Attraction Source Forum

I'd think that is highly unlikely. When it does eventually leave the park it'll be for the scrap heap.

Apart from the bridge and fencing Ripsaw is very much still there as seen here. It'll most likely be SBNO from now on however.

If the foodloop isn't set to open until mid-season, and presumably air v2.0 too, Surely the whole area beyond Nemesis will be fenced off anyway? They'll probably do some work on the Air Plaza, and if they're really paying close attention to detail, then "Air" is actually written in the brickwork, right by where the Ripsaw exit/cafe area is, so they should in theory need to rip that up if its being rebranded as we suspect.

My guess would be Ripsaw won't open til mid-season, which would both explain why the rumor is circulating, but also give it a little bit of context as to why.

Jammydodger wrote:If the foodloop isn't set to open until mid-season, and presumably air v2.0 too, Surely the whole area beyond Nemesis will be fenced off anyway? They'll probably do some work on the Air Plaza, and if they're really paying close attention to detail, then "Air" is actually written in the brickwork, right by where the Ripsaw exit/cafe area is, so they should in theory need to rip that up if its being rebranded as we suspect.

My guess would be Ripsaw won't open til mid-season, which would both explain why the rumor is circulating, but also give it a little bit of context as to why.

Good point! Depending on the scale of retheme then ripsaw would indeed be in the way. The work being done on air you would think is pretty significant and along with the new restaurant I can't see air reopening right at the start of the season. Leaves me to wonder what will happen with the blade? 2015 was supposed to be its last season but with air, sub terra and ripsaw potentially all out of use it would only leave nemmy operating in forbidden valley! Could we possibly see an extended life for the blade?

Well the operators cabin and the lorry have joined the q line in the car park " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So has pretty much the rest of the ride.





Source: TowersStreet Twitter

These additional images from TowersStreet's Facebook pretty much confirm its removal.

I am well aware that these removals and refurbishments will benefit the resort in the long term and provide a better experience for guests in later years and I look forward to this. Despite this, the whole situation feels like the end of an era for the park. Wether we like it or not, the resorts safety record has been obliterated in the public eye and the rides in general are looking tired and old. Furthermore the ride line up will possibly be the smallest it has ever been next year. Alton towers has a lot of work to do in the future as it really has reached rock-bottom.

I am a great supporter of the park but right now I consider it one of the weakest parks in the UK purely because of the poor ride offering (including the lack of flat rides). I am hopeful for the future but we need to accept that with the horrific year this year and now the removal of classics such as Ripsaw and closure of many rides, the park will have a tough three years.

My only hope is that Thorpe Parks new dark ride will bring in extra visitor numbers and income to support the recovery process over Merlin parks as a whole, as Thorpe Park is the only Merlin park in the UK I consider at a high quality currently.

I hate the pictures of ripsaw, its just so depressing to see it laying there and knowing it wont be coming back what is actually my 5th favourite ride, gone. you don't appreciate these things as much as you do when they've gone.

Sad to see was my first big ride I rode so sad to see it in this state really hope Alton towers brings in some new flats as the park is really lacking these at the moment

Alton has the best coaster collection in the UK, but they really need a couple of good flats now. I wonder what will become of The Blade?

Gutted to see the removal of ripsaw!
I wished the towers had advised its guests of the forthcoming removal to allow its fans to have "their last ride" on her!

Zac wrote:Gutted to see the removal of ripsaw!
I wished the towers had advised its guests of the forthcoming removal to allow its fans to have "their last ride" on her!

It may have been that the Resort have discovered something during closed season maintenance that is simply not cost effective to repair meaning they had no choice but to remove it. In this case the Resort wouldn't have been able to advise guests that it would be leaving.

Adding onto what ladyofthelake said, we have known for quite a while that Ripsaw will be departing due to the Long Term Development Plan, and although this didn't specify when the ride would be removed, it has lived to outstay it's welcome when looking at the this.

