Alton Towers | Wicker Man | GCI Wood

[Sandman]

They will probably keep the effects in good nick to be honest, then stick a nice fat upcharge on them for special 'late night' occasions #MerlinMagic

 

[scw55]

Also,

What?

2 x trains
1 train = 6 carriages.
1 train = 12 riders.
2 x trains = 24 riders.
Riders per carriage = 12r/6c = 2

1 train would have a layout like:
8|8|8|8|8|8

The maths is fine. It's the clarity of the English which is at fault.

 

[davidm]

Yes, but its the confusion between "train" and "ride" here thats just daft English. One train is one ride, so why do they say 24 pax per ride if each train is just the 12 seat jobbie.
(and obviously I now can't find where I copied that quote from, assumed it was in the press-kit though - (edit) OK like here)

 

[Matt N]

I'm confused, because the aerial views and the plans have shown a 12-row train that seats 24 riders?

 

[CrashCoaster]

^IKR. Unless they decided to connect 2 trains, but that would be weird. It has 3 x 24 passenger trains.

 

[scw55]

Then burn it all down.

 

[SilverArrow]

I expect 80% of the planning time was used up planning this photoshoot/PR release and 50% of the budget too.

It's a pretty set of photos but just reaffirms my expectation of it being all marketing and no substance.

Could even wrong.....maybe.

At least the photos actually contain the ride now.

 

[Mysterious Sue]

To be honest, I personally think that the Smiler's great. Like the whole aesthetic of the area, with the huge tangle of track itself and the grey and yellow architecture of the buildings

I always think of it as black and yellow. Like a really angry wasp.

 

[Smithy]

Gawping at those press photos earlier, look incredible.

Now just posting to say I've only just realised how brilliant the 8|8|8|8|8 is at dictating a 2 seater train carriage from top down.

 

[scw55]

Now just posting to say I've only just realised how brilliant the 8|8|8|8|8 is at dictating a 2 seater train carriage from top down.

Thank you. It went through a lot of iterations. Be glad I didn't stick with:

XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX

or
O|O|O|O|O|O
O|O|O|O|O|O

 

[Coaster]

The Smiler's aesthetic is terrible in my opinion, apart from the marmaliser it's just a concrete mess with a few things tacked on.

The Wicker Man structure looks good in those photos but it's probably only for the photo shoot IMO, much like how the interior of Derren Brown's Ghost Train looks great with the fog, despite the fact it has never actually operated like that to guests.

 

[Bert2theSpark]

And here we see the wild Wicker Man in it's natural habitat...

Credit to Alton Towers Facebook

EDIT: Here's Wicker Man's zero car.

Spoiler

 

[Pear]

Why is that in a spoiler lol

 

[Smithy]

That actually looks stunning.

 

[Sandman]

I think the coaster looks great. The car looks good but it reminds me of Taron's... which is better!

 

[Robbie]

Looks cosy!

 

[SilverArrow]

The zero car is ok, nothing special. Seen people raving about it on FB groups like it's the most awesome thing they've ever seen but I'm not blown away by it.

Looks like something you'd put your dirty clothes or rubbish in.

(A wicker basket)

 

[Smithy]

You mean the wooden rollercoaster themed to the wickerman and with a giant actual physical wickerman as it's main theming item has a zero car that looks like wicker?

 

[SilverArrow]

You mean the wooden rollercoaster themed to the wickerman and with a giant actual physical wickerman as it's main theming item has a zero car that looks like wicker?

Yes, it's to be expected, but it still looks like a wicker basket. It was supposed to be a joke.

 

[scw55]

With the extreme swings of opinion on the thread, I assumed it was another attack.