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Alton Towers ride closures

JoshC. said:
^Was it really iconic though? I mean, sure, it was around a long time and nice to look at, but I would never stretch as far to say it was iconic in any way.

The only rides at Alton I'd go as far to say are iconic are Corkscrew, Nemesis and Oblivion. Anything else just...isn't.
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Absolutely I'd say it was Iconic, being Iconic doesn't mean to the world but it was easily the most memorable flat ride in Britain for a long time, mainly due to its viewpoint and most of the people who I know that aren't coaster enthusiasts always remember Ripsaw and ask me "ah have you ever ridden Ripsaw" or stuff along those lines.
 
Ripsaw was used as a term to identify Top Spin's by a large aunt of the UK market, if I had to explain what one was, i'd use it as a sort of case study - so I'd definitely say it was an iconic ride.
 
Probably because I live in the south, by Rameses Revenge my 'go to' topspin when I think of the ride, Ripsaw second. Definitely a big 'thing' when it first opened thought and one everybody has a story about. But yh, don't care that it's gone, never ride the things because of the water spite. Very cool spectator ride.
 
Ripsaw was used as a term to identify Top Spin's by a large aunt of the UK market
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But has anyone really been so far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
 
Surely the same could be said for enterprise, twirling toadstool, blade etc? Most people only know the ones at the big parks.

I'm (well not exactly) surprised that the park hasn't officially announced it's retirement. I don't think it's good to wait until people go to the park to find out it's gone. (Or look at a new map etc.) Especially as they have new things coming for the new year to distract from it. Might as well man up and tell people. I suppose they do have quite a lot of potential bad news to give.
 
owentaylor121 said:
JoshC. said:
^Was it really iconic though? I mean, sure, it was around a long time and nice to look at, but I would never stretch as far to say it was iconic in any way.

The only rides at Alton I'd go as far to say are iconic are Corkscrew, Nemesis and Oblivion. Anything else just...isn't.
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Absolutely I'd say it was Iconic, being Iconic doesn't mean to the world but it was easily the most memorable flat ride in Britain for a long time, mainly due to its viewpoint and most of the people who I know that aren't coaster enthusiasts always remember Ripsaw and ask me "ah have you ever ridden Ripsaw" or stuff along those lines.
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Lofty said:
Ripsaw was used as a term to identify Top Spin's by a large aunt of the UK market, if I had to explain what one was, i'd use it as a sort of case study - so I'd definitely say it was an iconic ride.
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I see what you're saying, but I guess I just don't like using the word 'iconic' so loosely. To me, iconic rides are huge; not necessarily in size of course, but ones that mean something to park in the grand scheme of things, or are just going to be forever associated with the park. That's why I'd only say Corkscrew, Nemesis and Oblivion are the only rides which could be said to be iconic at Towers. Ripsaw was certainly memorable, but I could never call it iconic.
 
nadroJ said:
Probably because I live in the south, by Rameses Revenge my 'go to' topspin when I think of the ride, Ripsaw second. Definitely a big 'thing' when it first opened thought and one everybody has a story about.
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I think a lot of this though is that it's been Chessington's signature adult thrill ride since it opened, only briefly pushed aside by Samurai. At Alton, even back in the day, there was always other big thrills. Alton's more central in the UK though, but I imagine most folk up north wouldn't even know what Ripsaw was, even if they'd been to Alton. Rameses is more iconic for sure, amongst respective audiences, because the park lacks a more substantial, obvious, more adult thrill ride.
 
Joey said:
nadroJ said:
Probably because I live in the south, by Rameses Revenge my 'go to' topspin when I think of the ride, Ripsaw second. Definitely a big 'thing' when it first opened thought and one everybody has a story about.
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I think a lot of this though is that it's been Chessington's signature adult thrill ride since it opened, only briefly pushed aside by Samurai. At Alton, even back in the day, there was always other big thrills. Alton's more central in the UK though, but I imagine most folk up north wouldn't even know what Ripsaw was, even if they'd been to Alton. Rameses is more iconic for sure, amongst respective audiences.
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Absolutely not, I live in the North and I don't know one person (who isn't a coaster enthusiast) who knows what Rameses Revenge is, some didn't even realise Chessington had rides, but almost all my friends and family know what Ripsaw is...

Alton is the UK's most well known and visited park by far, show someone a picture of Rameses in the north and they will more than likely think it's Ripsaw. Winter Wonderland posted a picture of the top spin there, 4 out of the 7 comments mentioned Ripsaw, not one mentioned Rameses.
 
That's not what I said. I said that, out of everyone who's been to Alton, less of them would know Ripsaw by name than out of everyone who's been to Chessington would know Rameses by name.
 
Obviously given the forum most of you will have friends who're more knowledgeable than most on theme parks and rides etc; it's literally me and my gf and even she forgets the names of coasters, I can comfortably say literally none of my friends would know either of them by name and if I described which ride I was on about, they'd probably shrug and say they'd ridden it once upon a time.

Iconic within UK theme park industry? Probably. Within the wider UK and amongst the general public? Not for me.
 
gavin said:
^ Which term did the small aunts use?
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I couldn't even tell you what word was meant to be there instead of aunt :lol: **** KNOWS.

I do think this is a North/South type of thing, as Owen says, most Northern general public won't have been to Chessington or at least, remember Ramses, even if they had, the morons would more than likely call it 'Ripsaw' due to Alton being more in their accessible memory.


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Showing my age, but I seem to remember TV adverts for Ramses - or maybe saw it on some TV show - and Wrexham definitely isn't in the catchment area.

It was a big deal at the time.
 
Hex has now been confirmed as closed for this season which is a shame as I really enjoyed it. This could mean that Duel is the only dark ride at towers opened.
 
jj23w said:
Hex has now been confirmed as closed for this season which is a shame as I really enjoyed it. This could mean that Duel is the only dark ride at towers opened.
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As Joey (kind of) said, you must quote sources. No one person is considered a source unless they work for a park, or are closely connected.

I've had a look on the AT website and it does say Hex is closed for refurb.
https://www.altontowers.com/theme-park/hex/

I can't click the 'click here' for some reason, maybe cus I'm on my iPad?
 
I'm guessing they won't announce closures until at least the AP sale has ended, which is a bit naughty.
 
Hex was down more than it was open towards the end of the season, it's good to see the park fixing it and not just leaving it to get gradually worse and worse.
I do agree if anymore rides are closed for refurbishment it's taking the you know what a bit though, with parks like Disney, Efteling, ect I can understand rides being down for maintenance, but Alton is closed for just under 5 months!!

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