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Alton Towers' Next Big Thing?

cocoa

Mega Poster
wow its actually impressive how hidden alton towers is behind the treeline. makes it so much more mysterious and spooky. plus, the rides where they genuinely lean into that all feel the best anyway. such a cool park
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
There’s a video here where they walk to the top:


Does give some fantastic views, would love it if they reopened it fully restored with the new ride.


Sadly today it’s just used as a mobile phone mast


Would be incredible wouldn't it... Would be beyond amazing if these planning concerns force the restoration and recommisioning of such a beautiful historic building.
 

Matt N

CF Legend
With the Flag Tower now having mobile phone masts on it, would it be possible to have guests walking up there again?
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
With the Flag Tower now having mobile phone masts on it, would it be possible to have guests walking up there again?
Who knows? They have massive mobile phone masts (5G) right outside people homes here, that you walk right by. There are lots of churches with phone masts on top that you can still climb to the top of. So I don't think having a mast neccesarily makes it off limits to the public.

But as for the tower, again, who knows...
 

catsounds

Mega Poster
they let phone masts be installed on the tower itself but towers can't build a building that has little to no visual impact at all? :p the foolery
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
BTW has this been posted anywhere??? The information is 3 weeks old, but it missed me, and so I guess may have missed others too?

They've now replaced the decking that they removed in the sub terra queue line with new boards, as well as some other bits and bobs, I know we pretty much know it is coming back in some form 100% already, but it's interesting none the less. Looks like they've gone with those black plasticy boards this time, makes sense.

 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
So as you're all probably aware of already, and even suspected prior, John Wardley has confirmed that Project Horizon and SW9 are one and the same;

Can't wait for that flying theatre, guys!
He openly confirmed that Duel is going back to it's roots. :)

BTW, I've kept this quiet (apart from sending a message to Matt on the day) But I don't mind saying now since he's pretty much said similar himself publically. John confirmed to me himself, on Nemesis closing weekend, that project Horizon was the very project he was referring to in that Q&A last year...

So this is no surprise really. This is 100% the new tech that he was so excited about, it is SW9, and that's direct from the man himself.

Is it a coaster though? ;)
 

Matt N

CF Legend
I find it very interesting that John Wardley all but confirmed that Project Horizon is SW9!

Assuming the ride is a coaster (and in fairness, I think it’s extremely likely to be one at this point; all the evidence points towards a coaster, in my view), I wouldn’t be surprised to see a coaster with stronger dark ride elements (think of something along the lines of Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Orlando, or perhaps Arthur at Europa Park).

This type of ride might lend itself more to the “impressive coaster technology” that John Wardley previously alluded to, as a dark ride-style coaster could lend itself to trick tracks and such.

The smaller ground space compared to other indoor coasters could possibly be more fitting of something with a greater dark ride focus. Dark rides typically take up less ground space than coasters, so Project Horizon being a coaster with a heavy dark ride element and the odd high bit of thrilling coaster track would explain the tall building and somewhat smaller ground space compared to other indoor coasters.

Furthermore, it would offer an experience that would perhaps fill more of a hole within Alton Towers’ current lineup than a regular coaster in a shed would. The way I see it is that something like Gringotts or Arthur, which would have a stronger dark ride element with bursts of coaster sprinkled here and there, could feasibly pass as a dark ride as well and offer a similar type of experience to a major dark ride while also having plenty of coaster fun in there too. Whereas a regular coaster that’s enclosed, while it could also fill gaps in terms of being a family thrill coaster to complement RMT (dependent on thrill level pursued) and an enclosed coaster, would perhaps do that less.

If Project Horizon were to be that type of coaster, it could also explain Alton Towers’ general reluctance to refer to the ride as a roller coaster in the planning application.
 

Jamesss

Hyper Poster
The main takeaway for me was that John says he dislikes screen-based rides and IPs, so it gives me hope that he seems pleased with the Duel re-theme and Project Horizon.
 

Nicky Borrill

Strata Poster
I find it very interesting that John Wardley all but confirmed that Project Horizon is SW9!

Assuming the ride is a coaster (and in fairness, I think it’s extremely likely to be one at this point; all the evidence points towards a coaster, in my view), I wouldn’t be surprised to see a coaster with stronger dark ride elements (think of something along the lines of Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal Orlando, or perhaps Arthur at Europa Park).

This type of ride might lend itself more to the “impressive coaster technology” that John Wardley previously alluded to, as a dark ride-style coaster could lend itself to trick tracks and such.

The smaller ground space compared to other indoor coasters could possibly be more fitting of something with a greater dark ride focus. Dark rides typically take up less ground space than coasters, so Project Horizon being a coaster with a heavy dark ride element and the odd high bit of thrilling coaster track would explain the tall building and somewhat smaller ground space compared to other indoor coasters.

Furthermore, it would offer an experience that would perhaps fill more of a hole within Alton Towers’ current lineup than a regular coaster in a shed would. The way I see it is that something like Gringotts or Arthur, which would have a stronger dark ride element with bursts of coaster sprinkled here and there, could feasibly pass as a dark ride as well and offer a similar type of experience to a major dark ride while also having plenty of coaster fun in there too. Whereas a regular coaster that’s enclosed, while it could also fill gaps in terms of being a family thrill coaster to complement RMT (dependent on thrill level pursued) and an enclosed coaster, would perhaps do that less.

If Project Horizon were to be that type of coaster, it could also explain Alton Towers’ general reluctance to refer to the ride as a roller coaster in the planning application.
If it is a coaster, I really really hope it's something like this! It's not just Alton Towers lineup that's missing something like this, it's the entire UK lineup!

Off the top of my head, we have Walking Dead and...
 

rob666

Hyper Poster
My favourite rainy day ride when skiving from work.
The smell on the escalator stairs on rainy days in summer.
Smells like Teen Spirit.
Possibly
 
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