June 9, 20178 yr comment_250209 I don't think he even wanted that, or has in fact had any influence on the result of the coasters for the last 15 years. John's main role with new coasters seems to be making suggestions on layouts which are rarely listened to and to turn up on opening day to support everyone's ego when things are turning into a shambles. But still it's disappointing to see him become somewhat brainwashed / disillusioned through his time with Merlin. The Q&A is supposedly from the recent Towers Times thing when he was asked about SW8, I was told by a friend who was there but who knows, hopefully the whole thing was recorded.
June 13, 20178 yr comment_250275 Why is everyone double guessing what the theme might be when the themed structure is so obviously a bloody cow. I mean for god's sake, it's not rocket science. The udder is right there. You guys were laughing when you called the almighty M£rlin a cash cow, but with Cash Cow: The Ride 3D VR, who's laughing now?
June 15, 20178 yr comment_250287 From Tatenhill Airfield FB A nice overview of the site, and it's quite easy to see how much of the layout is already marked out.
July 15, 20178 yr comment_250897 Wow interest is low on this... We have a lift hill (ish): We have a building: We have DIRT: We have a themed structure (I'm sure the scaffolding is temporary ): All photos taken today from the lovely Towers Street Facebook page! Work seems to be progressing nicely.
July 15, 20178 yr comment_250906 I road mystic timbers at KI and that thing was relentless from the moment it left the lifthill, it did not let up! the turns, airtime and everything was amazing! not to mention glass smooth! I really really hope that this will be even half as good at MT!
July 15, 20178 yr comment_250908 I seriously doubt this will be even half as good as mystic timbers. It is one of the most lack luster layouts for a new ride they could ever have come up with. The lack of interest in the ride is a good indication that people just don't care about it and I think the ride will be forever haunted by the thought of what it could have been.
July 16, 20178 yr comment_250916 Or people just miss the Flume already. Albeit it fell pretty run down, but, ducks. And bathtubs. And mm, cosy! This doesn't get me excited, nope, no *ahem* wood from me.
July 16, 20178 yr comment_250932 Have people forgotten how massively towers can alter the layouts of rides from the MTDP to when it's being genuinely constructed? Like seriously, we were literally trolled by the smiler. Have you forgotten that all? Heights, banking, and even some elements can all be altered when being constructed. Whilst the concept does look lack luster there are already signs on the construction site that elements will be different to what we previously could expect..
July 16, 20178 yr comment_250933 That's only if the planning area is in the GDO though, otherwise Towers have to plan to the millimetre. Smiler was covered by the GDO, hence the extra inversions. I believe that SW8 is half covered by the GDO, with the bottom of the site (ie the end with the theming feature) there. However I don't know whether enough of it is covered for there to be any significant changes to the layout.
July 16, 20178 yr comment_250934 I think the Smiler's planning application only masked the extra inversions to keep the world record a secret a bit longer. No one knows what it's like to ride until it opens, but still gives an accurate ballpark impression I suppose for people who can 'read' coaster plans. I fink it will be a bit better than people are expecting but no where near what could've been. Not the wooden coaster Alton Towers needed but a beefing out of the coaster line up beyond just 1 minute steel coasters. We have a 1 minute wooden coaster now too! Generally planning applications must show exactly what the park intend to build structure-wise. Details and aesthetics, not so much depending on the area it falls in. A Mid Term plan is just a forecast and will see many changes, but the project's final planning application will be accurate except under certain circumstances (like Smiler's redesigned pits and walkways, which was caused by incorrect planning and didn't need to be resubmitted presumably because of the GDO)
July 17, 20178 yr comment_250963 SW8 gives me a reason to visit Towers next year, that's already agreed between my friends and I - although I best not book any accommodation for a little while, what with the previous track records for opening dates. I have to say though, SW8 does seem to be progressing nicely. I'm sure the dry weather has helped greatly - if I recall, the summer when the Smiler was built was particularly wet!
July 17, 20178 yr comment_250972 7 hours ago, MattyMoo said: SW8 gives me a reason to visit Towers next year, that's already agreed between my friends and I - although I best not book any accommodation for a little while, what with the previous track records for opening dates. I have to say though, SW8 does seem to be progressing nicely. I'm sure the dry weather has helped greatly - if I recall, the summer when the Smiler was built was particularly wet! Building control also stopped and held up construction with the smiler, I believe the contractors were replaced due to the issue
August 5, 20178 yr comment_251516 Still no real interest for this on here? Oh well, this might spark something... TV screens around the construction site - maybe marketing is set to start sooner rather than later? Lift hill WOOD Photos from TPW's FB. More exciting stuff is that Universal Rocks, the company who did Klugheim's theming at Phantasialand and a lot of Europa Park's theming, are currently on park, and eagle-eyed geeks have seen them by the main theming feature... Photo from TPG FB.
