Alton Towers set to open brand new 60ft ride at the theme park
EARLIER this year, the Staffordshire-based theme park lodged a planning application to replace the recently closed Funk ‘n’ Fly ride.
Located in the Forbidden Valley area, Funk ‘n’ Fly was one of four temporary rides at Alton Towers.
The temporary rides were erected in 2021 to help bolster the theme park’s offering during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Stoke on Trent Live, Funk ‘n’ Fly is set to be replaced by a brand-new permanent ride at the theme park.
Earlier this month, Alton Towers submitted a planning applicated to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council about the new ride.
The new ride will sit atop a concrete structure and reach an overall height of 18metres (60ft), with other features being built on either side of the structure.
A mock-up image showed a large concrete block, with a walkway underneath and two smaller columns on either side.
Dubbed Project Ocean, specific details about Alton Towers’ new ride, including a launch date, have yet to be revealed.
Planning permission for a large storage building is also being sought.
The new ride aims to keep parkgoers in the Forbidden Valley area at Alton Towers for longer.
A statement on the planning application read: “With the reopening of the popular ride Nemesis alongside existing attractions Sub-Terra, Blade and Galactica, it is believed guest numbers will increase in this area and a further attraction will aid in both dwell time, ride availability and keeping the area fresh.”
Theme park fans have been sharing their excitement on social media, with some describing the news as “awesome”, while others speculated over the nature of the ride.
In a post on Facebook, one person wrote: “Project Ocean – hopefully a wet ride!”
Another person wrote: “It has to be a suspended top spin, sitting back to back with dual loading.”
A third wrote: “Probably at top spin, however, could also be a Wave Swinger with water spray.”
While it is not known whether the Project Ocean ride will launch later this year, the theme park is set to bring back a thrill-seeker favourite.
Nemesis was first unleashed to the public in March 1994 and has become a favourite among thrill-seekers since, drawing people from all over the world to the theme park.
Now, having undergone the biggest overhaul in its 30-year history, the ride will now be known as Nemesis Reborn once it is back up and running.
A date for Nemesis’ return has yet to be confirmed by the park, but fans are hopeful it will be up and running by March 16 when Alton Towers opens its doors for the 2024 season.
Earlier this year, Alton Towers cancelled a much-loved event for the second year running.
The theme park will not see them host a Blue Light Card day in 2024.
Elsewhere, theme park fans are looking forward to some other exciting new experiences opening around the country.
Minifigure Speedway, Legoland
The Berkshire-based theme park’s latest addition, called Minifigure Speedway, will be its fastest rollercoaster to date.
The Minifigure Speedway will be the world’s first LEGO-themed duelling rollercoaster.
Passengers will go both forwards and backwards, as well as race between the Team Legends and Allstars, led by a Minifigure captain.
Construction work on the £10million rollercoaster is already well underway, with Legoland Windsor releasing a band-new image of the rollercoaster earlier this month.
Shockwave, Drayton Manor
Staffordshire’s second-favourite theme park, Drayton Manor, will be converting the current Shockwave rollercoaster into a new “family thrill coaster” in 2024.
The park’s managing director, Victoria Lynn, said that it would be a departure from the resort’s focus on attractions for children, and could even be seen as one of the best rides in the country.
Meanwhile, a lesser-known UK theme park by the seaside is set to launch a brand new rollercoaster this year.
The UK’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster is set to open at Thorpe Park this year.