I know it's extremely unlikely & may have been mentioned before (if so, sorry, I've just found this thread and thought I'd offer my two cents). I think that, if SW8 isn't a world's first or wacky timey-wimey thingy (which is getting much harder to do, since things are being done all the time) then I'd like to see something similar to Air, but situated somewhere around the valley; so it's more of a euphoric experience than the extreme thrill rides that we've had with The Smiler, Nemesis, Rita ETC. but then there are problems in terms of the environment and surroundings. So, this would have to be a low-running winding type which would take quite a lot of planning and would be EXTREMELY difficult to actually build but it's not like they've dug huge tunnels to do the almost impossible before. Anyway, there's my input, please feel free to shoot me down or link me the post with the same idea that's been shot down before if there is one 

I certainly remember that Flume sign being up before we knew about The Smiler. Interesting...

I think it will be confirmed within this year that that sign proves right. I can see it now in the media that Alton actually announced their new ride to the public before the smiler was open

Or I heard that plans for sw7 had changed, and that this poster was seen a couple of years before, so no longer relevant, but may be done for sw8 now. Or like you said had plans all along for this for sw8, as the part where it says 'Black admits that he is unaware how long the weapon will take to cross the seas and make its way to Merrie England', doesn't state a time scale - but seeing as it mentions Merrie England which is where Mutiny Bay now is, so wondering when this poster was seen and how old it is, as it's certainly no longer Merrie England. Although The Flume is the only remaining ride not to be themed to Mutiny Bay, so may still be classed as Merrie England, and being taken over by 'Black' to fit in with Mutiny Bay?

I just can't see any other location for SW8 other than the flume site and there is more evidence that it will feature here than anywhere else. We know that the flume was one attraction mentioned to be on it's last legs and will be making it's departure in the coming years and that poster is also intriguing. It might of been done as a joke or it might not have been we just don't know but what it discusses is vague enough to create slight excitement without actually enlisting anything solid for certain so you never know and the fact that it mentions the fact that they don't know when the secret weapon will be taking over is interesting. AT obviously had the idea around the time that the flume is on its way out as it was then mentioned in the plans for the coming years a couple of years later.

If the flume is to be the site of SW8 then I think it will be 2019 when it is opened. The long term development plan said that 2016 will see the opening of a large indoor ride. I think this may be an indoor water ride, like Valhalla. With the flume closing at the end of 2017 season, to make way for SW8, possible launched B&M wing coaster, opening for the 2019 season.

dazza4783 wrote:

If the flume is to be the site of SW8 then I think it will be 2019 when it is opened. The long term development plan said that 2016 will see the opening of a large indoor ride. I think this may be an indoor water ride, like Valhalla. With the flume closing at the end of 2017 season, to make way for SW8, possible launched B&M wing coaster, opening for the 2019 season.

Iv been asking for this long development plan on here but no one seems to answer do you have a link for me ?
thank-you

----reece---- wrote:

dazza4783 wrote:

If the flume is to be the site of SW8 then I think it will be 2019 when it is opened. The long term development plan said that 2016 will see the opening of a large indoor ride. I think this may be an indoor water ride, like Valhalla. With the flume closing at the end of 2017 season, to make way for SW8, possible launched B&M wing coaster, opening for the 2019 season.

Iv been asking for this long development plan on here but no one seems to answer do you have a link for me ?
thank-you

Here it is, just had a quick re-read through it. Interestingly it says that Ripsaw, Blade and The Flume likely to be replaced/removed. Also one of the major rides in 2016 or 2019 may be a Cross Valley Coaster 
http://www.altontowers.com/uploadedFile ... Report.pdf

I think that AT should focus on flats rather than SW8. I LOVE RCs but does AT really need one yet, they have 7 (8 if you include RMT) so they really don't need another yet. What SW8 should be is a new Flume ride thats more themed, less bumpy with more features as the current one has long boring bits. A water coaster would be good also.

I also think they need more rides with height restrictions of 1.3m. Transition rides between baby/young children rides to extreme thrills. If SW8 was a good coaster that was 1.3m with no sudden drops like Th13teen. Something like corkscrew was. that would be good as there would then be 13, Sonic Spinball and SW8 to help children around 9/10 (too old for CCL but too young for FV) adjust and please them.

