Wow, okay.
Much like my opinion of Busch's woodie - this could be terrible and it's still awesome. Weird coincidence that both parks are getting something so similar?
Alton is a family theme park, and whilst their assortment of family rides is way above what most large "family" parks have (I'm looking at you, Dollywood and Busch), it's always great to see more.. So a family friendly little woodie in the woods? Yes! Yes please. I approve.
In my opinion, wooden coasters don't need to be very good to be... Well, good. A steel coaster of the same objective standard is usually not as good as a mediocre woodie.
Would I RATHER a 200ft drop monster through the valley? Or an RMC launching awesome awesome-fest? Well, yeah, of course the coaster enthusiast in me wants that... And part of me wants an awesome wooden coaster just to prove to the public that they are awesome. But Alton needs more Runnaway Mine Train, more Thirteen, more Spinball and Rapids, it needs more Hex and Haunted House. It will always need more of those because that is the core product - family. It also needs more to unite everything about Alton which is atmospherically great, and I believe a little family woodie in the woods is a great way to do that.
I like GCI's rides. I think it's trendy for enthusiasts to hate on them or, on the flip side, rave about how great White Lightning is. In reality, the company has a really solid lineup of coasters which are fun and is let down by a few appalling examples like Wild Cat and Gwazi that people remember and exaggerate. Thunderhead and Lightning Racer aren't just good coasters imo, they're outstanding. Roar is pretty decent, it's the gem of SFA, and people seem to like Troy and Woodan. White Lightning was a tonne of fun.
Think about it - would you rather have a steel coaster of the scale and objective quality of Thirteen or Spinball, or a "mediocre" wooden coaster? Because I know what I'd choose. If it is a family woodie, then it will become the Alton's family coaster in my books, regardless of how good it is.
The idea of an Alton woodie becoming reality is incredible. 10 years ago was when that supposed cross valley wooden coaster was going to happen.
I'm surprised though? I mean, post-Smiler 'en all. You'd think now, more than ever, they would be put off by the possibility that the public would perceive a ride style to be unsafe. It begs the question of what happened to the Forbidden Valley launching RMC rumour? Though there's nothing to say this won't pave the way for one!
So, yeah... I'm happy. Very happy. If this is real, if it's true we're finally getting a woodie for Alton, oh my god! <3
and the last time I was remotely excited for something UK Merlin has proposed was 2009. There's almost nothing in the UK that will offer a similar ride experience (megaphobia?) and if its a success, maybe they'll roll out a larger woodie at Thorpe (though it'll be GCI again). Personally I'm not that bothered its a family coaster, sometimes I find them more enjoyable than the adult coasters - after all, Spinball Whizzer is one of the park's best rides 
