ashcoaster3
Roller Poster
True actually, that sounds like something they'd like to do.
When will an RMC be in the UK?
- Thread starter ashcoaster3
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ashcoaster3
Roller Poster
toofpikk
Hyper Poster
It's very fun talking to fellow UK enthusiasts about RMCs. Now I've got one under my belt it's like running round with a little gold medal and going 'neeerrrr I'm better then you, my opinion means more'
But I want everyone to have that. The RMC I rode was so brilliant I went back and rode it 5 more times, practically ignoring the other golden ticket ride at the same park. Talking to them about the stalls is very interesting; a lot of our talk about them is they look ugly and uncomfortable, but as an experience they ride terrifically. Again, this is something I want everyone to be able to say they've done. I took my little brother on Wicked Cyclone and he didn't hesitate to reride it over and over again with me, and went as far to say as it was also his favourite coaster on our little trip. They bring a very unique edge to a park and would fit in so well in a collection of the higher tier UK parks, it's almost frustrating to look at the likes of SW8 and see something that could open a path for them be done (what looks like) so underwhelmingly. I really hope SW8 goes down well, as, as people have said, it is likely to be the deal breaker for the UK parks to go back to investing into woodies, and the like. either way, if only there was a way to drag the GP to america and get them to ride RMCs and come back screaming at the UK parks that they want them to be nearer by we'd all be happier. My little brothers response is one that echo's just that.
But I want everyone to have that. The RMC I rode was so brilliant I went back and rode it 5 more times, practically ignoring the other golden ticket ride at the same park. Talking to them about the stalls is very interesting; a lot of our talk about them is they look ugly and uncomfortable, but as an experience they ride terrifically. Again, this is something I want everyone to be able to say they've done. I took my little brother on Wicked Cyclone and he didn't hesitate to reride it over and over again with me, and went as far to say as it was also his favourite coaster on our little trip. They bring a very unique edge to a park and would fit in so well in a collection of the higher tier UK parks, it's almost frustrating to look at the likes of SW8 and see something that could open a path for them be done (what looks like) so underwhelmingly. I really hope SW8 goes down well, as, as people have said, it is likely to be the deal breaker for the UK parks to go back to investing into woodies, and the like. either way, if only there was a way to drag the GP to america and get them to ride RMCs and come back screaming at the UK parks that they want them to be nearer by we'd all be happier. My little brothers response is one that echo's just that.
Yes, but those things are completely irrelevant to the discussion at hand. The question of the thread is "When will we see an RMC?", not "What elements will it have?". One might as well have tagged the "your to-do-list" thread with "Disneyland London" and "Mack Launcher for LWV". It's wishlisting for something specific, not a summary of the thread's content.
As for you other, longer post, I'm afraid I'll have to answer that tomorrow. I found it a little too late in the evening to give a full answer right now.
ashcoaster3
Roller Poster
I'll post whatever tags I like, I couldn't care less as to whether they are relevant, they are relevant to RMC. Stop shaming my post jeez!
ashcoaster3
Roller Poster
I won't grill you. Unlike some users...
SaiyanHajime
CF Legend
No need to grill, but we can discuss why he's wrong. Thirteen would be objectively good were the marketing appropriately aimed... But no matter what category you put it in, it wouldn't hold up to similar rides. The drop is better than Verbolten's, but as an overall experience, it's not half as good.
I've still only ridden one RMC and that's Twisted Colossus. I thought it was awesome and for it to stand out at SFMM is impressive, because there isn't a bad major coaster at that park.
I also have no problem with topics going off topic - keeping them on leashes only prevents discussions.
I still think it'll be Thorpe if anywhere... Nowhere else makes sense.
I've still only ridden one RMC and that's Twisted Colossus. I thought it was awesome and for it to stand out at SFMM is impressive, because there isn't a bad major coaster at that park.
I also have no problem with topics going off topic - keeping them on leashes only prevents discussions.
I still think it'll be Thorpe if anywhere... Nowhere else makes sense.
That is true, depending a little on your definitions of GP and enthusiasts (it's surprisingly tricky to pin a definition down). I think one way to look at it would be the preference for forces over novelty, and it's correct that the UK has a certain lack of new, forceful coasters - which is to say, it hasn't got that many big coasters recently. Generally, forceful coasters (particularly those with airtime) belong to the upper range when it comes to size as well as cost (maintenance costs as well), which means they have a bit of a disadvantage compared to smaller coasters which focus on novelty instead.
That is the eternal battle of conflicting interests. On one hand, attracting business and tourism to town is generally considered a good thing, particularly for the economy. On the other, they can be disruptive to the traditional ways of life in the town. A huge retail center might bring in loads of tax money and more visitors, on the other it might take business away from the small, quaint shops on High Street, and the visitors might increase traffic through town, but only stop at the retail center (and nowhere else) and then leave. Amusement parks in particular are demanding in this regard, since they increase local traffic, but not local business - tourists tend to stay at the park and nowhere else, then leave again. Of course, if the park lacks a hotel but is big enough to attract overnight tourists, local hotels and B&Bs can get a huge upswing.
