• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

2015: Alton Towers Enchanted Village

Well to be fair they have planted lots of trees, just none of them have grown out of their tubes yet.
 
After visiting it last week I do really like the whole area, and it looks quite nice in person (probably helped by the lovely weather), give it a few years when the trees have grown and it will look a lot nicer, the lodges by the far side are the best ones as they do feel out the way compared to the ones near ATH.

I do wish they had maybe painted some a different colour or something just to make them a bit different. Also the fence doesn't look too great when you come to the lodges from ATH, also from that direction there are no signs or anything to the lodges, but I'm sure they will change within time.

The crooked spoon is nice and the music is lovely. But it does feel a bit open plan, would have been nicer to have some little corners and hidden away areas. Also I don't get the random spot lights in the roof, all shining at nothing, just doesn't seem finished. They could also do with the music playing outside. The reception area is okay but is very very small, I imagine it will be queuing out the door most days during the main check in times, it could have done with a bigger reception and some seating to relax like splash and ATH has.

One thing I really didn't like in the crooked spoon was the way you order food. You are seated as normal and given menus but you then order the food and drinks at the bar, the same as wood cutters, but for the price and premium style you are paying you would think it would be full table service. It just felt a little odd and not quite right to be ordering at the bar like it was some kind of wetherspoons! I also wish it had a proper separate bar (but less said about that anyway)

Other than that it's a lovely development and hopefully overtime things will look nicer and finished a bit more.
 
Eyesore, joke, ghastly, rubbish....

I am not this projects biggest fan but that seems a bit extreme. I can't imagine the expletives you would use for Thorpes Shark Hotel......

it looks dissapointing and lacking in fine detail, but looking at Mikes review that is about as extreme as you can get. Still you got the haters liking the post :)
 
djtruefitt said:
One thing I really didn't like in the crooked spoon was the way you order food. You are seated as normal and given menus but you then order the food and drinks at the bar, the same as wood cutters, but for the price and premium style you are paying you would think it would be full table service. It just felt a little odd and not quite right to be ordering at the bar like it was some kind of wetherspoons! I also wish it had a proper separate bar (but less said about that anyway)
Click to expand...

Ah that's a shame although I did fear as much after seeing photos. I suppose it is not too much of a problem as long as queues do not get too bad, at least it makes paying easier.

I am looking forward to seeing the full development next Monday. I do hope it is not as bland as it comes across in photos.

:)
 
Dave said:
Eyesore, joke, ghastly, rubbish....

I am not this projects biggest fan but that seems a bit extreme. I can't imagine the expletives you would use for Thorpes Shark Hotel......

it looks dissapointing and lacking in fine detail, but looking at Mikes review that is about as extreme as you can get. Still you got the haters liking the post :)
Click to expand...

I really don't think it's that harsh. I feel people are giving this place the benefit of the doubt whilst trying mercifully to highlight its redeeming qualities - from photos and photos alone I can tell these are few and far between.

The problem with companies in this day and age is they've thrown their values out the window - everything is figure/profit driven. It's a 'that'll do' mentality where an immediate return on investment is at the forefront of most if not all cost decisions. It's as though there isn't a department that looks at customer experience, brand identity, loyalty, customer retention etc.

The resort (obviously in my opinion) as a whole is an absolute mess with nothing to mesh together the variety of brands which are placed quite literally on top of each other. It's as though there's been no forward planning whatsoever. As a whole package and for the price the experience is dire. I would literally feel like I was being robbed if I went to the resort and stayed for more than a day.
 
I don't dispute some of what you say but I maintain the need to visit before coming to such a polarised view.

:)
 
It's a very simple attitude that rarely fails: Expect the worst, and you won't be dissapointed. At best you are pleasantly surprised. At worst you get to say "I told you so".
 
DiogoJ42 said:
It's a very simple attitude that rarely fails: Expect the worst, and you won't be dissapointed. At best you are pleasantly surprised. At worst you get to say "I told you so".
Click to expand...

I wonder if in the Disney boardroom they go "right we hope our customers are going to expect the worst, and possibly be pleasantly surprised". ;)
 
DiogoJ42 said:
It's a very simple attitude that rarely fails: Expect the worst, and you won't be disappointed. At best you are pleasantly surprised. At worst you get to say "I told you so".
Click to expand...
I feel like that too, I wonder if its normal in Tech trades?
 
AirFAN said:
I wonder if in the Disney boardroom they go "right we hope our customers are going to expect the worst, and possibly be pleasantly surprised". ;)
Click to expand...

