Alton Towers Discussion Thread

[PKI JizzmanJizzy jizz jizz jizz jizz]

15 million pounds doesn’t get you much these days I guess. That’s almost $20 million dollars for a junior woodie...

This is the part that baffles me most. I keep thinking there has to be something special to this, so unless they plan on enclosing the thing at the end, I am struggling to see where the cost is. Mystic Timbers by comparison cost $15 million.

Probably all of the terrain re-working. They are using the term 'ground breaking' literally and spending money on pushing dirt

Remember Cards Against Humanity's Holiday Hole? That was immensely fun to watch! Sit back, relax, and watch them dig that holiday hole!!

[MoleyCan I park my donkey here?]

You have to keep in mind that it's not just about the speculation over this particular coaster. It's about the speculation over this coaster being the continuation of a long trend of each new AT addition being wildly hyped up and overblown, then failing to deliver upon said expectations. Here are some examples:

Rita: Advertised as the ""Fastest Roller Coaster Yet", a whole whopping 61.1mph in 2005.
Thirteen: Already covered ad nauseum by Robb. "Scariest Coaster Yet!" Yeaaaa, not really.
Smiler: "Most Inversions, Yay!!" Yes, but the layout is really just two 7-loop coasters fused together. Not as impressive as if it was one full circuit.

The rest of us are all burnt out on these "over-promise / under-deliver" situations. Each of the coasters above are widely considered to be "good, fun" coasters, but nothing near the hyped up versions some AT fanboys want us to believe they are. History is repeating itself yet again.

The only use of 'Fastest Roller Coaster Yet' I could find regarding Rita is a clickbait headline to one newspaper article - in which the headline is explained to be incorrect, going so far as naming the coaster that was currently faster and another still under construction that was going to be faster than both of them. Not sure how your Smiler example proves your point regarding a ride being overblown at the advertising stage, giving that your complaints seem to be with the layout. So this 'long trend' is really just one example nearly 8 years ago - which, as I'm assuming I'm the obnoxious fanboy here, not even I try to defend.

The only two slogans that have been used so far with this ride are 'Groundbreaking Development' and 'World Class Experience'. By all means have complaints about those, but I'm not seeing how they fit in with this long trend narrative at this point in time.

^ Please stop talking. Seriously. I have no patience for this bullshit.

[DILinatorI prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

Not an AT fanboy, and I've never been actually, but I still think this coaster looks pretty fun! Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not sure why all the negativity about it...

Maybe if you read the last few pages? The whole point was how the Alton Towers fanboys have been hyping this up to be something special (launched lift hill, some sort of secret element, the whole 'washing machine' mentality all over again, etc...) but really this just looks like your average sized GCI woodie with nothing special at all.

And you're right, if this turns out to be a fun family coaster, there is nothing wrong with that. The negativity wasn't really towards the ride itself, but all the fanboys making it out to be something more than it is.

Yeah, I hear you... I don't really frequent any other sites, where said fanboys may lurk in larger numbers, but I see some of what you're talking about now. And I do recall there being talk about this having a launched lift hill back in the beginning. I guess my main point was just that I think the ride looks fun (I love Mystic Timbers, for comparison), and I'd take it over a Log Flume, even though I like Log Flumes a lot too! But yes, perhaps I spoke out of turn, given the back and forth with the fanboys over this, so I shall slink back into the shadows, and just wait for my chance to check out AT's good, but overrated collection of coasters myself!

[Philrad71Why do I still have a donkey title???]

The negativity wasn't really towards the ride itself, but all the fanboys making it out to be something more than it is.

Because we saw a unusual design for a lift hill, the ride's budget and the park's use of new 'coaster tech' and wondered if it could be something different? Don't see anyone claiming they know of any secret element, especially given the park's use of 'groundbreaking development' and 'world class experience' rather than the 'world first' or 'record breaking' mottos of recent additions. If speculation is frowned upon then god help the people discussing what Epcot's Guardians of the Galaxy coaster could be.

You have to keep in mind that it's not just about the speculation over this particular coaster. It's about the speculation over this coaster being the continuation of a long trend of each new AT addition being wildly hyped up and overblown, then failing to deliver upon said expectations. Here are some examples:

Rita: Advertised as the ""Fastest Roller Coaster Yet", a whole whopping 61.1mph in 2005.
Thirteen: Already covered ad nauseum by Robb. "Scariest Coaster Yet!" Yeaaaa, not really.
Smiler: "Most Inversions, Yay!!" Yes, but the layout is really just two 7-loop coasters fused together. Not as impressive as if it was one full circuit.

The rest of us are all burnt out on these "over-promise / under-deliver" situations. Each of the coasters above are widely considered to be "good, fun" coasters, but nothing near the hyped up versions some AT fanboys want us to believe they are. History is repeating itself yet again.

Well said!

[AidanCKYI Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

I'm in the group of people very tired of the over-hype. Every new ride is marketed with something over the top and I just cringe reading the articles about it.

Meanwhile Merlin are removing rides wherever they can get away with it along with inflating prices. Paying more for less.

I'd also say the increased attendance posted about earlier is probably related to the park using The Sun etc to offer free tickets more than ever.

I left Thorpe Park feeling disappointed last month, and i'm sure I will after I go to Towers next month too.

[Rollercoaster RiderWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

I'm in the group of people very tired of the over-hype. Every new ride is marketed with something over the top and I just cringe reading the articles about it.

Meanwhile Merlin are removing rides wherever they can get away with it along with inflating prices. Paying more for less.

I'd also say the increased attendance posted about earlier is probably related to the park using The Sun etc to offer free tickets more than ever.

I left Thorpe Park feeling disappointed last month, and i'm sure I will after I go to Towers next month too.

Alton is much better than Thorpe, And I speak as someone who went to both a Week ago.
Tip: Nemesis Magnets are only at the store by Nemesis, Don't make the mistake I made by not getting them there.

[ElectricUncleSamHoly crap you have a HUGE donkey!]

Two weeks, no comments. Any updates on Alton? New promo stuff, new teasers, an announcement about an announcement? Anything?

[AidanCKYI Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

Alton is much better than Thorpe, And I speak as someone who went to both a Week ago.
Tip: Nemesis Magnets are only at the store by Nemesis, Don't make the mistake I made by not getting them there.

Oh yeah, for sure. I'm in the UK and have been to both a lot. Alton is a beautiful park with nice scenery, compared to Thorpe which is chav-central.

I didn't bother going to Alton Towers this year in the end, went to Blackpool Pleasure Beach instead. Will go to Alton next year when SW8 opens.

[Rollercoaster RiderWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

Alton is much better than Thorpe, And I speak as someone who went to both a Week ago.
Tip: Nemesis Magnets are only at the store by Nemesis, Don't make the mistake I made by not getting them there.

Oh yeah, for sure. I'm in the UK and have been to both a lot. Alton is a beautiful park with nice scenery, compared to Thorpe which is chav-central.

I didn't bother going to Alton Towers this year in the end, went to Blackpool Pleasure Beach instead. Will go to Alton next year when SW8 opens.

Blackpool would be perfect if they added 4-5 more bathrooms in the park. And Soft Straps on Infusion
Thorpe would be better with new trains on Colossus and Designated Smoking Sections