Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[StealthFan 0]

Am I the only one who thinks for the first time Alton Towers are taking Secret Weapon literally, calling in the SAS to stake out the ride while it is in operation and taking out a ride on each turn and the last person alive at the end of the ride is the person who survived the "Ride Into The Unknown"

 

-Craig "That would be a much better idea for Saw: The Ride" Knight

[TPDave 0]

Getting a celebrity for a security counselor? Of course it's a publicity stunt!

 

But... A six figure salary?! Isn't that a little bit too much? Or am I misunderstanding something?

 

 

I think Alton might be making too big of a buildup... Eventually it will end up being just some kind of fancy new switch track or whatever, and we'll all go "that's what it was all about?!"

We had this discussion over at TowersTimes. On first quick read through it appears to say 6 figure salary but read more carefully and inspected it says equivalent to (or words to that effect) 6 figure salary. For all we know he could be getting paid in carrots or guinea pigs.

 

Not quite. Id assume they're paying a 6 figure salary but only for the length of the project. If he works for 3 months he gets paid £25,000. That kind of deal.

[Dobba 0]

The park, sorry "Resort" has updated their Flickr page with station photos:

 

[dr.gumbo 0]

Interesting idea someone came up with.

 

 

That picture suggests that the ride may have alternate endings, with the breaks in the track being switching tracks possibly. Not sure if its affordable or realistic but its a cool idea.

[4rturo 0]

If that's the case let me start booking my flight to england....

[FLIPDUDE 0]

I dont think that's what the breaks in the track you circled signify, especially considering they are not nearly teh same height or location, and the supports are static. But that is a possible explanation for the missing track pieces

[4rturo 0]

Dont burst my bubble!!

[Steelinwood 0]

If they wanted alternate endings, I'd love to know how it would work out and how they would switch. Would it just be random or programed?

[TPDave 0]

That's an interesting idea. It would certainly live up to the hype! The breaks in the track look convincing, but as someone mentioned the supports look too static. I'd love for this to be the special effect though!

 

Dave

[SharkTums 204]

The more important question is how many credits would Jeff Johnson count an 'alternate ending' coaster as?!?!?

 

BTW, I'm still just expecting/hoping a Winjas type effect with the entire train.

[TPDave 0]

The more important question is how many credits would Jeff Johnson count an 'alternate ending' coaster as?!?!?

 

I think it depends on the temperature.

[The Disneylander 0]

The more important question is how many credits would Jeff Johnson count an 'alternate ending' coaster as?!?!?

 

BTW, I'm still just expecting/hoping a Winjas type effect with the entire train.

 

And what exactly is the Winjas effect?

[Airtime&Gravity 1]

^They play Yo Gabba Gabba on a giant TV screen

 

 

Alternate endings would be awesome, but I doubt it will happen. Although a switch track like on Expedition Everest or something similar to the end of Winjas are more probable.

[darklingscribe 0]

And what exactly is the Winjas effect?

 

Hmm... how to describe it without giving anything away. Winjas is a dueling indoor spinning coaster at Phantasia land in Germany. The coaster has surprise elements which cannot be seen by simply watching it. You have to ride it to find out what they are. To tell anyone what it does is to ruin the surprises of one of the best spinning coasters in the world.

 

You could probably find out what it does doing a google search, but everyone on the Theme Park Review Boards who has experienced Winjas likes to keep its surprise elements a secret for those who have yet to ride it.

[Dobba 0]

 

Images added to the park's Flickr page.

Full sizes here:

[FLIPDUDE 0]

Look at the lift hill shot... There are lots of big track ties between the supports... Maybe it's a flywheel launch?

 

Maybe the entire coaster is backwards and it starts with a launch?

[stuartnz 0]

This is looking like a fun ride!

 

I love these shots.

[Ed 0]

@Flipdude: It's a tire driven lift hill. No flywheel. And the ride starts by going into a left hand turn out of the station, no launch and no backwards cars.

 

 

@Anyone suggesting alternate endings: No. There are no alternate endings, only badly drawn plans.

 

However the ride does go backwards for part of it towards the end.

[Blythy 0]

Either these trains are light as anything, or the force on these turns is going to be pathetic, because the lateral bracing on those turns looks like it will buckle with the lightest touch,

 

Probably the former because of the drop track, but still...

[Steelinwood 0]

So it definitely is a family coaster. A guess the more hype they made, the better they made it , even tough it looks only half decent. Judging by the track, it doesn't seem like anything special. Where are the spines on this thing?

[triggernel 0]

^It may not look anything special, but that's the beauty of the whole thing. They are keeping the secret under such tight wraps that this far into construction, still nobody can figure it out what make sit so special. Don't you see, this is exactly what they are trying to do.

[themeparkman25 0]

^Right. This is a secret weapon after all...

 

^^I mean, I wouldn't call it a family coaster just based on those pictures, it really could turn out to be something exciting.

 

However, I will agree with you, and everyone else, in that it is not going to be a huge coaster. If you look at Jet Rescue at Sea World in Australia, that is the Intamin 2 bar style track, and IMO that looks pretty fun.

 

 

Two bar style, Intamin tire accelerator. Looks fun.

[triggernel 0]

^Well, most of the appeal for that ride is the seating style, being as it is the only Jet-Ski style coaster, but yes it does appeal to many, and it is not huge, by any means.

[Blythy 0]

^It may not look anything special, but that's the beauty of the whole thing. They are keeping the secret under such tight wraps that this far into construction, still nobody can figure it out what make sit so special. Don't you see, this is exactly what they are trying to do.

 

Rollercoaster - > travels forward into the second story of a building -> magic -> travels backward into a helix -> train stops -> travels forward into the station.

 

I'm guessing it's some form of witchcraft involving a descending piece of horizonal track followed by some kicker wheels.

[coasterog 0]

Rollercoaster - > travels forward into the second story of a building -> magic -> travels backward into a helix -> train stops -> travels forward into the station.

 

I'm guessing it's some form of witchcraft involving a descending piece of horizonal track followed by some kicker wheels.

 

Could it be a backwards tilt coaster where the rear of the tilt track drops less than 90 degrees as opposed to the front? If the tilt piece of track was long enough to allow the train to start rolling backwards before connecting to the lower track that would definitely add some terror to the ride.