Looking at Disneyland Paris and California adventure before the refurb I would say yes.

My opinions are well spelled out on this project. The lodges look nice (but lack variety), once planting has grown I'm sure things will look even better. The tree houses look well built and very pleasant but un themed. The Crooked Spoon is bland but not an eyesore, the signs are terrible, the Tarmac horrid and the fence damn ugly. On top of that it is over priced.

That is not a combination that is "horrid, ghastly, joke or rubbish"... It's dissapointing, lacking finesse and lacking thought. It doesn't make me want to visit as I want a fully realised themed environment for that sort of money.

But then again we could have also got some stacked unthemed shipping containers.

This isn't aimed particularly at you Airfan, it's just The enthusiast community often lacks the ability to look at anything with critical balance, it's mostly either blind fanboyism or "haters gotta hate". I miss the days when you could have a good debate at least some of the time and not have to see everything in primary colours.

Old man lament over.
 
For the record though, have things gone progressively downhill in the last 10-15 years or has my perspective just changed?
 
AirFAN said:
For the record though, have things gone progressively downhill in the last 10-15 years or has my perspective just changed?
Click to expand...

I would say they got a little better at the early part of Merlin's reign, then have got steadily worse. But my argument is something can be worse than 10 years ago but still have positives.

DiogoJ42 said:
I'd answer, but I'd only get called a "hater" for it.
Click to expand...

You could have answered yes and been correct, I doubt anyone would disagree. If all you want to do is comment on the negative (plenty of material there tbf) then fine. Just don't complain if people roll their eyes if they find exaggerated negativity in your posts.

Just as they would roll their eyes at some blind adoration of a flawed park.
 
Dave said:
But then again we could have also got some stacked unthemed shipping containers.
Click to expand...

Thankfully that would never get planning permission at Towers!

I can see both sides here. Let's be honest, in photos it does not look all that great. I agree that it is nothing offensive but it lacks a lot of what you would like to expect from an Alton Towers addition. There are very few little extra touches of detail that add so much to a project like this. At the same time as this happening there are a lot of people very fed up with Merlin and Towers - this combination is going to lead to a very negative view and people see no reason why they should give Towers the benefit of the doubt based on past experiences. If said people aren't planning a visit any time soon then this view is going to be pretty well cemented.

Then there are those that have seen people say that it does look and feel better when you visit in person. People that want to have a look around themselves before casting a final judgement. I am more in this camp although I do go in with low expectations from what I have seen so far.

I am frustrated with this addition without actually seeing it largely because it was an addition that had so much potential to be something special. It is obvious from photos that it does not provide this something special. Do I think this is a joke or horrid/ghastly addition? No. But I can see why those with a different philosophy to me might have these slightly more extreme views.

:)
 
In time it will look somewhat better. The growth of the trees will make each segment of the village feel more isolated and hidden away undoubtedly. More of a village hidden in the trees than a large showcase of hastily put together cabins sitting in the site of an odd mushroom growth.
 
Rob said:
Thankfully that would never get planning permission at Towers!

I can see both sides here. Let's be honest, in photos it does not look all that great. I agree that it is nothing offensive but it lacks a lot of what you would like to expect from an Alton Towers addition. There are very few little extra touches of detail that add so much to a project like this. At the same time as this happening there are a lot of people very fed up with Merlin and Towers - this combination is going to lead to a very negative view and people see no reason why they should give Towers the benefit of the doubt based on past experiences. If said people aren't planning a visit any time soon then this view is going to be pretty well cemented.

Then there are those that have seen people say that it does look and feel better when you visit in person. People that want to have a look around themselves before casting a final judgement. I am more in this camp although I do go in with low expectations from what I have seen so far.

I am frustrated with this addition without actually seeing it largely because it was an addition that had so much potential to be something special. It is obvious from photos that it does not provide this something special. Do I think this is a joke or horrid/ghastly addition? No. But I can see why those with a different philosophy to me might have these slightly more extreme views.

:)
Click to expand...

You have pretty much summed up my opinion of the development. But as said I see that as lacklustre and dissapointing, it's not ghastly.

It's WAY overpriced though.
 
The physical ride offering at Alton Towers has certainly not got worse over time.

Nor has the overall accommodation offering.
 
I've just been listening to the new Heide Park soundtrack from IMAscore and a few of the tracks sound extremely similar to the one used in the Crooked Spoon. Does anyone think they could be the same with them both being Merlin Parks and sharing music between the Resorts isn't unusual.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top