Yeah the flats at AT are pretty dull IMO. Sometimes they may be good and other times the are boring. Depends on how busy the park is. I feel that AT just need to provide something that hasn't been done before, ie a worlds first! or Europe's first!. This will bring in the guests and will also provide something else for us enthusiasts to go on except from the coasters. Hopefully this kind of flat will be put in DF in the coming years. For now I say keep ripsaw but IMO, blade needs to go because every time I go past it, there is a very little amount of people riding it. It is just boring My little cousin who was 8 at the time told me the ride was boring and that the Ug Swingers were better
Huss do a variation of Enterprise where you are in the flying position. I've said it before, but I think this would be perfect to go by Air, so it feels more like a mini-area and to suppliment it's queue.
For different reasons, both Enterprise and Submission are too weak to support Oblivion, which does really need the support. Hated though it is, I'd put Submission at the back of the Dark Forest, as the area is do busy I really actualy don't think it needs a new new flat, unless they can somehow get the Robot Arms. No, X-Sector has greater needs.
The sad truth, from what I can tell, with my limited knowledge of the subject, is that Alton will find it very hard to replace their decaying collection of flats. Numerous reasons include...
1. All the innovations in flat ride technology seem to be in the travelling ride sector at the moment, and most of these would appear to be too extreme for Alton Towers anyway because...
2. Alton Towers is primarily a family friendly resort. Ripsaw is about as extreme as I could ever imagine them going. I can't see them installing a booster any time soon basically.
3. As the forward looking, leading theme park in the UK, sadly, the most fun and all round appeal flat rides are frankly too old hat for a park like Alton to install as new. Breakdances, Frisbees, Waltzers, Top Scans, Afterburners et all.
4. Height restriction, obviously.
5. Alton Towers, unlike Thorpe, seem to take their responsibility to maintain a high throughput seriously, disqualifying many possible options.
Therefore, TTF, I draw the conclusion that their current roster of slowly dying, antiquated classics - an Enterprise, some Tea Cups, Chair-O-Plains, a well meaning inverter and a Huss Pirate Ship and Top Spin is genuinely the most suitable collection of flats for them. However, they are locked in a race against time, because most of these were installed a long time ago and have undergone numerous re-themes and are slowly (or quickly)... or have already become very outdated. Sad as it is, it isn't Alton's fault that current flat ride technology development is totally biased towards big, bold, highly intense rides. I bet they curse the day they closed Dynamo.
Can anyone name me a new flat ride, with a high throughput, great reliability, suitable sized footprint, that is not overly tall and that is thrilling but which will appeal to younger guests who may not feel ready for the big coasters yet? If there was a sensible answer to this question, I can almost guarantee, Alton Towers would have opened one by now.
For some things there is no rational explanation. There is no way out. There is no happy ending to this story. Welcome to the unknown. Welcome to eternal darkness.
Welcome to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - The Ride
[quote=""Gloomy Dude""]Can anyone name me a new flat ride, with a high throughput, great reliability, suitable sized footprint, that is not overly tall and that is thrilling but which will appeal to younger guests who may not feel ready for the big coasters yet? If there was a sensible answer to this question, I can almost guarantee, Alton Towers would have opened one by now.[/quote]
I would love love LOVE Alton to get a Screamin' Swing but unfortunately that's probably extremely unlikely. First of all, they're not really too extreme and it can have quite a low height limit as well (1.2m I believe) making it great for the upper family thrills too.
Obviously the big problem would be height and noise restrictions. Unfortunately I have to be unoriginal and say "put it in a pit". As for the noise, Liseberg's Screamin' Swing has its air tanks UNDER the ride and I believe it is especially designed to reduce noise levels. Who says Alton won't be able to do that? Finally, in terms of reliability, Rush was notoriously unreliable but it was the prototype 32-seater (and I'm half tempted to say it was Thorpe "maintaining" it as well ) and I don't hear major problems from Cedar Point or Liseberg about their Screamin' Swings.
If I was to be even more silly I'd say Alton get a 300ft sequoia tree, hollow it out and build a drop tower in it. What a loophole!
Funnily enough Sam, the Topple Tower it is the only ride I've ever suggested in this topic. Bit tall though maybe? The idea of a toppling tree could work well in the Dark Forest.
Has anyone from TTF been on one of these? Looks like it could either be great fun, or a dull, ball crunching endurance test. Very hard to tell.
For some things there is no rational explanation. There is no way out. There is no happy ending to this story. Welcome to the unknown. Welcome to eternal darkness.
Welcome to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - The Ride
The topple towers would probably be a ride i could see at Alton as suitable for families and thrill seakers, however i am told the ride looks better than it actually rides. The ride is 66ft tall so one could be fitted into alton. Dark forrest would be good but not sure if enough room for the ride and a queue line. Can hande 800 ph which is similar to ripsaw at 855ph ( by the way the huss flyaway which is a flying version of enterprise are awfull rides!)
A huss booster would also be a good ride to add (looping version of the breakdance!) and can handle maybe to replace the enterprise (and move enterprise to dark forrest and put back in its orginal space where the water balloon game was) or add it to the dark forrest. It can handle 900ph but would be a proper thrill ride.
As for flat rides in general i dont think we will see many added to alton as most major theme parks dont really seem to add them anymore (ie Busch parks, Europa park, Phantasia land (the huss topspin the only one for a while and the park doesnt have very many, Port aventura) and seem to focus on other type of attractions such as coasters, dark rides, water rides which are more unique to the park than a flat rides. Aside from some big parks (like thorpe) its most snaller parks like lightwater valley, drayton manor that add flats thatare often a cheaper option than a big coaster or dark ride (and couldnt afford to add).
[quote=""Blaze""]Does it have two arms full of riders that swings upside down? Yes, so it's pretty much the same. To most non-enthusiasts, they will be inseperable.[/quote]
For now I say keep ripsaw but IMO, blade needs to go because every time I go past it, there is a very little amount of people riding it. It is just boring 
My little cousin who was 8 at the time told me the ride was boring and that the Ug Swingers were better 
