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2016 Entry Pen

WTH? First I have heard of this cattle pen? Where is it? Photos?

Photo taken from the Towers Nerds live

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It doesn't just cost £7.50 an hour though, there is employers national insurance contributions on top, plus depending on the terms of their contract they might need overtime paid or extra breaks if working long days. Yes it might feel quite simple to open Towers St early, but if they aren't opening Towers St Grill at all then it doesn't make any sense to open early as the cost of extra staff would be higher than the income.

I think just opening the turnstiles at 9:50 and keeping everyone (except ERT) outside the turnstiles completely would be fine. (But then I'm not sure what the current system is).

Ok so what it will cost an extra 25% tops??? 2 or 3 hoodie sales would cover that, easily obtainable.

My point is it seems like another backwards way of doing something and taking the magic away
 
The pen is because holding guests at the bottom of Towers Street is a H&S nightmare.

The current holding pen is a trial.

I love how some people are like 'stupid Merlin'. It's nothing to do with Merlin. Alton Towers are trying to work out how to ensure ERT is fair for those entitled to it.
 
Wouldn't it be better to put the non ERT guest into a cattle pen to the right of the turn styles, teach them not to try and sneak in on ERT ;)

However the non ERT would be queueing to purchase their tickets at the booths
 
Alton Towers are trying to work out how to ensure ERT is fair for those entitled to it.

About time too. I can't stand it when those pesky day visitor peasants try to muscle in on my ERT. I look down at them with disdain standing in the queue's to the ticket kiosks ready to use their 2 for 1 entry tokens. I have a good mind to launch pebbles at them from the safety of the privileged ERT pen ;)

Disclaimer - This in no way represents the views of Towersstreet :)
 
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The pen is because holding guests at the bottom of Towers Street is a H&S nightmare.
Don't normally arrive early enough to see this, but what's so bad about the bottom of towers street.

And if that's bad, surely these people have never seen legoland at 10am ;)
 
From what I gather the pen is for ERT guests, then after 9 the gates open and normal guests will wait to come in.

I think it's better than just letting anyone get ert, which has been the case for the past year, as rides never have staff stood outside checking for ert passes.

The barrier at the bottom of towers street worked a bit, but it was a nightmare to get through if you had ert and you turned up at like 9.30 as you couldn't get through all the people.


I personally think they should do what Thorpe do. And have the gates on the right for ert guests only, and the ones on left normal guests can queue at. Then at 10am close the right and gates and let everyone through.

They should also do what Thorpe and chessie do, before 9am get a staff member to walk through the queue line and scan everyone's tickets or passes and then stamp their hands. Then when the gates open at 9am all those with stamp hands can go straight through the gates and not have to faff with scanning passes. That works really well at Thorpe.
 
So with ERT do you queue in the pen and get let in that way while everyone else waits outside the pen ntil 10?
 
I personally think they should do what Thorpe do. And have the gates on the right for ert guests only, and the ones on left normal guests can queue at. Then at 10am close the right and gates and let everyone through.

When speaking to a member of staff over the weekend, apparently the turnstiles on the right only have one gate for annual pass holders and pushchairs meaning it doesn't have the capacity required.
 
Being really thick I know but where do ERT guests go? In the pen and try to get to the front? Around the side? I never liked people being held at the bottom of Towers Street. I always managed to get behind someone who didn't have ERT having a go at staff because they weren't being let through.
 
Queue at the pen gate to be let in the pen for ert,
queue at the park gate to be let in the park for ert,
faff faff faff
 
When speaking to a member of staff over the weekend, apparently the turnstiles on the right only have one gate for annual pass holders and pushchairs meaning it doesn't have the capacity required.
If you mean to the right of the center tower then yes (I first thought you meant the right most set of the set of 3 to the left of the tower).
 
When speaking to a member of staff over the weekend, apparently the turnstiles on the right only have one gate for annual pass holders and pushchairs meaning it doesn't have the capacity required.

This is why they need to do what Thorpe does, go down the queue before the gates open and scan everyone in the queue for ERT. Then let them all in at 9am. Thorpe only has one gate and turnstyles for their annual pass entrance.
 
The majority of the travellers don't turn up until 12:00/1:00pm anyway, so it shouldn't be *that* much of an issue. :)
 
Thats because they'll all be in the car park/monorail station at 9 trying to flog tickets. Remember when I went to BPB when they were all there. Never again
 
Don't normally arrive early enough to see this, but what's so bad about the bottom of towers street.

And if that's bad, surely these people have never seen legoland at 10am ;)
Legoland before park open is atrocious! They need a cattle pen imo, Towers doesn't
 
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