Baffles

Official photos have been released by Alton Towers showing the first sections of the new Nemesis track being lifted into place last night, providing a look at its new appearance – black with what appears to be red veins snaking along its length! What do you think of the new look?

Nemesis deconstruction is well underway. https://www.towerstimes.co.uk/future-developments/nemesis-track-replacement/

The mini B&M is going up pretty fast now! https://www.attractionsource.com/features/future-developments/amazon-land/

Really wonderful article and photos. Amazes me how the park goes from strength to strength with immersive theming. Seems like the areas will never be finished.

Haha too true. And yeah, there are so many tunnels and tight clearances on Nemesis, the wider profile of the vest restraint trains would not fit in the current safety envelope. Today, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council have approved the issue of a certificate of lawfulness for the proposed retrack. This gives the green-light to proceed with the work.

Response from Six Flags Guest Relations: I do apologize. Unfortunately, You have to activate the Season Pass at the park you purchased from. Before you can use it for other parks. Since Six Flags Over Georgia is still closed you need to wait for the park to open to get it activated. So the FAQ mentioned above about being activated on the day of purchase is not exactly true. Can't say I'm surprised!

Indeed, so the question remains whether a pass purchased via SFOG's website requires physical activation at the park, or can be used without doing so at another park. Won't be able to stop by SFOG beforehand, so seems a bit of a risk. Will email them.

Thanks - that's my concern - even though it says the following below:

Also need some advice on this whole drama. We're coming over to visit from the UK in July, and will be hitting up SFOT, SFFT, and SFMM in that order. Historically when doing road trips, it's always cost around $80 or so at the first SF park we visited to buy a pass which is valid at the rest. Cheaper than buying individual day tickets. As mentioned above, SFOT is now only offering a multi-state park pass for $169.99, ouch - https://www.sixflags.com/overtexas/store/tickets Probably would still be cheaper than three individual day tickets plus parking, but not exactly cost effective! So would the best option now be the Gold Plus pass from SFOG? - https://www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia/store/tickets I think this can be purchased online, activated digitally, then we're good to go? Thanks in advance!

If the appearance is maintained, then I don't see why there would be any harm in replacing faux track with the real thing! Would be good, like Universal did with Hulk's new entrance. At a minimum I would expect them to chop up the old track and sell it online, whether that be in the form of whole track sections or pieces of the running rail - Pleasure Beach have shown there is demand for it with the Big One. I know what I would rather own though, haha.

I have written an article which looks into the application of lawfulness in depth, along with the planning documents, associate images, and speculative details on what improvements we may see. https://www.towerstimes.co.uk/blog/2022/01/25/alton-towers-resort-planning-nemesis-track-replacement/ It will be sad to not experience the classic Nemesis roar - can only hope it is reduced like Incredible Hulk, rather than muted completely.

Awesome news! Will look spectacular in the middle of the park.

The theatrical atmosphere in the station when the train dispatches is just magical - gave me goosebumps. Nice to hear the dispatch music subtly in the video. Classy indeed - wouldn't expect anything less from Phantasialand.

So where would they put an Avengers E-ticket ride? Looks like there is plenty of room behind Avengers HQ - currently the tram maintenance area and a parking lot.

Great report! Can't wait to visit. Will be interesting to compare the version at Paris next year, and what they do with the Iron Man coaster.

Looks great! Not that it matters too much, but the first drop is a fair amount less steep right? I wonder if this will be the only version of the original Raptor layout that RMC will sell now. The extra rows are definitely needed.

It's also the vast, waterfall like rust staining under the logo at the front of the station for me. Classy!

So what do we make of this? As well as the postponed 'World of David Walliams' featuring 'Gangsta Granny: The Ride' opening this season, Alton Towers have rented three classic fairground rides they are calling 'pop up attractions' from UK showmen. They have been branded 'The Retro Squad' which accompanies some unique marketing... Roller Disco (Waltzers located in Dark Forest) – get ready to slide and swirl round and round, faster and faster in a head-spinning, totally rad experience Mixtape (Smashing Jump located in X-Sector) – you’ll be in for some major retrotastic laughs as you bounce up and down, then down and up Funk’n’Fly (Super Trooper in Forbidden Valley) – reach new retrotastic heights and enjoy a thrillingly funktastic flight With COVID restrictions preventing traveling fairs from taking place for the foreseeable future, I can see this will be beneficial for the showmen. The rides are filling spots where retired flat rides were located, and will hopefully reduce the queue times of the major rides which were long last year. I feel indifferent about it. Bizarre that any park would rent flat rides from the traveling fair circuit, but feel the capacity benefits and how they are being marketed will be advantageous.

The big concrete thing in the middle of the coaster no longer looks like a big concrete thing!

Starting with the big entrance structure - am all for iconic landmarks, but don't think it has aged well! SeaWorld have put in some good investments recently, so hopefully they will continue to pour money in to how the park looks too.

Awesome looking ride to add to an already excellent collection of coasters. Hopefully they will give the station and queue area a bit more love before it opens to match the standard of theming elsewhere in the park.

I have ridden it (my shoulders remember it well), and a fair amount of other rides that have moving platforms and / or trains. Appreciate station stops are activated either manually or automatic from time to time, but the very nature of something continuously moving provides more of a sense of urgency than a static train just sat there. If they didn't, then parks and manufacturers wouldn't bother to install them. Successful examples are Hagrid's, Arthur, Phantom Manor, Rip Ride Rocket and so on...

Yeah I can see that, but Dollywood has stated 'extended' in their blog text, which is clearly a slight error.

Well and truly From Dollywood's blog - https://blog.dollywood.com/index.php/2021/03/09/top-3-dollywood-signs-spring-is-here/ Intrigued to see how they are 'extending' it, unless there's more changes in areas outside of the photos.

That's a really bizarre move - am interested to learn why as that portion of the ride was great.