Wicker Man Construction Discussion

[rolicoli8]

I agree with that, yeah.

[S.J_O'Grady]

You should get a pretty good view from the Skyride though!

[Danny]

Loving the look of the Wickerman it certainly will be a great near miss, and awesome view on and off ride!

[S.J_O'Grady]

What I love about this project is that it's bringing so many basic things to Towers' line up that they don't really have yet. This doesn't seem to be all about one world's first, it's just a wooden rollercoaster, with a near miss element, some memorable theming, and a good bit of airtime. 

[Nutty Man]

A recent video posted on YouTube shows the side of the head facing the towers and skyride, it definitely a man's head, looking up, and is a lot bigger than the ram head. On top of this, the video shows the entrance of ride, which looks very similar to TH13TEEN's entrance, with two wooden posts either side and a red banner with the ride logo on it attached to the posts. I couldn't make out the logo so no confirmation about the ride name. Unfortunately I can't post any of the pictures/video URL due the forum rules. 

Are you allowed to post what you searched up on YouTube to find the video because I cannot find it anywhere? If not, I'll keep searching.

[Justin]

Hi Nutty Man,

While the video still remains on YouTube, we are not able to post the link, or signpost you to the footage, due to the reasons posted above by the TTSP team.

An official announcement from the Alton Towers Resort regarding SW8 is due in January, so watch this space!

[Nutty Man]

Thanks for your help!

[TheDuke]

It’s been a few weeks since I've been on here, some really great developments since I last visited. I’m really enjoying seeing it take shape and definitely agree that testing has begun. Also, that headchopper will be something if it’s at speed.

[Justin]

Make sure you visit more regularly as there is more to come, but yes, exciting times.

I'm really impressed with how this is panning out. The construction seems to be on track (excuse the pun :lol ) from the aircraft photos seen and discussion is growing. Hopefully we'll get another small update before the big reveal.

[Dan]

Hi all,

This is once again a reminder that either posting the photos or posting links to the photos obtained via a drone is not permitted and any posts containing this content will be deleted.

Thank you

[andy_sj]

According to the owner of the video no rules have been broken, it's not difficult to find on YouTube.... use your imagination and you will find it easy. If YouTube are still hosting it and have been for the last couple of days then Alton are obviously not too worried otherwise it would have been removed by now. It's a shame mod's won't allow it to be posted here as it's a great video. 

It's interesting to see the remains of the log flume in the video, this must have been the part they were talking about not removing to lessen the impact on trees etc.

It doesn't look huge from the air now it's finished but it is very compact and twisty, hopefully, will offer some nice airtime. I am really impressed at how fast this coaster has gone up, I really need to organise a trip to Alton with the family next year!!!!

[Dom]

Everyone with an interest in SW8 will have seen the drone footage by now and if not, its easily found in other places and just because the team have decided to keep the footage of the forum, doesn't mean it can't be talked about. All that has been asked is that we refrain from posting it on here as we try not to ruin things for people. So instead of moaning about it not featuring on the forum, lets talk about the footage. Just because we can't post the link or video's doesn't mean we can't talk about it. . 

Its interesting footage and if you haven't seen it yet than i suggest you do, if you want spoilers of how the main themeing feature looks etc. If you want everything as a surprise than i suggest avoiding it. All i'm going to say is it looks beautiful.

[Kraken]

The footage is still on YouTube (as of 5mins ago) and is very easy to find.  It is impressive footage too.  

I can only assume that Alton Towers are "as happy as they can be" about this footage - even though they are doubtless on reduced staff levels in the Marketing Dept between Christmas & New Year, they'd have had the footage pulled if it had been filmed breaking drone use rules.  

[Justin]

As Dom stated, we are not asking everyone not to discuss the footage. All we ask is that the video is not linked to or signposted to on the forums. We also ask that stills from the footage are not posted as well.

We thank you for respecting our decision.

[andy_sj]

Dom I wasn't moaning about it not being featured on the forum, I was just saying it's a shame the rules don't allow it for whatever reason. I respect forum rules and I didn't post any links etc. Like you say it's not rocket science to find it.

Another thing I noticed in the drone video is the track between the maintenance building and station is covered over, I wonder if this could be anything to do with some kind of show feature?

*Edit... on another thought the enclosed bits of track could fit well with the theme making it feel like you are trapped inside the wicker construction.

