2018: General Discussion

[Sm1lingAdvocate]

I got discount in the WM shop for the hoodie

 

[John_P]

Got the MAP discount on a wicker man t shirt and a badge in the ride shop.

 

[themeparkfan]

Merlin need to realise they need to appeal to all demographics and keep updating and improving their offering. If people are not impressed on the first visit why would they visit again? Hence like for like footfall will be down. And if these visitors spread a negative review then new visitors will be put off. The top brass have to realise this is a different type of business where cuts can't be made easily without affecting the core business. Customer experience means everything! !

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[Altonadvocate1]

First day at AT this year for me yesterday. Never been before on a Bank Holiday weekend. Park really busy, but atmosphere was great. Didn't get many rides but had a fantastic day. Saw a few members of the towersstreet team, but too shy to introduce myself.

Keep up the good work.

 

[themeparkfan]

Looks busy today looking at ridetimes. I wonder how busy sealife shrek and all the other midways are? This could be the year of the RTP business so merlin better up the game!

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[Rick]

A member of staff just said to me, quite sincerely ... "I don't think Alton Towers can handle busy days anymore".

Oblivion being evacuated again. Thank goodness they only have one shuttle on the lift these days or that would be quite a torturous activity for all involved.

 

[Danny]

Despite yesterday's park close at 18:00, there were still hundreds of guests sat on the lawns enjoying the weather well past 19:00. Yet all the outlets on Towers Street (with the exception of Box Office) appeared to be closed. It's days and weather like this combined with fluctuating ride availability that lend themselves to extending to later opening hours.

 

[themeparkfan]

So three out of nine thrill rides out of action that's a third of them. Or in other words only 67% of the rides are operating. Not the best offering ?

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[bluesonichd]

And Smiler being run like a bag of doo doo.
Only 3 trains. Maybe two. Can’t be bothered to actually queue and count

 

[themeparkfan]

Interesting to see one coaster in each area down. Is that just a lucky coincidence or not? as at least one coaster is operating in each area of the park.

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[John]

Thirteen is probably suffering from heat exhaustion, it's never liked hot weather and was shut most of yesterday afternoon too. I believe that Galactica's issues yesterday were also heat related in some way. The posted 100min queue was a result of a subsequent drop to 1 station operation, giving it a lower throughput than Spinball but with a higher fastrack allocation as it's on all the same packages plus silver.

Smiler was on 3 yesterday, but the way it operates now the 4th would have been of pretty much no benefit.

Oblivion being evacuated again. Thank goodness they only have one shuttle on the lift these days

Surely nothing has changed? If it's operating using both stations there could be 1 shuttle on the lift and one stopped before the drop conveyor. I'm not sure whether the shuttle that stopped there yesterday was from station A or B or whether there was a shuttle on the lift too

 

[Rick]

Surely nothing has changed? If it's operating using both stations there could be 1 shuttle on the lift and one stopped before the drop conveyor. I'm not sure whether the shuttle that stopped there yesterday was from station A or B or whether there was a shuttle on the lift too

Only that its infinitely easier to evac one shuttle from the conveyer and one from the lift than two from the lift.

 

[Dave]

A member of staff just said to me, quite sincerely ... "I don't think Alton Towers can handle busy days anymore".

Oblivion being evacuated again. Thank goodness they only have one shuttle on the lift these days or that would be quite a torturous activity for all involved.

It’s lost the institutional memory of how to handle the busy days as most of the senior staff left when Merlin started cutting.

 

[John]

Only that its infinitely easier to evac one shuttle from the conveyer and one from the lift than two from the lift.

When did it ever have 2 on the lift though? Surely that's a single block?

 

[Skyscraper]

Despite yesterday's park close at 18:00, there were still hundreds of guests sat on the lawns enjoying the weather well past 19:00. Yet all the outlets on Towers Street (with the exception of Box Office) appeared to be closed. It's days and weather like this combined with fluctuating ride availability that lend themselves to extending to later opening hours.

Yeah, I noticed that too yesterday when leaving the park. Towers Trading Co seemed to still be open though.

 

[bluesonichd]

Oh another 6pm ride close day today
I don’t think it’s busy enough to warrant it.
Place will be empty at 5pm.

Heed my words !

Dead !

 

[Danscott22]

Whilst checking over times this afternoon, I noticed that Mr Blooms Allotment and The Furchester Hotel Live Show are no longer listed on the family section. Have they closed or do queue times no longer apply to them?

 

[Skyscraper]

Whilst checking over times this afternoon, I noticed that Mr Blooms Allotment and The Furchester Hotel Live Show are no longer listed on the family section. Have they closed or do queue times no longer apply to them?

You are right. strange, as they are both still listed on the website.

 

[Matt N]

How strange. Operations at Thorpe were pretty good yesterday, so I'm slightly disheartened to hear that Alton's perhaps weren't so good.

 

[Rick]

It’s lost the institutional memory of how to handle the busy days as most of the senior staff left when Merlin started cutting.

That shouldn't be massively problematic if there is a working process to be followed, irrespective of who is at the top. Most of the seniors I know are still there, I'm not sure who you're referring to but losing anyone who knows the park like the back of their hand is always a loss.

My key observation from today would be that I think the struggle is caused by the fact that they have reduced the product offering to a point that it largely works for what are now 'normal' days, but they aren't able to ramp it up almost instantly to deal with weather like this out of the ordinary (hottest May bank holiday Monday since 1995). I think for known busy days like Scarefest and the like, we'll see a better response.

Has Splash been closed all weekend? Our Flambo's lunch was not to be today, unfortunately.