Project Horizon DELAYED - Cutbacks? Not SW9? 

What we were going to get Vs what we end up getting may be two different things but as it stands Project Horizon is NOT cancelled, merely delayed. We discuss the cutbacks and speculate various factors as to why that may be but if you have any thoughts feel free to leave them below!

Also heard World of David Walliams will probably not make it to 2025 as that area has been underperforming, so refurbing that area plus The Dungeons, and leave it without a headliner till 2026, that happened during 1993 and 1994 when the Land of make Believe first came in with Around the World in 80 Days replaced with Toyland Tours

Hearing that Alton Towers might build a Minecraft themed ride really struck me in the childhood!

I am just happy we are getting a indoor roller coaster it doesn't have to be the tallest or the fastest i just want a good theme maybe something a little more outside the box i have always wanted a cyberpunk area at a theme park since i love the aesthetic and are honestly surprised no theme park has really attempted it and it would be inside so a neon dipped ride in the dark would be great. Steam punk would be my second choice but i feel like it would be hard to compete with fly and rookburgh

Black Hole 2.0 is a bloody good shout tbh

I know it’s unlikely with budget constraints, but I’d love them to build Project Horizon but expand the Dark Forest area to include Rita, Thirteen, a new attraction in the Dungeons, Project Horizon and the world of David Walliams. Maybe expand on some lore around Werewolves and Vampires (could even have a cheeky nod to Vampire at Chessington that way) and make the world of David Walliams as a medieval village with further theming and flat ride/s added to at least some of the courtyard area by Woodcutters

Very interesting take. I think you’re right. Towers needs an RMC. That’s the next SW we all want!

Always interesting hearing your thoughts mate. Seems to make a lot of sense re space theme. Not sure they would do black hole again, but maybe something new with a nod to that from the past.

I always thought Project Horizon being a secret weapon was a strange one. Apart from John saying it (with a cheeky grin btw) no one had even hinted that it would be SW9! I think the public just went with what they wanted. Not surprised it's been pushed back and fingers crossed we do get something fun in that building.... Then SW9 can go on the carpark behind Galactica xD Was gonna mention about "Project Horizon" and the US military link bot you covered that haha

Love the enthusiasm!! ❤

Merlin's erratic/inconsistent approach to investment is going to come back on them when universal opens and they have some real competition.....

Um, OK but that cover photo though? Hello Hollywood 👀 Bounce tracks etc. are so much fun. I think I'd take an exceptionally themed ride over trick tracks so there's still hope for it but it does feel like it will currently be another ride in the line up where we all go "oh if only they had the budget". On one level, I'd almost rather they just didn't. But we'll see. I trust the current team to make me eat my words there.

thumbnail makes me think a previous life you were an A-list actor in space movies! :D

Ahhhhh, extra budget explains why they started to make the tail better then ripped it out and got another one instead

My first thought about what Horizon could mean was either - part of the ride outside so looking out to the Horizon, or what would of been on the Horizon at the back of the building? Blackhole.

This is the issue with a company like Merlin. They have so many parks and attractions that they have to be selective where the funding goes. This is the reason they don’t seem to build coasters that are a bit longer.

Well thought out. I like your thinking.

Scott O'Neil (merlin Ceo) is Merlin's version of Bob Chapek (ex-disney ceo). He's not a theme park veteran but came from sports clubs so his strategy is likely going to be increase prices, increase prices, cut costs and I suspect that the parks will suffer....and this will go on until universal enters the stage (hopefully)

Something similar to hyperspace mountain would be awesome

Just do a pitch black intense coaster. Black Hole V2. It will be sick

I can’t understand why Alton Towers does not have the staff or teams of staff that have the balls to simply say, we have this square footage, what can you offer year in, year out? What’s sad it it takes positive to get a negative reaction. What is positive, stops a positive “smoker” killing the. Softly. 2024, thought I’d be singing “What a wonderful world.having thought to myself, what a wonderful world!

Very interesting! This is all new to me as I’ve only recently started planning/researching. I’ve wanted to visit Alton Towers ever since I first discovered Nemesis, many years ago. I’m hoping for a visit in 2025. I’m not sure this is enough to postpone to 2026. It makes me think though… Maybe I should just go both years. Haha. YOLO!