August 5, 20178 yr comment_251518 Very kewl. Looking great, what a turn up for the books. I think interest is low on the internet generally because of past sore disappointments/misleading hype before the ride actually opens, and that this is obviously set to be more a family thrills coaster. But looks like a fun coaster project and quite different to what we've seen in the last decade at Alton Towers.
August 5, 20178 yr comment_251521 Was probably in the plans and I wasn't paying attention. Is that a curved lift hill? And yep, it all seems a bit average and comes after much oversold crapness, so little interest from me. We'll see.
August 5, 20178 yr comment_251523 25 minutes ago, pluk said: Was probably in the plans and I wasn't paying attention. Is that a curved lift hill? The lift hill is straight, but changes angle half way up. The angle of the photo does make it looked curved though.
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251760 An update to the SW8 website - https://www.altontowers.com/sw8 Things to note: -No mention of a world first, just a 'world class experience'. -'Be chosen at Scarefest'. -No mention of that fact it's wood. -Ancient / tribal symbols. -Big focus on Secret Weapons in general. -3 episodes, only 1 seems live? I get a bit of a branding iron vibe going from it. Then again, the firey red writing could easily just be hinting to fire, which fits in with a Wickerman theme. I find it interesting theta no explicit mention of the fact that this is a coaster. Still clearly marketing at geeks for now, but I reckon that the theming / pre show could be what they're going to focus on more in the long run...
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251763 "World class experience" is an interesting term.... sounds a bit half-arsed to me (hashtag pessimist) Looking at the coding for the page - the background is called "wood1.jpg" so that implies to me that the coaster is going to be made of wood Agree on the branding iron vibe, I was thinking that too.
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251764 Not related to the coaster, but.... The Secret Weapon thing is quite silly now, a label which never meant anything until Thirteen came along, when Merlin realised it could call every coaster a "secret weapon" as if part of a franchise of rollercoasters, no matter what the coasters actually were. The Smiler was called a SW before the final coaster type or location was even decided on. SW1 and SW2 never got beyond drawings stages either, were never put to the Tussauds board, so their forced inclusion to suit the non existent "Programme" is silly. It was a bit of fun for the last few years, now it's been turned into another misleading promotional thing to keep geeks in check, just like "Towers Loving Care".
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251766 Don't get me started on them completely ignoring the REAL SW6 valley coaster woodie... Are we surprised they'd focus on the pre-show/theme given that there's bugger all to the ride portion? Also one of the images is a TIE Fighter...
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251767 1 hour ago, BaronC. said: An update to the SW8 website - https://www.altontowers.com/sw8 Things to note: -No mention of a world first, just a 'world class experience'. -'Be chosen at Scarefest'. -No mention of that fact it's wood. -Ancient / tribal symbols. -Big focus on Secret Weapons in general. -3 episodes, only 1 seems live? I get a bit of a branding iron vibe going from it. Then again, the firey red writing could easily just be hinting to fire, which fits in with a Wickerman theme. I find it interesting theta no explicit mention of the fact that this is a coaster. Still clearly marketing at geeks for now, but I reckon that the theming / pre show could be what they're going to focus on more in the long run... They're really struggling to get any interest on this. Merlin really are dragging their heels on everything their parks have to give these days. A new woodie at Alton, in the UK should be a massive thing.
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251770 I'm sure Smiler PR was far more advanced at this stage of construction, from memory...? One would assume a start of the season opening considering how quickly construction is progressing... I think that would do Merlin a lot of favours if that was the case. EDIT: Looking back - the Smiler site had no vertical construction whatsoever at this stage (Aug 2012), track arrived middle of September...! At least that implies SW8 is porgressing nicely.
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251772 It's because the ride will be disappointing for thrill seekers, because the plans for a wooden coaster were so compromised, so it's more a family thrills coaster. So for once they're playing it safer with the promotional stuff before the ride actually opens.
August 16, 20178 yr comment_251773 4 minutes ago, Wumbamillio said: It's because the ride will be disappointing for thrill seekers, because the plans for a wooden coaster were so compromised, so it's more a family thrills coaster. So for once they're playing it safer with the promotional stuff before the ride actually opens. I think you are right - like I just edited my post to say, if you look back at Smiler construction, it's shocking how little was done until Winter 2012 - the first track was in place at the end of October 2012! I appreciate woodies are a whole different kettle of fish, but still...
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