Photo Credit to Theme Park Guide

Looks like The Blade is being dismantled

1 minute ago, MilesK said:

Photo Credit to Theme Park Guide

Looks like The Blade is being dismantled

I loved the Blade in July! Such a short queue so you could always get back row, and lots of airtime!

Could potentially be part of winter maintenance? 

 

I know it's not common to dismantle swinging ships during off season , but always a possibility...

9 minutes ago, BaronC. said:

Could potentially be part of winter maintenance? 

 

I know it's not common to dismantle swinging ships during off season , but always a possibility...

Hopefully...

I hope to Towers the ride is only going through extensive maintenance rather than removal/demolition.

 

I know it's one of the oldest rides and not the best swinging shop, but it's loss would leave just Enterprise as the last thrilling flat. 

 

Towers need a few more flat rides, if not major support attractions aside from the coasters.

I'm sure it'll just be hefty maintenance, they wouldn't remove another flat ride in full knowledge that the park already falls flat on its face on busy days (as of this year) due to not enough rides.

 

...oh wait, they don't care.

The park definitely needs all the flats they can get, but I wouldn't go as far to say they don't care..

I think the park is focusing more on the families recently with constant Cbeebies Land expansions..

The park is struggling, they receive nearly monthly beatings in the media, but hopefully this will calm down as time goes by.

Merlin may have not dealt with it ideally, but I think me bashing Merlin now would be like beating a dead horse..

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Take this as you like. Source-Alton Towers Facebook

Whilst it could go either way, I can't say I am overly optimistic here.

Hope blade stays its a great ride because otherwise your just left with enterprise which is very sickening and not a great ride I know its old but its still great especially at the back and I'm hoping Alton towers do the right thing by keeping it 

It's 50/50. It could stay, it could go.

I do hope it stays!

Honestly the lack of flats and filler rides is already worrying, but this could make it even worse. Sort yourself out Towers.

Tbf so long as Hex and Sub Terra come back I won't really mind if The Blade goes

I am pretty certain Sub Terra is never coming back and I would be surprised if hex returns next year as well.

If blade goes then Alton will somehow become worse than it is now which would be a major achievement.

Sure when Buccaneer had this happen to it recently there was little to no reaction about it...

 

I doubt Blade is on the chopping block anymore since the SW location changed and seemingly all the enthusiasts were desperate to save it the other year...

Blade I'd utter garbage and I struggle to understand why anyone cares whether it stays.

I like pirate ships, but this one has no force behind it somehow. 

6 hours ago, pluk said:

Blade I'd utter garbage and I struggle to understand why anyone cares whether it stays.

I like pirate ships, but this one has no force behind it somehow. 

I think it's more the case of the park possibly losing another flat/support ride rather than Blade actually being any good.

 

In just three years, Towers have gone down from four major flats to just one (if Blade does go). 

 

The park in it's current state really lacks support rides as outside the coasters and Beeb land, there's only two water rides, two dark rides (at most), teacups, a chair swing, a transport ride, Ice age and an ageing enterprise remaining. 

Let's not pretend that Submission and Ripsaw were ever considered major flats... Rewriting history is not a good choice from this perspective... I can't even remember what other major flat has even been removed in the past few years either...

 

Towers has never been the best for support rides anyway, even when Dynamo and Boneshaker existed...

It used to have masses of flavour of the month flat rides, as you say since 2005 its flat rides have never been the main draw of going to Towers and were never any good as support rides. I don't think Blade will go anyway and I'd be surprised if Hex doesn't re-open next year either.

 

 

First time I went there it was nothing but flat rides, oh how times have changed.

I don't rate Blade but removal without replacement would still be awful IMO.

 

Flat rides help alleviate crowds during busy times, which IMO should be a priority for theme parks, especially at a park like Alton Towers which is set out in several different areas with large gaps between them - the park is very nearly at a situation now where each area only houses two coasters (Smiler & Oblivion, Nemesis & Air, Thirteen & Rita) with no nearby rides to soak up the queues during busy times.  Blade closing would just add insult to injury at this point.

Also, from an enjoyment point of view there's no substance to the park anymore, whilst there are still a few support rides the bulk of flats/water/dark rides are closed, and IMO it's just tedious to get to an area to find just a couple of rides, all with long queues, and if one of them goes down then it'll just be chaos.

Blade was refurbished to a degree over this closed season (I think it was discussed in the general AT thread), but it has recently been removed:

 

 

Could this finally be the end?

When I first visited Alton Towers there was Blade, Submission, Enterprise and Ripsaw - a decent flat ride offering. It’s such a shame that only Enterprise remains. Aside from the coasters, there’s very little to do at Towers anymore...

Towers desperately needs new support attractions. If you discard the Coasters and Beeb Land, your really just left with Hex, Duel, a now bland Rapids and ageing Enterprise.

 

 

It was closed a few weeks ago, so guessing its either maintenance or time to say bye?

A sign outside the ride has appeared suggesting it's temporary, but we all know in the grand scheme of things this means nothing:

 

 

In any case, it's a shame to see the park lose a flat ride for Scarefest.