Alton Towers Reveals Their Brand New Coaster!

Alton Towers Resort has just revealed their brand new wooden coaster coming this Spring! Previously hidden under the identity as just “SW 8” (Secret Weapon 8), the park has now announced that the ride will be named “Wicker Man”. The coaster will be themed around the mythical people of The Beornen and riders will take part in a “rite of passage”.

This ride will be the first new wooden coaster in the UK in over 20 years! It is being built by Great Coasters International which is one of the finest wooden coaster companies in the business. So, while the ride does not appear to have the longest of coaster layouts, it will still be a fantastic coaster and one worth riding over and over again.

The highlight of the ride? A giant Wicker Man structure that’s almost 6 stories tall! Plus, the resort didn’t stop by just building a large wooden statue. They are lighting it on fire too! Riders will race through this structure not only once, but three times in total! This will leave guests definitely feeling the heat.

Alton Towers has advertised the coaster as “the world’s first roller coaster experience fusing wood and fire”. Although, with a little bit of common sense, it’s easy to tell that wood and fire don’t always mix so well. So, we have reason to believe, while the centerpiece of the ride, that the fire aspect may not always be turned on. Especially in less ideal weather conditions such as high wind.

Fortunately, the coaster has definitely come a long way from our last visit to the park last summer where they were just beginning to build the structure itself. Although, the track and Wicker Man structure appear to be almost complete, if not completed, as of this big announcement. Which means hopefully the ride will be open come park opening in late March!

Stay tuned for any future updates about the opening of Wicker Man!