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2018: General Discussion

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Having been to Thorpe yesterday I don't think flat rides are the answer. I didn't ride one. Fair enough if the people in the 45-1 hour + queues had been trying to get on coasters things would've been worse but one decent coaster with a sensible through put could've eaten the queues for all those rides for breakfast. With the exception of Ripsaw and Maelstrom is there a flat ride capable of matching a good coaster?
 
Maelstrom isn't that well operated as they can't batch whilst the ride is running so loading takes ages. Vortex probably gets more as it has the batching area (been ages since I've been on Vortex though so I'm not sure how it's run now).

Rush in theory is pretty high capacity, going back about 10 years they had target throughputs for several in the op cabin (visible from the queue) and for rush it was 630/hr, which would match any of the park's coasters running 1 train.
 
John said:
Maelstrom isn't that well operated as they can't batch whilst the ride is running so loading takes ages. Vortex probably gets more as it has the batching area (been ages since I've been on Vortex though so I'm not sure how it's run now).


Rush in theory is pretty high capacity, going back about 10 years they had target throughputs for several in the op cabin (visible from the queue) and for rush it was 630/hr, which would match any of the park's coasters running 1 train.
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Just going off what I saw yesterday, but Rush 24 riders every 5 minutes and that was a pretty short ride. It works for Thorpe but even when it was full on busy inferno was only running well enough to clear 6-700 pH. Like I say it benefits coaster queues because there are a few hundred people (x5) not in the coaster queue but it isn't making the park experience any better.
We all want flat rides but it needs something bigger and better than Thorpe offer.
 
John said:
Maelstrom isn't that well operated as they can't batch whilst the ride is running so loading takes ages. /QUOTE]
I've not been to Drayton for years but it is easier to load than enterprise. I thought it took more than 32 riders at a time but that still gives it a chance
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Well yes, but an Enterprise is not exactly an example of a high capacity flat ride - most parks operate them with astronomical levels of faff. The like-for-like comparison would be Maelstrom vs Vortex. That said, efficiency is about the only department where Vortex comes out on top.

At the other end of the scale, take something like Windjammer at Europa - 45 people per cycle and no more than 1 minute to load, it probably comes close to 1000 per hour.
 
John said:
Well yes, but an Enterprise is not exactly an example of a high capacity flat ride - most parks operate them with astronomical levels of faff. The like-for-like comparison would be Maelstrom vs Vortex. That said, efficiency is about the only department where Vortex comes out on top.

At the other end of the scale, take something like Windjammer at Europa - 45 people per cycle and no more than 1 minute to load, it probably comes close to 1000 per hour.
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Well we have Blade and if they could find something to match then go for it . Quantam was taking 10-15 minutes per ride when I think they could've been killing capacity but they didn't give it the staff. I just think flats for the sake aren't the answer. They need to be big enough to handle the demand. I'm not going to queue for a flat if the cycle ends before it's even started and I still have to queue for an hour.
 
Alton posted on FB September opening days. Not many days are open, but can you spot the mistake? :rolleyes:


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Yes I was fully aware of the lack of opening dates many months ago as part of their "It's Better Than Nothing" program

But also my post was to highlight for them to invest in a good proof reader too (again another continuation of their lack of ability this season to get the correct spelling/grammar or even dates correct) ;)
 
To be honest with Alton Towers it’s hard to say where they want to Aim there target audience as your got your under 5’s sorted with CBeebies and they can’t come the park without a parent. Then you got the over 7/8’s with Wickerman,13 and Spinball and over 10’s for everything( hard to say ages with ages as people get to 1.4m tall quicker than others)
It also depends on the parents like I’m the only 1 still at my work who still goes to theme parks so my daughter who’s 6 has been on a lot of rides so far in her life but talking to the teens at work some haven’t even been to Alton Towers.
Guests need to feel like there getting value for money and talking to other parents this week in Devon at the Milky Way and Watermouth Castle at £13 each with the live shows,rides and nearly everything included in the price many moaned about Alton Towers for how much they spend on tickets just to get on 4/5 rides in a shorter opening times as both them
Parks were open 10am to 6pm.
 
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