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2017: General Discussion

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Rob said:
Good to see that the best restuarant at Alton Towers has been replaced with the ULTIMATE VR experience. Another victory for the resort side of Alton Towers.

:)
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Except the restaurant wasn't often open and was designed as a function room to start with. Just once the conference centre opened they had less need for the extra room. This space has also been used for a ScareFest hotel maze and nobody complained then. But they put an optional extra entertainment offering in for the summer and everyone complains because they might possibly have had a restaurant there instead, which probably wouldn't have opened anyway due to the low crowds this summer.
 
The restaurant was open a lot last year, and it was a very good restaurant with top notch steaks. For some reason they seem to have decided that there is no need for its existance. I suppose the majority of guests who stay at Alton Towers are not overly bothered about a nice evening meal!

:)
 
Rob said:
I suppose the majority of guests who stay at Alton Towers are not overly bothered about a nice evening meal!
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Probably has nothing to do with guests. ATH has a choice each summer they can keep just the Secret Garden open or they can use the Emperor suite function room as a restaurant or if they don't think there are enough bookings then they can stick with just Secret Garden (plus Flambo's and Crooked Spoon). Given the fact that there has been a lot of half price sales and Splash Landings has been closed for the early part of the season I assume they don't have enough bookings in ATH to need a second restaurant this summer, particularly with CBeebies Hotel open. Why spend more money on staff you don't need?
 
Not sure about less bookings, Whenever I have been in the hotels in an evening lately ( most weekends ) it's always packed. Even opening the captains bar to help out.

On a side note. They were training a lot of new waiting staff last night in SG. Mmm very nice eye candy. :D
 
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I've had times in the past when I've called the hotel and booked a table at Emperor's only a few hours before checking in... Then arrived to find both Emperor's and Secret Garden closed due to "lack of demand"... and Flambo's fully booked all night.
So yes, they need the extra dining space.

(Admittedly, this was in the pre Rent-A-Shed days.)
 
In the Duel shop today they where selling some old nemesis sub terra magnets for £1.50. Not a good sign for the ride!
 
Towerslover said:
In the Duel shop today they where selling some old nemesis sub terra magnets for £1.50. Not a good sign for the ride!
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Not good at all...

But, did you not hear about the X style retheme? Nemesis Wub Terra?

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I think actually the majority of guests staying in the hotel are looking for a decent meal - it has closed either due to staffing costs or more likely, closed due to the high prices it charged. Look at this old menu - £18 to £30 for a steak! A lot of guests will be families with kids who are not really into fancy steaks, especially when for £20 they can go over to Splash and stuff their faces!

What would have been nice is if they converted the restaurant into an adults only cocktail lounge which opens say 11pm - 2am, chill out music, lighting, comfy chairs, sofas etc.... could be shut off noise wise from the rooms, and give people looking to stay out a bit later somewhere decent to sit and chill rather than Splash. Would also given Alton an excuse to charge for fancy cocktails!
 
Rob said:
Yeah, no really leg to stand on when it comes to bashing only Merlin in regards to VR. Best to have a go at the whole damn industry!!
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Of all the VR attractions I've experienced, Merlin produced the best one. Ghostbusters Dimension at MT NYC... Wow. Fantastic use of the technology.
 
Towerslover said:
In the Duel shop today they where selling some old nemesis sub terra magnets for £1.50. Not a good sign for the ride!
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Don't worry, I sure that the ride will reopen with a re-theme and a new name complete with VR

They sold off air merchandise very cheap just before the ride became Galatica
 
Rick said:
Of all the VR attractions I've experienced, Merlin produced the best one. Ghostbusters Dimension at MT NYC... Wow. Fantastic use of the technology.
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That was externally produced by 'The Void' as part of a series of project installations, Madame Tussauds was just their venue (link). Whereas MMM produced Galactica and Ghost Train (with a contractor to build it).

But the Ghostbusters one does look like the right way to do VR, a fun, personal & inventive attraction, making the best of the tech to create something good. Sticking VR on coasters for the sake of a marketable gimmick, when it isn't practical or what the particular coaster needs, is a poor way to do it.

VR can be an amazing thing, but I doubt Merlin are interested in making the best of its possibilities, more for the PR reward and easy return.
 
GaryH said:
What would have been nice is if they converted the restaurant into an adults only cocktail lounge
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The issue is that it isn't a restaurant, the Emporor's suite is also still used as a conference or function space at times. I do agree that ATH could really do with an adults only bar. Something nicely themed with proper well trained bar tenders.
 
An adults-only bar at Towers is something I'd love to see. No kids running around the place, some good entertainment, decent drinks...I think it's one thing the resort is lacking at the moment. A cocktail lounge would be a nice addition, IMO.
 
Towerslover said:
In the Duel shop today they where selling some old nemesis sub terra magnets for £1.50. Not a good sign for the ride!
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They've beeb selling them off in the Duel shop for well over a year now, I wouldn't read anything into it at all!

:)
 
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never got to ride Sub Terra because I assumed it was just a live maze and I really hate them!

Hope it comes back
 
Nemesis is running a single train today, still without any wheel covers, which makes for a funny looking train.
 
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It seems to have been running without wheel covers since the start of July, both trains are lacking them. It does make it look rather more like a budget SLC
skyscraper said:
Isn't that a bit dangerous? Debris could get in!
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I'm sure its fine, SLC's run without wheel covers.
 
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