We’d like to begin with saying a huge thank you to each & every person who’s involved in this collaboration. Words can’t describe how much we appreciate everyone’s time and work. All links to these incredible content creators will be left below their paragraphs. Hope you all enjoy this blog and keep your eyes peeled for Icons 1 year special.
Our Thoughts:
Wickerman is an amazing addition to the UKs line up of coasters. It caters for a family thrill market but also has pops of airtime & intensity throughout. The heavy theme is really unique & special to the UK but it also makes the coaster really beautiful. Wickerman sits really high within our top 5 coasters. We think everybody involved have done an incredible job given the compact space & restrictions faced. We’re really excited to get back this Saturday to feed the flames.
Coaster Bot;
Wicker Man is a fantastic all-round coaster. The burning effigy structure is extremely impressive and the theming as a whole is arguably the best the UK has to offer. The ride experience is fast paced and full of airtime towards the back of the train too. For a family coaster Wicker Man packs a great punch!
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Ginger Freckled Girl (Melissa)
The first wooden rollercoaster to be built in the UK for over 20 years.
The Wickerman is branded as a family ride with its 1.2m height restriction, I was expecting a larger wooden version of a mine train, like the one Alton Towers have in Katana Canyon. Upon first riding the Wickerman in April 2018 I was happy to learn that the ride itself is smooth, has some excellent banking and a modest amount of airtime. Especially the further to the back of the train you get.
The ride is well designed, the theming is some of the best I’ve seen Alton Towers produce and as a package it just works. The queue line wraps around the structure of the ride, whilst the Wickerman himself utilises a perfect combination of red lighting, flames and smoke to form a truly captivating sight.
I do just wish that Alton Towers’ operating calendar had more opportunities for night rides because my goodness it looked beautiful at ScareFest. I feel that The Wickerman is a fantastic addition to Alton Towers and although it’s still not my favourite ride at the park I do love it. I think The Wickerman has been a great investment for the park and I’m excited to see what Merlin come up with next.
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Airtime John:
Ok, i HEART the man made of wicker! The first time i rode it, i was so surprised by its speed! I really surprised me. Its a full package experience for all the family (height restrictions apply haha)
As soon as you walk into the area, that amazing IMA score basey Soundtrack hits you,booom right in the chest. Atmospheric AF.
The queue line- That unmistakable ‘wicker man smell’ what is it? misty damp wood?
Does anyone else still smell it on themselves/ up nose when you get home??
ok, just me then haha.
The super eerie pre show, which always makes a few people jump! and always freaks at least one child out. The Reveal of face is just WOW. Then of course, the ride. Super nippy, great banking, and flying through ‘Big bob’ is cool. I had a few night rides during scarefest and its without doubt our best looking ride, the effects in dark-Stunning!!
I have never been the biggest woody fan, but W.M has given me a new appreciation and hunger for modern woodies. More importantly, opening the minds of the G.P in regards to them! Bring on the next one 🙂
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Attraction Images:
Hey Attraction Images here.
I’ve long followed Wickerman at Alton Towers indeed as a private pilot I was the person who gained aerial testing footage from a Cessna airplane that, sadly, went down so negatively that I removed the video from YouTube.
I was kindly invited to meet the makers by Alton Towers and upon walking into the area was genuinely in awe of Big Bob.
Of course none of that matters a year on, the biggest question of 2018 was “Icon or Wickerman” and while before riding both I said Icon would offer by far the best ride, once I’d had rides on both new coasters, for me there was one clear winner, by a long way The Wickerman, from the area music, the station, the pre show, big Bob, the lift hill sounds the mist the none stop ride, it just doesn’t give up, ever.
I genuinely hope and believe that The Wickerman is a turning point in the UK Theme Park industry, Merlin, Alton Towers and all other park operators have seen how this relatively small but well formed Rollercoaster has turned around the fortunes of Alton Towers and the mindset of people who once believed that this level of Theming was only for Americans or indeed that wooden Coasters, like the Grand National at Blackpool are simply rough, painful and somewhat impossible to enjoy.
The Wickerman is a turning point Alton Towers. Merlin and I believe the UK Industry.
