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

People don't respect authority in this country any more, seemingly even less after Covid started, so you have no chance of them listening to anything leisure/retail assistants want them to do if they just can't be bothered or don't want to do it. Absolute nation of mouth-breathers.
Only way anything would change is enforcement. If someone breaks the rules they get chucked from the queue line or the park. People only behave this way because they can get away with it.
 
What is the point in owning a Merlin pass at the moment?

Asking for a friend.
So you can go to the Merlin attractions?
Since 4th July I have done Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington and London Dungeons and haven't had any booking problems, have you?
 
There are no tickets available to Alton Towers until September, with exception to two weekdays.

I have owned a pass for 15 years. This year, though, I may aswell have chucked my £150 down the toilet.
Although I totally get the frustration, and know I would be massively angry if I owned a pass myself, how'd you suggest it's managed differently given the circumstances?
 
Would you like to go on a coaster?

Here's your 2 hour queue.

Fancy a flat ride? Oh sorry, we removed them all.

Nightmare.
Feeling the exact same, haven't done a ride in 2020 and its looking likely to continue that way with how Towers are handling passes.
 
Feeling the exact same, haven't done a ride in 2020 and its looking likely to continue that way with how Towers are handling passes.

I feel the same. I did Nemesis, Rapids and Spinball on opening day and haven't been back since.

Meanwhile, I just did a road trip around Europe and got into all the parks and on all the rides without a problem.
 
Although I totally get the frustration, and know I would be massively angry if I owned a pass myself, how'd you suggest it's managed differently given the circumstances?

Well, I don't have all the answers - but it wasn't the same problem abroad.

Perhaps a higher fee with a refund option to spend in the park, or simply freeze passes entirely until 2021.

The "extensions" they have offered started off seeming quite generous but now I don't even think they will cover the complete loss of value in the MAP this year.
 
Although I totally get the frustration, and know I would be massively angry if I owned a pass myself, how'd you suggest it's managed differently given the circumstances?
I could buy a Towers ticket for this Saturday 22nd Aug (5 days) but the earliest I could use my pass is 31st August (14 days) yet they are still pushing pass sales. I think I can see how they could manage it differently.
 
They have clearly got a feel for the fact that by limiting passholder admission, they can get more guest value per head from those paying £30od.

It's quite obvious that because we have "only" spent £150 on the year, they don't see us as worth letting in. In spite of the fact I probably spend more on F&B than your average joe.

The fact is, TowersStreet cannot report from the park this summer because of the extremely low allocations.
 
Hate to keep doihg the same comparison, but my weekly season pass visits to the Beach have been hastle free.
Not heard of any pass issues at all.
 
Hate to keep doihg the same comparison, but my weekly season pass visits to the Beach have been hastle free.
Not heard of any pass issues at all.

Think I might go for a weekend in Newcastle, and then give Fantasy Island a shot for the first time.

:)
 
Perhaps starting by not having 2.5 times as many day tickets as passholders? Or implement a higher fee with auto refund if you turn up.
Some of the issue though is greed on the part of some passholders. Reading on the MAP Facebook page there are a number of them who have openly said (as an example) "we've been to Towers 2 or 3 times already and have booked up for more days during the holidays." To me that is almost as selfish as booking and not turning up. Towers/Merlin should restrict passholder bookings to allow it to be fair for all other passholders.
 
I'd agree that the £1 pre-book charge is pointless, and not a decent deterrent. Far better I think to charge say £5 per annual pass booking, and receive a £5 voucher to spend on park (no expiry date, or at least like a year!) on arrival, thus penalising those who book and don't turn up.
 
Some of the issue though is greed on the part of some passholders. Reading on the MAP Facebook page there are a number of them who have openly said (as an example) "we've been to Towers 2 or 3 times already and have booked up for more days during the holidays." To me that is almost as selfish as booking and not turning up. Towers/Merlin should restrict passholder bookings to allow it to be fair for all other passholders.
If passholders have booked and actually turn up I don't see that as an issue on their part, but Merlin's for not adding limits.
(For context I've got quite a few prebooks for the island that I will be using.)
 
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