Does the UK need wood?

[Ian]

Following on from Pierre's topic about the FL woodie that never was, do you think the UK will get a wooden coaster in the near future?

Within certain shades of the theme park enthusiast community, there are cries for a woodie - the last one in the UK was Antleope at Gullivers Warrington 15 years ago - but will the average punter enjoy one?

Are woodies classed as old fashioned? Are they simply not marketable in the 21st century? Is it all about speed and height nowadays? Have the days of a UK woodie turned to ash?

From your enthusiast point of view, as well as in the general scheme of things, does the UK need a new woodie?

 

[Ben]

Within certain shades of the theme park enthusiast community, there are cries for a woodie - the last one in the UK was Antleope at Gullivers Warrington 15 years ago - but will the average punter enjoy one?

Babes, Megafobia

And I think there is a call for it. Megafobia did a lot for Oakwood, it wasn't because it was unpopular...

And Americans don't seem to have a problem with them...

It's just, Blackpool doesn't need anymore, Merlin has a vendetta againsts them and Flamingo Land's too povo to pay for it, so...

 

[Gavin]

Looking at the newer woodies in other countries, park visitors are lapping them up, and in my experience, most of the time, they have the longest queues (thinking about the USA here mostly, but it's also true of Park Asterix, Everland, Liseberg).

If a decent GCI or Intamin woodie was built over here, I'm sure the same would happen; people would ride it, love it, ride it again and it would become one of the most popular attractions in the park.

From a marketing perspective though, it's a different issue. People would love it once they'd ridden it, but would it bring more people through the gates than a cheap, easy "world's (barely) steepest drop" coaster or "Saw" tie-in?

 

[A-Kid]

I think we need wood in order to expose our UK pubic to their kind. We just need a park to take the gamble. I think some people see them as unsafe/old fashioned/crap because the only wood they know of is the Blackpool lot or Gwazi.

The UK is too market research focused, so we end up doing the same crap as every other company and giving people exacly what that type of person wants, not taking risks because some computer stats say it won't work. Thats boring and wrong because we arn't "wowing" people anymore and it gives the impression companys only give one about quantity of gain(giving people what they are 'ment' to want acording to stats and nothing more), not quality of the product when they arn't doing anything imaginative or new, treating people like freakin' sheep.

But yeah we need wood.

 

[nealbie]

I would say it's crying out for one, but where's it going to go?

As Ben's said Merlin hate them, or so they tell us... and besides, how would they market a century-old concept as a 'World's First'? (actually, scrap that, they'd find a way I'm sure! :lol: )

So yeah, woodie. But a decent one. Not a half-baked idea bastardised to fit a marketing campaign!

 

[Danzibarr]

I think we need wood in order to expose our UK pubic to their kind.

 

[nadroJ]

Yes. Definitely. And surely it could be marketed as something new, being that it would be the first wooden coaster built in the UK in the 21st century? I'm sure the UK theme park marketing teams would find a way of making that seem like a more than exciting enough prospect to bring in the crowds. It's something the modern UK theme park crowd haven't seen in a long time and surely they would be curious to see what riding one built in the modern day would be like?

And plus, I really really want one. Like, so freaking bad.

 

[peep]

I do like Wooden coasters but I really can't see the UK getting a new one anytime soon. As other peeps have mentioned, where would it go? I think Thorpe is the only place that could actually get one but because its Thorpe it'd have to have some sort of gimmick, which in Thorpe's case, is not a good idea.

So I'd like to see one but only if it's done well, which with all the silly restrictions at UK parks, I just can't see happening. Maybe Lightwater could get one but then it'd be compared too much to the Ultimate.

 

[Mike]

As much as I'ld love to see the UK get a Boulder Dash, Phoenix, a GCI or a decent Intamin Prefab, I just don't think it's going to happen...
The parks are going to think Vekoma do far better wooden coasters!


As Gavin said, newer woodies in other countries seem to be a major crowd pleaser. Just look at Balder for Liseberg- Easily the public's favourite ride on the day we went! I can't really see why the same wouldn't apply to the British public.

I'm not sure of the reasons why UK parks won't build wooden coasters. They could easily be marketed, and some woodies even have random movie tie-ins already!

Either way, I'm pretty sure there's A LOT more demand in the UK for a wooden roller coaster than there is for a mediocre water ride from a bankrupt theme park!!

