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2014: General Discussion

Capacity is one of the factors at Alton I've found to be consistently good over the years.

I'm very tired of the park and it's management. It lacks any aspiration whatsoever, creatively or financially. There are zero risks and it's plain to see what is essentially an institution is treated as a book balancing exercise for a large, messy enterprise.
 
I think shareholder pressure will lead to measures that bring even the smallest of savings. Nothing will be off limits now.
 
Considering that last year they reduced the size of drinks sold with meals from 500ml to 400ml (a saving of literally pennies per meal), then offered the larger ones for an additional 50/60p shows how far they're willing to go to cut costs. Nothing is off-limits.
 
Merlin don't make any sense, cut corners here and there to save a few pounds, and then waste money of Premium Packs for people who have Premium Passes.

Merlin seems to lack leadership and direction, with each department doing its own thing, without communicating with each.

There is nothing wrong with business having strict spending plans in place, but when it starts affecting guest experience than it is poor.

Merlin have a massive advantage over other Theme Parks, Sea Lifes, and Midway attractions. When you think how much Food and Merchandise (Cheap Crap, I am looking at Smiler Merc here) they are selling across all there attractions, I would not be surprised if they are paying at least 25% less compared to Blackpool, or Lightwater valley are paying for the same items. This should give them a massive advantage of there rivals, yet they still try and squeeze every last penny out of the parks.

Until there is a significant drop in guest visitors, nothing is going to change. The saddest thing about that, is by that point, it will already be to late to reverse the trend.

Ian
 
You've got Facebook spending 11 billion on what's app
And merlin spending £158 on random crap
 
Thing is they can only up costs for entry and car park to a certain level to create more of a profit. Then when they reach that level, cost saving needs to be found in other forms like this.

I mean putting up the price of a on ride picture this season. Its crazy and I'm sure if they asked more than the 900 people they asked before that if they made photo prices lower they would actually sell more
 
I understand that Alton Towers have certain weeks in their season when they open until 9PM - To my knowledge there are none in the summer season. If so why don't they open the park later in the summer, later than 6PM even if Just an hour longer ride-time, I'm sure this would be appreciated by visitors to the park ??? :twirly: :twirly: :twirly: :twirly:
 
The thing that bothers me most with the reduced opening is it almost appears to be Alton Towers admitting they don't have a strong enough line up to keep you busy for a full day.
 
JackAT said:
I understand that Alton Towers have certain weeks in their season when they open until 9PM - To my knowledge there are none in the summer season. If so why don't they open the park later in the summer, later than 6PM even if Just an hour longer ride-time, I'm sure this would be appreciated by visitors to the park ??? :twirly: :twirly: :twirly: :twirly:

From what has been said before, when they have opened later in the summer it just isn't busy enough in the evenings to make it worthwhile. Many guests will still be leaving the park at 6pm no matter what the closing time is. Also don't forget that queues shut at close time not rides, so for example last summer Smiler was still running at 8pm and Nemesis until almost 7pm.
 
The 2014 ERT line up has been announced, signalling the return of Oblivion:

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That's a very sparse ERT line up. Extremely poor in my opinion.

I also still don't understand why they insist on putting Sharkbait Reef on there?!
 
I've never understood the logic behind the choice of rides offered on ERT. They're all spread around the park which makes it difficult to do the major ERT rides more than once, but they're not even the rides that attract the longest queues so the benefit of doing them early is limited.

Ideally I'd like to get Spinball, Rita and Smiler done as quickly as possible (plus Air on busy days), but none of these rides are on ERT, so choosing what to do during ERT and the crucial next hour is very difficult. The fact the park isn't open long enough anyway doesn't help.
 
It leaves the sensible person with only one choice. Enter the park through the Woodland Walk, get on Nemesis as early as possible (maybe a couple of times), walk across to X-Sector then Oblivion a couple of times then queue for The Smiler before 10.
 
Alastair said:
It leaves the sensible person with only one choice. Enter the park through the Woodland Walk, get on Nemesis as early as possible (maybe a couple of times), walk across to X-Sector then Oblivion a couple of times then queue for The Smiler before 10.

Can you enter now through the woodland walk if you have a pass and aren't a hotel guest?
 
Strangely, the most useful coaster to do during ERT now seems to be RMT as it often has the longest queue out of the 3 coasters open during ERT.
 
LiamC said:
I also still don't understand why they insist on putting Sharkbait Reef on there?!

Logistically, I suspect that there's very little cost difference at that time of day as to whether Sharkbait opens at 9am or 10am, as energy costs for an Aquarium will be much the same whether it is open or closed, and due to the nature of the attraction it'll likely be staffed at that time anyway for animal care purposes.

So basically it may as well be open, even if no one visits during that time.
 
John said:
I've never understood the logic behind the choice of rides offered on ERT. They're all spread around the park which makes it difficult to do the major ERT rides more than once, but they're not even the rides that attract the longest queues so the benefit of doing them early is limited.

Ideally I'd like to get Spinball, Rita and Smiler done as quickly as possible (plus Air on busy days), but none of these rides are on ERT, so choosing what to do during ERT and the crucial next hour is very difficult. The fact the park isn't open long enough anyway doesn't help.

But the 3 rides you want to do most are also relatively spread out and unable to be ridden more than once?

Rita hasn't been on it for a while (last time was as a replacement for Thirteen no?), and Thirteen rarely got enough people to run if I recall... Spinball would be useful though on it, but would it be worthwhile it opening for ERT these days?

Hex was pointless being open for ERT as well, who actually went on it? Probably be one of the rides that opens at 11am this year as well...

Smiler won't be on it for a good amount of years, and I wouldn't be surprised if Air continues it's guest appearances depending on availability... So aside from Air and Spinball, what other rides could the park open for ERT? Hell, biggest ride open at Efteling for ERT was Vogel Rok...

Most people will just stand at Smiler anyway for it...
 
Balb0wa said:
Alastair said:
It leaves the sensible person with only one choice. Enter the park through the Woodland Walk, get on Nemesis as early as possible (maybe a couple of times), walk across to X-Sector then Oblivion a couple of times then queue for The Smiler before 10.

Can you enter now through the woodland walk if you have a pass and aren't a hotel guest?

As far as I know, you've always been able to do that.
 
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