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Major Operational Changes for 2018

There are so many things they could do that would actually save money and make a lot of sense...

For example,
- self service ticket machines / gates at the entrance

Agreed, but they still need manned service desks, although not as many if they used self service machines.

reducing the staff stood at the queue entrances on the rides (the other parks don’t have this... why do Towers need it?)

Mainly because parents will try and get their kids on the rides when they are too short, then complain like mad when they have queued for an hour and been told they cannot go on. The person at the ride entrance is there to check the people entering the queue can actually ride. they are also there to stop people entering a queue line if the ride is shut, or the queueline is too full.
 
I am expecting that all those entrance gate hosts will also be cut this season except for on Wickerman and potentially on Smiler. Thorpe barely ever have staff standing on entrance gates to rides; I would expect that the same cuts will be made at AT.
 
I am expecting that all those entrance gate hosts will also be cut this season except for on Wickerman and potentially on Smiler. Thorpe barely ever have staff standing on entrance gates to rides; I would expect that the same cuts will be made at AT.
Thorpe have the staff at the queue merge points instead of the entrance.
 
Does make you wonder though how the GP are going to take all this in. I mean us enthusiasts are pretty clued up on whats operating and what isn't etc. However your casual AT goer (which is a fair chunk I'd say) probably will have no idea the rapids aren't open until arriving I'd bet. Also probably not aware of the park areas staggered opening times.

You can see it causing bedlam at customer services. There's usually enough people up there moaning anyway so god help them this season. They might need Bullet proof vests (ha!)
 
Does make you wonder though how the GP are going to take all this in. I mean us enthusiasts are pretty clued up on whats operating and what isn't etc. However your casual AT goer (which is a fair chunk I'd say) probably will have no idea the rapids aren't open until arriving I'd bet. Also probably not aware of the park areas staggered opening times.

You can see it causing bedlam at customer services. There's usually enough people up there moaning anyway so god help them this season. They might need Bullet proof vests (ha!)

Imagine the poor sods that will have to deal with it. I'm actually wondering if actually that there could be a few people in customer services that will have a breakdown with what's to come from this or, God forbid, actual suicides from this. Either way, it's going to be hell out there.
 
Imagine the poor sods that will have to deal with it. I'm actually wondering if actually that there could be a few people in customer services that will have a breakdown with what's to come from this or, God forbid, actual suicides from this. Either way, it's going to be hell out there.

I think suicides is a tad dramatic (hahaha) but I take your point. I can't imagine what it must feel like to earn minimum wage and have a long line of people that look ready to strangle you (not literally) They are braver than I am. I worked briefly in customer services many many moons ago and I won't be ever again.
 
Customer services staff will be replaced by self service machines.

"Hello. I am Guest Services Bot.... press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, 3 for French etc.."

1.... English

"Hello Sir, Madam, Child, what is the nature of your visit to guest services today. Press 1 for Fast Track, 2 for Annual Passes, 3 for Hotel Bookings....[5 minutes later] 996 for Complaints"

996....Complaints

"Ooh, we are very sorry you have a complaint. We at Alton Towers and Merlin take guest satisfaction very seriously. In a few words, please tell me the nature of your complaint...."

Staggered ride openings, rides closed, long queues

"You said, Staggered side of poppadoms, rind hosed, pong in the queue - is that correct?"

NO

"Ooh, we are very sorry you have a complaint. We at Alton Towers and Merlin take guest satisfaction very seriously. In a few words, please tell me the nature of your complaint...."

FFS, Rides not open, poor reliability, long queues, too much fast track being sold

"You said, Four duck soup, dried snot in the open, door reliability, there is still a pong in a queue and you would like to buy VIP Fast Track - is that correct? "


... and so forth until the customer walks out. At this point, the machine realises the customer has left and marks it as a successful transaction +1 in the KPI database for guest satisfaction.
 
And the public thought opening day was bad last season.

I don't think there's much point turning up at the park before 12. At least all areas (should) be open then and the crowds will be scattered around the park. If there any rides down I don't think there's much point turning up at the park at all.
 
Is there not a cool off period for a full refund? It's not activated till the first visit. That would be the ultimate complaint and a few guys asked for that I bet merlin would notice!

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

I renewed at Blackpool Tower on sunday so they're already activated unfortunately

It was my little lads birthday so we went to blackpool for the weekend and renewed a year to the day we bought them
 
Thorpe Park have today released their operational changes in preparation for the 2018 season which can be compared to the cutbacks announced yesterday.

All rides and attractions will open (or are scheduled, in Thorpe's case) as normal, at 10, with the exception of:

-Derren Brown's Ghost Train: Rise of the Demon
-I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
-The new incarnation of X (this is not confirmed, however is rumoured to include actors)
-Angry Birds 4D
-SAW ALIVE

Of which all of the above will operate from 12PM onwards. This is due to these attractions being "actor-led".


This seems like a far more reasonable arrangement given the fact that the Ghost Train rarely opens prior to 12PM anyway and I'm A Celebrity is constantly closed. I am also astounded they even included SAW ALIVE, given it's absence in the ride line up.

It also makes AT's operating hours seem even more poor and in-your-face than previously, given it's sister park has not been at the helm of such extensive cuts.




:)
 
Saying SAW: Alive will be open from 12 doesn't necessarily mean it's going to open every day, it could be meaning that, on the days it's open. (Fright Nights), it'll open at 12. IAC wasn't open everyday last year either.
 
Saying SAW: Alive will be open from 12 doesn't necessarily mean it's going to open every day, it could be meaning that, on the days it's open. (Fright Nights), it'll open at 12. IAC wasn't open everyday last year either.

They’ve confirmed on Twitter Saw Alive will be open during the 6 weeks summer holidays.
 
If Alton really do need to save money, they should be shutting Cloud Cuckoo Land for the time being as a priority. And if the season starts well... re-open it in the summer.

Nemesis, the Rapids and Galactica should not be affected.
 
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