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Scarefest vs Covid-19

U

USCopCarHire

TS Member
We are booked for Scarefest for a week at the end of October. Now, there's a lot of talk of a national lockdown in October. If this is going to happen and AT has to close, what do you think will happen with Scarefest? Do you think they will cancel it this year or extend the season and do Scarefest in November?
 
It won’t be cancelled unless they have to close. Darkest Depths and Toxic Junkyard are well into construction. I’m going on October 10th and that sounds like it’ll be a safe date. Anywhere after the 20th may be risky.
 
They're now talking about restrictions tightening this week, not looking good for Scarefest. :oops:
Was planning to go this year. :(
 
Whilst they would probably refund/give tickets for the '21 season. Rescheduling Scarefest would be tricky. It has to be around a holiday to work.
Christmas/Feb Half Term wouldn't work because
1. Maintenance season
2. The weather is too unpredictable, if we have a poor winter then Alton Towers would lose too much money
Easter could work as an ironic event (exact wrong end of the year)
May/Summer would be too light because Staffordshire is far north enough that in the summer there are days without nights. (16th May-27th Jul this year), even for about a month either way you would have to stay open for way longer than normal to get night rides. And then you get to Scarefest '21.
 
Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me if scarefest got affected by local lockdown or a full lockdown. Merlin took the risk and obviously hands was tied at that time but if they lose 2 week’s minimum then it’s going to be a kick in the teeth. So anyone thinking fireworks will happen this year should be prepared because I’m sure that will be postponed. Obviously I could be wrong but that the way it seems to be going.
 
I doubt that Staffordshire Moorlands will go into local lockdown because there is ample space for social distancing. Most towns/cities going into local lockdown are ex-industrial towns with compact housing.
 
Lancashire has massive rural areas, but additional rules start Tuesday.
Staffordshire is similar, but a few weeks behind Lancashire.
Depends on the local rules on entertainment venues...look at Blackpool!
 
rob666 said:
Lancashire has massive rural areas, but additional rules start Tuesday.
Staffordshire is similar, but a few weeks behind Lancashire.
Depends on the local rules on entertainment venues...look at Blackpool!
Click to expand...
I must admit I find it incredibly odd that Blackpool has seemingly managed to escape local lockdown restrictions, or at least have very minimal measures compared to other areas in the North, especially considering its status as a big tourist destination and the high rates of COVID in the surrounding area of the North West!

Am I missing something here? Admittedly, I live in the South West, which has managed to maintain pretty low COVID rates throughout the pandemic (my district has yet to register weekly case numbers in anything higher than single figures; I think the height the Forest of Dean reached was 8 weekly cases in April or May?), so I’m not as clued up on the situation up North as those who live further North, but it does seem somewhat baffling to me.
 
Done my homework on this Matt...
Blackpool makes its own rules away from Lancs, a unitary authority that has done as it has been advised in the past...within the geography of Lancashire, but outside the county council boundary.
The town is very poor, the economic costs to local health have been balanced against the covid risks, this is their peak season dont forget...probably it will lock down on 2/1/21 until 14/2/21.
BPB is hardline tory, always has been, and a major local employer.
...and things are always subject to change!
 
Honestly, I think Scarefest will be fine. I think a lot of places will be affected, and group sizes will be further decreased, but I think it'll be fine.
 
Matt N said:
I must admit I find it incredibly odd that Blackpool has seemingly managed to escape local lockdown restrictions, or at least have very minimal measures compared to other areas in the North, especially considering its status as a big tourist destination and the high rates of COVID in the surrounding area of the North West!

Am I missing something here? Admittedly, I live in the South West, which has managed to maintain pretty low COVID rates throughout the pandemic (my district has yet to register weekly case numbers in anything higher than single figures; I think the height the Forest of Dean reached was 8 weekly cases in April or May?), so I’m not as clued up on the situation up North as those who live further North, but it does seem somewhat baffling to me.
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The Forest of Dean practically IS the north as far as I'm concerned.....

Anyway, as for the Scarefest question, it's all a bit of a gamble. The national situation has significantly changed over the weekend but country simply can't afford another lockdown so it's all a mystery as to what the restrictions will be over the coming weeks and therefore as to what kind of Scarefest we have left.

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk
 
As others have said, unless there are any sudden changes any date before half term should be fine. I'm planning to go on a weekday before then.
 
