EndlessWire
Mega Poster
As I've sounded off about in the WTF Merlin thread, Alton is a right pain to visit for a solo rider who doesn't drive. Incomprehensible/non-existent off peak buses, no single rider queues, stupid 10-4 opening times and incorrect info on the website all adds up to a veritable ballache to sort out. But I was determined to get there at some point during Wicker Man's opening season, so I hooked in a non-coastery but car-owning colleague and we went down at the start of September. Having never arrived by car before, I was oddly surprised to realise the car park was up near Nemesis and Air and that you could see the lift hills from the path! A brisk walk and the usual splash-and-dash pitstop in Towers Street later and we were ready to roll.
Naturally, Wicker Man had already built up a huge queue being both new and so close to the entrance, so after having a good long look at it and taking a photo I'm really happy with of it's super-impressive central structure (see below!), we wandered through Katanga Canyon (which, with no rapids or Mine Train running early on had a very sad, run-down feel to it) and up to the Valley where I introduced my friend to Nemesis via the back row. Nemesis is a ride experience I remain oddly unmoved by once its past the first helix, but one I appreciate hugely on a visual and layout artistry level. Galacticair was next and thanks to avoiding VR we managed to chop about 20 minutes off our queue time (it's nice to see there are still some free ways of shortening your queue time left). Loding time was huge, so I got chatting with a ride op made a very funny joke I honestly didn't expect he'd be allowed to make! I'm sticking by my word to not tell anyone, but it was a very funny way to kick off the ride. I always forget how much track there is after the barrel roll on that ride, and those uncomplicated, low-level swoops are the highlight of the ride for me.
Radler is a style of beer where a 'normal' base beer is blended with a significant amount of fruit juice before being packaged. This has the effect of dramatically lowering the alcohol content and, if the beer is German, violating the Reinheitsgebot. I'd completely forgotten that I'd left a couple of cans of Schofferhofer grapefruit radler (2.5% ABV, half wheat beer, half grapefruit juice) in my bag from work the previous day and though they weren't exactly cold, they made for good refreshment on the wander through the Gardens. When we emerged, we were in the mood for Thirteen, so we headed around and joined the 35min queue, our longest of the day. One cutback I'm not at all fussed about is the erstwhile baggage hold - I've got no problem leaving my bag on the station platform (it's also nice to have the security of knowing I can keep wearing my glasses right up until boarding on Smiler). Now that Thirteen is tucked away at the back of the park with less attention on it and no hype attached to it, it's really come into its own and fills a gap in the ride line-up perfectly. Although the trims on the first drop still annoy me a little, I think it's actually an extremely savvy and useful ride for them to have. Also, it's the first time I've taken a friend on who doesn't know what's coming in the crypt, and that's a wonderful, fun and funny thing to do. The reaction was one of the best moments of the day for me.
After Thirteen we saw that the queue for Rita was 45mins but the queue for Wicker Man had dipped to a mere 25 minutes. It was a no brainer - we headed over. The Wicker Man (1976) is one of my favourite films of all time - I wrote a passage in my final year uni dissertation about the music in the climactic scene with the villagers' joyful but ominous rendition of "Sumer Is I-Cumen In" clashing with Sgt Howie's screeched Psalm 23. I've also gone on a road trip around Dumfries and Galloway to the filming locations and have stood on the foundations of the film's wicker man. It's because of this that I really wanted the coaster to be good. I was hoping they'd be able to forge something distinct from either film while still tapping into the imagery and feeling of the original. I think it's because of this that I'm not as in love with the music as many people seem to be - Giovanni's music for the original film is the most unique film score I can think of. The ride score is still good, though, and there are a few timbral similarities. The way the ride itself seems all-encompassing is rather cool and the views you get, especially just before entering the building, are fantastic. I'd deliberately avoided spoilers for the pre-show, and this absolutely paid off - I was hugely impressed. The blackout before it starts is particularly clever as it establishes blackouts as part of the language of the show. This means that when it happens later to hide the curtain removal, it's not incongruous and the reveal of the head is a huge surprise. It took me a second ride to realise that the curtain had been drawn to one side rather than pulled backwards into the wicker face. The projection mapping and sinister, daunting feel are excellent. The ride itself is a lot better than I'd expected and is surprisingly forceful in the back. The sound tunnels do add to the experience, the structure itself is very impressive, all the effects were working off-peak which I'd been led to believe was unlikely and the whole thing just worked really well.
