Alton Towers Discussion Thread

Looks compact, but I do not thing it will be much of a negative G ride, more positives.

If it doesn't have a launch its really going to meander through. Not that that's a bad thing if they are going for a more family orientated ride. Fingers crossed its more of a thrill coaster!

If it doesn't have a launch its really going to meander through. Not that that's a bad thing if they are going for a more family orientated ride. Fingers crossed its more of a thrill coaster!

How about just fingers crossed its actually something good and not half arsed! Thats all I ask really. I don't care what coaster it is just that they themed it properly and don't start the project really late so its delayed as per usual.

In my opinion none of the Alton secret weapons have been 'half arsed' or 'not properly themed' neither have any of of them been significantly delayed? I think it will go down a family route, it's what the towers needs right now and I think it will be in merlins best interest after the smiler. Also all advertising of the SW8 area points towards a pirate family theme. I think whatever this is it will be massively overshadowed by Blackpools 2018 coaster in terms of ride experience but merlin will kill it with advertising and marketing.

Oh Daily Mail...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html

Horrifying moment riders screamed for help after they were stuck upside down for half an hour on new Alton Towers rollercoaster

Riders were left fearing they may fall out of an Alton Towers rollercoaster today after being left hanging 65ft high in the air for half an hour when it abruptly came to a halt in front of busy Bank Holiday crowds. A total of 28 people were left hanging face-down on the £12million Air Galactica ride when it ground to a sudden halt in 'absolutely torrential' rain at the top of the first loop of the track at around 2pm. One rider told how he feared his seatbelt would 'release' and he would plunge to the ground below as he dangled in mid-air, while others said riders were 'screaming and crying' during the drama. Another claimed the ride broke down after being besieged by floodwater following heavy downpours. Dramatic pictures show the riders hanging helplessly in mid-air (centre and left) from the rollercoaster carriage as workers at the Staffordshire-based park rush to their aid to comfort them and calm them down. Other photographs show the queuing area for the ride inundated with foot-deep floodwater (right). Some visitors suggested the heavy rain may have caused the ride's electrics to trip, stopping it suddenly. After half an hour, workers managed to re-start the rollercoaster and safely returned the riders to the ground. Officials at the park told visitors the ride had been 'flooded' and it has since been closed.

From the pictures I see it looks like it stopped at the top of the lift hill. Poor Alton Towers, the media is just all over them and putting crap like this out there doesn't help. In very small print at the bottom of the article it mentions how it reopened later in the day. UGH!

Doesn't look very upside down to me.

I saw this and it pi$$ed me off massively! It was just a normal emergency stop. What do the media want?!?! If it had not stopped, it may have had serious accident, the ride was not broken down, just a safety precaution. Can I put this in the 'stupidest things the GP have said' thread! They are just looking for a story, and if it was at any other park but Alton Towers, they would not say anything. I just hope the GP know how stupid this article is.

I'm pretty sure they just want attention

Scaremongering. More views.

Also, they called the ride Air Galatica?? Way to show you don't even know the name of the ride you are already poorly representing.

Riders feared they would plunge 10 feet to the stairs below.

^There aren't stairs under the B&M flyer lift hills, so if you were to fall out you would actually hit the ground. (Not that you're going to fall out at any point.)

^are those stairs in the photo at the side?

One rider told how he feared his seatbelt would 'release'

At first I thought this was ridiculous but to this observant rider's credit it does appear that every seatbelt on the train must have failed as there doesn't appear to be any sign of seatbelts in that picture. Or this one from before the ride opened for the season...

That must have been terrifying watching them all fail and disappear like that one by one. That's the only explanation I can think of for this one... Thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers. Spectacular journalism by the Daily Mail as always. Nothing gets by those guys...

^are those stairs in the photo at the side?

Yes, but they're to the side. The B&M flyers have an evacuation platform that rolls up beneath the train. Unless it's in use, it's always parked at the base of the lift.

At least if you look at the comments people are saying negative things about the Daily Mail and the article rather than Alton

^but some are still freaking out over a simple malfunction.

I mostly find those comments amusing.

Oh Daily Mail...

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html

I clicked the link and this was the one above the AIR incident: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3568998/Mother-suing-leisure-centre-20-000-claiming-lifeguard-told-not-breastfeed-son-pool.html

Told me all I needed to know about what kind of things that newspaper is looking for....

Look what made it on Wikipedia's European park incidents page...

^ That Alton Mouse incident of over-riding the blocks is interesting considering The Smiler incident.

^That is really interesting, seeing as it's literally the exact same thing that happened last year.

SW8 planning application is in, looks like it is going to be a GCI woodie with a launched lift like Lightning Rod's.

http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=104356

Just read an article (on Towers Street) that they expect a 2018 opening. I understand this is going on the log flume's place, will it be that hard to clear the ground? Because I know GCI can probably build this in what under 6 months? If they really start in september (like the article stated) They got plenty of time. I never been to the park so I was wondering.

Just read an article (on Towers Street) that they expect a 2018 opening. I understand this is going on the log flume's place, will it be that hard to clear the ground? Because I know GCI can probably build this in what under 6 months? If they really start in september (like the article stated) They got plenty of time. I never been to the park so I was wondering.

If planning permission is granted then construction of the new ride is due to start September 2016 and should be complete December 2017. They will start removing the flume in September this year. Ground works will likely be done during closed season or early next season, with the coaster going vertical middle of next season.

^ Thank you, I honestly thought the flume was already gone, but then again I was only slightly up to date not fully.

Still waiting for AT to officially announce their epic coaster called "Greenpeace".

Well it's certainly decent, going to be interesting to find out whether there's something more to this with all previous secret weapons being a worlds first or breaking a record. Still not understanding why they're planning to take so long with construction though, the sites a little hilly, but aside from that i'm not seeing why it's going to take over a year to build.