The craziness of the situation is I'm in Warrington, I can't have people from another household in my house or garden or go to the pub, restaurant or hospitality venue with someone from another household. However I can go 1 hour down M6 and A50 and mix with any Tom Dick or Harry? I'm confused. With over 12 000 new cases anounced today I think the half term circuit break lockdown could be a possibility nationally so Merlin better be prepared. On a side note I believe fireworks has been cancelled is that true?
 
themeparkfan said:
The craziness of the situation is I'm in Warrington, I can't have people from another household in my house or garden or go to the pub, restaurant or hospitality venue with someone from another household. However I can go 1 hour down M6 and A50 and mix with any Tom Dick or Harry? I'm confused. With over 12 000 new cases anounced today I think the half term circuit break lockdown could be a possibility nationally so Merlin better be prepared. On a side note I believe fireworks has been cancelled is that true?
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Fireworks are cancelled, replaced by a passholders day
 
themeparkfan said:
The craziness of the situation is I'm in Warrington, I can't have people from another household in my house or garden or go to the pub, restaurant or hospitality venue with someone from another household. However I can go 1 hour down M6 and A50 and mix with any Tom Dick or Harry? I'm confused. With over 12 000 new cases anounced today I think the half term circuit break lockdown could be a possibility nationally so Merlin better be prepared. On a side note I believe fireworks has been cancelled is that true?
Click to expand...
You'll have to hope the rules don't change and prevent you from leaving the local area (a theme park trip wouldn't be classed as essential unfortunately).

I'm booked for the Thursday in half term (29th), very concerned. Just got to hope the Government backtracks on the national lockdown idea.
We've spent £300 on tickets too. :oops:
paces room nervously
 
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themeparkfan said:
The craziness of the situation is I'm in Warrington, I can't have people from another household in my house or garden or go to the pub, restaurant or hospitality venue with someone from another household. However I can go 1 hour down M6 and A50 and mix with any Tom Dick or Harry? I'm confused. With over 12 000 new cases anounced today I think the half term circuit break lockdown could be a possibility nationally so Merlin better be prepared.
Click to expand...

Could not agree more with the above post. At Towers you get people mixing from all over the UK, including people from areas that are in some form of lockdown due to very high infection rates. Whilst some guests do try and practice social distancing, evidence from posts on here & also Tripadvisor etc suggest that many guests don't give a fig about it.

To be quite honest, I have actively avoided theme parks this season as you are invariably going to get some idiots who just don't care. On a similar note I am avoiding chain pubs that sell the beer cheap, e.g. Wetherspoons, as they attract some clientele who are there to get drunk (even in the daytime) and pay scant respect for any distancing after a few pints. I'll visit local independent pubs where the beer is probably £1/pint more expensive as the price difference has an effect on the clientele they attract.

Back to Scarefest - given the 12k+ new cases announced yesterday, I would not be counting my chickens on the event being able to go ahead if I was Merlin / Alton Towers. Certainly the mazes are just asking for Covid-trouble. If they send you round as before holding onto the shoulders of the person in front, there is no social distancing... and what are scare mazes designed to make you do? Scream! So with guests in very close proximity to one another, even in groups of six, facemasks are going to be as effective asa chocolate teapot once people start screaming.
 
Kraken27 said:
If they send you round as before holding onto the shoulders of the person in front, there is no social distancing... and what are scare mazes designed to make you do? Scream! So with guests in very close proximity to one another, even in groups of six, facemasks are going to be as effective asa chocolate teapot once people start screaming.
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The hands on shoulders thing was scrapped years ago I think? Scare maze batching will only be with people in their family groups, so no mixing groups.
 
Kraken27 said:
Back to Scarefest - given the 12k+ new cases announced yesterday, I would not be counting my chickens on the event being able to go ahead if I was Merlin / Alton Towers. Certainly the mazes are just asking for Covid-trouble. If they send you round as before holding onto the shoulders of the person in front, there is no social distancing... and what are scare mazes designed to make you do? Scream! So with guests in very close proximity to one another, even in groups of six, facemasks are going to be as effective asa chocolate teapot once people start screaming.
Click to expand...
Groups will be sent in with gaps in between each one. You don't have to social distance in your own group, just with other groups.

Edit; This happens to be my 4,000th TS message! :)
 
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