No matter what height restriction it is, the coaster needs to be well hidden, so that when people are in the queue, they cant see it all, that way the whole ride is a surprise. When queuing and at the station it kinda needs to have an effect when the coaster vanishes out of sight and reappears in the station.

stealthsmiler wrote:

I also think they need more rides with height restrictions of 1.3m.

Actually, quite a lot of alton towers rides are at 1.2m or lower and are suitable for the age group you mentioned, for example:
Thirteen
Sonic Spinball
Submission
Enterprise
The Blade
Plus more

Personally, I don't see the point in a thrill ride having a height restriction of 1.3m if it can have a height restriction of lower. Just because a ride has a 1.2m height restriction, that doesn't make it not for thrillseekers

^ Submission is not for any age group!

BenBowser wrote:

^ Submission is not for any age group!

Explain, then, why people go on it

^ But do they? They run only one arm, on half of its capacity on the most busy of days.

Ilovecoasters wrote:

stealthsmiler wrote:

I also think they need more rides with height restrictions of 1.3m.

Actually, quite a lot of alton towers rides are at 1.2m or lower and are suitable for the age group you mentioned, for example:
Thirteen
Sonic Spinball
Submission
Enterprise
The Blade
Plus more

Personally, I don't see the point in a thrill ride having a height restriction of 1.3m if it can have a height restriction of lower. Just because a ride has a 1.2m height restriction, that doesn't make it not for thrillseekers

Because 1.2m includes quite young children, therefore AT has to make the ride suitable for young children. Thirteen (apart for the drop) is quite boring and not thrilling. When it gets to the drop a lot of young children dont like it. Parents trust that when their child is tall enough for a ride, its not going to terrify their children (kinda like thriteen does a bit). Having 1.3m means older children (9/10/11) will be able to ride a ride thats more thrilling than those at 1.2m and younger children (6/7/8) wont be able to ride and get terrified of all rides in general. Plus 1.3m is that annoying stage where you are too small for the good rides but too old to find the small rides as good as they were when you were younger. 1.3m gives AT the ability to make a midway point between huge thrills like the smiler and low thrills like 13.

BenBowser wrote:

^ But do they? They run only one arm, on half of its capacity on the most busy of days.

I agree with this as well, Submission is losing its popularity. AT was going to close them for the Smiler. Plus how many children do you see on Submission? not many.The Blade is planned for removal. So there wont be many left. Therefore more is needed, and as 1.3m allows AT to make them more thrilling, they will be more popular.

Surely the height restrictions are more for safety purposes than anything else, especially on the bigger rides. Not really to stop younger people going on them, but to make sure the people that do go on them are secured safely in the restraints.

dazza4783 wrote:

Surely the height restrictions are more for safety purposes than anything else, especially on the bigger rides. Not really to stop younger people going on them, but to make sure the people that do go on them are secured safely in the restraints.

Yes and if AT wanted to they could have made Oblivion 1.2m. But they didnt they made it 1.4m. They could have requested smaller restraints. (which would be possible, theres no way it wouldnt be looking at what they can/have done.)

Do you think a family coaster could replace the Blade and Ripsaw site?

It would be nice to see a family coaster but AT are already lacking in flat rides therefore I would not like to see a family coaster replacing any fat rides. Another reason is because there would be three coasters in forbidden valley and it would be nicer to spread the rides out a bit until SW8

I don't think Merlin like adding flat rides unless they're 2nd hand or from another park they already own. Flat rides don't get extra guests though the gates or making guests buy fast track tickets. Just think with 8 coasters you'd be lucky to get on all 8 in 1 day without a fast track or getting there for ERT.

I reckon Merlin would invest in a flat ride, if it had a USP. Was was the first of its kind to pull people to visit. Granted this wasn't Merlin but look at Rameses Revenge at Chessington, managed to creat massive hype and created one of the parks most popular years. It was the first Top Spin with a water feature. If Merlin get a flat like this, I can see it being popular.

Of course the other option is more Sub Terra style attractions, combining a flat ride with another attraction aspect.