Alton Towers has announced plans to open a rollercoaster in which passengers wear virtual reality gear.
Staffordshire adventure park Galactica will open in April, after two years of planning.
It is the park's first major new rollercoaster since one of its rollercoasters crashed in June, seriously injuring five people. Visitor numbers have fallen since the accident, which Alton Towers said was due to "human error." It said 190 jobs remained at risk and the park would close midweek "on its quietest days" this year.
Space travel
Several virtual reality rides simulate rollercoaster rides, but Alton Towers says Galactica will combine the two experiences for the first time. During the three-minute ride, headsets will take passengers on a journey to different galaxies, timed to coincide with every spin, turn or drop of the rollercoaster. The experience will offer a maximum G-Force of 3.5gs, which, the park says, is more intense than what astronauts experience during rocket launches.
Gill Riley, marketing director at Alton Towers, said it represented a “multi-million pound investment”. “Obviously, the safety and wellbeing of our customers is our number one priority,” she added. “Following last year’s incident, additional safety protocols will be put in place immediately for all of the park’s rides, of which this is one. Furthermore, once this ride is installed, as with any new ride and experience, it will be subject to a comprehensive pre-opening assessment [by us] and by an accredited independent inspection body.”
Two women had their legs amputated after the carriage they were riding in collided with an empty carriage on June 2. Fourteen other people were also injured. It was later announced that the accident was caused by operator error and not mechanical failure.
Ms Riley said the park had learned from its mistake. “We have improved our training and also included an additional level of authorization when we need to stop, reset and restart a ride, which includes senior management,” she said.
He confirmed that Smiler will reopen in 2016, but was unable to give a date.
