Alton Towers | Wicker Man | GCI Wood

[GuyWithAStick]

I'm not sure where all this Merlin making bad coasters is coming from? Th13teen is loved by families and most GP, it was just marketed badly, The Smiler is arguably still Alton Towers most popular ride with the GP despite the accident and still pulls big queues and I don't think I've ever seen hype from goons and GP for a ride like that in years! Flug seems to be well received, The Swarm is pretty well liked now people are used to it, Krake seems to be loved by almost everyone, Oblivion: The Black Hole seems to be well received too and Raptor is well liked.
I know it's might not be exactly what we hoped for but Merlin do have a good track record when it comes to coasters.

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I agree completely. They make some pretty solid rides, and have some pretty nice theming. It's just how they're presented that makes enthusiasts mad. It's just like Six Flags and the Larson Super Loops. The rides are actually pretty good; nice hangtime, good forces, and a really neat lighting package. The only thing people don't like is that they're marketed as coasters.

Actually, most companies are making really good rides, just not the best marketing. That GCI in China had some weird marketing with the airplane stewardesses, and seems to be a solid ride. Storm Chaser had an animation from NL2, and looks to be one of the best RMCs. Impulse is a great compact coaster in the wrong park. Sometimes, you just need to push the marketing and presentation away, and just look at the ride alone.

 

[Crazycoaster]

I'm sorry but Alton Towers is the flagship park of the second largest player in the industry, we shouldn't be settling for a dull family coaster 5 years after the last major investment.

Agreed. I'd also be far more forgiving of a smaller, less interesting investment if all the major investments since Merlin took over hadn't been gimmicky ****. If we'd had even one ride that approached Nemesis level quality in the post-Tussauds era, I'd cut them a lot of slack, and possibly even be supportive of their decision, but this just screams "corporate/marketing box ticking" as opposed to "fantastic new attraction".

By "we'd", I suppose you're talking about enthusiasts? Merlin has given us The Swarm which is generally loved by enthusiasts but not so much the general public. On the other side of the coin, Merlin gave us Smiler which is moderately well received by goons, but adored by the public (despite the negative press last year). I'm an optimist at heart (honestly!), I'm looking at SW8 as a casual rider would, not as an enthusiast, because I realise that's who SW8 is aimed at. I think it's almost impossible to say that it will be ill received by the public. Something tells me I'm going to enjoy the next 20 months playing devils advocate with enthusiasts on this one. The next big thing to happen for UK enthusiasts will be the rumoured Mackpool coaster, whether Alton fanboys disagree with that or not!

Enthusiasts and the GP arn't different things though? We arn't going to have wildly different opinions on coasters compared to them? If a ride is good, we have just as much chance to like it as a member of the "GP". The only difference is that we know more about the industry. Everyone has different opinions on rides, regardless of being GP or Enthusiast.

For example I agree more with the 'GP' on the opinions you've put forward about The Swarm and The Smiler than the 'enthusiasts' view. Does that make me a member of the General Public and not an enthusiast? It's not one opinion for one and another for the other.

 

[Smithy]

Enthusiasts tend to be harder to please as they tend to be more well travelled than the GP so they'll expect more from a coaster.

 

[Hyde]

Enthusiasts and the GP arn't different things though? We arn't going to have wildly different opinions on coasters compared to them? If a ride is good, we have just as much chance to like it as a member of the "GP". The only difference is that we know more about the industry. Everyone has different opinions on rides, regardless of being GP or Enthusiast.

The difference between GP and Enthusiast in part reflects the Enthusiast's broader knowledge and experience of other roller coasters. In Ohio for instance, folks in Cincinnati will rightfully attest that the Beast is the greatest wooden roller coaster they have ever ridden, and those upstate will also attest Millennium Force is the greatest steel wooden roller coaster they have ever ridden. An enthusiast probably wouldn't agree on either front, as they have ridden other roller coasters that top their list.

Most will agree on what is a good roller coaster. As to what is preferred/favorite - that is usually where Enthusiasts will differ.

 

[Sandman]

those upstate will also attest Millennium Force is the greatest steel wooden roller coaster they have ever ridden.

That's one hell of a hybrid

 

[Hutch]

Yeah, I don't see the issue with this selection, honestly it's a great fit. Plus the Katanga Canyon is the nicest area in the park (besides the gardens <3), so I could definitely see a nice woodie fit in with its surroundings, even with minimal theming. Just take this for granted and stop constantly comparing it to a nonexistent RMC and it'll turn out fine.

Someone mentioned how interesting that suddenly two GCI family woodies are suddenly popping up at two major parks, and I can't disagree with that. Sure a GG probably would've been better, as we all know how good their smaller woodies are, but this should be good. The layout does look a bit better than the one at Busch. And honestly I haven't really heard any real bad things about recent woodies built in the past few years, so I don't see how this will end up being a poor ride experience.

As for the their marketing… tbh I don't really care what they do with it. Sure they may have screwed it up with Thirteen but imo as long as this GCI is good I'd be satisfied.

