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There's still magic somewhere...

Stuie said:
I doubt he’s losing much sleep over it!
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I meant the comment more in the sense that this new park could be a totally themed, immersive experience with rides to match.

Let's face it, had Euro Disney (as it was called at the time) been built near the NEC on the M42 (it was one of the sites that bidded / was considered), do you think the Merlin parks would be in the state they are / run how they are today if they had direct competition in the UK from Disney? I strongly suspect not.
 
Whilst there have been many things that I have given Merlin stick for...

...Alton Towers has an unrivalled magic to me, more so than any place I've ever been.

The view of The Towers is incredibly magical to me. I don't think any theme park in the world can compete with this.

Phenomenal gardens that our friends at the National Trust would charge 15 quid for alone of they ever got there hands on it.

Nemesis... Needs no explanation.

The SW coasters... I love them all.

Fantastic choices of music all over the park, all of which I love, with Katanga Canyon being my favourite (brings out my sense of adventure every time I see it,), if not quite as good as the original version.

The anticipation of waiting to go through the gates.

The history, the heritage, the atmposhere of scarefest. The not just world class, but world beating fireworks.

It's the only place that makes this 48 year old feel 8 again.

If that's not magic, I don't know what is.

I've never, ever had a day at AT that I didn't enjoy. The British Weather, the crowds on certain days, the reduction in park entertainment. None of this has ever prevented me from having a great time.

I never understand the hate that the park gets. I love it, have an amazing time every visit and end every single day knackered, exhausted, filthy, indeed all the things you should feel after acting like a kid for a few hours.

I never see it as the equivalent of a day at the mumps treatment center like some people do.

It would take far greater incompetence than Merlin Entertainments to destroy the magic for me.

Maybe I'm just young at heart,?
 
I'd not been to AT for a good few years before the Scarefest meet and, though my first ever visit was in 1998, I'd only been back after Air was installed.

It looks to me that if there is 'magic' to be found, it's in the staff who genuinely care about the park. The old Nemesis sign being displayed in FV is an example.

I mean, the whole 'magic' thing was a marketing tool anyway and a bit of a derivative one at that. It seems there's little agreement on what is meant by 'the magic' too. Was it there before 1992? If you watch 'The Magic Factory' then you'll see it wasn't there as such in 1997, it was enforced. Employees having their socks checked and that grumpy, though reasonable, cleaner come to mind.

One thing I would be interested to know is how many staff at AT are not directly employed by Towers. Is cleaning and catering etc contracted out nowadays? Do staff still have their balls broken over little things?

Also, as a minor point, Rita and The Smiler are poor attractions for suspension of disbelief. I mean, X-Sector screams 90s (though the dystopian theme needn't be cheesy) and a Dark Forest was just lazy given there was already a Gloomy Wood. Pirates, African/safari, Post-apocalyptic, and spooky are pretty solid archetypal themes which makes that suspension of disbelief easier.

But then, I'm sure there are lots of other factors at play. It seems that 'the magic' was more abundant when success was less certain and there was a desire to actively impress guests but it was also a time when there weren't theme parks as such in the UK and those big investments were a bigger risk. AT still lacks any major competition in the UK and I suppose a certain amount of complacency is to be expected.

So, I guess, I think the long-and-short of it is that it's there in the staff who didn't have to be told to wear the right socks and for whom it is not 'just a job'. That's not just those on the shop floor by any means. I mean, it sounds like 'the magic' seems to be directly correlated with great effort and care which appears to be magic if it is done willingly and with enthusiasm. Or something...
 
For me - to this day, the car journey past JCB to Towers. Yes ok its not the park itself but just the general journey through Alton village to the park builds up the excitement.........Until I walk in and the first thing I see is a Now TV stall with a chap with a board grinning at me as I'm his next victim.
 
Trooper said:
One thing I would be interested to know is how many staff at AT are not directly employed by Towers. Is cleaning and catering etc contracted out nowadays? Do staff still have their balls broken over little things?.
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Majority of the on-park stuff, like rides, F&B ,maintenance and environmental are in house. But housekeeping over the hotels are being contracted out, as are the staff buses. And your latter point...Yes. Very much so.
 
Trooper said:
the whole 'magic' thing was a marketing tool anyway and a bit of a derivative one at that. It seems there's little agreement on what is meant by 'the magic' too. Was it there before 1992? If you watch 'The Magic Factory' then you'll see it wasn't there as such in 1997, it was enforced. Employees having their socks checked and that grumpy, though reasonable, cleaner come to mind.
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There’s magic the marketing slogan introduced by Nick Varney in 92 then there’s ‘magic’ that fans often speak about — which really just means having a special time and enjoying the place

You cant judge all staff by a video. There will always be staff that enjoy it and dont. When you have a fleet of 1000s staff you cant expect them all to be enthusiastic about theme parks, many will just be doing it as a job and you cant really blame them. (So long as they still do a good job!)

Even enthusiastic staff will tell you it’s tough working there often, that’s just the reality, you cant have the good without some of the bad!

Staff enthusiasm on the ground will only get you part the way. Budget, vision and enthusiasm from those at the top and the park’s development is where it really matters
 
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Jb85 said:
People from the south don’t realise there is a country beyond the M25 ;-)
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The people from the north do not realise their is a country South of the M25 either!

Please stop generalising I live in a rural area, with rubbish phone signal, poor trains and sheep too! And I'm direct South of London! Just because I'm from the south it does not mean I don't know about the North or that I'm a 'Londoner'
 
SuperMuscleMan said:
The people from the north do not realise their is a country South of the M25 either!

Please stop generalising I live in a rural area, with rubbish phone signal, poor trains and sheep too! And I'm direct South of London! Just because I'm from the south it does not mean I don't know about the North or that I'm a 'Londoner'
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I’m not from the north

it’s a joke, and a common one at that. No offence intended but I do think you should lighten up a little as that response was a bit, aggressive, should we say?
 
Jb85 said:
I’m not from the north

it’s a joke, and a common one at that. No offence intended but I do think you should lighten up a little as that response was a bit, aggressive, should we say?
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In they eye of the beholder! My response was just fact, but us 'Londoners' who don't live within 15 miles of a 24 hour Tesco do get a bit annoyed when we are forgotten and only hear about how bad it is for the North.

Anyway sorry you read it as aggressive. Just making a factual point. All's good and chin up lad.
 
SuperMuscleMan said:
In they eye of the beholder! My response was just fact, but us 'Londoners' who don't live within 15 miles of a 24 hour Tesco do get a bit annoyed when we are forgotten and only hear about how bad it is for the North.

Anyway sorry you read it as aggressive. Just making a factual point. All's good and chin up lad.
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lol :)
 
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