Alton Towers 2018 - Wicker Man: GCI Wooden [mild spoilers]

[Dirk_Ermen]

Worlds first double angle lifthill on a wooden coaster :V

Man that lifthill sudden angle change looks like someone submitting a "realistic" coaster in the exchange who did that to their lifthill and didn't want to change the rest of their layout.

[Paradox]

Not sure why they aren't banking this much. The turn in the back is just completely unbanked as well. Hopefully it isn't going too slow as it could pull some decent laterals.

It's going to be like the non-looping Nemesis. I'm kind of feeling it in my bones. +

[mkingy]

Lats!

[Paradox]

Well looks like the theming element is confirmed to be a Wicker Man

[Mikey]

In regards to the lift:

[Coasterkidmwm]

It looks like an RCT solution. I don't get why they don't have a steeper lift and just make the hole 0.000056% bigger...

The chainlift bends once more than typical. Why would that cause more than typical problems?

I mean, you have to give it to them. GCI designs, albeit generic and uneventful, never report problems.

[Paradox]

[Coasterkidmwm]

Any bets Thirteen will have more air?

Coasterkidmwm wrote:

Any bets Thirteen will have more air?

I wanted to say it but you said it best.

You really can't blame them (Alton Towers) though. At least they build ridiculously creative designs given the limitations.

[mkingy]

Coasterkidmwm wrote:

Any bets Thirteen will have more air?

I get more air sitting down in the car on Thirteen than during the ride...

[Coasterkidmwm]

Doesn't the drop track at least do something?

^ Yes; you get quite a bit of airtime!

[mkingy]

Coasterkidmwm wrote:

Doesn't the drop track at least do something?

Oh, right, yeah to be fair it has that. Completely forgot about that - feels different though to "real airtime".

Hmm some people seem to say that it will have some decent lateral g-force turns so we might experience the planet's greatest lateral g-force moments. They start with incredibly "soft" transitions, I imagine!

[gouldy]

Some of the photos I snapped yesterday...














In person the ride is larger than you get the impression it is from photos, and the difference from top to bottom in terms of landscape height is much more striking in person.
It does still look like a small ride, however, in typical Alton Towers/Merlin fashion. It'll be fun, but it won't be intense.

[mkingy]

Just to add to Dan's excellent snaps (hopefully I've not repeated any angles!) and pretty much echo his sentiment, I also think there could be some great little transitions which will put it above average. For example if we do get any airtime through the sound tunnel I think that'll be enhanced, and the highish transition near the scenery piece looks to have a nice lateral pop of airtime, the banking suggests that it'll have *some* pace through that section too.

GCI are pretty reputable now - I think this will be a solid addition.

[Dirk_Ermen]

Gotta love those tunnels. Those increase the feeling of speed so much more. I hope it really adds onto the ride like it did on Roar @ SFDK for me. <3

[Paradox]

Well we now have confirmation the ride is Wicker Man themed after all

That wood is looking really really nice against the landscape. If the coaster itself isn't great, at least it will be gorgeous.

[Coasterkidmwm]

I really want to see a pic of the completed lifthill so I can laugh at it more.

[mkingy]

Coasterkidmwm wrote:

I really want to see a pic of the completed lifthill so I can laugh at it more.

I'll be sure to take you some pictures at the end of the month - I'd hate for you to go too long without disliking a GCI

I imagine it's worth me posting the photos I've taken recently showing the changes going on around the site;