• 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.

2020: General Discussion

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Mr Pearse said:
I don’t even know how much more they could cut next year. I reckon the season will be shorter and or the hours won’t be as late.
Click to expand...
It will all depend tbh. I hope the cutbacks don't have to happen and it probably won't be shorter season due to the fact that they've got their fireworks events still lined up now.
 
Pleasure Beach Valhalla said:
It will all depend tbh. I hope the cutbacks don't have to happen and it probably won't be shorter season due to the fact that they've got their fireworks events still lined up now.
Click to expand...

Ah you’ll definitely feel the cut backs across the whole of the park. The way I look at it obviously other people will look at it differently, you don’t lose the amount of money merlin has in past 3/4months and then operate as usual next year. I wanted to be optimistic but unfortunately I keep having flashback to 2016 cuts. Tho the two situations are completely different it’s hard not to think of anything but the 2016 cuts to think what it will be like next season.
 
What's striking is how desperate they are to get up to a situation of visitation that in the past would have been below the threshold for axing that sort of day from the operating calendar.

This is very much about getting ANY revenue coming in for damage limitation.
 
Is it not possible that AT will have extended opening hours to try and encourage people to come? If people know there are likely to be delays and the park shuts at 5pm in the summer people might wonder if it is worth it. If they extended the hours it would give people hopefully the chance to go on most of the rides they want, even with social distancing.

Also because everyone will be pre-booking, which is going to hurt families that rely on 2 for 1, but I understand why AT need to do this, AT can actually see fully visitor numbers each day before they arrive. I would have thought this would give them leeway to determine before the working day if things need to be opened or not.

I don't think we'll see the mazes back this year, but I'd still go if they really went to town with atmosphere. I'd like to think it would cost a lot less if they just themed areas rather than go to the trouble of creating mazes and hiring actors etc.
 
Spookle15 said:
Is it not possible that AT will have extended opening hours to try and encourage people to come? If people know there are likely to be delays and the park shuts at 5pm in the summer people might wonder if it is worth it. If they extended the hours it would give people hopefully the chance to go on most of the rides they want, even with social distancing.

Also because everyone will be pre-booking, which is going to hurt families that rely on 2 for 1, but I understand why AT need to do this, AT can actually see fully visitor numbers each day before they arrive. I would have thought this would give them leeway to determine before the working day if things need to be opened or not.

I don't think we'll see the mazes back this year, but I'd still go if they really went to town with atmosphere. I'd like to think it would cost a lot less if they just themed areas rather than go to the trouble of creating mazes and hiring actors etc.
Click to expand...

No it's not possible. It's just not the way Merlin do things. After The Smiler incident you'd think they'd go all out to try and win people wound again. Instead the Resort made major cuts and most a handful of attractions.

Merlin don't go above and beyond to make more money, they cut drastically to save it instead.
 
Spookle15 said:
Is it not possible that AT will have extended opening hours to try and encourage people to come? If people know there are likely to be delays and the park shuts at 5pm in the summer people might wonder if it is worth it. If they extended the hours it would give people hopefully the chance to go on most of the rides they want, even with social distancing.

Also because everyone will be pre-booking, which is going to hurt families that rely on 2 for 1, but I understand why AT need to do this, AT can actually see fully visitor numbers each day before they arrive. I would have thought this would give them leeway to determine before the working day if things need to be opened or not.

I don't think we'll see the mazes back this year, but I'd still go if they really went to town with atmosphere. I'd like to think it would cost a lot less if they just themed areas rather than go to the trouble of creating mazes and hiring actors etc.
Click to expand...

I can’t see them extending hours personally. But anything can happen won’t know till it actually reopens.
 
siralgenon said:
No it's not possible. It's just not the way Merlin do things. After The Smiler incident you'd think they'd go all out to try and win people wound again. Instead the Resort made major cuts and most a handful of attractions.

Merlin don't go above and beyond to make more money, they cut drastically to save it instead.
Click to expand...
Merlin are now under new corporate overlords which could have an impact

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 
Ironically if they'd replaced all the rides they'd removed they'd have a higher capacity now and potentially be able to get more guests in and make a bit more money.
 
Hmm, it was just a thought. I suppose it will also depend on how much of a strain all these new measures are for the staff, extending hours might be unwelcome from their point of view.

But if they open and after a few days it's clear the hours are not taking into account socially distanced queues then that might have to look at their opening times. I guess until the trail run has been had, they won't know how well it's working.
 
Tom said:
What's striking is how desperate they are to get up to a situation of visitation that in the past would have been below the threshold for axing that sort of day from the operating calendar.

This is very much about getting ANY revenue coming in for damage limitation.
Click to expand...
I think it definitely is that, but I also think there are a few other softer, more strategic drivers in place as well. With some aspects of the business, it's cheaper to run them at a loss than it is to stop them and restart them.

Keeping the park in the public consciousness is important for lots of reasons, not least because of the growing membership scheme which has been dealt quite a blow relatively early in its existence.

Additionally, if you look at the Merlin portfolio, there are plenty of attractions in various divisions that are going to be impossible to open with social distancing so targeting those that can contribute something is probably their best move.
 
Rick said:
Additionally, if you look at the Merlin portfolio, there are plenty of attractions in various divisions that are going to be impossible to open with social distancing so targeting those that can contribute something is probably their best move.
Click to expand...

What don’t you think would be possible to open?
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top