At this point, the heavens opened. Like, really opened. I'd had the sense to pack a waterproof cycling coat, but I was still absolutely soaked within five minutes. Happily, this had the effect of filling up the restaurants and emptying out the queues, so we were able to walk on to Oblivion twice. I still rate it very highly because it delivers every time and is one of the very few coasters which can still frighten me. Not especially fun stacking outside the station in the rain, though - we waited longer to get off it than on! Smiler was next and managed to surprise my friend as well with its pre-lift roll. Another coaster I can't understand the dislike for - aside from the cobra roll near the end, it's not actually that rough I find, and it's a good trick to leave its two most forceful inversions to the end, so it has a feeling of climax. Things were drying out so we headed up to Rita to tick off the last 'big' ride of the day. It struck me just how antiquated it's become in a short period of time - the launch still packs a punch, but with the super-agile, more varied and interesting Icon nearby, Rita really looks a bit like the dinosaurs she used to hang around with.
We had one hour left, so hopped on the Skyride (which now has some very tenuously linked factoids playing over the speakers), glided over the gardens and checked in again with Nemmy before I checked off my second new Alton ride! As I've basically only ever visited by myself or with school groups about 12 years ago, I've never done Duel - it's a bit odd to do a competition-y ride on your own. I like a good old fashioned ghost train-type ride, so I think it's a bit of a shame that the targets are *everywhere* in Duel, as you focus on them rather than the actual scenery. What I did see of it was very good, though, and a special mention to the sloping queue line for setting it up nicely. The scores in the end were irrelevant, it was the taking part that counts. Besides, I got hammered.
Only time for one more after Duel, so we headed up to Wicker Man to see if it's still impressive second time around, and it very much is. I'd like to try it near the front as I was in the second half of the train both times (inc one back row), but I'm very impressed. It's so encouraging to see two genuinely great coasters opening on this little island in one year, and it's also good that they both offer very distinct things. Icon has more of what I like about rollercoasters in it and is the one I prefer, but I don't wish to denigrate Wicker Man at all - it's definitely more Christopher Lee than Nicolas Cage.
So, Alton, where are we? It's disheartening to see notable cutbacks still happening and still visible. Katanga looked positively abandoned at the start of the day, though they later got the Rapids running, Ripsaw still leaves a hole, losing the single rider queues does cut down on possible rides and therefore the enjoyability of the day. But the staff that remain were all very good, the rides are still cracking and the new addition is a little stunner. The park has lost a small but definite part of its sparkle in recent years, but I hope this is the start of a turnaround and renaissance for them, I really do.
Put an Instagram filter on this, but was really happy with the framing and the way the sun pops up!
As above.
Nemmy looks great all grown in.
Bullseye
Have always loved these coaster track legs.
Silly Blivvy.
"It's just as well you won't be here tomorrow to be offended at the sight of our May Day celebrations."
"It's much too dangerous to jump through fire with your clothes on."
"You'll just never understand the true nature of sacrifice."
Naturally, Wicker Man had already built up a huge queue being both new and so close to the entrance, so after having a good long look at it and taking a photo I'm really happy with of it's super-impressive central structure (see below!), we wandered through Katanga Canyon (which, with no rapids or Mine Train running early on had a very sad, run-down feel to it) and up to the Valley where I introduced my friend to Nemesis via the back row. Nemesis is a ride experience I remain oddly unmoved by once its past the first helix, but one I appreciate hugely on a visual and layout artistry level. Galacticair was next and thanks to avoiding VR we managed to chop about 20 minutes off our queue time (it's nice to see there are still some free ways of shortening your queue time left). Loding time was huge, so I got chatting with a ride op made a very funny joke I honestly didn't expect he'd be allowed to make! I'm sticking by my word to not tell anyone, but it was a very funny way to kick off the ride. I always forget how much track there is after the barrel roll on that ride, and those uncomplicated, low-level swoops are the highlight of the ride for me.
Radler is a style of beer where a 'normal' base beer is blended with a significant amount of fruit juice before being packaged. This has the effect of dramatically lowering the alcohol content and, if the beer is German, violating the Reinheitsgebot. I'd completely forgotten that I'd left a couple of cans of Schofferhofer grapefruit radler (2.5% ABV, half wheat beer, half grapefruit juice) in my bag from work the previous day and though they weren't exactly cold, they made for good refreshment on the wander through the Gardens. When we emerged, we were in the mood for Thirteen, so we headed around and joined the 35min queue, our longest of the day. One cutback I'm not at all fussed about is the erstwhile baggage hold - I've got no problem leaving my bag on the station platform (it's also nice to have the security of knowing I can keep wearing my glasses right up until boarding on Smiler). Now that Thirteen is tucked away at the back of the park with less attention on it and no hype attached to it, it's really come into its own and fills a gap in the ride line-up perfectly. Although the trims on the first drop still annoy me a little, I think it's actually an extremely savvy and useful ride for them to have. Also, it's the first time I've taken a friend on who doesn't know what's coming in the crypt, and that's a wonderful, fun and funny thing to do. The reaction was one of the best moments of the day for me.
