With one month to go until Christmas Alton Towers has released a little Twitter image that may have a much deeper meaning.
This fast-paced scrolling video allows users to stop on a particular marker, screenshot the answer and reply to Alton Towers.
But there are some interesting additions in this originally innocent post. The main hint being that of Alton Towers SW9.
There’s just one month to go until Christmas Day!
What’s at the top of your Christmas list? ? pic.twitter.com/IFEsy6F2YE
— Alton Towers Resort (@altontowers) November 25, 2019
Alton Towers SW9
The one that stands out the most for us is the SW9 (Secret Weapon 9) tease. Now would Alton Towers be so cruel as to troll us during Christmas? No, we don’t think so either.
This is the first time Alton Towers have hinted at the next ride addition to the park and it could very well mean that planning has already started for the park’s next roller coaster.
Wicker Man Scent
As you can see from the scrolling video there a few things stand out. Firstly, the Wicker Man scent. AromaPrime who design the scents for Alton Towers have also recently hinted that they will be listing theme park scents on their website.
Could this mean that Alton Towers will be stocking particular scents in ride shops too?
We’ll have to wait and find out.
Thirteen Replica
Secondly, Thirteen Replica is also listed. Much like Blackpool Pleasure Beach who are selling models of their rides could Alton Towers finally be following in their footsteps and selling models (or at the very least, new resins) for more of their iconic rides?
2020 Update – Towers Hint At A New Addition AGAIN
After going through the Alton Towers site I stumbled upon a design your own theme park questionnaire.
This questionnaire allows fans to design their own alternate version of Alton Towers but the questions do feel rather formal rather than a game to design a map.
Alton Towers Indoor Water Coaster
The questions ask what kind of coaster is your favourite, would you remove Nemesis or not? Would you want an indoor coaster? Would you want an indoor water coaster?
It all feels very subtle but could this be the first step towards SW9?
Not once but twice on the questionnaire does ‘Indoor Coaster’ arise. There is also an option on the form to remove Nemesis with a 20-loop coaster.
It’s when you generate the final map on the website that things get interesting.
But when you generate a map you can see that Thirteen (not Rita) has been replaced with a coaster called Crypt (An underground coaster) and X-Sector now has an indoor water coaster.
The indoor water coaster doesn’t have a name but the underground coaster does.
Could this be early doors in deciding not only the location for the next coaster but early title releases?
If this map is anything to go by then Thirteen, Nemesis and Oblivion are all on the chopping block for replacement.
What Ride Will Be Replaced For SW9?
After Thirteen was hyped up to be an extreme horror coaster that you had to sign a waiver for its safe to say the marketing killed the coaster before it even arrived.
A family-friendly standard coaster with a vertical free-fall drop. It’s very possible that this ride could be removed or even revamped. The ride already has an underground section (of sorts) so its very possible the ride could be altered to live up to the originally advertised concept.
Personally, i’d like to see Rita removed rather than Thirteen should a new coaster be coming to Dark Forest but that’s just me.
Oblivion is a one-trick pony but would Alton Towers keep it because it’s the first dive coaster in the world?
Last but not least we have Nemesis. We all know Nemesis isn’t going anywhere anytime soon (we hope) so this is the curveball in the map maker for us.
What do you think will be whisking its way to Alton Towers in the future?
My Thoughts
With Alton Towers being a very elemental focused park and from the little shreds of evidence presented in the above I feel Alton Towers SW9 will be a water coaster or some form of long terrain coaster.
Rumours of B&M signing a deal with Merlin also brings light to speculation that B&M could very well be the manufacturer for SW9.
This could be a water coaster above or underground (or neither) but with Alton Towers pushing for world’s firsts I think either of these options would be sufficient.
Naturally, this is ALL speculation based off a mere game that Alton Towers have posted for fans but I certainly think there’s more to it than that.
Just remember, if this coaster materializes, you read it here first!
