Many fans of theme parks ask whether Ripsaw is still at Alton Towers Resort – especially after all the talk of new rides and redevelopment. The short answer no, Ripsaw is no longer operating at Alton Towers. It was removed some years ago. However, the story doesn’t end there – the site where it once stood is undergoing change, and a new ride has taken its place. Here’s a detailed look at what happened to Ripsaw, why it left, and what’s in its former spot now.
History Ripsaw at Alton Towers
Ripsaw first opened at Alton Towers on 15 March 1997, as a HUSS Top Spin ride located in the Forbidden Valley section of the park. The ride offered a mix of thrills a gondola lifted riders into the air, spun them through a series of flips and drops, and occasionally sprayed water jets for extra excitement. Its slogan Can you cut it? became part of its identity, and for many years it remained a popular attraction among visitors.
Over time, though, Ripsaw began to show signs of mechanical stress. Maintenance problems increased, and the ride’s reliability declined. In 2015, as part of a broader costsaving and redevelopment plan, Alton Towers decided to close Ripsaw. Its final operating season ended on 8 November 2015. During the subsequent offseason, the ride structure, queue line, and entrance bridge were dismantled – the components were even observed piled in the park’s coach park, making it clear that Ripsaw would not return.
After the Closure What Took Its Place
Following Ripsaw’s removal, the site underwent several interim changes. For a time it hosted a payperplay game, then later a temporary flatride attraction. Names like Forbidden Sweep and Funk ‘n’ Fly occupied the space for a few seasons. But these were always intended as stopgaps, not permanent replacements.
Meanwhile, the park’s management signalled plans to bring a more lasting attraction back to that plot. In early 2024, a planning application was submitted to build a new permanent flat ride on the former Ripsaw site. The new ride would be a Top Spin style attraction – a spiritual successor rather than a reinstallation of the original Ripsaw. The new ride was given the codename Toxicator (formerly Project Ocean).
Ripsaw Today Is It Still There?
In short Ripsaw is gone. The original ride structure was removed after the 2015 season and is no longer part of the Alton Towers ride lineup. None of the original Ripsaw gondola, arms, or queueline bridge remains in public view. Some small thematic remnants – like an old operator’s cabin originally derived from a truck – had lingered backstage for a while, but these do not count as the ride being still at Alton Towers.
So if you are visiting in 2025, you will not find Ripsaw ready to spin you around its Top Spin arms. What you will find is Toxicator – a new, modern suspended Top Spin ride that occupies roughly the same footprint as Ripsaw once did.
Toxicator The New Top Spin in the Former Ripsaw Spot
Toxicator opened on 15 March 2025 in Forbidden Valley. It’s a similar concept – a Top Spin ride – but with important differences compared to the original Ripsaw
- The seating is suspended riders’ legs dangle rather than sit on a floor.
- The ride gondola is backtoback seating instead of the forwardfacing rows Ripsaw used.
- The entire ride stands on an elevated platform that passes over a walkway – a design choice that maintains park flow and visibility.
- Although the ride carries the legacy of Ripsaw in concept, the manufacturer and model are updated, and the ride mechanics reflect modern safety and design standards.
Why Ripsaw Never Returned – and What Return Means
While some fans talk about bringing back Ripsaw, it’s important to understand what that would entail. A true return would require reinstalling the original ride equipment, cabin, theming, and original seating/gondola – which has not happened and is extremely unlikely. The original Ripsaw was dismantled and most parts scrapped or sold off; some components ended up as spare parts for other parks. Given that, the return everyone often refers to is more metaphorical – the replacement ride aims to reproduce the thrill, style, and spirit of Ripsaw, but officially it’s a new entity (Toxicator), not Ripsaw itself.
What This Means for Visitors and Fans
For people planning a trip to Alton Towers in 2025 or beyond, here’s what you should know
- If you were hoping to ride the nostalgic, original Ripsaw – that’s not possible. The original ride is gone.
- What you will experience is Toxicator, a modern Top Spin ride that offers a similar thrilling experience but with updated ride engineering, different seating, and a fresh theme.
- For fans of the original, the new ride may evoke memories – but there are tradeoffs different ride mechanics, pacing, and layout.
- For new visitors, Toxicator provides a good introduction to Top Spinstyle thrill rides at Alton Towers – possibly even better than the older model, thanks to advances in design, safety, and ride smoothness.
Ripsaw is no longer at Alton Towers. It closed in late 2015 after nearly two decades of operation and was removed during the subsequent offseason. What now occupies its former space is a new ride, Toxicator, which opened in March 2025. While Toxicator carries the spirit of Ripsaw by being a Top Spin thrill ride in the same section of the park, it is a completely new attraction with updated mechanics, theming, and safety standards. For nostalgic visitors and thrillseekers alike, this change represents both an end and a new beginning for Top Spin rides at Alton Towers.