After Thirteen we saw that the queue for Rita was 45mins but the queue for Wicker Man had dipped to a mere 25 minutes. It was a no brainer - we headed over. The Wicker Man (1976) is one of my favourite films of all time - I wrote a passage in my final year uni dissertation about the music in the climactic scene with the villagers' joyful but ominous rendition of "Sumer Is I-Cumen In" clashing with Sgt Howie's screeched Psalm 23. I've also gone on a road trip around Dumfries and Galloway to the filming locations and have stood on the foundations of the film's wicker man. It's because of this that I really wanted the coaster to be good. I was hoping they'd be able to forge something distinct from either film while still tapping into the imagery and feeling of the original. I think it's because of this that I'm not as in love with the music as many people seem to be - Giovanni's music for the original film is the most unique film score I can think of. The ride score is still good, though, and there are a few timbral similarities. The way the ride itself seems all-encompassing is rather cool and the views you get, especially just before entering the building, are fantastic. I'd deliberately avoided spoilers for the pre-show, and this absolutely paid off - I was hugely impressed. The blackout before it starts is particularly clever as it establishes blackouts as part of the language of the show. This means that when it happens later to hide the curtain removal, it's not incongruous and the reveal of the head is a huge surprise. It took me a second ride to realise that the curtain had been drawn to one side rather than pulled backwards into the wicker face. The projection mapping and sinister, daunting feel are excellent. The ride itself is a lot better than I'd expected and is surprisingly forceful in the back. The sound tunnels do add to the experience, the structure itself is very impressive, all the effects were working off-peak which I'd been led to believe was unlikely and the whole thing just worked really well.
At this point, the heavens opened. Like, really opened. I'd had the sense to pack a waterproof cycling coat, but I was still absolutely soaked within five minutes. Happily, this had the effect of filling up the restaurants and emptying out the queues, so we were able to walk on to Oblivion twice. I still rate it very highly because it delivers every time and is one of the very few coasters which can still frighten me. Not especially fun stacking outside the station in the rain, though - we waited longer to get off it than on! Smiler was next and managed to surprise my friend as well with its pre-lift roll. Another coaster I can't understand the dislike for - aside from the cobra roll near the end, it's not actually that rough I find, and it's a good trick to leave its two most forceful inversions to the end, so it has a feeling of climax. Things were drying out so we headed up to Rita to tick off the last 'big' ride of the day. It struck me just how antiquated it's become in a short period of time - the launch still packs a punch, but with the super-agile, more varied and interesting Icon nearby, Rita really looks a bit like the dinosaurs she used to hang around with.
We had one hour left, so hopped on the Skyride (which now has some very tenuously linked factoids playing over the speakers), glided over the gardens and checked in again with Nemmy before I checked off my second new Alton ride! As I've basically only ever visited by myself or with school groups about 12 years ago, I've never done Duel - it's a bit odd to do a competition-y ride on your own. I like a good old fashioned ghost train-type ride, so I think it's a bit of a shame that the targets are *everywhere* in Duel, as you focus on them rather than the actual scenery. What I did see of it was very good, though, and a special mention to the sloping queue line for setting it up nicely. The scores in the end were irrelevant, it was the taking part that counts. Besides, I got hammered.
Only time for one more after Duel, so we headed up to Wicker Man to see if it's still impressive second time around, and it very much is. I'd like to try it near the front as I was in the second half of the train both times (inc one back row), but I'm very impressed. It's so encouraging to see two genuinely great coasters opening on this little island in one year, and it's also good that they both offer very distinct things. Icon has more of what I like about rollercoasters in it and is the one I prefer, but I don't wish to denigrate Wicker Man at all - it's definitely more Christopher Lee than Nicolas Cage.
So, Alton, where are we? It's disheartening to see notable cutbacks still happening and still visible. Katanga looked positively abandoned at the start of the day, though they later got the Rapids running, Ripsaw still leaves a hole, losing the single rider queues does cut down on possible rides and therefore the enjoyability of the day. But the staff that remain were all very good, the rides are still cracking and the new addition is a little stunner. The park has lost a small but definite part of its sparkle in recent years, but I hope this is the start of a turnaround and renaissance for them, I really do.
Put an Instagram filter on this, but was really happy with the framing and the way the sun pops up!
As above.
Nemmy looks great all grown in.
Bullseye
Have always loved these coaster track legs.
Silly Blivvy.
"It's just as well you won't be here tomorrow to be offended at the sight of our May Day celebrations."
"It's much too dangerous to jump through fire with your clothes on."
"You'll just never understand the true nature of sacrifice."
