Ringo Posted September 29, 2020 Report Share Posted September 29, 2020 Towers have officially announced that fireworks are cancelled this year and the last weekend is now a current ticket holders and passholders only. https://www.altontowers.com/explore/events/fireworks/#what-will-you-be-doing-instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobF Posted September 30, 2020 Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 Visited towers today although was just a kids visit , the park was deserted I cant even say it was this quiet post smiler and 10-6 opening is a surprise. As we went for my kids no coasters for me today 😞. have to say though the offering for younger kids seems to be declining at towers with the loss of attractions for the likes of dungeons and rides that have been sbno. Enterprise has some pretty semi perm/long term looking signage about its future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuntman707 Posted October 25, 2020 Report Share Posted October 25, 2020 New documentary incoming: https://www.facebook.com/180942845798477/posts/773516373207785/?d=n Mattgwise and Cal 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringo Posted November 10, 2020 Report Share Posted November 10, 2020 Towers are reopening starting this Friday for Gardens only so you can get your required exercise. https://www.altontowers.com/tickets-passes/alton-towers-gardens/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitch Posted March 7, 2021 Report Share Posted March 7, 2021 So funfair rides have gone in. I like the idea, each extra ride will help increase their capacity limitations and perhaps therefore allow more Map holders in. logistically though I can see this being nightmare. For example will we see a RAP queue? the only way I see it working is with an up charge but apparently Towers have hired them out. Merlin have done this before, Heide park for instance had the WW haunted mansion for a 4 euro up charge. Also will the showmen have to go through the training requirements of a usual staff member, will be interesting to see how this app works out and who knows if it does work, I think it will be a good idea. I guess this also confirms the new world won’t be opening anytime soon. The park maps may be rare though so if anyone gets one with the funfair rides, grab me one too. 😜 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LK_ Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 I assume the cycles will be short and probably not ran at full speed either tbh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobF Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Will be interesting to see if Alton are operating and maintaining themselves or if they have hired with staff provided. All in all the ripsaw site is back in use, will be interesting to see where they put the dodgems and waltzer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 I'm happy. Could they throw in a breakdance for good measure. And not one of those rubbish barrel ones, a proper one. pluk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 What it does show up is that the Towers line up is sorely lacking in support attractions, so hopefully these will be deemed a success by the higher ups and might see some permanent ones put in the future. Especially when you consider the amount of rides that the park has closed without direct replacement in the past few years. Cal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Doyle Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Got sent this cracker earlier 🤣🤣 Well. I suppose we did want flat rides at Alton Towers and they gave us flat rides!! Cant see any reason to complain I suppose!! pluk and Inferno 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inferno Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 My first thought is that it's quite embarrassing that the UK's "number one theme park" has to hire in a load of fairground rides to keep themselves going. I really hope this screams to Merlin how bad things have got over the past few years. Saying that though, this is better than nothing isn't it, and I can understand they will want to sell as many tickets as possible this year to get the most from the season after last year. Also weren't Detonator and Zodiac temporary fairground rides that stuck around? 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Zodiac was definitely, but it at least got a lick of paint and themeing before it died and got replaced by Drayton's one. Can't remember with Det. Probably was given the location on WWH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobF Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 4 minutes ago, Benin said: Zodiac was definitely, but it at least got a lick of paint and themeing before it died and got replaced by Drayton's one. Can't remember with Det. Probably was given the location on WWH. Detonator was I think granted temporary planning permission, but was later resubmitted to keep it permanently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 14 minutes ago, Inferno said: Also weren't Detonator and Zodiac temporary fairground rides that stuck around? 