The return of Black Hole IMO would be greater than that even Nemesis coming back. But I could see that whole area along with Walliams world all being rethemed into a steampunk area in which they could bring to life the lost Port Discovery plans that were orignal meant for X-Sector so it could be a case of simply dusting off those plans and create a highly themed area. And for Dungeons if we want to make that area a steampunk themed area, they can go for a full circle moment of bringing back Around the world in 80 days to fit in with the theme. Maybe have Gangsta Granny rethemed to based of the HG Wells story The Time Machine...so many ideas you could do that are plausible if given some thought.

I’d be happy for an old school dark coaster with a few effects. I’d call it Event Horizon

Personally I'm very OK with PH being delayed if, IF, we get more flats. That's what the park needs more than another coaster.

that thumbnail should be printed as a movie poster 😂😂😂

Remember last year when I said Huss had been to alton towers and that rip daw was coming back and people laughed lol. Look now.

Hope we don’t get an AI themed ride. We all know how that went at Thorpe 😂

This is really good speculation 😄 I really hope Minecraft world isn't going into Alton Towers... If it does, then I hope it replaces the Walliams stuff. Two IPs like that don't belong at Alton Towers 😔 who knows though, perhaps that is what Horizon will be 😬 I absolutely believe Horizon is seperate from SW9 though as, to my knowledge, the other secret weapons didn't have codenames like Horizon does? I could be wrong there though. Either way I absolutely think Alton Towers is entering into a golden area 😄 Keep up the good work 😄

Firstly love that thumbnail ha, yeah I agree project horizon won’t be a SW9 ride but it will be a shame if they scale it back to be a average ride, moving forward Merlin really need to step up their themeing and immersive attractions especially with universal round the corner, and no to IPs original story’s so much better just look at curse

Can you imagine if we get uncharted with no queue line theming 😂😂

Btw love the thumbnail

Also, sorry for two comments. I feel like Blackpool PB has relied on the draw of having the tallest RC in the uk. But the draw was there non the less. I feel like now TP will have the draw with hyperia irrespective of theming. It’s the uks tallest coaster. Near London so can pull at least some of the new universal crowd. If that happens at least

Intresting idea.. Can see the logic. Either way whatever they do I'm excited for the future at Towers. Hope we don't have to wait too long though with Merlin taking money abroad..

Im so supprised

Im not meant to say but Project Horizon is an underground multilaunch mine train built by RMC that will have 3 launches and a deep mine theme with special effects

It might be a stretch to say this, given the circumstances but if intamin could make a indoor multi dimension coaster with the theming of studio tour, and ride layout of uncharted it could be one of the best indoor attractions at the park. That would be want i would want, if the budget was there. Maybe in the future though.

Fine with them adding theming over 2 or 3 years. But you only get 1 chance at the hardware. They’d be better spending putting better hardware in initially in a box and doing the rest later. Or I could see this being a “multi circuit” coaster like the one in the old dark kastle building

With the nemesis reborn project being in talks straight after wickerman opened, and project horizon came out around the time we knew about the retrack im thinking of PH isnt a secret weapon then secret weapons talks would of started or will start around now

I think it will be space themed , I think the black hole is returning. I’ve said it from the start, horizon is definitely a space word, like event horizon.

Hopefully somehow they'll introduce SW9 in the future, I would rather wait a bit longer and have a Secret Weapon, rather than a bog standard rollercoaster with great theming. Cheers Peter

Cool ❤

In terms of likeliness of success, to me Nemesis is quite higher and would logically have more money invested than Hyperia since it is already an established brand and is pretty much guaranteed to be a success Nick Varney always wanted a USP and a ‘killer image’ as he called it. Hyperia (to me) only really has that USP. There’s not one real killer image for it. Sure there are quite a few good ones. But with nemesis, you have that eye that is on all of the promotional material. It has its USP of it being how iconic it is. So it would make sense for nemesis to take up a bit more budget. Maybe they’re testing the waters for the hyperia brand and the hyper-intense thrill market as a whole. I predict that if Hyperia is a success, then we will see more investment into that area of the park and the theming. I also think that they will look to put similarly intense coasters into other Merlin parks. After the family thrill investment (being project horizon) we could see something like that at towers, which I think would be the actual SW9

A reimagined black hole. I think would be a winner

So reading between the lines, SW9 would likely be a 2028/29 project at the earliest... right in time to boost AT's visitor numbers at a time when the Universal project could be progressing towards conpletion... There's only so much money that Merlin can/will invest, so it makes sense that they'd want to maximise the benefits of that investment.

