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2015: Alton Towers Enchanted Village
- Thread starter Ian
- Start date
Dave
TS Founding Member
I'm not really in much mood to defend Towers at the moment but they have severe restrictions on permanent lighting from the council due to light pollution worries.
Now I'm off to point at laugh at that fence a bit more.
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
Someone needs to tell the council it's not the 1980's any more. There's more choice than just "low pressure sodium, or, er... high pressure sodium" available now. Modern lighting designs can easily be artistic and minimise polution. Its the same principal as sound systems: instead of having a few massive speakers / lamps blatting all over the place, have many smaller ones carefully aimed in the right direction.
Of course, that would require doing something more than the bare minimum, and might cost more than £2.70, so there's no hope of it ever happening.
Of course, that would require doing something more than the bare minimum, and might cost more than £2.70, so there's no hope of it ever happening.
Rob
TS Team
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- Steel Vengeance
That's not actually true, least not according to the council. Of course light pollution is something that would be considered during a planning application but there are no specific restrictions.
Dave
TS Founding Member
That's not actually true, least not according to the council. Of course light pollution is something that would be considered during a planning application but there are no specific restrictions.
Of course those restrictions are imposed during planning applications, the council hasn't got an "Alton Towers lighting restriction" bylaw. But it's one of the things they struggle to get included in any application because of Light Pollution complaints.
What lighting they have installed could have been themed thou.... ohh wait no it's Merlin.
jon81uk
TS Member
Just seen the offical video and I love the first thing you see is the crappy chain link fence!
Other than that though the rest looks quite good in that video.
Play areas are maybe a disappointment that one group has a slide, one has poles to climb, one has swing etc so if you want to go on all the play stuff you have to go round the whole site, they could have put two things at each grouping maybe as swings and slides will be most popular!
Other than that though the rest looks quite good in that video.
Play areas are maybe a disappointment that one group has a slide, one has poles to climb, one has swing etc so if you want to go on all the play stuff you have to go round the whole site, they could have put two things at each grouping maybe as swings and slides will be most popular!
EuroSatch
TS Member
I can't get over how the pricing strategy over this is so wrong. The public can see that - what incentive do they have to pay these prices to stay in chalets plonked in the middle of a field? Nothing. They're a nice addition, but they are substandard accommodation to the hotels and yet a priced as if they are superior.
Plonk the name 'enchanted' in front of t and Merlin think they have a winner. Zero effort, hoodwink the guests, and they're quids in. But the guests aren't hoodwinked
Plonk the name 'enchanted' in front of t and Merlin think they have a winner. Zero effort, hoodwink the guests, and they're quids in. But the guests aren't hoodwinked
siralgenon
TS Member
If the Enchanted Village was the budget option then fair enough, it can get away with being a little crap and half-arsed. But the fact it costs more than the Resort hotels on some nights is a no go. We may moan about Splash on occasions after its recent re-paint, but even after that its a lot higher quality than the Village. Also on that subject the Resort hotels have far more facilities than the Village as well. No arcade, separate restaurants / bars, further away from the Parks and attractions, continental breakfast, less comfort, yet it costs more!
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jon81uk
TS Member
I don't see them as substandard, and if they were hotel rooms they would be worth slightly more than Splash Landings due to the separate area for the bunk beds. But Splash can be overpriced too, I wouldn't pay more than £120 for two adults including breakfast. So pricing the lodge rooms slightly higher than Splash seems correct to me as they are better layout rooms and newer, even if you have to walk outside to get to breakfast, then ATH should be slightly higher again as the main hotel areas are nicer.
But the public are just looking at the treehouse prices and thinking the whole place is expensive. They need to change the booking website so it defaults to a standard lodge, not a treehouse!
Pricing should be around £100 splash, £110 lodge, £130 ATH, £150 moonvoyager.
Yeah but there is a difference in full on flood lighting and
They are not substandard, just a little bland for the price. At least with Splash you have the themed carpets, themed rooms, possibly a view over the waterpark, plus the waterpark on site, facilities down the corridor etc. If anything, as others have said, the lodges should be the budget option for sure.
Your prices are not far off at all, I agree with you on those.
What worries me however is that during peak times, the two hotels are already max'd out in terms of breakfast capacity and queues, evening meal capacity and queues, then the waterpark with its queues, can you imagine then all the guests from the enchanted forest also coming across to use the facilities??!!