🤔 An Enterprise was bought in in 2000 shortly after the fire to compensate for the rides which were closed. Not sure if it was the same one which was then used for Zodiac from 2001 until it was replaced in 2006. Detonator is a funny story. The short version: It was bought by the park and installed in the 2001 season too, but the park only applied for temporary planning permission (1 year). It ended up being really popular though, and the park decided to keep it and got permanent permission The long version, for those interested: After the fire in 2000, Thorpe wanted to use the space affected to get a coaster to open in 2001. Their choices were either a Vekoma SLC, or a Rock n Roller Coaster clone, both of which could have been ready by summer 2001. Plans were actually submitted and approved (I can't remember for which one though), but the park then encountered some issues and ultimately had to shelf the project. The project was shelved around October 2000, but the park still wanted something in that location (and by that point, plans for Vortex and Zodiac were well under way). A drop tower had been discussed in the past (for the Lost City area), so that's what they went for. Quick and easy to buy and build, easy to get approval, but always intended to be a quick fix until the park put a coaster on that site. That's why they applied for it to only be there a year. 2001 came and it ended up being one of the most popular rides on park. It was unexpectedly popular, and the park felt that had to keep it. They applied for permission again, but only for another temporary term, this time 5 years. The logic there was that because it is effectively a fairground ride that they rushed in, they weren't sure how popular it would be long term, or how it would fair from a maintenance perspective. 5 years passed and they realised it was fine on all fronts, so they sought, and got, permanent permission. (Let's just take a second to pause here, and be very very grateful for the fact we have Nemesis Inferno over a Vekoma SLC) Fair to say that it is, seemingly, a different story to Towers' situation. ---- As for Towers getting fairground rides temporarily... Yeah, they need flat rides, and that's been a glaring problem for years now. If they only way they can get them is to bring in temporary additions to show there's demand for them, it speaks volumes about the situation the park, and Merlin, are in high up... Inferno, pluk and Matt 236 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Hopefully this paves the way for the second Detty tower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Doyle Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 13 minutes ago, MattyMoo said: Hopefully this paves the way for the second Detty tower. And the top spin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glitch Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 From my opinion, this is a quick fix from operations / health and safety to increase the visitor numbers without going over the maximum capacity insurance has stated. A bit of a loop hole if anything to get more people on park. SteveJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Things be like. Inferno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 13 hours ago, JoshC. said: As for Towers getting fairground rides temporarily... Yeah, they need flat rides, and that's been a glaring problem for years now. If they only way they can get them is to bring in temporary additions to show there's demand for them, it speaks volumes about the situation the park, and Merlin, are in high up... What flat rides should they be getting as permanent additions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Mark9 said: What flat rides should they be getting as permanent additions? Gimme a B Gimme an R Gimme an E Gimme an A Gimme a K Gimme a D Gimme a A Gimme an N Gimme a C Gimme an E ...and a polyp. ... and a tagada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 6 hours ago, Mark9 said: What flat rides should they be getting as permanent additions? A selection of rides I think would add to the line up in form of permanent additions... -Dodgems (would be great in Walliams World) -Zamperla Air Race -Zamperla Nebulaz (ride experience might be average, but it would make for a wonderful spectator ride at the very least) -Wave Swinger -Zierer Family Drop Towers (like Tikal at Phantasialand..though with both Legoland and Paultons getting a pair this year, this might not be the greatest choice) -Technical Park Aerobat (they're a cross between an Enterprise and a Gerst free spin, so it's admittedly more an idea for a replacement for Enterprise...) -Breakdance -Magic carpet I'm not saying they should get all of them, far from it. But if they got any of those rides, I'd be happy. That's not a complete list either, there's no doubt plenty of other options (they could open the Zamperla catalogue to any page, and get whatever they see first, for example) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobF Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 S&S screaming swing in the valley with silencers on air valves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 I'm all in for the breakdance love in this topic. I wonder whatever happened to Dynamo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 +1 for Breakdance and/or Poylp. Bring back Sub Terra too whilst at it. Daft thing is that there's already 3 empty patches of ground (not sure if they've used the old Toadstool area in DW's Land of Stereotypes) available that they could've filled with anything for years and either use upcharge stuff (Ripsaw) or a memorial lawn (Submission). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaWAH Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 Well I guess we asked for flat rides, and we got flat rides (albeit, for a year). I find it surpising that Merlin are happy to invest in basically anything at Alton besides flat rides. Heck they gave them a GCI, a dark ride, but they won't give them a single flat which are pretty inexpensive for the most part. I hope this year proves a point, and that giga breakdance-topspin hybrid will be built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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