 

[Mushroom]

I think the UK does need a good wooden coaster. Regardless of who makes it, if its Vekoma (See Loup-Garou) or a Intamin pre-fab. As long as it is known to the public, it will do well. People will start talking about it, a bit like Blackpool advertising their second hand slc. It has worked for them. I say, stop doing their surveys and build some wood, a bit like Oakwood did and it put them on the map!

 

[Ian]

For some reason, I thought Megafobia was before Antelope, my mistake.

For too long now, we've seen wooden coasters as simply historic structures. With the hoo-har over Southport's Cyclone, the issues surrounding Margate's Scenic Railway and the attempt to get the BPB coasters listed, has probably had a negative impact.

I'm not saying that these coasters shouldn't be protected, but it creates tension and probably puts a lot of parks off investing in one. At the end of the day, parks do what's right for them, not the visitors.

People may come off the woodies at BPB and say they're amazing, but I'm sure the average punter would reride a steel with many inversions, great height etc over a woodie. For example, my cousin Lucy went to Blackpool, she enjoyed the Wild Mouse and the Nash, but since visiting a few more parks, all she talks about is the Big One, Stealth, Rita and Oblivion. If I mention the woddies, she looks blankly at me.

The UK has failed to embrace the new wood generation and I do partly blame the focus on preservation rather than thrilling enjoyment. I would like to see a new woodie in the UK, as an enthusiast I would love it. Although it will be a brave park who does.

 

[ECG]

This was a topic of discussion every time I've ridden Boulder Dash with a Brit CFer (furie, Gavin, Brad & Hixee). "Why can't a park in England build one of these?"
For those that have ridden BD, is there a park in the UK that has the terrain to replicate a coaster similar to Boulder Dash?
Of course there's no doubt that a Intamin PnP like El Toro or T-Express would be a mega hit in England, but I guess that wouldn't be possible due to the height & noise regulations.

 

[ilovenemesis]

We do need new wooden coasters, they are fun for pretty much anyone who rides them.

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

Using noise regulations as an excuse is really poor imo, since Megafobia is immensely quiet when you sit on that big old field right next to it... Same thing for many other wooden coasters, they're not loud unless you're right next to them, like every other coaster...

Merlin say that either their surveys show that the GP wouldn't be interested, or that they'd (according to Thorpe people) have to hire new engineers and don't particularly want to... Again, it's rather poor excuses coming out from the second biggest theme park company, especially when they have the money to hire people and what-not...

If any park here builds one, it's not gonna be one of the big ones, leaving us down to the smaller family parks... Flamingoland is the reason this topic is open, Lightwater has no money if I recall, and the rest... Well...

It's a real shame because GCIs and the like are really highly rated and for good reason... Will we see one in the future? Maybe, but unfortunately, it's not that likely...

 

[caffeine_demon]

of course we do.. next question!

 

[marc]

Yes we do need more. But before I joined CF and tried some around the world I never thought much of them so I can see why Merlin would think the public do not want one.

Problem I have is out of 10 or so I have been on only 2 or 3 have been that good.

 

[ciallkennett]

For those that have ridden BD, is there a park in the UK that has the terrain to replicate a coaster similar to Boulder Dash?

I haven't ridden BD, but the only park that comes to mind when terrain wooden coaster is mentioned is Alton with the valleys, particularly in the desolate area where the hotel entrance path goes through. However, this is Alton we're talking about...

I'd love to see a new wooden coaster for the UK, but, like many people have said, I'm struggling to see where it could fit. Thorpe seems the only place with the future infrastructure to capacitate a woodie, but I just can't see Thorpe getting a woodie, nor do I even want to ever see them get one.

 

[andrus]

I agree with you other that the UK need a modern woodie. I don't think the parks really see the true marketing potential in these rides. They would probably be imossible to market as a high thrill ride, but they would be perfect as a more thrill oriented family ride Look at Balder for example; it's the most popular ride at Liseberg, not because it's immense but because the whole family can ride together!

 

[Brookes]

I think there definitely needs to be a new woodie in the UK soon. A compact GCI or something like that would fit in well I think and introduce modern wooden coasters to the general public. As already mentioned though, no idea where it would go.

 

[jayjay]

I've not really been on a great woodie, but I'd want a good one in this country (Megafobia doesn't count, Wales is too far away). I think it'll just need one really good ride in the UK to convince people that actually, they're awesome. Even a hybrid would be great.