Wicker Man - General Discussion

[NemesisRider]

From what I heard though, woodies are hard to market in the UK (says Merlin)... Therefore they are an unlikely choice...

[stealthsmiler]

The general vibe I have received off of people about woodies is that they are dangerous and many people I've met have said they wouldn't ever ride one again. Then again most of them have only ever been on BPBs woodies and they are ancient - maybe if they rode a brand new woodie they would change their mind.

[Jack]

^when I was riding Megafobia, many, many people said that it was amazing and more parks should have a wooden coaster like it, showing that as long as it's an awesome looking ride, people will go and see what it's like…and a lot of the time will come back again to ride it!

[lewis97]

With people now more familiar with rollercoasters and confident in the technology, I think the opinion that most guests view wooden coasters as unsafe is now outdated. People want to see something new, and part of the thrill of a ride is allowing you to experience something you haven't before. The time is now right for a woodie/hybrid at a UK Merlin park, although, that said, I doubt we'll see one at Alton Towers.

[Alex]

If people are willing to ride The Smiler, then I'm sure they would ride a woodie

[Ryan.B]

I could see drayton manor getting a family thrill woodie before Alton with a small part above the lake. Worlds first hybrid wooden/steel/water all in one anyone. Steel track wooden supports apart from steel completely on the water sections. It could work and I would like to see it although I don't know about wood in water for too long.

[lewis97]

Please remember to keep this relevant to Alton Towers' SW8 development. Thanks!

[Ryan.B]

I think Alton will get a woodie for SW8 if it's in 2016/17 and that idea could work. I can just see Drayton manor getting a woodie in the same year but alton getting a worlds first hybrid woodie as Alton love there worlds firsts :yes:

[Alton13Nemesis]

I'm still thinking right now merlin will be looking into world first ideas for a B&M steel coaster *yawns at gimmick*

[Jack]

if it's a world first B&M woodie, I wouldn't moan about it (I CAN DREAM FOR GOD SAKE :P)

[Ryan.B]

Wooden box track! if it's possible wooden box track would look amazing! I do actually see a woodie for any sw up to SW10 I imagine secret weapon 8 will most likely be a B&M wing rider or a mack water coaster but in the style of airtime hills and splashdowns. Vertical lift water coaster anyone?, B&M are pretty much capable of any type of coaster now, so they could possible make water rides which is likely going to be SW8 or 9

[stealthsmiler]

As I've said before, a wing rider is too large for AT and their tight restrictions and Merlin won't want to take away the Swarms uniqueness so soon. As for B&M they only have sit down, stand up and floorless left that Merlin haven't already installed in the UK so unless they are bringing out a new coaster type, I imagine we may get a decent coaster out of the three which may have a worlds first element. A floorless coaster in KC with a decent layout would be brilliant.

Is it possible that B&M may have redesigned the stand up caster to make it more comfortable and popular? It is one of the few coaster experiences AT are missing.

[Ryan.B]

If not a wing rider would there be able to be a Intamin wing coaster like sky rush in Katanga canyon as they are meant to have some brilliant doses of airtime, plus it would be an uk's first? If they could start going the way of the swarm and start getting uk's firsts instead of worlds firsts it could be better,Nemesis is the only Secret weapon to have no worlds first and the best (apart from the smiler which is really, just a world record) I think the worlds firsts should stop and focus on world class experiences instead. All the secret weapons have been improved from the prototype apart from Oblovion so I think it's time to get some ride types already made.

[Alton13Nemesis]

B&M floorless with some sort of world first gimmick in forbidden valley?

[Ryan.B]

If it's a Floorless or stand up it will most likely go to kc it is highly likely whatever it is will go on the flume site. I'm hoping for a Intamin wing coaster like sky rush or a Floorless B&M airtime machine but it will probably be some kind of water ride to replace the flume, hopefully a mack super splash but a Floorless could fit in fv with air kind of in a different area but in forbidden valley at the Same time. I would be thinking along the lines of the swarm advert where they are trying to escape but escaping from the nemesis monsters on jet packs for air and on Floorless bikes for the B&M Floorless you would be escaping the newly hatched nemesis eggs all around if ripsaw is removed by this time I could imagine the station being on the ripsaw site and a small pit built for the lift hill and first drop but not too big. About the height of nemesis between the first helix and lift hill height difference so it picks up some speed.

If they started adding Nemesis eggs around the whole area including on nemesis and some around air they would be starting off the new ride and whole area refurb for Nemmies 21st birthday. Bringing more attention to Nemesis and Air again like The Smiler did for Oblivion. Get rid of the blade instead of ripsaw and it would be my favourite area on park again.maybe try balancing all thrill areas to five rides. Three coasters for forbidden valley 1 flat and one dark 2 flats for x sector and one dark three flats for dark forest and that is how you balance areas out

[NemesisRider]

I would like a FV floorless, as I have said before they have a lot of potential (and potential world's firsts for Nick Varney).

[Ryan.B]

Worlds first lift/launch like the hulk to send Varney into space and we take over anybody. Varney would be fine with it, it's a worlds first anyway :lol

[NemesisRider]

Now now, this topic is for SW8, not vendettas against Varney...

[Ryan.B]

It's got a worlds first in it though hasn't it although I really would like to see a fllorless somewhere in forbidden valley. More theming to be planned for the ride at nemesis 21st celebration.

[sw7nutter]

If people think standups are a gimmick then B&M floorless is a whole new level. Bizzaro at SFGA is an amazing coaster but it would be just as good as a normal sit down. If they found a way to make standups more comfortable then it would be a good sw8 option but its unlikely that there is a more comfortable soloution. Instead expect sw8 to be another b&m worlds first gimmick which is plauged with problems and will be a million times inferior to any of the same type of coaster after it. Just like air and oblivion.