Alton Towers’ wooden rollercoaster Wicker Man is the winner of Ride Rater’s Best New Addition award for 2018.
The Great Coasters International ride is the first wooden rollercoaster opened in the UK for 22 years, and offers a thrilling but accessible ride experience.
The decision of Merlin Entertainments to finally build a wooden ride was made after years of resistance based on apparent market research indicating that the public do not like them.
The popularity of the ride has proven this to be incorrect, and there are hopes that it may lead to a wooden renaissance in the UK.
However, Wicker Man wins the award because it genuinely offers a high quality and exciting experience. It is Merlin’s greatest attempt at theatre and originality since 2010’s Thirteen.