The Th13teen Concept...

[Shockadelica]

Now that we have a new SW to ruminate on, I've been thinking about the last one and how we can now look at it retrospectively and appreciate it for what it is, rather than what we may have wanted before it appeared.

Firstly, we have a totally unique coaster with Th13teen.  I love it and it's one of my favourite attractions at the park.  It's up there with Hex in my opinion as a perfect bespoke AT ride.
The first part of the ride has some great pops of airtime, a feeling of riding through a desolate, forgotten part of the park and it has a lovely sense of freedom given that it's only got lapbars rather than over-the-shoulder restraints.  Then there's the indoor drop.  The first mini-drop and it's accompanying effects provide a jolt, then the full drop gives a surprisingly impressive pop of airtime.  The smooth reverse section in the near pitch dark also provides an exciting, unique experience for the park.

As it stands at the moment, there's no other coaster like it anywhere in the world...

But could it be improved anywhere else?

Well, the problem with the concept is that the freefall bit is the show-stopper and for the best experience, you pretty much have to have the freefall element at the end or at least halfway through as Th13teen does.

If it's at the beginning, ie, the top of the lift-hill, then you will have peaked too soon and you may as well have a decent 'standard coaster' drop instead, especially given that a standard drop will at least give you the momentum to climb high again after it.  Having the freefall at the beginning of the ride means you'd have to have a mega launch element forwards or backwards in order to make the rest of the much lower ride seem somehow more exciting.  But then, if you make the rest of the ride even more exciting, then you may as well not even bother with your freefall bit.

So the concept really depends upon having a coaster that, at the half-way point, has the freefall thing that becomes the beginning of the second act of the ride.

So how high would anybody be prepared to build a ride with the same concept?  You could build a 200ft coaster that has a 100ft freefall element half-way through, but then you may as well incorporate a standard vertical drop anyway, because the thing is, visually, the freefall element of Th13teen would look less intimidating than a vertical drop á la Oblivion.  And imagine a coaster that was that high where there was an obvious 'upper' level and 'lower' level with no track in between. And most parks probably have freefalls anyway!

I suppose what I'm saying here is that the concept of Th13teen works perfectly with the coaster that AT built.  Take the concept too high and you have either a drop that looks less intimidating than an Oblivion-style drop anyway and has lots of ugly hydraulics beneath it, or you hide those hydraulics and spend a lot of money on a very high building to hide that one element of the ride.

So the thing that makes me wonder is, whether the only way the whole concept could be improved is by being part of an entirely enclosed coaster in the dark?

A decent coaster in the dark that stopped half-way through at a point where I had no idea where I was or how high I was off ground level would make the 20ft or so drop seem much scarier and more disorientating.  Plus, I think it would act as an embellishment, rather than a climax to the whole experience.

But those are just my thoughts.

What I'm wanting to do here is not discuss whether or not Th13teen was worthy of SW status or criticise it for being a 'family' coaster, but to talk about the ride as is, to explore it's concepts; from the freefall element to the 'coaster in the wilds' first part and if the concept could logically be improved upon.

For me, it's certainly not the Ultimate Coaster, but it's a contender (I only said 'contender') for the definitive AT attraction.

[DomB]

Great post!

I like Th13teen, once you get past the fact it is a family coaster, it is, as you put it, an extremely unique experience.

Other than that I think the way Alton Towers implemented the actual ride is near perfect and I think more people should see it that way, the only reason they don't is because they over-hyped it beyond belief.
I think once it completely beds in and the newness that still surrounds it disappears, I believe people will appreciate it more and realise what a valuable addition to the line-up it is.


In terms of where to take it, someone else pointed it out, but I would love Disney to take a stab at the concept, as I think the type of ride it is, is perfect for them, combined with their world-class theming and ideas, it could definitely be a show stopper.

Your idea of an entirely 'in-the-dark' version of the concept is also very interesting and I think the anticipation and tension before the drop is what makes it. I can't see it being taken into a more thrill direction, for one Intamin seen quite intent on the fact it is a 'family drop coaster' and added to that, once you get to the basis of height a standard free-fall tower to me still seems to the more attractive option, especially considering adapting it to suit much bigger drops could prove problematic.

Anyway, I'm interested in seeing which way the drop coaster and Th13teen pans out.

[Anthony]

I think it would work perfectly as part of a dark ride/coaster. Think of the haunted house style if it was, well...better. Without the LEDs even and all the effects visible and properly working. Then, at a point during the ride you reach some scene that requires you stop...yadda yadda yadda...there's probably a story and....BAM! You drop and have a section like that on Thirteen backwards, forwards...whatever. It would be really good!! The coaster section on Thirteen is a waste of time...it's basically the runaway mine train. Make it a dark ride, even a bit like that of SAW and you've got a really good ride.