• 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.

What changes to operations should we expect post Covid-19?

Croftybaby

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Nemesis
What sort of changes do you think we'll see when Alton Towers reopens post corona virus?

We've probably all seen all of the precautions taken at supermarkets in terms of cleaning, sanitising and distancing, I have a feeling that when all this is over we will see a bit of a culture change in terms of social distancing and i'm wondering how that might change the way we use theme parks.

Merlin will also be looking at recouping losses so where do you think we'll be seeing the axe(s) falling this time?

I think we'll be seeing the introduction of sanitser stations at the park entrance at the very least. Heck, maybe we'll even see more attention paid to the upkeep and cleanliness of the park in general!
 
I guess it'll be whatever the government advice is at the time. I can't imagine restaurants, non-essential shops and themeparks will be given the go-ahead for opening until the social isolation measures are removed, so at that point significant changes probably wouldn't be necessary.

It's got to be a nonsense to consider any physical spacing between people as being relevant to riders on a fast moving coaster; anything expelled by those in front will be showered over those behind moving through the same space a fraction of a second later.
 
I was thinking more of cultural changes than government enforced changes. Might we see the end of cattle pen queues?
 
I was thinking more of cultural changes than government enforced changes. Might we see the end of cattle pen queues?

So it's curtains then for Rita & The Smiler in their current queueline format then!

I do think hot water in the toilets is a must though so people can wash their hands properly. Even the likes of Spoons manage hot water in the toilets - even if the rest of their toilet facilities can be / are pretty dire.

I do think when all this is over people will be a lot more aware about the importance of basic hygiene measures. Maybe we'll finally see Merlin ban shirtless chavs in hot weather (or at least refuse them access to a ride without wearing a shirt)?
 
I was thinking more of cultural changes than government enforced changes. Might we see the end of cattle pen queues?

Probably not.

Might see hand sanitser in food outlets, or better hand-washing provision. But long term there won't be significant changes to culture and the way people live. More people will work from home more often, which will make it quieter on transport.
But a cattle pen queue is less crowded than a train during commute rush hour.
 
If this could provide the motivation to introduce a proper virtual queuing system that would be very cool.

Of course that just moves the social distancing issue to crowded walkways, bars and eateries.
 
If this could provide the motivation to introduce a proper virtual queuing system that would be very cool.

Of course that just moves the social distancing issue to crowded walkways, bars and eateries.
I'm not sure if it would work, as Towers is designed with queue lines in mind, but I think that the idea of a park designed with virtual queueing in mind is a cool one! Maybe something along the lines of Universal's Volcano Bay, but applied to a theme park format instead of a water park format? For all we know, Universal might well be wanting to try this with Epic Universe!

As for what operational changes I expect at Alton Towers; I wouldn't expect many major measures once social distancing is lifted, but I could definitely see some minor changes (e.g. greater prevalence of hand sanitiser points, more stringent cleaning regimes).
 
I think the changes are going to be a lot bigger than we imagine. People will be scarred by this for life.

I can see such a cultural shift happening that we end up with a whole generation of kids litterally scared to leave the house. The very idea of going out - in PLUBLIC - where all those other people are... You know, The Unclean Ones...

The entire leasure and entertainment industry as we know it will never be the same again.
 
Currently happening in China according to news reports of people now afraid to leave the house anymore. That may be due to the heavy handed nature of the authorities however....

Personally I think the leisure industry will boom once this is all over. I think Alton will be rammed the day it opens and this is all over. I'll be there for sure!
 
Personally I think the leisure industry will boom once this is all over. I think Alton will be rammed the day it opens and this is all over. I'll be there for sure!
This is my hope. However, I do predict that it will come true, as the country's appetite for mass gatherings & going outside did not seem to be compressed if scenes at national parks & coastlines just before lockdown was imposed are anything to go by!

If the leisure industry has a big enough boom once lockdown is removed, then that might hopefully go some way towards offsetting some of the losses made at the beginning of 2020.
 
My only fear will be that prices for nearly everything are going to rocket as companies try and recoup their losses. Anything leisure related I think such as theme parks, restaurants, hotels, holidays etc are going to significantly go up in price next year.
 
My only fear will be that prices for nearly everything are going to rocket as companies try and recoup their losses. Anything leisure related I think such as theme parks, restaurants, hotels, holidays etc are going to significantly go up in price next year.
Or alternatively, might they price competitively in order to try and tempt people to book? If you price things too highly, people will be put off and thus your revenues are reduced. Some companies may reduce fares in order to tempt people to book; it's why places tend to reduce prices when occupancy is low or during off-peak times.
 
Sure, some businesses will probably try to stick prices up to recoup losses.

Others will uncut them and they will struggle until they lower their rates back down to normal levels.

Such is capitalism.
 
All I'm saying is I think there'll be A LOT of births recorded in December/January time...
But in terms of theme parks and the like - I feel like hand sanitizers will be more readily available, which is all well and good BUT someone needs to make sure the dispensers are always full. Like Diogo said, people are going to be sort of scarred by this, and I think theme parks will need to do things to reassure people otherwise they will avoid them.
I think social restrictions will be lifted gradually, and theme parks will be some of the last places to be reopened. A theme park means queueing in close proximity to others, restaurants/food outlets and touching restraints that others have just touched.
Sorry - this post got incredibly convoluted and I feel like I've been a bit boring.
 
I'm not sure that people are necessarily going to be scarred by it; there was plenty of fear before lockdown was imposed, and scenes in places like Snowdon & Barry Island would suggest that coronavirus did not deter people, even when the government started advising against non-essential travel!
 
I can see the theme park industry being hit badly once restrictions start to get relaxed. As has already been stated, pretty much all parks are designed with queues in mind, so you are in close proximity to others. Add to that the rides themselves, you are harnessed in, in close proximity to others - before you consider the hygiene of the harnesses themselves (yes, I'm thinking of you Smiler).

By contrast, national / country parks, beaches etc - yes these can get crowded (and indeed were a couple of weekends ago) but you could distance yourself from others way more than you could at a theme park.

When pubs & restaurants are able to re-open, they will be able to limit customer numbers / remove tables to space customers out in the premises. (Whether this makes economic sense to open is a separate issue). The saving grace for pubs may be that once the restrictions start to get lifted, it is likely to be decent weather, so any pub with a beer garden is onto a winner.

One notable change - completely outside of theme parks - we will probably see remain is takeaway food delivery if it did not already exist. Where my parents live, none of the takeaways ever delivered food. They all do now!
 
Top