2016: General Discussion

[Scott]

2016 is set to be an interesting year for the park with Towers Loving Care, possible ride closures, Air's refurbishment and the Rollercoaster Restaurant.

Please use this thread for general discussion surrounding the 2016 Alton Towers Season.

 

[Europa Matt]

With the space theme in Forbidden Valley and ride closures, there may not be much atmosphere.

 

[Stuntman707]

I am soo glad that they have announced a maintenance program. Maybe Merlin do care as much as Tussauds did about the upkeep of the park. Dare I say over the next few seasons, they might bring back the magic to Alton Towers?

 

[MaxPower]

I am soo glad that they have announced a maintenance program. Maybe Merlin do care as much as Tussauds did about the upkeep of the park. Dare I say over the next few seasons, they might bring back the magic to Alton Towers?

Staff reductions, removal of multiple rides and further budget cuts to park operations this year. Yep, Merlin really know how to bring the magic back...

It seems their solution to improving rides which look knackered, is to remove them. Make no mistake, the TLC programme is a smoke screen for the ride closures and lack of proper investment this year.

I have 100% faith in the staff at Alton Towers, who want nothing but the best for the place but I have no faith whatsoever in Merlin.

 

[delta79]

we will not know the true outcome of TLC until the 2nd or 3rd year of it being done. may be they are going to bring towers back to a wonderful look, or maybe its a smoke screen for saving money.
There is only one thing for certain, only time will tell what TLC really is.

 

[Ben]

If rumour is to be believed the ride closures this year are VERY high and will severely impact upon guests visits. I think CBeebies and Katanga Canyon (with its 2 rides) are the only areas expected not to lose out on rides certainly, not including the impact on entertainment, food & beverage etc. This is before they've even touched staggered opening.

I'm so mad with the TLC thing, its not so much a smokescreen as just the cherry on top of the turd.
Close rides, less staff, least expenditure possible, but a few tins of paint and we're meant to accept the management care about the park?
Pull the other one, its got pound coins hanging from it.

The park should never have looked the state it is, the rides should not be SBNO or removed due to lack of care or even worse lack of investment.

 

[Leah]

Really towers? What was the point of getting rid of 190 people then?
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Hund...ers-launches/story-28457301-detail/story.html

 

[Scott]

Really towers? What was the point of getting rid of 190 people then?
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Hund...ers-launches/story-28457301-detail/story.html

The 190 was a number based upon full time year-round roles being removed or reshuffled and others being removed from Alton relocated into other areas of Merlin etc.

They always need to recruit a large number of seasonal staff at the start of every year. The redundancies were for year round posts.

 

[josht]

With both ath and splash landings closed and the only thing open is that spa towers is looking really quiet

But on the other hand there's currently the general painting happening in the water park

 

[Error]

Get that swatter, there's a fly on the wall...

 

[Leah]

Towers have released the ERT line up for 2016.

• Cebebbies land
• Oblivion
• Spinball
• Enterprise

Looks like it runs form 9:30 this year (though not sure that applies to CL). Surprised though, enterprise rarely manages to open for 10. A wonder how much it will effect sonic, given it normally gets a 45 minute queue within half hour of park opening.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Why even bother?

 

[josht]

tell you what i can't wait for the price increase this year £55 for shorter hours, less rides, food outlets closed at the uk's best theme park

 

[RoyJess]

I'm pleased to see Oblivion on the ERT list . Not much else worth bothering for 9.30 start is a complete joke By the time they let you in and you get to the rides, there won't be much ERT left before they start letting in the normal guest. And if previous past year ERT's are anything to go by, they tend to let the normal guest in the ERT any way

Do you think that this might mean that they be letting in normal guest at 10.30?

I suppose that means that I can now have an extra 30mins in bed in the morning

 

[Leah]

ERT might just be worth it to run to air and wait for it to open and save a 2 hour wait. Good to have oblivion, but enterprise is completely pointless.

 

[AndrewH]

I'm pleased to see Oblivion on the ERT list . Not much else worth bothering for 9.30 start is a complete joke By the time they let you in and you get to the rides, there won't be much ERT left before they start letting in the normal guest. And if previous past year ERT's are anything to go by, they tend to let the normal guest in the ERT any way

Do you think that this might mean that they be letting in normal guest at 10.30?

I suppose that means that I can now have an extra 30mins in bed in the morning

It's only sonic opening at 9:30 everything else opens at 9:00 I believe

 

[Burbs]

When it was first reported, Alton Towers had said that everything on the ERT line-up will be opening at 09:30, however this was a printing error as they have since confirmed that everything on the line-up will open at 09:00 apart from Sonic Spinball which will open at 09:30.

I hope that clears everything up.

 

[Ted]

I can't get to the park for ERT and Looking at that lineup, I'm realising I'm not missing much.

 

[BarryZola]

ERT might just be worth it to run to air and wait for it to open

You've got your head screwed on right. That will be the only good use of ERT this season. Although I prefer a quick paced walk through the garden path myself whilst most people run all the way around Katanga or Haunted Hollow and usually don't make it there any quicker

 

[bluesonichd]

ERT Blivvy, running 5 trains on 1 loading station.... Nightmare!
May be able to squeeze 2 rides in the allotted hour

Nemmy always managed at least 8 back row rides before the masses ascended

RIP ERT
RIP Ridecount this year