Yes, it is sad to see that one of my personal favourite rides on the resort is leaving, but it can only mean bigger and better things and so we can only look forward

Themepark247360 wrote:Alton has the best coaster collection in the UK.

Its not really hard to have the best coasters as there isn't a lot of competition. Nemesis is the only one I truly believe to be a world class coaster currently at ATR.

Shame Ripsaw is gone, going to be a very dire couple of years before all this future development happens.

Nitrogenie (gimmick) this year with rope courses, new gimmick restaurant & coffee shop in 2016 but no new flat ride.. shame on you Merlin, priorities all wrong I don't like this resort vision.

Andy Mc wrote:

Themepark247360 wrote:Alton has the best coaster collection in the UK.

I don't like this resort vision.

I'm sure everyone here (myself included) would be fine with Merlin's resort vision as long as theme park investments were regular and of a good quality. But since 2014 things have been going downhill imo.

Themepark247360 wrote:

Andy Mc wrote:

Themepark247360 wrote:Alton has the best coaster collection in the UK.

I don't like this resort vision.

I'm sure everyone here (myself included) would be fine with Merlin's resort vision as long as theme park investments were regular and of a good quality. But since 2014 things have been going downhill imo.

Which is where the problem is. The only things added on park since The Smiler have been cafes/restaurants which are all making money. I'd count TTQ as an exception but continuously adding to the 'resort' where it isn't needed (enchanted village) without adding to the park first is as clear as it gets when people say that the customer is not the priority. The amount of things that are endlessly being invested in purely because they make more money, whilst removing flat rides and such (which make no money for them) is perhaps the biggest reason that the 'Alton Towers magic' has been destroyed.

Ripsaw isn't confirmed to be removed yet. I personally think it's going to be removed, but we can't be sure until Alton Towers officially give confirmation. It's a bit sad that (if it is going) we'll only have two thrilling flat rides left in Blade and Enterprise, but hopefully that will change within the next few years.

Ripsaw's removal was listed in the LTDP and, whether you like it or not, the nature of rides is they have a natural "shelf life". Ripsaw has run well for 18 years and, whilst I find it odd that Rameses Revenge will probably outlast it despite being added 2 years prior, rides sometimes do have to go.

As for them only investing in what will make a return, that's business unfortunately. Merlin aren't Disney they don't have 100 million lying around for casual investment. If they did add a flat ride, they could make it pay though. In 2014, Liseberg opened Mechanica and, despite being a smaller addition, it regularly received queues of an hour or more because it was heavily marketed.

NemesisRider wrote:Ripsaw isn't confirmed to be removed yet.

I think everything lying on the car park is all the confirmation we need Sam imo.

New coffee shop will probably get slapped on that plot of land close to Air v2.0 & the new restaurant. Has to be a Starbucks, air space theme, stars, starbucks, $$$. Perfect fit.

As I said Andy, I personally think removal is by far the most likely option but we can't be sure. It's like we're very sure Air is going to be called Galactica but we don't official know until it is announced.

I can't decide but the coffee shop could be in a different area. Looking at what Europa Park's FoodLoop serves, they serve coffees (don't ask me which type, I'm not a coffee drinker myself so I have no clue) and other hot beverages, so it would be illogical to have a coffee shop where Ripsaw stood. If I was to predict what happens to the site, I'd guess we would probably see a stall where VR can be rented or something like the "Submission Memorial Garden" which gets filled in a few years time. The latter is less likely though, either that or the VR renting stall could use the Refresh@Ripsaw building.

NemesisRider wrote:As I said Andy, I personally think removal is by far the most likely option but we can't be sure. It's like we're very sure Air is going to be called Galactica but we don't official know until it is announced.

The ride has already been removed and you still aren't sure that it's gone? :-k why would they go to the trouble of moving everything to the car park if they were just going to rebuild it? I know you want to cling on to some hope Sam, but let's face it, Ripsaw is dead.

Also if I remember rightly, Towers didn't announce that Submission was leaving, they just waited for people to realise it wasn't there anymore and put it down to "future developments"