Back row is good fun on WM, front is neither here nor there. At the end of the day, it's a small GCI with nice theming. It has some decent lats and a few pops. Good fun it is - certainly better at its job than a ride like Th13teen and a GCI like Invadr.
When you say that the ride is “better at its job” than Thirteen and InvadR, are you including the theming in this assessment, or are you referring exclusively to the coaster itself, track and train?
I haven’t ridden InvadR to compare, but I personally prefer Wicker Man to Thirteen by a considerable distance; as much as I really like Thirteen, I think Wicker Man just feels a lot faster, with more (and stronger) airtime, and generally feels a lot more thrilling, while still being pretty smooth, comfortable and rerideable!
Wicker man is arguably Alton towers best ever investment
I certainly would be happy to make that argument; it’s my personal favourite ride on park! I know it’s a bit of a controversial choice, but I rate a coaster based on pure fun factor and rerideability as opposed to out and out intensity, and while Wicker Man is not the most intense coaster I’ve ever been on, it’s easily one of the most fun! For me, Wicker Man strikes the perfect intensity balance in that it’s thrilling and intense enough that you get a kick of out it and feel thrilled by it, but it’s not intense enough to inhibit the ride’s fun factor and rerideability!
If anything, I’d argue that Wicker Man perhaps has the widest appeal of any of Alton Towers’ current roller coasters, and that it’s a really strong investment on those grounds alone; it’s thrilling enough that enthusiasts like you and I still rate it really highly, while it’s not so intense that it’s going to put off a less seasoned rider! To a degree, I’d also argue that the ride’s theming opens it up to a wider crowd; I’d argue that people who are interested in heavily themed experiences and special effects will likely be far more interested in Wicker Man than any of Alton Towers’ other coasters!