• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

2018: General Discussion

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Kraken27 said:
It's quite possible that the guest remembers when FastTrack used to be FREE on certain rides and available to all (until the tickets had all been issued for the day).
Click to expand...

That's a good point...

I had forgotten that other parks do things for free to improve the guests' experience.

In fact, I think 'free' is a forbidden word at Merlin HQ, they won't even let you get out of the place without charging you!
 
Usually up to 7, I'm not sure if it originally ran all 8 but I think these days there's always at least one undergoing maintenance throughout the season (as with Oblivion). On my last visit it was only on4 which is as low as I've seen it go.

I'd be interested to know how many they have available at the moment though, as I suspect they're still a few short.
 
delta79 said:
It will be interesting to see the complaints when people have bought them without looking at T&Cs and try using them on restricted days

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
RoyJess said:
I often thought that, I do feel that the TV advert "Pay for the day and come back free all year" is very misleading considering that the park isn't open all year and that you will have to pay extra for the Scarefest and firework events as well as the restrictions on certain dates

Click to expand...
Last time something like that happened it was reported to ASA.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk
 
I understand when people moan when the monorail is down but it took me 15 minutes to walk from Splash landings to park entrance a few weeks ago. Unless you have people with you who struggle walking a long way (Wheelchair etc) then use your legs and walk. Why wait in an hour line to save a brisk 15 minute walk?
 
Until they stopped loading the bays prior to the train arriving, a full queue at the plaza station only took about 15 minutes which really wasn't too bad. The queue is fairly self regulating, once it reaches a certain physical length people just choose to walk. There's two issues with that though:

* that "certain length" is now a much longer queue time than before
* far more people are resorting to walking than would have done if it was operated efficiently.

Since they've spent money on new evac platforms over winter I was hoping that airgates would have been included in that budget on H&S grounds, which would have given a major capacity boost.
 
John said:
Since they've spent money on new evac platforms over winter I was hoping that airgates would have been included in that budget on H&S grounds, which would have given a major capacity boost.
Click to expand...

I would suggest the new evacuation platforms were forced on Towers by HSEC. Air-gates were not forced on them so it's much cheaper just to slow loading of the bays until the train has arrived so as to comply with Health & Safety requirements.

The installation of the evacuation platforms does, however, imply the monorail has a bit of a future left at Alton Towers. When the Health & Safety rules changed and the Black Hole needed a new evacuation route building on the spiral lift, Alton Towers just closed the ride as it was nearing the end of it's life & was the cheaper option. (And this was before the current Merlin money-pinching days). Given that the Black Hole tent remained in situ for well over 5 years after closure, the ride was not closed as the Smiler was in planning - it was purely for financial reasons.
 
Just got into Towers. Gates were open at 9am and already in a queue for Wicker Man. Monorail started working just as I finished my walk to the entrance. Wicker Man not testing yet. Sunny here :)
 
I’m here too! In the queue to get in- don’t have tickets for ERT. Hoping to get straight onto Wickerman when I get through at 10! Queues to get through turnstiles are already back to the monorail station.
 
Kraken27 said:
Also a certain company - one that Merlin claims only to be second to - operates an amazing free FastPass+ system at it's parks in Florida... you can book 3 rides per day 30 or 60 days in advance (depending on where you're staying) and it's all free. The Disney FastPass system in Paris is more in line with the old free FastTrack at Alton - but still free. More than a few Towers visitors have done Disney, be it in Paris or Florida and people do make comparisons.
Click to expand...

Can't say I'm overly keen on the WDW system either. Plan your day months in advance down to what time you want to ride certain rides and what time you want to eat and a particular restaurant. Fail to do these things and you could be doomed!

I like to go to a theme park and be able to do what I want, when I want to (even if there is a queue). None of this stupid reserve and ride stuff that only limits what you can actually do in a day. Now is a good time to praise Roland!

BarryZola said:
Just got into Towers. Gates were open at 9am and already in a queue for Wicker Man. Monorail started working just as I finished my walk to the entrance. Wicker Man not testing yet. Sunny here :)
Click to expand...

Good to see that the gates opened at 9am rather than 9.30am; giving people a chance to get in to the park and find that the two headline ERT rides are down!

:)
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top