 

[Lofty]

This whole 'Thirteen had bad marketing' pisses me off. In fact, it had great marketing, incredible marketing - it was just in the wrong direction for the product it was promoting.


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[Ben]

That's literally the biggest sin you can commit when marketing though xD

No matter how wonderful the campaign if it doesn't fit what you're selling, it's poor.

 

[Lofty]

Agreed that it didn't suit the ride whatsoever, my issue is branding it as 'bad marketing', bad marketing is a lack of or just not bothering with marketing a ride - not over marketing to compensate for a mediocre product :lol:

 

[spicy]

Be interesting to see if they make the same marketing 'mistakes' if this does turn out to be a family targeted wooden rollercoaster. My bet is that they will - I just can't imagine them marketing something of this scale in a family way.

Or perhaps they don't want to market things as 'scary' so soon post-Smiler. Which would explain a lot and could be why they went for this over the RMC.

 

[Lofty]

I think the current marketing for this, the banners and posters around the area SCREAM family and adventure. Mainly due to the rendering and style of the text, effects and textures - but hey, what do I know :lol:

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Well exactly, but given the track record of Merlin's inability to stick to a target audience throughout the development of an attraction, or frankly come up with anything not meant to be scary, people are rightly sceptical.
It SHOULD be a pirate adventure family fun woodie. And all evidence points to that. But watch them cock it up and decide to make the height restriction 1.4m because they just couldn't help themselves and put a scare walkthrough with actors in the queue.

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[Lofty]

...and put a scare walkthrough with actors in the queue.

I sincerely hope not, they **** it all up when they decided to add the ending to Sub-Terra on. **** abysmal.

 

[davidm]

...because they just couldn't help themselves...

=D>

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...and did they have shipping containers in ye-olde Pirate tymes I wonder?

 

[owenjcornelius]

I would like to see a great woodie in Britain. What if they had some kind of water splash down kind of a hybrid water coaster style. Would that be a world first?


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[cjbrandy]

If I was in charge of marketing a coaster I would never market it as "scary and terrifying" because that totally alienates children and families. I would stretch the truth as much as possible and make the most extreme rides seem somewhat family- I'm pretty sure Skyrush was marketed as a 'family' coaster with promotional images showing pre teens riding with their parents.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

...because they just couldn't help themselves...

=D>

--

...and did they have shipping containers in ye-olde Pirate tymes I wonder?

Well in fairness, Merlin's second favourite scenic feature, the B&Q untreated wooden fence panel, is rather fitting for ye-olde Pirate tymes.

 

[Ian]

Over the last week I've heard "water coaster", not woodie information from three different sources. Make sense if they are replacing a water ride and it has the alleged pirate theme. I hope my sources are wrong and if so, sorry GCI Family Woodie, all is forgiven... Maybe it's a woodie water coaster? Mind blown.

 

[MouseAT]

Over the last week I've heard "water coaster", not woodie information from three different sources. Make sense if they are replacing a water ride and it has the alleged pirate theme. I hope my sources are wrong and if so, sorry GCI Family Woodie, all is forgiven... Maybe it's a woodie water coaster? Mind blown.

The pictures posted on Towers Times did include a splashdown at one point. (See Lord Morton's link on page 3). Whether or not that's accurate remains to be seen. Like I said before, they apparently have to have the gimmick somewhere.

I'm not sure where all this Merlin making bad coasters is coming from? Th13teen is loved by families and most GP, it was just marketed badly, The Smiler is arguably still Alton Towers most popular ride with the GP despite the accident and still pulls big queues and I don't think I've ever seen hype from goons and GP for a ride like that in years! Flug seems to be well received, The Swarm is pretty well liked now people are used to it, Krake seems to be loved by almost everyone, Oblivion: The Black Hole seems to be well received too and Raptor is well liked.
I know it's might not be exactly what we hoped for but Merlin do have a good track record when it comes to coasters.

Perhaps I should have been more specific and referred to UK Merlin coasters.

Th13teen is poor, both when compared with its Intamin family counterparts and Zierer equivalents in Denmark (at Bakken, Djurs Sommerland and Legoland respectively). The Smiler is bland and rattly, a poor example of a multi-looper, and I seriously doubt it'll age well. The Swarm seems to have been running better lately, but was incredibly bland in its first season. Krake and Oblivion look pretty fab, but I've yet to ride them, and they're not in the UK. Raptor is fab, and if we'd had something like that instead of Swarm or The Smiler I doubt I'd be as cynical.

It's not as if I'm looking for epic, top tier thrill machines across the board. I have no problem with good quality family coasters if they're well done. I've experienced enough of a variety of rides over the last decade to understand how you a ride aimed at families can manage to appeal to people across the board, but apparently Merlin feel they have the UK market cornered to the point where they don't need to bother.

When we start to see rides on-par with what we're seeing on the continent then I might be convinced that they're getting their act together.

 

[Jamesss]

If it is a woodie with some sort of water/splashdown element, then I can totally see Merlin just calling it a "water coaster" and leaving it at that since they are so afraid of even saying the word "wood".