2013: General Discussion

[Poisson]

Was working last year. It's been mentioned before in another topic why it sometimes isn't working (it's quite tempormental apparently). It'll usually open with it working.

Ok then, just I thought it had failed as last time I went on it (When I got nettled whilst riding it -_-) it didn't work and it ruined the effect completely.

 

[Rob]

Yeah for some reason the shutter is a bit hit and miss. It normally works ok but there have been a considerable number of times I've ridden Thirteen and it's not closed.

 

[Wilsy]

It depends on where the sun is in the sky.

 

[Josh]

This is the new advert that has been on the tv for the past week or so It's the same as the 2011 advert just with a different voice over.

Save 1/3 off Alton Towers Short Breaks!

 

[Dean]

Lets start with the ERT line up for 2013:
- Oblivion
- Nemesis
- Marauder's Mayhem
- Heave Ho!
- Runaway Mine Train
- Hex
- TH13TEEN
- Sharkbait Reef by SEA LIFE

Looks like the 2013 ERT is not final, as it's stating that this will be announced soon...

 

[Wilsy]

I can't see any reason why they will change from the above list, it seems fine to me.

 

[djtruefitt]

That list of ERT is on this page: http://www.altontowers.com/short-breaks/2013-offer/#ForKids

 

[Rob]

Out of interest, whereabouts has the 2013 ERT lineup been announced? As from having a look on the website I can only find mentions of the 2012 lineup.

 

[djtruefitt]

Look above Rob all them pages refer to 2013 breaks, so im guessing that must be ERT for 2013.

 

[JaykeAT]

It's not,above the list it says "2012 Early Ride Time offering".

 

[Rob]

Yeah, on the two pages that mention ERT line ups, one says "* Early Ride Time will not be available after13th October 2012, it will return in the 2013 season!" at the bottom implying it is a 2012 web page, and the other says "The Early Ride Time offering for 2013 will be confirmed shortly. 2012 Early Ride Time offering:" before listing the rides. I can't see anywhere with an actual 2013 line up.

 

[AstroDan]

I still find the ERT arrangement somewhat ridiculous. It seems entirely in the interests of the theme park operations rather than in the interests of guests.

How are guests supposed to make the most out of 60 minutes ERT, when rides are up to 15 minutes walk apart? Just seems baffling and it has done ever since they stopped ERT being in specific areas of the park.

 

[Benzin]

I still find the ERT arrangement somewhat ridiculous. It seems entirely in the interests of the theme park operations rather than in the interests of guests.

How are guests supposed to make the most out of 60 minutes ERT, when rides are up to 15 minutes walk apart? Just seems baffling and it has done ever since they stopped ERT being in specific areas of the park.

It worked because before the let EVERYONE in you still got those 15 minutes after park opening for people to reach the rides...

Now... You spend half of it pushing past the queue to get on the rides...

 

[Dean]

http://www.altontowers.com/tickets/

It also states on this page that the 2013 ERT line-up will be confirmed soon...

 

[Dan!]

Mmmm bit strange they still have Th13teen on the line up for ERT...! seeing how you need 18 guests run it!

 

[djtruefitt]

It seems they have changed around the ERT pages then, maybe the rides will be different in 2013! We will have to wait and see I guess!

Alton clearly do it to spread the guests out, it would be near impossible to do all rides during the one hour of ERT without feeling totally worn out (no skyride during ERT of course).

 

[josht]

I was just wondering if there is a reason the skyride isn't on ERT, it would make better sense for it to be

 

[Wilsy]

The Skyride takes a long time to complete start up checks in the morning and wouldn't be completed in time for the 9:00 opening, I think half the time it doesn't even open at 10.

 

[Anonymous]

The Skyride takes a long time to complete start up checks in the morning and wouldn't be completed in time for the 9:00 opening, I think half the time it doesn't even open at 10.

I doubt there would be much demand for it in ERT anyway apart from peak periods I guess?

 

[Bubblegum]

Not sure if this has been previously mentioned but since as in most other topics were talking about park wide improvements I'd mention Sub-Terra's queue TV screens and speakers, now these are less than 12 months old and are already showing signs of damage. There is one TV halfway along the queue which the colour has gone completely on, and one that is always switched off (by the main building). One issue that seemed to be mentioned quite a lot in the Sub-Terra discussions last year was that the track accompanying the video shown on the TVs was fairly inaudible, with some parts of the queue being completely devoid of any audio. Now during the final months of the year I started to notice that some of the Bose speakers attached to the TVs had started to fail, or were broke so that the sound was distorted to great extent. They did appear to be louder though. A fairly simple solution would be to just install some environmental speakers along the queue line, or even just replacing the broken ones with Bose speakers of higher quality (it seems the new 40se speakers which are used at the baggage hold on TH13TEEN and on the TVs on Sub-Terra are unable to reach any low frequencies meaning the bass response is virtually non existent) Installing new, more appropriate speakers would perhaps prevent this problem.

Sorry for the rant solely about TVs and speakers, but I feel that for an attraction that is less than 12 months old the speakers and TVs should still be working efficiently. I presume they will try to fix these during this closed season.