What are the present problems with Alton Towers, in your opinion?

Hi guys. I always hear people on here moan about how inadequate Alton Towers is these days, and about how much work the park needs doing to it. And also about how under invested in the park is.

However, when I go to the park, I never fail to have a really fun time myself. I’ll admit I’m at a slight loss as to what the park’s supposed issues and inadequacies are in the eyes of those who complain about it; I find that the park still provides a fun day out, investment levels are good, operations are good, and the product on offer at the park is great fun, so I’m grateful for what the park is offering and don’t feel the need to complain myself. So I’m only making this thread to ask; what is it that everyone feels is so wrong with the park at present? What issues do you feel need addressing?

I should clarify that I’m not trying to generate any flame wars here or anything; I’m genuinely interested to hear what people’s problems with Alton Towers at present are, as when I visit, I’ll admit I don’t see this inadequate park with so many problems that everyone on here describes. I don’t know if it’s the fact I don’t have as much experience of other parks as many (some other UK parks and the major ones in Florida), and that I wasn’t around during the supposed “golden era”, so in a sense, the way things are at Towers these days is what I’ve always known (I’ve only ever known Merlin owning Towers) and what I’ve been bought up with, but I’ll admit I’m not seeing what many of the supposed problems are. The fact that so many others think otherwise, however, must surely indicate that I’m wrong, and I’d be interested to know why.

I apologise if I come across as a bit ignorant here, but I’d be genuinely interested to know; what do people feel are the big problems at Alton Towers at present?

What frustrates me is the lack of general cosmetic upkeep on the rides and around the park.

They have these multimillion pound attractions that year by year look more and more miserable.

I find it odd that they don’t make more effort to keep them looking the best they can.

You don’t need to be hawk eyed enthusiast to see how tatty the park looks.

I don't think there is much of a problem with the park currently, pre Covid the biggest complaints were opening hours, lack of events and the cuts to ride line-up. Luckily all of those have been improved this season (ride line-up we shall have to see next season). There are still plenty of things I would like to see worked on
I want to see them give some love to
Duel (repairing the broken effects)
Galactica tunnel (the one some people have been discussing before we were born)
Smiler queue (make it a bit less of a crocodile enclosure)
I don't have much to say about the hotels as I've never stayed there but Astro Dan has made lots of good points about that

For me it’s quite a straight forward one, that covers various issues, and it is that the acceptable standard for guest presentation is simply too low.

Duel in the state it is in - if it was at the end of a pier somewhere - fine. At the UK’s most popular theme park? No.

Same goes for various presentation issues across the park, be it Galactica’s manky track, or signs all over the place with spelling mistakes, it’s just too sloppy and slap dash.

Raise your minimum standards Alton Towers.

I agree with many of the other posts here so I'll try and highlight some different aspects that I think play a role as well. I especially agree with comments about upkeep and I agree with many comments that the park has started to fix many of the problems of the past five years. Guest presentation and experience need to be at a higher standard but that has already been highlighted by @AT86

Family experience - This is a broad one but I feel the park hasn't got the family attractions it needs. It's got rides for young kids and it's got rides for thrill seekers. In between there just isn't a lot. There's the rapids (which aren't very good currently), runaway mine train, blade and duel. Gangsta granny really doesn't appeal to the thrill seekers so I'm not counting it. Fixing this could be relatively easy: shows. The park hasn't had major productions for a long time and frankly I don't understand why. They used to be part of the Alton Towers experience and I feel that putting some new shows in would help a lot both with capacity on rides and queue lines across the board. It would also give families something to do. I feel a few more true family experiences are needed. I'm really not bothered what but it needs to be something fairly major at some point.

food outlets - I don't expect theme park food to be that good and to be honest that's fine but Alton Towers don't have enough food outlets or variety. There's so many empty spaces ready for the use as a food outlet and this could be sortly relatively easy. If the last few years are anything to go by there's a chance we might get some in the next few years.

A lack of shops - Towers Trading is great and a visit to Towers is never complete without a visit but there isn't enough shops around the park. I know this is a strange one but shops are and should be part of the theme park experience. I don't think the galactica shop should be shut for a start and I wish they'd do something with the old oblivion shop. I get oblivion probably doesn't need a shop for it's ride merch but perhaps they could put something different in there. This also goes for Towers Street. It should be full of different shops and restaurants but there's nothing there. I know at one point there was a lego shop at Towers and now Merlin is owned by a major investor of Lego I see no reason why a Alton Towers shouldn't have a Lego shop.