But that's only one aspect of it. Amusement parks also require a lot of infrastructure, most notably roads and electricity, and they make a lot of noise. If built in your local area, they will make a huge impact, and their benefits might not outweigh the negatives for everyone. Some even consider the attractions eyesores, and prefer them to stay out of sight (and hearing) entirely. There's also the question if local emergency services can handle a situation at the park.
The limits vary from place to place, even from city block to city block in certain cases. Every area in the country has a regulation plan specifying the limits of what can be built there, how tall it can be, how much noise it can make, how much it can pollute, whether there are any protected artifacts/landscapes/buildings that need to be preserved, etc. Regulation plans are what prevents your neighbour from digging up his garden and installing a small chemical plant to make some money on the side. I believe the regulation plan(s) for Alton Towers specify that nothing can be built above tree height, and puts some restrictions on noise (visibility and noise are the usual parameters, next to pollution and special concerns for emergency services). Thorpe Park, being located next to the airport and a highway, has no such noise restrictions, but air traffic concerns prevent them from building arbitrarily tall. I think Stealth is scraping the ceiling of what is allowed. Not sure what restrictions BPB is under, but nearby Blackpool Airport probably had a say in those matters too.
Splitting point 4 to reply to individual statements.
It is true that parks have to spend money to make money, but they won't spend more money than they need. Selling tickets for 12 p for one day will hardly make a dent in the annual finances, that particular expense probably fit comfortably within the marketing budget (and might have paid off overall too - as you say, guests spend money on loads of things besides the entrance ticket price). The same goes for coasters. You don't shell out for expensive rides more often than you need to meet target figures, and you don't build the rides bigger than you need to. And when they decide to build big and impressive, given the choice between multiple manufacturers, they will usually go for the one they believe will give them the most return for the money. That figure also includes maintenance, accessibility/cost of spare parts, the manufacturer's renown in the market (not ride experiences, but whether other parks have found their coasters a good purchase), ease of operations, safety records, and so on.
Pretty much. But a chain will also have to spread its investments, so more money for one place often equals less money elsewhere. Places like Six Flags America, Michigan's Adventure (Cedar Fair) or Chessington World of Adventures (Merlin) have been left in the dust for years to give more money for the flagship parks. Belonging to a chain doesn't give every park more money to spend, but it could boost the flagship parks (unless the park is owned by Fantawild or Parques Reunidos, in which case the money goes towards building/acquiring more parks instead of developing the old, respectively).
The rumble of a coaster usually isn't the biggest problem. That noise dissipates into background noise pretty quickly over distance. The problem is the high-pitched screams of excited riders, which carries way further and are more grating to the ear. Hence why many coasters in urban locations have tunnels/fences to shut out that sound.
Indeed, places like Alton Towers are the most likely ones to get such rides. They can afford the bigger investments, and are backed by a wealthy chain. But they are still placed under the restrictions of regulations, costs, and logistics, and even if everything fits, the coasters enthusiasts want can still be out-bid by companies willing to offer the park more for less money.
An aspect I haven't touched upon is competition, which sadly is in a sorry state in the UK nowadays. All the big parks that can afford to compete for the thrill-seeking demographic are owned by the same company, except BPB which doesn't threaten Merlin's dominance in the London/Birmingham market, due to being located so far from either. Well, time will tell if Icon will change the game, but I don't think it will. Blackpool is a little too remote to be a player in that market. Never mind foreign tourism, at most it's a day trip for people coming over to watch football in Liverpool or Manchester in the evening. Absolutely nothing compared to the London market Thorpe draws from.
Competition forces parks to take risks, since complacency leads to stagnation. Had Alton Towers and Thorpe Park been owned by different companies, I think we would have seen more spectacular rides in attempts to draw in summer tourists, and make the choice of which season pass to buy a lot more difficult. But now, the money goes into the same pockets anyway, and the same season passes apply for both parks. Merlin can afford to be complacent now, since it has cornered the UK market. They're at the top of the game, and don't see the need to take risks with their investments. Establishing any new player in that market takes a long, long time, so they can afford to address that eventual problem if it arises.
I'm afraid most of it is stuff I've picked up over the past decade on these forums, and some general experiences from construction/engineering academia, where many of the same issues apply. By staying around for long enough, you'll absorb a lot of knowledge without really remembering where it comes from. Digging up links for every little statement would take a lot more time than I have right now. Hopefully, we can count on other users to correct any mistakes I've made.
ashcoaster3
Roller Poster
Thank you for a detailed answer, I'd love to go to Tusenfryd park one day.
Coaster Hipster
Giga Poster
Even though I've been a member of this forum for over 5 years, I found your message very insightful @Pokemaniac! Thank you very much for taking the time to write an elaborate answer 