2018: Park Operations & Ride Availability

[Laura91]

That’s great news! A full 6 and a half hours of hopefully quiet ride time!

 

[Error]

Thumbs up Towers, now just the opening hours please.

 

[RoyJess]

Great news,

Alton/Merlin need to realise that staggered opening times has never worked or been popular in the past and will never do so in the future. The sooner they start to put guest expectations first, then their profits will look after themselves.

 

[BarryZola]

Suppose they can afford the extra few hours pay with all of the days they are going to be CLOSED completely in open season.

 

[Skyscraper]

Can someone explain this?!

Enterprise 0 mins
Oblivion 0 mins
Nemesis 5 mins
Rita 15 mins
Spinball Whizzer 20 mins
Galactica 25 mins
TH13TEEN 25 mins
The Smiler 30 mins
Wicker Man 100 mins

Edit: gone down to 85 now.

 

[Benzin]

New ride is popular. #shock

 

[Burbs]

I can’t understand why certain enthusiasts sit at home refreshing ride times. Yes it can be useful to get a hint at how busy the park will be for the rest of the week, but do people really take it seriously? I can’t think of a single time I’ve queued for a ride at Towers and the actual wait time has been accurate on the queue time boards, except for when rides are walk-on.

 

[Skyscraper]

I can’t understand why certain enthusiasts sit at home refreshing ride times. Yes it can be useful to get a hint at how busy the park will be for the rest of the week, but do people really take it seriously? I can’t think of a single time I’ve queued for a ride at Towers and the actual wait time has been accurate on the queue time boards, except for when rides are walk-on.

I just like to get an idea of how busy the park is.

 

[AstroDan]

Suppose they can afford the extra few hours pay with all of the days they are going to be CLOSED completely in open season.

To be fair, there used to be days (pre crash) where the park was so quiet on weekdays that they were running at a loss. There is no point running a business in such situations. It is much better to run the park on days where it can be profitable, and put all your efforts into that instead.

 

[BarryZola]

To be fair, there used to be days (pre crash) where the park was so quiet on weekdays that they were running at a loss. There is no point running a business in such situations. It is much better to run the park on days where it can be profitable, and put all your efforts into that instead.

Yes, I understand completely why they are doing it, and in their position I would look at doing the same thing. I was just pointing out the fact for anyone who had forgotten about it. Those quiet midweek days were great, but sadly largely a thing of the past now.

 

[Matt N]

To confirm: Staggered openings will not be returning on Monday and ride openings will be continuing as they have been over the past couple of months - with all rides at 9.30am/10am with exception to Duel, RMT, Skyride and Rapids.

Brilliant decision; well done Alton and Merlin! I predict that the cuts will be reversed entirely in 2019, personally; I reckon we'll see the return of Toadstool and the closed F&B outlets, along with the Pirate show!

 

[AstroDan]

Brilliant decision; well done Alton and Merlin! I predict that the cuts will be reversed entirely in 2019, personally; I reckon we'll see the return of Toadstool and the closed F&B outlets, along with the Pirate show!

The Pirate Show will not return.

 

[Stevie]

Brilliant decision; well done Alton and Merlin! I predict that the cuts will be reversed entirely in 2019, personally; I reckon we'll see the return of Toadstool and the closed F&B outlets, along with the Pirate show!

Please can someone remind me to come back to this post this time next year, so I can laugh at the naivety.

 

[MakoMania]

Brilliant decision; well done Alton and Merlin! I predict that the cuts will be reversed entirely in 2019, personally; I reckon we'll see the return of Toadstool and the closed F&B outlets, along with the Pirate show!

For the cuts to be reversed entirely we would have to see the reopening of Sub Terra, something to replace Charlie, reopening of Toadstool, reopening of CCL Theatre, the replacement of Submission & Ripsaw, the non-return of extensive staggered openings, park close times no earlier than 5pm even on the quietest of days, park opening midweek during off peak times, the return of entrance hosts on all coasters, the return of single rider queues, the return of baggage holds on The Smiler & Th13teen to get throughputs back to where they should be, the return of a 9am opening for ERT instead of 9:30, a replacement to the pirate show that was cut, the return of a free maze at Scarefest, the return of at least one scare zone at Scarefest, the return of a third day of Fireworks to ease pressure on the other two days and finally the reopening of Forbidden Valley Burger Kitchen, Towers St Bar & Grill and other closed outlets to prevent huge queues on busy days. I have probably missed some things.

If they do that then the cuts will be reversed entirely for 2019

I will eat my hat.

 

[Matt N]

The Pirate Show will not return.

Oh OK. Thanks for the clarification @AstroDan!

Maybe they could put in a replacement in a different part of the park? I'm not too bothered about the Pirate Show's absence, personally, as I can't say I ever watched it, and me and my family rarely (if ever) watch shows in theme parks. It's not really what I visit a theme park to do.

On the other hand, I suppose the Pirate Show was something fun to do for people who don't want to go on rides and for young children! I reckon Alton will consider a replacement show within the next couple of years, personally!

 

[bluesonichd]

For the cuts to be reversed entirely we would have to see the reopening of Sub Terra, something to replace Charlie, reopening of Toadstool, reopening of CCL Theatre, the replacement of Submission & Ripsaw, the non-return of extensive staggered openings, park close times no earlier than 5pm even on the quietest of days, park opening midweek during off peak times, the return of entrance hosts on all coasters, the return of single rider queues, the return of baggage holds on The Smiler & Th13teen to get throughputs back to where they should be, the return of a 9am opening for ERT instead of 9:30, a replacement to the pirate show that was cut, the return of a free maze at Scarefest, the return of at least one scare zone at Scarefest, the return of a third day of Fireworks to ease pressure on the other two days and finally the reopening of Forbidden Valley Burger Kitchen, Towers St Bar & Grill and other closed outlets to prevent huge queues on busy days. I have probably missed some things.

If they do that then the cuts will be reversed entirely for 2019

I will eat my hat.

Is that all? Not a very long list

 

[John]

That list demonstrate the extent that the response to the Smiler crash was to accelerate the ongoing process of cost cutting that had been going on for years. An upturn in visitors will only see a partial return of what was lost.

 

[RoyJess]

That list demonstrate the extent that the response to the Smiler crash was to accelerate the ongoing process of cost cutting that had been going on for years. An upturn in visitors will only see Merlin rubbing their hands with glee and lining their pockets.

I fixed that for you

 

[DiogoJ42]

I can’t understand why certain enthusiasts sit at home refreshing ride times. Yes it can be useful to get a hint at how busy the park will be for the rest of the week, but do people really take it seriously? I can’t think of a single time I’ve queued for a ride at Towers and the actual wait time has been accurate on the queue time boards, except for when rides are walk-on.

I would be in favour of making "copy and paste from ride times" posts a banning offence.

Brilliant decision; well done Alton and Merlin! I predict that the cuts will be reversed entirely in 2019, personally; I reckon we'll see the return of Toadstool and the closed F&B outlets, along with the Pirate show!

I don't think I've ever known someone this optimistic that isn't an annoying anime character.

 

[spinba11]

Regarding off peak closing, I think if they really cared about us they would open the park on the days that it makes a loss but the busy times like summer and scarefest would more than make up for it.