Other wasted space - Why on earth is there so much space not being used. There's space in david walliams world (which I hope gets used soon) which could easily be used. Why not put a play area in there of something? Another one which I've already mentioned is towers street. It should be vibrant with shops, restaurants and other activities and it's just not. What I'd really love is a small museum about the parks history. This would make sense on Towers Street but I wouldn't complain if they put it somewhere like the Swiss Cottage. I just think Towers Street would give it more prominence. Also a museum would cost barely anything to maintain and gives families something to look at on there way out or in to the park.

JAperson said:

A lack of shops - Towers Trading is great and a visit to Towers is never complete without a visit but there isn't enough shops around the park. I know this is a strange one but shops are and should be part of the theme park experience. I don't think the galactica shop should be shut for a start and I wish they'd do something with the old oblivion shop. I get oblivion probably doesn't need a shop for it's ride merch but perhaps they could put something different in there. This also goes for Towers Street. It should be full of different shops and restaurants but there's nothing there. I know at one point there was a lego shop at Towers and now Merlin is owned by a major investor of Lego I see no reason why a Alton Towers shouldn't have a Lego shop.

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what would you want to go shopping for?what products are you looking for that they don’t already have?
I don’t think the company that invests in Merlin has much bearing on the stock the shops sell. There must be a reason why they only some Lego for two seasons. My guesses are it’s more expensive that buying elsewhere so guests weren’t interested and it didn’t make sense to use that shop space when more people pass through the Sea Life shop.

I also just think in general Alton Towers is a theme park not a shopping destination. If people want to shop they will go to Merry Hill or the Bullring. Guests at AT just want a souvenir of their day and right now that is available.

jon81uk said:

what would you want to go shopping for?what products are you looking for that they don’t already have?
I don’t think the company that invests in Merlin has much bearing on the stock the shops sell. There must be a reason why they only some Lego for two seasons. My guesses are it’s more expensive that buying elsewhere so guests weren’t interested and it didn’t make sense to use that shop space when more people pass through the Sea Life shop.

I also just think in general Alton Towers is a theme park not a shopping destination. If people want to shop they will go to Merry Hill or the Bullring. Guests at AT just want a souvenir of their day and right now that is available.

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Interesting point but mine was more based on the waste of space that could be used for shopping. I made it a seperate point after consideration it doesn't make sense to do so. I think that having so many gift shops not in use is a shame and I wouldn't mind a few re opening. Forbidden valley doesn't have a shop anymore and it's always nice to get some sweets and a drink from a shop, which is inevitably part of most people theme parks trips. Kids want to eat sweets and ice cream while they're at a theme park adn that's how it is.

JAperson said:

Interesting point but mine was more based on the waste of space that could be used for shopping. I made it a seperate point after consideration it doesn't make sense to do so. I think that having so many gift shops not in use is a shame and I wouldn't mind a few re opening. Forbidden valley doesn't have a shop anymore and it's always nice to get some sweets and a drink from a shop, which is inevitably part of most people theme parks trips. Kids want to eat sweets and ice cream while they're at a theme park adn that's how it is.

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I agree forbidden valley needs at least a kiosk for a range of snacks etc, but some of that is available at Nemices isn’t it?

the waste of space at Oblivions exit doesn’t look great, but expanding the arcade might be a better solution.


But in answer to Matts original question for the thread, the hotel breakfast and service at hotels is the biggest issue.

jon81uk said:

the waste of space at Oblivions exit doesn’t look great, but expanding the arcade might be a better solution.

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This could offer the solution or what about some sort of food or beverage stand? Wouldn't mind something like a milkshake shack or something. They could have milkshakes themed to rides or whatever. Frankly the waste of space there looks horrible and is really noticable. Especially when there's lots of people there it is a real squeeze to get by sometimes.

RAP and fasttrack need sorting.
Likewise monorail, frequency of trains and the state of the windows.

Theres just not enough for a family to do ! Take the admittedly excellent coaster selection out of the equation and the park is seriously crap unless you’re a 3 year old

tayspru said:

Theres just not enough for a family to do ! Take the admittedly excellent coaster selection out of the equation and the park is seriously crap unless you’re a 3 year old

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Think you've hit the nail on the head @tayspru and it's what I was trying to get across.