I cant see many people using the crooked spoon in the evenings for a nice meal, its just like Explorers Pizza Pasta on the park. Secret Garden is nice in that you are a themed restaurant, same with Flambo's minus the chaos at peak time. Would I want to sit in a cold open room with tables and chairs scattered around for a nice evening meal? Nope. And the prices of the food in there I think is on par if not a bit more expensive than SG restaurant.
If the Crooked Spoon was done out nicer, more theming, dimly lit, a bit more cozy and without tables all over the place (i.e. themed separation) then it may be a viable option. Plus, lets also think about when the hotels are full and its raining - people arent going to venture over to it to use it. Another bonus of the two hotels - the covered walkway.
I really think AT got it wrong with putting this mid-priced. I wouldnt pay to stay here in a what is essentially a shipping container knocked together with a few screws. Likewise, in its current state - themed rooms excluded, I wouldn't pay the prices to stay in ATH either now that they have whacked the prices up.
I won't even mention the entertainment offerings or space to sit and watch them for all three hotels, thats going to be a different matter.....
They are not substandard, just a little bland for the price. At least with Splash you have the themed carpets, themed rooms, possibly a view over the waterpark, plus the waterpark on site, facilities down the corridor etc. If anything, as others have said, the lodges should be the budget option for sure.
Your prices are not far off at all, I agree with you on those.
What worries me however is that during peak times, the two hotels are already max'd out in terms of breakfast capacity and queues, evening meal capacity and queues, then the waterpark with its queues, can you imagine then all the guests from the enchanted forest also coming across to use the facilities??!!
I cant see many people using the crooked spoon in the evenings for a nice meal, its just like Explorers Pizza Pasta on the park. Secret Garden is nice in that you are a themed restaurant, same with Flambo's minus the chaos at peak time. Would I want to sit in a cold open room with tables and chairs scattered around for a nice evening meal? Nope. And the prices of the food in there I think is on par if not a bit more expensive than SG restaurant.
If the Crooked Spoon was done out nicer, more theming, dimly lit, a bit more cozy and without tables all over the place (i.e. themed separation) then it may be a viable option. Plus, lets also think about when the hotels are full and its raining - people arent going to venture over to it to use it. Another bonus of the two hotels - the covered walkway.
I really think AT got it wrong with putting this mid-priced. I wouldnt pay to stay here in a what is essentially a shipping container knocked together with a few screws. Likewise, in its current state - themed rooms excluded, I wouldn't pay the prices to stay in ATH either now that they have whacked the prices up.
I won't even mention the entertainment offerings or space to sit and watch them for all three hotels, thats going to be a different matter.....
Dave
TS Founding Member
Exactly it's more than the room, No-one is saying the rooms are bad in this project, its that they are over-priced for what you get and there is very little outside of the actual accommodation to warrant your money.
The original intention was for this to be the budget option, then it seems someone got greedy.
I do disagree with the constant shipping container comments, modular building is happening everywhere now. Including homes, offices and hotels.
The original intention was for this to be the budget option, then it seems someone got greedy.
I do disagree with the constant shipping container comments, modular building is happening everywhere now. Including homes, offices and hotels.
jon81uk
TS Member
I still think the interior of the room is on a par with Splash. Better bunkbed set up in the lodge. Both have some theming touches but not loads of amazing stuff. Its the facilities of the hotel the lodges lack in.
Given then lodge rooms are also newer then they are worth just slightly (like £10 a night) more than Splash but no more than that. As Splash Landings rooms are crampt compared to ATH.
siralgenon
TS Member
I've just found out that as well as having to book a table in the Crooked Spoon for your evening meal, you also have to book a table for Breakfast. Failing this you can either have a continental breakfast delivered to your lodge / hut or have breakfast at Towers Street Bar & Grill which will be open from 9am for Enchanted Village guests.
jon81uk
TS Member
Isn't it continental breakfast only anyway? The booking site showed lodge rooms as coming with continental breakfast?
But if the restuarant is busy at 9am and you can't get a table it might be better eating on Towers St anyway as then you can be into the park quicker, compared to those having a 9am Crooked Spoon breakfast.
I think at peak times they are still encouraging booking for breakfast at the two hotels anyway as both Flambo's and Secret Garden don't have enough seats for every guest to dine at once too.