Alton Towers — Project 2026: Junior Coaster

[Coaster Chall]

I thought I'd start this new thread to try and get some conversations and discussions going about the future of Alton Towers Resort.

We know Project Ocean (suspected to be a Huss Suspended Top Spin - hopefully called Ripsaw's Revenge lol) and Project Horizon (indoor rollercoaster) are on their way, but beyond that, what could we realistically see attractions wise?

Let's discuss...

 

[Deleted User 13503]

I think sw9 could be a 2028 B&M wing coaster in gloomy wood.

 

[Deleted User 13503]

Twice I've visited Alton Towers and there is one coaster they need, a family thrill coaster with a height restriction under 1.2m. I wouldn't be surprised to see a coaster similar to DarKoaster open up.

 

[harry580]

any updates on this

 

[Zachary]

Per members of Towers Street, they still haven't broken ground. There's some antsiness about the timeline and whether or not it's still coming.

[202X] Project Horizon (SW9?): Planning Approved

I assume even if the planning lapsed as it was timed out, it would be pretty easy to get it waved through a second time now they've been given the nod once already. As long as there were no substantial changes to the plans. There is precendent for this at the Towers. Before they built the...

towersstreet.com

 

[Deleted User 13503]

I would like to hear your guy's thoughts on possible Alton Towers investments. I think a wing coaster in Gloomy Wood would be be cool.

 

[Unagi]

Don't see a wing coaster happening for Alton Towers.

The park has a very strict height ordinance and whenever they build a major coaster they have to dig into the ground and terraform a lot of the attraction's footprint. And with a wing coaster having a huge ride envelope they'd most likely have to create more space.

Most of all, when Alton Towers builds a new coaster, they like to install unique, never-before-seen attractions in the UK. There are already two existing wing coasters in the country with Mandrill Mayhem at Chessington World of Adventures and Swarm at Thorpe Park.

 

[mugnezz]

the park has lost a lot of audience and is being made to survive with mediocre novelties (a top spin in 2025 lol), the golden times are over

 

[Deleted User 13503]

Don't see a wing coaster happening for Alton Towers.

The park has a very strict height ordinance and whenever they build a major coaster they have to dig into the ground and terraform a lot of the attraction's footprint. And with a wing coaster having a huge ride envelope they'd most likely have to create more space.

Most of all, when Alton Towers builds a new coaster, they like to install unique, never-before-seen attractions in the UK. There are already two existing wing coasters in the country with Mandrill Mayhem at Chessington World of Adventures and Swarm at Thorpe Park.

I did know about their height restrictions (I was born in the UK and have been to Towers many times). Also, I don't think it would be that hard to make a coater under the tree line, plus their most recent coaster (Wicker Man) didn't have strong marketing but still became very popular. They simply say that it is the world's first lift and launch wing coaster and the GP would most likely flood in.

 

[Unagi]

(Wicker Man) didn't have strong marketing but still became very popular.

Wicker Man had very strong marketing. My friends in the Midlands and London regularly saw TV commercials for it on a few of the BBC stations during its opening year.

 

[Deleted User 13503]

Wicker Man had very strong marketing. My friends in the Midlands and London regularly saw TV commercials for it on a few of the BBC stations during its opening year.

I didn't mean what you said, I meant that there wasn't much to say about it that was record breaking or a world's first that would bring people in.

 

[Unagi]

I didn't mean what you said, I meant that there wasn't much to say about it that was record breaking or a world's first that would bring people in.

A coaster doesn't need to break a world record to have good marketing. And in Wicker Man's case it did have a couple "first" characteristics to it such as first GCI wood coaster in the UK and first wood coaster to use live fire effects.

 

[GASM]

Yeah, records couldn’t matter less to me personally if it’s a great ride. That may be the part of me that grew up so close to Kingda Ka speaking, but off the top of my head, the only park where a record breaker is my favorite (without it being some contrived record like tallest and fastest hybrid in Ohio) is Kings Island with Beast.

 

[Deleted User 13503]

A coaster doesn't need to break a world record to have good marketing. And in Wicker Man's case it did have a couple "first" characteristics to it such as first GCI wood coaster in the UK and first wood coaster to use live fire effects.

Probably 85% of the people that go to Alton Towers are GP. And the GP most likely do not know who the heck GCI are. The fire effects part is cool but isn't that strong compared to most stuff they've done.

Now let's look at other projects Alton Towers could do. I really don't see project horizon happening now so they may use that money in 3 - 4 years to invest in a major thrill coaster. A multi launch coaster in the quite useless Galactica Parking Lot would be sick.

 

[harry580]

I like to see a flat ride package happening in Alton Towers with a new pirate ship ride to replace the old one, and new flat rides to replace the temporally ones like they did with that one ride near Galactica

 

[Coaster Chall]

I think it's extremely likely that this project will be delayed further to at least 2028/2029. Little to no progress has been made since plans were approved, and speculation has said that the planned ride type for the site has become the Minecraft Coaster project in 2027 at Chessington World of Adventures Resort.

 

[harry580]

I think it's extremely likely that this project will be delayed further to at least 2028/2029. Little to no progress has been made since plans were approved, and speculation has said that the planned ride type for the site has become the Minecraft Coaster project in 2027 at Chessington World of Adventures Resort.

context?, and ifs that the case, i wouldn't be surprised if the David Williams area become a Minecraft village (maybe turning the old alton towers dungeon into a caves & into the end ride?)

 

[Coaster Chall]

Context is based on the fact that no work has started as of yet despite plans approved. I also would agree that Walliams World would be a part of it

 

[harry580]

if that's the case:
that new indoor coaster will be themed to mineshaft

there's will be a flat ride themed to you guess it: chicken jockery

theres will also be another flat ride but themed to the wings fireworks thing

the driving school ride will be moved somewhere else (maybe CBeebies land as bluey) and replaced with another flat ride

the old dungeon building will get replaced with a dark ride themed to boats to the swamp & the jungle

ice age 4d will be a 3d show based on the Minecraft story mode

I don't know about nickelodeon outta control & gangster granny buildings (maybe move gangster granny ride to the old nickelodeon outta control building and give it a Minecraft retheme & turn that into a arcade?)

 

[Coaster Chall]

In my opinion, Gangsta Granny and Carousel will just be rethemed, Project Horizon debuts, Bouncy Bottom Burp will be removed, so will driving school.

Theme wise with Minecraft off to Chessington, I could see either a different IP or an original theme (hopefully). Merlin have said Animal Treasure Island at Gardaland is just the start, but I could see that as maybe a Mutiny Bay attraction in the future.

In a decade for revivals or sequels, I would love to see them reimagine the concept of The Land Of Make Believe, as I think it works.