James
TS Founding Member
I remember as a kid the excitement of going into the hotel room having to find the hidden 'treasure chest', then finding it and opening up to see an activity book, a 3D buildable flying car and other little goodies. Then the adults got a set of one time use Fastrack tickets, with coupons for food, drink and merchandise. The beauty of these kind of deals really is that it promoted guests to use the on site facilities more, take advantage of the restaurants and shops on offer. Even beyond that having exclusive access to the waterpark and ERT (when it was truly limited to hotel guests and annual pass holders) made you feel like a premium guest.
Now kids get an activity book. No coupons or Fastrack tickets exist. Waterpark is for everyone (I like your suggestion Gary of the waterpark being for hotel guests only at night). You still get ERT, but the amount of people you see on park now during it you don't feel so privileged.
I remember when I went to Alton with my parents last year, we went through to ERT (as hotel guests) and my dad asked "all these people aren't hotel guests and annual pass holders surly" when I told him it is open to those that book online too he replied "so it's a free for all then, hardly a perk if you're in the hotel".
Having been a hotel guest since I was in a pram you certainly lose out a lot now. There's no feeling of being a premium guest and no feeling that you've spent a fortune and you're getting your monies worth in return.
But I don't know, maybe that's just me looking through rose tinted glasses and the excitement of my childhood at Towers.
Now kids get an activity book. No coupons or Fastrack tickets exist. Waterpark is for everyone (I like your suggestion Gary of the waterpark being for hotel guests only at night). You still get ERT, but the amount of people you see on park now during it you don't feel so privileged.
I remember when I went to Alton with my parents last year, we went through to ERT (as hotel guests) and my dad asked "all these people aren't hotel guests and annual pass holders surly" when I told him it is open to those that book online too he replied "so it's a free for all then, hardly a perk if you're in the hotel".
Having been a hotel guest since I was in a pram you certainly lose out a lot now. There's no feeling of being a premium guest and no feeling that you've spent a fortune and you're getting your monies worth in return.
But I don't know, maybe that's just me looking through rose tinted glasses and the excitement of my childhood at Towers.