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The issue with Merlin is cost. I know what when it comes to re-theming or renovating a ride, if the creative teams can’t justify the benefit of spending a little more on doing something, Merlin won’t do it.

The shells on the trains on Walking Dead for example. I know they wanted to replace them with newly shaped, themed cars, but couldn’t justify the extra cost over the repainting of the current ones. That’ll be the same with Wicker Mans terrain / landscaping. Why pay extra money to theme / stylise the foundations when there’s no discernible benefit in it other than visual and showing off.
 
I'd love to see a wet/dark ride to rival Valhalla, but couldnt see towers doing that, nor would it really warrant the 'SW' tag....
 
I'd love to see a wet/dark ride to rival Valhalla, but couldnt see towers doing that, nor would it really warrant the 'SW' tag....
Well Merlin define SW's as ''World Beating Attractions" so that's vague enough to mean any type of ride. I mean DBGT got Thorpe's version of the SW brand for it's code name.

Whether the demand is there for a Valhalla style log flume is another question, If the weather is gonna be anything like this season with cold temperatures in start/end of the season and really hot the rest of the season, Who knows.

Personally I think Towers is lacking a thrill based dark ride. Some major thrill attraction which could operate in all weathers. Yes Hex and Duel exist but they're family dark rides and Sub Terra is looking like it's gonna open anytime soon. You know something like DBGT but without the problems. And I'm not on about some jump scare ridden generic themed Merlin ride either.
 
Well Merlin define SW's as ''World Beating Attractions" so that's vague enough to mean any type of ride. I mean DBGT got Thorpe's version of the SW brand for it's code name.

Whether the demand is there for a Valhalla style log flume is another question, If the weather is gonna be anything like this season with cold temperatures in start/end of the season and really hot the rest of the season, Who knows.

Personally I think Towers is lacking a thrill based dark ride. Some major thrill attraction which could operate in all weathers. Yes Hex and Duel exist but they're family dark rides and Sub Terra is looking like it's gonna open anytime soon. You know something like DBGT but without the problems. And I'm not on about some jump scare ridden generic themed Merlin ride either.

Couldn't agree more. I threw the idea of a Valhalla style ride out there, but in reality I think, as you say, it is more a thrill based dark ride that towers could do with - be that wet or dry
 
Just wondering, when do you think the plans for SW9 will be submitted to / uploaded to the Staffordshire Moorlands Planning portal? The plans for The Smiler were uploaded in December 2011, a year after Th13teen opened. The plans for The Wicker Man were uploaded in 2016, but possibly, the lateness could’ve been due to The Smiler’s accident?
 
Just wondering, when do you think the plans for SW9 will be submitted to / uploaded to the Staffordshire Moorlands Planning portal? The plans for The Smiler were uploaded in December 2011, a year after Th13teen opened. The plans for The Wicker Man were uploaded in 2016, but possibly, the lateness could’ve been due to The Smiler’s accident?
I think you misunderstand. They finally built an Alton Towers woodie - they aren't going to be building any more coasters. Ever. :p
 
Hmm...


Screenshot_20191125-104308_Twitter.jpg


I mean it probably means nothing but still. We already know SW9 is confirmed to be in the planning phase.
 
Let me take a wild guess at the ride's story: "There is a dark and abandoned/haunted _____ where the evil _____ are doing _____ on unsuspecting people. You have now been chosen to be _____.Go in among the dark, dilapidated ruins, brave the _____ and find your way back into the light ... or get _____ forever!"

I wonder if Merlin employs people who only have one idea of what a coaster should be themed to, or if they simply use a template.
 
Let me take a wild guess at the ride's story: "There is a dark and abandoned/haunted _____ where the evil _____ are doing _____ on unsuspecting people. You have now been chosen to be _____.Go in among the dark, dilapidated ruins, brave the _____ and find your way back into the light ... or get _____ forever!"

I wonder if Merlin employs people who only have one idea of what a coaster should be themed to, or if they simply use a template.

You forgot the "discovered during routine excavations/explorations" line, but otherwise bang on! ;)
 
SW9: B&M Surf Coaster Concept
SW10: B&M Nemesis Retracking / Reimagining.

Think of it what you will
I think of it as a load of crap, so there you go :)
There doesn't appear to be any evidence to support this rumour. From what I can see, people think it's because Alton (apparently) asked B&M for a water ride. But I also haven't seen any evidence for this.
 
Screenshot_20191126_104707.jpg
I may be stretching here just to start predicting aha ? But if it's mentioned, even innocently, gotta start talking.

My only first prediction is for Galactica's car park (especially with the car park extension plans on the grass area near Enchanted Village), but it's just ideas at this stage.

EDIT: Also, this was a screenshot from a Twitter video from Alton Towers themselves and... Took me 5 minutes to screenshot it perfectly aha ?
 
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