[8byfire]

This video is linked to on the SW8/Welcoming site - what's up with the music? I can't tell if it's just music from the welcoming, or if it's the first glimpse we might be getting of the ride's soundtrack. Sounds... weird 

Late reply as I've only just read this but the music they've used with this construction video seems to be a distorted sample of the music used for The Welcoming's queue line which I hope is a suggestion that we'll hear that as part of the experience- it's a gorgeous piece of music so it would be great to hear it there in the same way you get the Galactica music in that area which just makes the ride look even better (and construction-wise if they could have some great night lighting as with Galactica and Nemesis- Alton really need to get some permanent lighting in as both looked amazing on Halloween night- it could have significant wow factor on late opening nights and darker evenings. I can see them having an 'obvious connection' smoke effect as with Galactica's portal. Music used well in parks makes the construction elements even more powerful than they already are, for example it seems to bring out Air's (it's Air not Galactica!) rather lush lines and curves, the music actually adds an extra dimension to its architecture so you're sensing it not just seeing it. And the moments when the coaster passes by are quite something too- love how the Galactica music syncs up to the ride.


You can hear the music from The Welcoming here: . There was also a 'rougher' sounding piece of music used on the TV screens around the ride and possibly some of the other teaser videos.


Back on the construction front it's good to start to get an idea of the two heads now. It seems the pirate show stand-ins were being used as a ram and wicker man after all (as in Alton recycles its whatever-the-skeleton-in-the-pirate-show was and its pirate skull).


One thing I've not seen any recent discussion on is that the plans show more than one 'theming envelope' - if this is the case (Alton may have changed their mind or been keeping their options open of course or these could be a bit of a red herring) then the man/ram is only one of a possible three so we still don't know anything of what the other one- possibly two- are, there was a suggestion in the plans of one being to do with the queue line, possibly over it, housing it or at the centre of it (Think of how Oblivion has things round the queue line, mostly buildings and one or two props), I did wonder about a rock structure with water (a water feature doesn't have to be a big thing or even plumbed in if it is self-contained) but these possible theming elements could be anything or nothing. They have walled it off quite significantly to hide something so it would be nice to have something that's been kept a surprise. I think there is a bit we haven't even seen a hint of in the construction yet.


Some people have commented on the odd shape of the figure, I think it's partly because of its functionality with the ride passing through it but also bear in mind that I think the wicker man is pushing up out of the crater in the ground with its arms thus emerging from the ground and so if you think along those lines the scale is right- it's implying it's partly below ground I think, as several people have alluded to this would fit the 'groundbreaking' tag line, I can imagine the finished structure looking rather awesome especially with the effects we are expecting. Add in some music and night lighting and it could be Alton's best themed ride of recent times on a par with Nemesis, it's their first wooden coaster so I think they've intentionally tried to match Nemesis' visual impact for that reason.

[Owen]

In regards to the music Adam.W mentions, it sounds like the audio used in the hooded section of The Welcoming. Then to address the point on theming, What we see now is likely the only major exterior theming we will get. The ride was originally set to use The Flumes station as a theming element covering the start of there queue however this seems to have been scrapped.

[8byfire]

This video is linked to on the SW8/Welcoming site - what's up with the music? I can't tell if it's just music from the welcoming, or if it's the first glimpse we might be getting of the ride's soundtrack. Sounds... weird 

Someone said it's also what you heard in the blindfold bit of the scare maze and I've just heard it again on a fan's video on SW8's progress- just had a penny drop, is that the sound of a fire....

[TheBeornen]

This video is linked to on the SW8/Welcoming site - what's up with the music? I can't tell if it's just music from the welcoming, or if it's the first glimpse we might be getting of the ride's soundtrack. Sounds... weird 

Someone said it's also what you heard in the blindfold bit of the scare maze and I've just heard it again on a fan's video on SW8's progress- just had a penny drop, is that the sound of a fire....

This fire aspect in the ride is backed by the images of the large tanks being stored behind the ride/mutiny bay in some of the aerial shots we've seen.

[Stripes91]

Does anybody have a ‘birds eye view’ diagram/image of the track?

It’s just that there’s a bit of discussion around the maintenance building that doesn’t seem to add up to me - don’t maintenance sheds usually have switch tracks, meaning riders don’t go in them? Or is this maintenance shed in line with the usual track, meaning riders will be passing through the shed on every run?