand or associated upsell opportunities.

Complete rubbish. The brand becomes whatever you make of it, Ripsaw for example had quite a strong brand when it was first built and lots of associated merchandise.

The park at the very least needs some kiddie flat rides for CBeebies land and CCL, which could be easily branded using I.P's.

 

[jon81uk]

Think of other parks. Thorpe park has:

• Detonator
• Rush
• Samurai
• Slammer
• Rocky express
• Quantum
• Voted
• The dark secret that is coming next year

So you can't tell me that flats aren't worth investing in. Love to see more flats at Alton because they actually can raise attendance. Take submission. It was advertised well and was the main New attraction that year. On very busy days it had queues in excess of 40 minutes (the smiler was closed on a day I whent and saw it like this, and I did wait). It was only near the end that it was unreliable and only one side worked and the queues were too short.

All those flats got installed when Thorpe was trying to rebrand as a thrill seeker park and rapidly expand 2001-2005. Look at what Thorpe has installed more recently, Saw, Swarm, Stealth, Angry Birds, I'm a Celeb and next year a dark ride. Theme parks are changing, guests want highly themed experiances, not simple thrill rides that are only a little better than a fairground. Also look at Sub-Terra, Mr Blooms garden and other similar highly themed things. Of course worldwide the Harry Potter is leading the theming ;-)

 

[Rick]

@MaxPower I mean brand in its truest sense. Alton will produce merchandise for anything. Remember when Sub Terra had a shop for a week or so?

Do you think? Alton has a pretty awesome set up for that age group now, without adding a ton of stuff? The key thing they were missing was a kiddie coaster and they got that sorted.

 

[dazza4783]

How about this as a submission/Ripsaw replacement.

 

[AliceHL91]

How about this as a submission/Ripsaw replacement.

That looks awesome!

 

[Rob]

Not sure about that for Towers. abc would need to demonstrate that it could be themed and I have feeling it coud be a reliability nightmare.

Here's an idea though. Huss have announced a re-design of the classic Enterprise ride - the Enterprise G2:

They are also offering the Enterprise 2GH-Plus model which can do this:

One of these new Enterprise's could work as a perfect replacement for our rather old Enterprise in X-Sector. I think it is fair to say that Enterprise saw its better days many years ago and it does appear to require a lot of maintenance work. Something like this would just slot right in!

 

[Leah]

We need one of them. As much as I love enterprise, this would be so much better. Can't imagine that goes much higher or takes up more space than enterprise.

It would take away the thrill of no restraints tho.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Now that would be an awesome replacement for Enterprise! Who knows, Enterprise 2.0 for the future?

 

[AliceHL91]

I would miss being crushed/crushing the person you're sat with.

 

[BreakdanceLover1234]

Since Ripsaw is being removed during the closed season, I could see something like this coming in:

A Gerstlauer Suspended Polyp: Fast, Fun, Can come in park model and can be custom themed, this is a great choice for both thrill seekers and families

 

[Burbs]

Since Ripsaw is being removed during the closed season, I could see something like this coming in:

A Gerstlauer Suspended Polyp: Fast, Fun, Can come in park model and can be custom themed, this is a great choice for both thrill seekers and families

I'm sure @Cheese will agree!