Wicker Man - General Discussion

[archie.mm]

A new planning application has revealed that a new attraction is to be built on the site in between Katanga Canyon and Mutiny Bay, standing 196 metres high and featuring a series of tunnels.

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/Alton-Tower ... story.html

[Roodie]

Hmmmm....looks like journalism at it's best. 196m high (above sea level maybe)

[Jammydodger]

One thing that sticks out as a huge success of the Smiler to me is not the theme, but the branding. The colour scheme, uniform, sound, logo and story were all very poignant. To the point where I can, and have, instantly spotted and recognized people wearing the hoodies and other merch out in the real world a mile away. I'm not saying theming isn't important, but I really hope we see something as original and bold as the smiler again.

[Sawboss]

To the point where I can, and have, instantly spotted and recognized people wearing the hoodies and other merch out in the real world a mile away.

My girlfriend has been on the Smiler exactly once but bought a hoodie just because she likes the logo and colour scheme.

I can't wait til we start getting information on SW8s theme and name and logo and all that good stuff.

[Guitar]

196 Metres high! Wow, they are about to triple the world record for a woodie!
If this is the level of journalism in this country it makes you wonder how accurate any of the 'news' is.

Reading around the 'net someone noticed that the lift hill for SW8 starts at 24 degrees and then shallows out to 12 degrees near the top. Does this indicate a launched coaster?

[Javs]

We are not sure. Some have suggested it could be to do with compromise between height restrictions and track clearance. Although I can't see them designing a coaster to have two different lift angles just to fit it into the area. We are either misreading it, or the plans are not correct.

[Guitar]

Does anyone here have any knowledge of the planning process?
How much are they allowed to change or hide? Surely the plans have to be fairly accurate or you aren't getting permission to build what you want to build. But obviously there must be some leeway otherwise people would end up pulling buildings down because they are a few cm off the plans, which thankfully doesn't seem to happen. So does anyone know where the middle ground lies?

With regards a launch system, I saw AT stating they have power supply issues preventing LIMs, could it be they have found a solution in having a shallow lift hill, as having a shallow lift would surely require less current than a steep lift?

[dazza4783]

Does anyone here have any knowledge of the planning process?
How much are they allowed to change or hide? Surely the plans have to be fairly accurate or you aren't getting permission to build what you want to build. But obviously there must be some leeway otherwise people would end up pulling buildings down because they are a few cm off the plans, which thankfully doesn't seem to happen. So does anyone know where the middle ground lies?

With regards a launch system, I saw AT stating they have power supply issues preventing LIMs, could it be they have found a solution in having a shallow lift hill, as having a shallow lift would surely require less current than a steep lift?

If the ride is in a GDO area then it might not require planning permission at all. The Smiler for example is in a GDO area, the ride itself didn't need planning permission but the station building did, that is why they were able to hide some inversions in the planning documents.

If this ride is also in a GDO then it could be the same scenario with the finished ride looking different to the submitted plans.
I'm sure we will learn more about it when the full planning application goes in.

[bensaund]

One thing we can be sure, it is not 196m high, unless Alton Towers are going to plant some very big trees!

[xylyx]

World's first Giant redwood transplanted from Canada in its entirety and planted in a theme park, that's the wood, the rest is a little kiddie race track that runs around it to make up for the loss of driving school. :P

[JonDoesTT]

If it was a launch coaster it would be great. Not sure if I'd prefer it to a wooden coaster with a lift, but Lighting Rod looks incredible, and I'd love to see something like that at Towers.

Also, does anyone know who is designing SW8?

[xylyx]

Is all very much shrouded in secrecy at the minute. What we know is either blatant on the screening option or has been teased out by Wiley folks.

I love all the speculation, the strange lift hill is intriguing, coupled with the decent brake run implies to me there will be a fair ol bit of speed.

[Guitar]

If the ride is in a GDO area then it might not require planning permission at all. The Smiler for example is in a GDO area, the ride itself didn't need planning permission but the station building did, that is why they were able to hide some inversions in the planning documents.

If this ride is also in a GDO then it could be the same scenario with the finished ride looking different to the submitted plans.
I'm sure we will learn more about it when the full planning application goes in.

Thanks for the info, so in all likelyhood things are being well hidden then, oh well, it adds to the mystery.

[dazza4783]

If the ride is in a GDO area then it might not require planning permission at all. The Smiler for example is in a GDO area, the ride itself didn't need planning permission but the station building did, that is why they were able to hide some inversions in the planning documents.

If this ride is also in a GDO then it could be the same scenario with the finished ride looking different to the submitted plans.
I'm sure we will learn more about it when the full planning application goes in.

Thanks for the info, so in all likelyhood things are being well hidden then, oh well, it adds to the mystery.

Maybe, although there was talk of there being a new area created with 2 rides going in there, so maybe we have only seen half of what is actually going in there. The flume ride area is quite big but this seems to be taking up mainly the station and lake part of it.

[bensaund]

Just out of interest, the part of the flume which goes into the woods, is this on the plans? Because replacing the flume with track through the woods shouldn't be difficult to get planning for if it needs planning at all.

[lewis97]

Just out of interest, the part of the flume which goes into the woods, is this on the plans? Because replacing the flume with track through the woods shouldn't be difficult to get planning for if it needs planning at all.

Yes, the plans detail that the flume trench and supports will be removed but the footers will be left to reduce disruption to the surrounding forest. They also show that SW8 will not enter the forest area, which is probably because this area isn't under GDO and would be very hard to get planning permission for anything there.

[theparklifekid]

Also, does anyone know who is designing SW8?

Its probably not Mr Wardley, not sure who would on the track, but i think that that Ben Dowson (Creative Lead on The Smiler) will be doing the creative side of things.

[Tom]

Also, does anyone know who is designing SW8?

Its probably not Mr Wardley, not sure who would on the track, but i think that that Ben Dowson (Creative Lead on The Smiler) will be doing the creative side of things.

Ben Dowson no longer works for Merlin, so this is unlikely.

[Georgie]

If anything was to bring Wardley out of retirement I would expect it to be this. After all, bringing a woodie to Alton has been a plan of his for a long time.

[Guitar]

Perhaps a John Wardley design but one that's been sat on a shelf for a few years?