So here's the ride line-up if you don't like big rides or Cbeebies
Battle Galleons
Congo River Rapids
Cuckoo Cars Driving School (If under 1.4m)
Duel - The Haunted House Strikes Back
Gangsta Granny: The Ride
Haunted Hollow (Doesn't really count)
Heave Ho!
Hex - The Legend of the Towers
Marauder's Mayhem
Monorail
Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp
Royal Carousel
Runaway Mine Train
Sharkbait Reef By SEALIFE
Skyride
The Blade (possibly)

That's a pretty slim itinerary, that said it was worse last season with David Walliams shut

Thameslink Rail said:

So here's the ride line-up if you don't like big rides or Cbeebies
Battle Galleons
Congo River Rapids
Cuckoo Cars Driving School (If under 1.4m)
Duel - The Haunted House Strikes Back
Gangsta Granny: The Ride
Haunted Hollow (Doesn't really count)
Heave Ho!
Hex - The Legend of the Towers
Marauder's Mayhem
Monorail
Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp
Royal Carousel
Runaway Mine Train
Sharkbait Reef By SEALIFE
Skyride
The Blade (possibly)

That's a pretty slim itinerary, that said it was worse last season with David Walliams shut

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I'd remove the Congo River Rapids from the list as we know it's shut till next season.

Skyscraper said:

I'd remove the Congo River Rapids from the list as we know it's shut till next season.

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Which just shows how fragile that section of the park's line-up is

Thameslink Rail said:

Which just shows how fragile that section of the park's line-up is

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I agree. RMT opened late this morning, which meant that there were no rides operational in Katanga Canyon!
Not much space to add additinal rides there though unfortunately.

Really what we need is the theatre back open and the indoor boat ride family themed (and included in the price) again.

I don't want to seem impolite and insult anyone because I'm sure this thread was made with naive and innocent intentions. But I don't see much point in posting an exhaustive list of the rot and holes in the lineup and offering that signifies the decline of Alton Towers of the past 2 decades when people can't open their eyes and see what's in front of them both when they visit and when they read this forum where it's clearly documented right in front of them.

If I was to repeat things that are said on here on a daily basis or post pictures of low standards that you can clearly see before you even enter the park, let alone inside it, then it seems like it would fall on deaf ears and blind eyes anyway, especially since the word "grateful" seems to have made a return.

This forum has thousands of posts explaining the answers to the questions posed in this thread and it's debated every day. If they are chosen to be ignored, then I'm not sure what else there is to discuss? Unless there are specific challenges of course which I'll gladly entertain.

Matt.GC said:

I don't want to seem impolite and insult anyone because I'm sure this thread was made with naive and innocent intentions. But I don't see much point in posting an exhaustive list of the rot and holes in the lineup and offering that signifies the decline of Alton Towers of the past 2 decades when people can't open their eyes and see what's in front of them both when they visit and when they read this forum where it's clearly documented right in front of them.

If I was to repeat things that are said on here on a daily basis or post pictures of low standards that you can clearly see before you even enter the park, let alone inside it, then it seems like it would fall on deaf ears and blind eyes anyway, especially since the word "grateful" seems to have made a return.

This forum has thousands of posts explaining the answers to the questions posed in this thread and it's debated every day. If they are chosen to be ignored, then I'm not sure what else there is to discuss? Unless there are specific challenges of course which I'll gladly entertain.

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Sorry @Matt.GC; I wasn’t intending to seem ignorant by posting this thread. I was genuinely intrigued to hear what people felt the main issues were.

In hindsight, I’ll admit they probably should have been more obvious before I started this thread, and I do kind of regret starting it now…

Matt.GC said:

I don't want to seem impolite and insult anyone because I'm sure this thread was made with naive and innocent intentions. But I don't see much point in posting an exhaustive list of the rot and holes in the lineup and offering that signifies the decline of Alton Towers of the past 2 decades when people can't open their eyes and see what's in front of them both when they visit and when they read this forum where it's clearly documented right in front of them.

If I was to repeat things that are said on here on a daily basis or post pictures of low standards that you can clearly see before you even enter the park, let alone inside it, then it seems like it would fall on deaf ears and blind eyes anyway, especially since the word "grateful" seems to have made a return.

This forum has thousands of posts explaining the answers to the questions posed in this thread and it's debated every day. If they are chosen to be ignored, then I'm not sure what else there is to discuss? Unless there are specific challenges of course which I'll gladly entertain.

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Always start an insult with a point that you don't mean to be rude, then call the poster naive and innocent!
This is a discussion forum on Alton Towers.
Is this not the right place and time to discuss the finer details of geekery?
If you don't see the point, then read it and ignore.
Some "people on here" haven't had the pleasure of decades rambling on about the same things yet, year in, year out...give 'em a break.
Keep on throwing up random topics whenever you please Matt.