The last thing towers needs at the moment is yet another rollercoaster

Can Merlin afford to make significant cut backs on future attractions/themed experiences with Universal Great Britain possibly knocking on the door? Surely they can’t slip into old habits and now more than ever need to up their game and compete? I personally believe the money and investment for Project Horizon will have already been ring fenced. Project Horizon has only been delayed as Bianca has listened to the feedback, (we know she does love feedback) and has instead prioritised the installation of flat rides to improve park capacity and allow the removal of the Retro Squad, something the fans were baying for them to do! Hex with all its new special effects and theming elements is still yet to open, which will happen after Hyperia has had its time in the spotlight, as they won’t want to detract from other portfolio assets, and will want their own fanfare with its relaunch. Hex will hopefully be yet another example of the vast step change Alton Towers have made since Bianca took over and it’s great to see, I hope it continues. Let’s not also forget the unexpected multi-million pounds investment they are having to make in the Sky Ride, all these will affect new project starts. Do I think Project Horizon is SW9? Who knows? But it’s great to speculate on these things.

They need to bring the corkscrew back😂 a modern take on it tho

I feel like Horizon was always gunna be some sort of dark ride rather than a coaster (which most SW's seem to be) Could we be seeing the first trackless dark ride in the UK?

The last time Towers built a non secret weapon (not including octonauts lol) was Rita back in 2005 so I wonder if people's perception of the ride will we weaker over time. I don't see why Alton Towers would add a filler coaster in 2026 since it already has loads of coasters that bridge the gap between family and thrill.

I wouldn’t mind one less phalanx bin for a better Hyperia queue line video….

I think if it is delayed us theme park fans shouldn’t be complaining. All I saw on the forums was people saying we would rather horizon was delayed so we could get flat rides……..we are getting flat rides. I also think horizon was a test, to see planning permission. If AT can get planning permission for a building, then the building is the only thing that they need to declare. Opens possibility of more seasonal operations and more secrecy about what they are building. Cough “r-Cade” cough

I don't necessarily believe these cutbacks I would take it as a threat to the government more than anything plus he did state that merlin do want to invest in the UK, I still remain optimistic, plus who knows Project Horizon might be a great experience plus I am not openly against it being delayed as I feel Alton has more issues that need resolving first

Spinball whizzer to be moved into a building with a space theme....... 😊

🌟

John Wardley told me personally at Nemesis closing weekend that Project Horizon was the "new tech" coming along that he spoke of in the famous TT Q&A. I have no idea if it's an SW or not, but like you, I took that to mean that it was. The multi-dimensional definitely fitted nicely with what was mentioned at the TT Q&A, so it's a shame if that's no longer the plan. New groundbreaking tech does sound like it would be an SW, but I guess it doesn't necessarily mean it is.

“Get out of my room I’m playing Miiinecraft”- Alton Towers 2024

I become less & less interested in this project, honestly it should be quality over quantity. They shouldn’t build just for the sake of it, if they can’t afford it then just hold off for a few years, apart from some really inpatient enthusiasts no one is desperate for another roller coaster here so there’s no major rush

Project Horizon won't be a secret weapon just like forbidden valley won't be called forbidden valley and the R-Cade won't be an arcade 😂

Plot twist: theyre bringing back Black Hole 😂

This is news to people? You already announced this like 4 months ago…

Cross valley RMC or I cancel my annual pass 😂

Not a secret weapon what

Get taziker to build a brand new corkscrew. 😉

TLDR summary lol?

Officially cancelled?

Skybound. Just leaving that here.

They should of scrapped Nemesis & built sumfing decent & up 2date

It will be shite as its Merlin, and shity Towers