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Major Operational Changes for 2018

Romeo said:
Hmm.

So, Monday, they make a shocking, appalling announcement of cutbacks and late openings. Today, they reverse that (not completely), and suddenly people think that AT / Merlin are doing a good thing?

No. They aren't. FV opening at 11 is STILL two hours LATER than it has opened previously. Nemesis used to operate from 9am, with Air/Galactica & The Blade from 10. It's now 11 for them all, so even WITH this "resolution" which people seem to be rejoicing from the rooftops, we are still an HOUR behind! We lose an hour still!

As for celebrating the return of the Rapids throughout the year, it says it all when it's seen as a good thing that a permanent attraction becomes.... well... permanent......

Sign of the times.
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They are a business. They aren't making money so they have to do something and I'm sure closing rides is the last thing they want to do. In fact haven't people in the know on here already said they've made severe cut backs in a variety of other areas too?

This is a company that's lost 25% of it's footfall and around £50m in lost revenue. It was never going to be plain sailing post accident. I think some people on here can't get past their own disappointments and see it from their side. They aren't going to run it at a loss are they? And I don't like Merlin at all and I'd like new owners too. However this would have happened at any park. Had Blackpool suffered a serious accident it would have killed them what with social media these days and 24 hour news. Cuts were inevitable people. We don't like them but they were always going to happen.
 
Romeo said:
As for celebrating the return of the Rapids throughout the year, it says it all when it's seen as a good thing that a permanent attraction becomes.... well... permanent......

Sign of the times.
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Merlin Marketing 101 - sell it. Even if there’s nothing to sell.

Same as Towers Loving Care painting some buildings and replacing the toilets.

Same as Hex re-opening.

Same as Nemesis being painted.

It’s all nothing, with a marketing spin haha
 
Benjsh said:
They are a business. They aren't making money so they have to do something and I'm sure closing rides is the last thing they want to do. In fact haven't people in the know on here already said they've made severe cut backs in a variety of other areas too?

This is a company that's lost 25% of it's footfall and around £50m in lost revenue. It was never going to be plain sailing post accident. I think some people on here can't get past their own disappointments and see it from their side. They aren't going to run it at a loss are they? And I don't like Merlin at all and I'd like new owners too. However this would have happened at any park. Had Blackpool suffered a serious accident it would have killed them what with social media these days and 24 hour news. Cuts were inevitable people. We don't like them but they were always going to happen.
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But they are NOT a small little company in the middle of Staffordshire, scrimping and saving for every penny....

The are Merlin, one of the world’s biggest attraction operators, who are actively buying and building more and more attractions globally, right now.

They’re even bidding on SeaWorld, another brand with serious image issues...

If they can build or buy a brand new park or attraction cluster at the drop of a hat, they can afford to open a rapids ride and turn Alton around.
 
Benjsh said:
They are a business. They aren't making money so they have to do something and I'm sure closing rides is the last thing they want to do. In fact haven't people in the know on here already said they've made severe cut backs in a variety of other areas too?

This is a company that's lost 25% of it's footfall and around £50m in lost revenue. It was never going to be plain sailing post accident.
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YAY!!
"They are a business"
"The Smiler Crash"
I've got a line in the Alton Towers - Merlin Cuts Bingo! HOUUUUUSE!

AstroDan said:
The proof is in the pudding.

We barely saw any ride close extensions in 2016 or 17. Let's see some 30 and 60min ones this year. Let's see Valley open earlier on some days.

They need to communicate it very clearly each day.
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Totally agree.
The wording of that latest statement is vague to say the least. Especially the ERT Lineup they could get away with anything with that sort of wording (and they probably will)

It would be nice to compile a spreadsheet over the coming year to see what the actual ride opening times were. How often park opening was extended because they love you so much and of course how often the rapids is actually open.

We should also all charge them a consultancy fee for sorting out this **** for them :p

:) :)
 
Inferno said:
But they are NOT a small little company in the middle of Staffordshire, scrimping and saving for every penny....

