Alton Towers - Winged Coaster?

Fri Apr 05, 2013 4:35 pm

Lead Piping wrote:
arsenalfan-1 wrote: IMO I would quite like to see a wing-rider at AT because 'The Swarm' is a great ride and I think AT could do a good job of their own. However, I'm not sure Merlin will want to do this because I don't think they will want similar style rides at both. On top of that if AT does a better job than TP it may reduce crowds at TP and I think Merlin want a relatively equal split. :moj
Nemesis - Nemesis Inferno
Rita - Stealth
Rapids - rapids
Flume - Flume
Saw: The Ride - Smiler

Nope, can't see any connection... or having the same type of ride in each park...

Yes but please show me how the hell are you going to put a winged coaster in alton okay build a pit... Still unless the pit is huge or the ride is tiny. I.e we would have a poor wingrider

Fri Apr 05, 2013 10:27 pm

Simply a winged coaster is too similar to Air, in my opinion, so for that reason no, however if it was a 5th Dimension Winged Coaster, then yes it has potential, however its current Ride line up would not require a winged coaster and to be fair, Winged coasters are just the current theme park accessories to add to all their collections! :P

Sat Apr 06, 2013 11:33 am

jackgcse wrote: Simply a winged coaster is too similar to Air, in my opinion, so for that reason no, however if it was a 5th Dimension Winged Coaster, then yes it has potential, however its current Ride line up would not require a winged coaster and to be fair, Winged coasters are just the current theme park accessories to add to all their collections! :P

ahhh yes i forgot about that wingriders are meant to provide a feeling of flight and so are flying coasters. So a wing rider would underate air

Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:32 pm

The nice Mr wing rider will most probably not see lovely Miss Alton towers as the ride type needs quite a large lift hills/drop as they tend to lose speed/energy due to the shape of the train causing drag, which in turn make it go slower. Hence the larger lift hill for larger drop= more speed. As on the swarm it is going quite slowly over the station in comparison to another coaster say colossus which is going quite fast towards the end.

Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:39 pm

I don't think Alton Towers would get a winged coaster unless B&M develop a 4D version (which after all the years of rumours, they seem very slow to be doing).

As much as The Swarm seems to get good reviews and is well themed, I hear that Merlin are a bit disappointed in its effect on guest numbers, hence the premature backwards upgrade to try and get a bit more return on their investment. It has neither a big enough gimmick, nor looks crazy enough like The Smiler to really rake the crowds in.

Plus B&Ms cost a premium, The Swarm was £2 million more than The Smiler and I think Alton Towers are getting more bang for their buck with The Smiler.

Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:54 pm

I love the Swarm even though I haven't and will be a while till I get to ride it. I think Alton would gain from a Wingrider but it would defiantly have to be different. Like all the other rides to an extent. Something like Furious Baco at Portaventura. Now that would be beast

Wed May 01, 2013 6:57 am

ollboll9 wrote: I love the Swarm even though I haven't and will be a while till I get to ride it. I think Alton would gain from a Wingrider but it would defiantly have to be different. Like all the other rides to an extent. Something like Furious Baco at Portaventura. Now that would be beast

although they have been said to be ready for launches whilst rita is still at the park its got no hope. everyone downgrades rita but the technology it has to launch coasters is literally amazing. B&M as far as i know cannot make a coaster that can accelerate like rita.

Kirsty25 · Wed May 01, 2013 1:51 pm

I think if Alton Towers got a winged coaster it would be in swarms shadow. I think Altons restrictions would stop a winged coaster too so I think,for now, they should steer clear.

Sun May 05, 2013 10:33 am

I would prefer a woodie in the future instead of a wing rider in the future

Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:22 pm

I can see them, if they want a world's first, then B&M could be contracted for a wing-rider variant. I mean, wing riders are already highly popular rides, it shouldn't belong before a variant is designed. Launched B&M wing rider?

Now, people may say "oh yeah but towers have rita, which already launches" so what? there are parks with more than one wooden roller coaster, more than one hyper coaster, I think it would be great for Alton. Have a layout similar in style to that of Raptor at gardaland, theme it to forbidden valley and they're sorted.

On the subject of forbidden valley, I wouldn't want to see nemesis story continued now, it'll get boring.

Wed Jun 11, 2014 3:02 pm

Alton13Nemesis wrote:I can see them, if they want a world's first, then B&M could be contracted for a wing-rider variant. I mean, wing riders are already highly popular rides, it shouldn't belong before a variant is designed. Launched B&M wing rider?

B&M don't like doing launches so I think this concept is highly unlikely, even more so with how heavy their Wing Coaster trains are.

Wed Jun 11, 2014 4:23 pm

I hope not, having been on the swarm and from other reviews of wing riders, it seems they slow down quite fast due to the wider trains meaning to get a good ride out of one it has to be tall. For me the idea of a woodie or multi launch sounds like a better option

Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:21 pm

I'd love a winged coaster, and the idea is creative, but unfortunately I'm with the anti-swarm crowd

I think a winged coaster would be great, Despite the fact it's similar to air. I think that to weave through trees on it would be amazing. However I feel that to copy the story of swarm would be bad. Thorpe are supposed to copy towers, not the other way round!

Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:25 pm

As much as a winged coaster would be cool, I do think there are better things which could be installed instead.

Wed Jun 11, 2014 11:51 pm

I thought B&M did have the technology to create a launch wing rider. I don't want Alton to get one, and I doubt they would. They take up a lot of space due to the width and would take away The Swarms uniqueness in Britain, which as Merlin own both, they won;t want to do that. I would like to see something new to the UK installed.

YouTube · Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:39 pm

Dan.N wrote: B&M don't like doing launches so I think this concept is highly unlikely, even more so with how heavy their Wing Coaster trains are.

They have stated in the past that they have developed the technology, but are still waiting for a park to buy into it.

Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:03 pm

It might be a while before one does if they are so expensive!

As for a winged coaster, there it would take up too much space in Alton Towers, I think.

Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:08 pm

Wing Riders need to be huge and there not as popular as everyone thought they were going to be. If we see an Alton wing coaster i will happily eat my shoe.

Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:20 pm

I doubt it will happen. AT has no space and a wing rider is not good enough to replace any of the current rides.

Wed Sep 24, 2014 12:56 pm

Here's something crazy I came up with the other day... But I'm not sure on the logistics..

Didn't Alton have planning permission for a launched coaster next to Duel a few years back, but went with Rita in Ug Land instead?

Haven't B&M developed a way of launching wingriders?

In case you need help putting the 2 together... A launched wingrider themed to something like bats next to Duel...?

Trouble is, not sure what the regulations would be on foot-print, height, tree removal or this methane gas issue they have in the area... Nor am I totally convinced that without a bit of an overhaul, the area could cope with the addition of such a massive attraction as well as being the through-fare for Forbidden Valley.