Alton Towers | Wicker Man | GCI Wood
- Thread starter Dar
- Start date
Sandman
Giga Poster
The first footage was an aerial/birds eye view from a considerable distance. The coaster looks flatter and because it is further away from the camera, it's speed looks sluggish. The most recent footage is probably not much faster (if at all). Again, comes down to the fact it's shot at ground level of a specific section of track (with a bit of a drop). Plus it's only a 3 second long clip or something, so anything will look faster if you show a very short clip of a small section of track with the car whizzing past. Wouldn't read much into it.
davidm
Strata Poster
The ECC posted some comments from Mr Wardley (after having ridden the ride) on their facebook group this morning.
They have now put them up on their website too so are publically available I guess ; http://www.coasterclub.org/jw
EDIT: tweet with all details;
They have now put them up on their website too so are publically available I guess ; http://www.coasterclub.org/jw
(just a snippet - there isn't much more tbh)JW said:
EDIT: tweet with all details;
Last edited:
chrisgeorgiou46
Roller Poster
Aw that makes me so happy!
I still wish they could use the woodland to make it longer, but a good ride is a good ride! I'll be paying for a fast track anyway...
I still wish they could use the woodland to make it longer, but a good ride is a good ride! I'll be paying for a fast track anyway...
Bert2theSpark
Mega Poster
Towers usually don't have fast track open for the first season anyway. And even when fast track gets introduced in 2019 it'll be like £15 on it's own.
Fastrack for The Smiler was available about a month after it opened.
One thing's for certain, it'll be pretty unique.
Ethan
Strata Poster
Just what I was thinking. I guess it's possible that he's ridden it and genuinely enjoyed it, but something does seem a little off.
Matt N
CF Legend
I didn't think Wardley ever slated the whole project. I thought he only said that the original first two drops were "absolutely atrocious", and he said that the ride would be good with some stunning special effects? Or at least that's what I gathered from TTSP's Q&A with him in May 2017:
JoshC.
Strata Poster
Are people really that surprised that Wardley is being positive about the ride?
Even though he's effectively retired, it wouldn't look good for the park for him to come out and say ''Well it looks nice, but really it's a bit naff. I'd have come up with something much better". Merlin will keep him onside and use him as a marketing tool if they need to. HaHavi him make suggestions for attractions / changes to attractions would be an added bonus.
He may really love the ride, he may not. But he is basically a spokesperson for Towers now, so most of his opinions I take with the same punch of salt as I would any press release from any park these days.
Even though he's effectively retired, it wouldn't look good for the park for him to come out and say ''Well it looks nice, but really it's a bit naff. I'd have come up with something much better". Merlin will keep him onside and use him as a marketing tool if they need to. HaHavi him make suggestions for attractions / changes to attractions would be an added bonus.
He may really love the ride, he may not. But he is basically a spokesperson for Towers now, so most of his opinions I take with the same punch of salt as I would any press release from any park these days.
henryjwillis
Mega Poster
I think anything he says relating to Towers should 100% be taken with a pinch of salt, but I don't think he'd hurt his credibility by saying it was great if he thought it was a load of crap. I reckon he'd just stay quiet or just go on about the theming, but the fact he apparently really enjoyed the ride experience is promising.
Smithy
Strata Poster
I really get the feeling a lot of you wouldn't spend half as much effort negating the views of somebody if they'd put out a negative opinion of the ride.
I think his comments are spot in if you read them properly; not a world beating ride, but a good solid ride, one that he's putting a positive spin on (and that will be judged over time) in that it'll change perceptions of wooden coasters.
Similar to Icon, if people ride a looper with lap-bars, they'll soon start to accept them and have less of a fear factor about it.
I think his comments are spot in if you read them properly; not a world beating ride, but a good solid ride, one that he's putting a positive spin on (and that will be judged over time) in that it'll change perceptions of wooden coasters.
Similar to Icon, if people ride a looper with lap-bars, they'll soon start to accept them and have less of a fear factor about it.
henryjwillis
Mega Poster
This was very much in question for the majority of this project so I'm taking that as a win.
Matt N
CF Legend
If anyone is interested, Backseat Blackout has posted a video about John Wardley's response which also contains 3 questions at the end:
If you don't wish to watch the video, John has basically said that the ride is fast, but that we should not expect a lot of airtime because the ride has a twister layout and that is its main advantage.
CrashCoaster
CF Legend
A photo of the Wickerman with the train:-