The are Merlin, one of the world’s biggest attraction operators, who are actively buying and building more and more attractions globally, right now.

They’re even bidding on SeaWorld, another brand with serious image issues...

If they can build or buy a brand new park or attraction cluster at the drop of a hat, they can afford to open a rapids ride and turn Alton around.
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Them not being small has nothing to do with it. Huge companies can go under just as easy. Look at Carillon in the news right now.

A £50m hit or there abouts is going to hurt and hurt badly.
 
Message from Alton Towers after messaging them on Twitter..

‘Hi Joe, for the first time ever, our new ride for the season – Wicker Man – will be included in our 9.30am early ride offer available for all MAP & Hotel guests alongside Spinball Whizzer and selected rides in CBeebies Land; Postman Pat, Go Jetters, Justin's House, In The Night Garden Magical Boat Ride, Something Special Sensory Garden & Numtums. As we’ve always done, we concentrate on ensuring our most popular rides are open as early as possible each day. In addition to our Early Ride Offer, our theme park opens to all other guests at 10am with the majority of our rides available, including Wicker Man, The Smiler, Oblivion and CBeebies Land. All other rides and attractions are planned to be open by 11am at the latest every day, including Congo River Rapids :)’
 
We have to decide to say no to these changes as otherwise, it will happen every year... It's not the first time! It won't be the last. If we say "This still isn't good enough" and make them realise that a slightly improved offering won't bring us all back (as that is what they are scared of... Many pass holders were contemplating not renewing) then there will be further change in the resort. Rather than the current "Let's see what we can get away with" mentality...
 
RoyJess said:
So Alton Originally planned to reduce ERT, and have half the rides open by 10 and the rest by 11.

Wait a minute, this will cause outrage, so let put it out there that we will have our major rides open at 12, everyone will complain, give it a week and then we will make it look like we back tracked to our original plan, and everyone is happy :rolleyes:
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Exactly my thoughts.
 
Croftybaby said:
Things don't always go to plan... ;) ;)
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Hahahaha true.

Also they haven't released the 2017 gate figures yet either have they? It could well be a 3rd straight year since the crash of having about 600k less guests on resort (25% drop). I hate it that they have to cut but it's not exactly a shock is it? Merlin can probably afford to cover the losses and postpone expansion but they don't seem to care that much. Perhaps there's not as much profit to be made from AT as there is from midways. In fact I'm sure there isn't.
 
Too little, too late. They can shove their wooden coaster, and their season pass, where the sun doesn't shine.

I can't believe people let them treat them with such contempt, and then celebrate when the world's second, only to Disney, largest operator whines that they can't possibly get everything checked and opened for 10am, but they'll try really, really hard to get it done for 11.

Pathetic.
 
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DiogoJ42 said:
Are they trying to say Nemesis is NOT "one of [their] most popular rides"?
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Probably from an early morning point of view it isn't the most popular. I imagine it's popularity picks up during the day. Each time I've been since The Smiler opened, a lot of people head there first. I know I do to get the potential big queue out of the way first
 
Benjsh said:
Hahahaha true.

Also they haven't released the 2017 gate figures yet either have they? It could well be a 3rd straight year since the crash of having about 600k less guests on resort (25% drop). I hate it that they have to cut but it's not exactly a shock is it? Merlin can probably afford to cover the losses and postpone expansion but they don't seem to care that much. Perhaps there's not as much profit to be made from AT as there is from midways. In fact I'm sure there isn't.
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Alton Towers never do release their gate figures these days. 2017 was certainly better than 2016, and if 2018 is not better than 2017 then Alton Towers will be in even more trouble!

:)
 
It's no doubt going to be better. A new coaster will always boost visitor numbers. Once the marketing is into full swing then the GP will start to flock back. I don't see them getting back to the 2.5 / 2.6m per year though that they were getting.
 
The website still has the 12pm openings and Rapids closures on it???
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