If you drop into the woods today, you'd better not go alone ...
If you drop into the woods today, you'd better not go alone ...
| Theme Park | Alton Towers |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Dark Forest |
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Older Families and Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 20 March 2010 (replaced Corkscrew) |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Model | Family Drop Coaster |
| Height | 66 ft |
| Length | 2480 ft |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Max Speed | 42 mph |
| Highest Drop | 60 ft |
| Designer | John Wardley |
| Capacity | 1100 riders per hour |
| Codename | Secret Weapon 6 (SW6) |
| Duration | 2 minutes |
| Extras | Fastrack On-Ride Photos Single Rider Queue |
A train waits to depart from the Th13teen station
Th13teen is a family rollercoaster set in the heart of the Dark Forest. Although often advertised as an experience only for the bravest thrillseekers, in reality the ride is fairly tame.
The first half of the coaster takes place in the woods nearby. Unfortunately the first drop is spoiled by a trim brake, but there are some nice swooping airtime hills after that - even if some of them also feature trim brakes.
Following the woodland section, the train makes its way up a second lift hill and enters a darkened room. Once the shutter door closes behind the train, it becomes obvious the room is in fact a crypt. There is the sound of splintering wood and the whole train judders, before plunging vertically downwards into a hidden part of the crypt. Riders in the front seats come face to face with a wraith, before the train quickly shoots backwards into the darkness. Eventually emerging into daylight, the train briefly pauses before being launched forwards again and back into the station.
When Th13teen first opened many riders knew nothing about the drop element, giving them a genuine fright and the rest of the riders on the train much amusement at their screams. Intamin have done a good job with the drop, which feels much more punchy than Zierer's version seen on rides like Polar X-plorer at Legoland Billund.
Sadly Th13teen suffered from a poorly devised marketing campaign when it first opened. The rollercoaster was advertised as a terrifying adrenaline filled experience and the world's first 'psychoaster' which had been designed to instil levels of psychological as well as physical fear. Guests expecting that were quickly disappointed by the family coaster they found. However, Th13teen is a good family ride, and as the initial marketing shenanigans have subsided it has bedded down into a great addition to Alton Towers' rollercoaster lineup.
Th13teen's entrance gate is guarded by wraiths
The scoffolding clad station building
Th13teen station
A train in the station
Top of the lift hill
Rollercoaster through the forest
Second lift hill
Entering the crypt
A busy day for Th13teen
90 minute wait
Rita passes over Th13teen's entrance
Th13teen's outdoor queue snakes through the woodland
The Dark Forest has captured an Alton Towers van
Queueline theming
Th13teen building
Scaffolding
Indoor queueline section
If you go down to the woods today, you better not go alone
Stairs down to the station
Front of the queue
Th13teen train
About to leave the station
A Th13teen train at the top of the lift hill
The track through the trees
Climbing the second lift hill
Th13teen ride photo booth
Ride photos on a popular day
Th13teen's ride building
A train sits in Th13teen's station
The Dark Forest is taking over the building
Th13teen after dark
A night ride on Th13teen
Th13teen Opening Day 2010
