Attraction Source Forum

The future of Alton Towers to me is hard to see as the height law on alton towers restricts the park from competing with other parks. Other parks are building taller, faster and better coasters where as Alton Towers cant build above the trees. If Alton Towers is going to be able to build better coasters than Thorpe Park, Drayton Manor and other theme parks in Britain, then the Height law has to be taken away. Who thinks this is why alton towers isn't building any high coasters?? Is this why the wooden coaster that was proposed many years ago didn't go ahead?? What do you think??

Yup ive gone with no, I quite like the height limit the way everything is hidden and they have had to find ways to get around the issue for example nemesis's pit & oblivion's hole what would those rides be without these features that were added simply to keep in below the limit? It forces alton to think and not just stick rides in randomly (most of the time) Now the sound limit on the other hand....thats a different matter!

If there wasnt a height restriction, the rides would have no creativity to them!

Take Nemesis for example... could you imagine that having a massive drop into it and being basically like its sister, Nemesis Inferno. They actually have to think about how the ride is created, and this brings some AMAZING ideas, which other parks haven't even thought of!

^^ Chris ^^

A large part of the magic is this whole other world hidden away in the middle of the beautiful Staffordshire Countryside.


The Valley is their chance to go big.

Hmm odds of that getting through though....

[quote=""Mankey""]If there wasnt a height restriction, the rides would have no creativity to them!

Take Nemesis for example... could you imagine that having a massive drop into it and being basically like its sister, Nemesis Inferno. They actually have to think about how the ride is created, and this brings some AMAZING ideas, which other parks haven't even thought of!

^^ Chris ^^[/quote]

It also can bring about some right tosh like Rita. Restrictions don't always guarantee creativity and imaginativeness. I think it would be good to ease height restriction with some conditions. I think it would be bad to make really high rollercoasters (except in the valley), like other people have said it would ruin the magic of the secluded countryside.

However, I think flat rides at the towers would become a lot more exciting without a height limit. A really massive drop tower in Ugland would really be rather something in my opinion - it would look great and intimidating poking through the trees from FV or Oblivion (or practically anywhere else in the park) and would provide a truly stunning view over Staffordshire.

All they need to do is get some HUGE tree and plant it in Ugland wala ... some more goof flat land rides.

(yes i know it doesn't work that way)

by the way is Oblivion around 200ft?

The drop is 180ft from top to bottom, the height of the ride from the top to the ground is 60 -70ft....

I wouldn't want the height restrictions completely removed, but I would like to see a bit more lenience in some cases; not needing to have the top of the Corkscrew and Rita painted for instance....

60-70ft above ground, 180ft from top of ride to bottom of hole.

[quote=""altontowers1""]Sorry to sound stupid but i really dont understand when people say the height is for instance lets take what you said 180ft but the achuall ride is 60-70ft .

x[/quote]

When I refer to the ground, i'm taking about everything above the hole...

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear....

Using my amazing "1337" paint skillz I drew up this quick diagram. :P

For a moment there I thought you meant the height restrictions on rides which are too big for kids etc. lol

I opted for a little bit higher just so they can keep their options open but not so much they can lose their creativeness as Nemmie has a lot of character being in the pit.

Planning laws aren't rigid, they can be adapted to the situation.
The height rule should not be changed in my view, but structures that are sympathetic or non-distractive to the wider area should be allowed through with conditions.

The future of Alton Towers to me is hard to see as the height law on alton towers restricts the park from competing with other parks. Other parks are building taller, faster and better coasters where as Alton Towers cant build above the trees. If Alton Towers is going to be able to build better coasters than Thorpe Park, Drayton Manor and other theme parks in Britain, then the Height law has to be taken away.

Forget personal preference the simple fact is no, they will not be relaxed. Planning laws were created for a reason and that was to prevent the green fields of Britain from becoming covered in concrete monstrosities. You cannot use the excuse of the park not being able to compete in order to be an exception to that rule. Why? Because it's rubbish... Alton Towers are perfectly able to compete with all other major parks, maybe not on ride height but on the overall level of quality of the service they offer to the customer. A ride does not have to be tall to be successful, just take a walk around the park and you will see many examples. Add to this the fact that Alton is a branch of Merlin who are pretty much a monopoly in terms of British theme parks and therefore they do not really need to be able to compete; they each compliment each other.

Even if Alton for some crazy reason were not able to compete with other parks for the sole reason of the height of rides I would personally rather see the park shrink in popularity than have them build huge structures in what is such a beautiful place.

Kaz

[quote=""Iron Man""]Using my amazing "1337" paint skillz I drew up this quick diagram. :P

[/quote]

Thankyou :hug: that really did help alot i understand now wow im glad im clear about that it really did confuzzle me tarrrrr!

ooo and by the way i love your drawing Iron Man it really makes me giggle :yes:

x

I reckon when all the old people die out maybe the restrictions may be gotten rid of =P but would that actually make the park better ? i think not.

Its not the local people living near Alton Towers keeping the height rule in place