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Coaster Kingdom:
Delayed opening, a shit ton of snow, 5 hour waits… these are my first memories of Wickerman, Alton Towers newest coaster.
Are you ready to be sacrificed to the Wickerman?
The best thing about the construction was the fact we watched it progress throughout the year. I regularly walked to the site and followed every stage of the build and of course created a regular series all about it on my YouTube channel, Theme Park Worldwide.
During the construction it was clear that Wicker Man would have some great elements including twisted drops and plenty of banked turns. When further details were announced about the theme it was clear that this would be a fantastic addition to Alton Towers and would be very different to anything else the park had already.
In my opinion Wicker Man does everything I hoped it would, the train takes the various drops and corners at great speed and the overall theme of the ride is very unique. For me Wicker Man is one of the best wooden coasters in the country and sits just behind Megafobia at Oakwood in my list. The coaster may look short at a first glance, but it certainly packs a punch and combined with the pre-show and theming, this makes it one of the best coasters in the UK.
It was only a matter of time before a UK theme park ventured into the wooden coaster territory. I am glad that Wickerman was such a good success for Alton Towers. You only have to look at the ride as you venture towards the area from Mutiny Bay to see how intimidating and fierce this ride is – let there be fire! My initial reaction of experience Wickerman for the first time was; ‘This is going to be something new and different.’ As soon as you enter the ride building and pre-show area, it sets the scene for the ride. My favourite element on the ride is the first drop into the s-bend turn – hello airtime! And can we mention how good the coaster looks in the dark, the red lighting is stunning. Wickerman is a great addition and the best incentive for me to make multiple trips to Alton Towers, despite living over 3 hours away. Feed the flames and praise the Wickerman!
Cupcakes & Coasters:
I guess it goes without saying that this thing is ALL about the theming and how the ride comes together as a whole package. When you round that corner you really can’t help but stop and stare at just how incredible a feature it is. The thing is seriously impressive, from the smoke billowing out from underneath, to the flaming shoulder pads (yas queeennnn) to the unnerving stare of the faces. I’d heard the pre-show was good but my god, I was not prepared! OK, so firstly it caught me completely off guard. The room itself is SO well themed, the lighting really sets the tone and the smell pods anchor you right in the moment.
The layout of the coaster itself is probably one of the most unique in the world, which I guess is a given due to the space GCI were given to work with. It’s always incredible to me what these manufacturers can do with the spaces they’re given. One of the best and most exciting parts of the entire layout to me is the s-bend transition (y’all know the one I mean!). It’s incredible to think how many times the coaster actually passes through the Wicker Man structure itself, but out of all those moments my favourite is easily the last pass through after a final wicked little airtime hill. It kind of comes out of nowhere and just when you think the coaster is letting up it surprises you with one last butt-kicker into the effigy. I think what makes this final pop of airtime the best is that it really leaves you with the final thrill as you plant onto the final brake run – it’s kind of like that final scare they talk about in the Scream movies – you think it’s done and then it comes back to give you just that little bit more!
Wicker Man was a real game changer for the UK theme park industry. Lots has been said about the quality of the theme & atmosphere around the ride. Of course, it is far and above anything we’ve seen in this country before in that respect. Many people have asked “would it still be a good ride without the theme?” – we say absolutely yes. It is a very enjoyable ride and the 1.2m height restriction makes it a perfect first ‘big coaster’ for kids. That said, it does not lack punch and is surprisingly intense in parts, particularly on a wet track! Most importantly, Wicker Man has acted as a showcase to the public for just how good a modern woodie can be. Beforehand, if you’d asked most British people what it was like to ride a wooden coaster, they’d conjure up memories of the likes of the Grand National and say “it’s like being beaten up, in a fun way…”. Wicker Man completely changes that perception and I don’t think we’ll have to wait 20+ years again before we see another UK wooden coaster being built. Overall, an excellent coaster and we’re looking forward to riding it even more times in the 2019 season.
Theme Park Banter:
1 year of big bob already??? Wow where has the year gone! I absolutely adore this coaster! It might not the best or the scariest but it’s got a lot of character to it! One of my favourite things about the whole ride is the pre show! Plus it’s so much faster than it looks. It really stands out from the other coasters at Alton Towers because of the amazing theming and the fire!
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