2019: General Discussion

[Alsty]

You'd think there would be an official process for park extensions. I would expect a checklist with quantitative measurements (e.g. gate figures, queue times, temperatures) to provide consistency and fairness. For example, "if there are more than 15000 guests and at ride close one ride with a 1 hour queue, extend by 30 minutes. If more than 20000 and at ride close two or more rides have a 1 hour queue, extend by 1 hour."

It actually seems like there's no process at all. It's just down to a manager on the day to decide based on their gut feeling, and nothing to back up their decisions (rightly or wrongly).

Poor decisions like the ones this weekend will result in complaints and a bad taste in the mouth of everyone who was turfed out prematurely.

 

[Rojo]

You'd think there would be an official process for park extensions. I would expect a checklist with quantitative measurements (e.g. gate figures, queue times, temperatures) to provide consistency and fairness. For example, "if there are more than 15000 guests and at ride close one ride with a 1 hour queue, extend by 30 minutes. If more than 20000 and at ride close two or more rides have a 1 hour queue, extend by 1 hour."

It actually seems like there's no process at all. It's just down to a manager on the day to decide based on their gut feeling, and nothing to back up their decisions (rightly or wrongly).

Poor decisions like the ones this weekend will result in complaints and a bad taste in the mouth of everyone who was turfed out prematurely.

*Insert shia le labeouf clapping gif*

Fair play only Merlin could argue with that. What you did wrong Alsty was apply logic

 

[Thameslink Rail]

I have a formula for deciding how long the park should be open for: Add up the 10 longest queue times and round to the nearest hour.

 

[spinba11]

I’ve just remembered, i walked past the smiler entrance at 5:15 yesterday and it was still open (oblivion was as well) so it looks like the did extend it yesterday, not by much but they did.

 

[Ethan]

It's an absolute disgrace! 4 rides on over an hour queue a few minutes before ride close on saturday, but yet no extension. There clearly isn't a procedure and they clearly don't check how busy the park is on daily basis. Otherwise they would've extended, surely. 6 seemed a lot more ideal relative to the queues, and tbh it's supposed to be the uks biggest and best theme park so it should be open til 6 at weekends anyway. The sooner merlin sell towers to another group the better. They prove time and time again they can't operate the park properly and they've ruined the parks credibility. Disgusting #merlinout

 

[Thameslink Rail]

Efteling is open Mon-Fri 10-6 and Weekends 10-8. I think that if Alton Towers is to be the UK's premier park then it's opening hours need to be in that ballpark.

 

[AstroDan]

I’ve just remembered, i walked past the smiler entrance at 5:15 yesterday and it was still open (oblivion was as well) so it looks like the did extend it yesterday, not by much but they did.

Yes - I think some ride queues shut at quarter past five. But this wasn't advertised and I don't know if it was all rides.

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[Godscrasher]

How do people manage to park near the exit barriers where Nemesis is? Do these people arrive late and get the pick of the fruit without going off sync with the parking attendants? Or do they just simply ignore the attendants and drive to where they want to park with it being out of the parking attendants controls and bother to do anything about it?

 

[Austin Towers]

They wanted the crowds back after the smiler incident. Now they have them back they can't handle them.

This sort of nonsense was coming due to the annual passes being far too cheap. It's not good for the customer and not good for the business either as they're getting less per head which in turn affects budget which in turn affects customer satisfaction. It's a vicious circle.

 

[MellowPasta]

I did see a tweet from them saying it’s not confirmed whether the season passes will be an available product next year. Possibly a lesson learnt?

 

[Dar]

Could the annual passes have been a fairly transparent attempt at making numbers on a spreadsheet bigger to look better come buyout time?

 

[imanautie]

How do people manage to park near the exit barriers where Nemesis is? Do these people arrive late and get the pick of the fruit without going off sync with the parking attendants? Or do they just simply ignore the attendants and drive to where they want to park with it being out of the parking attendants controls and bother to do anything about it?

Arrive early enough and there aren't any.

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[BarryZola]

How do people manage to park near the exit barriers where Nemesis is? Do these people arrive late and get the pick of the fruit without going off sync with the parking attendants? Or do they just simply ignore the attendants and drive to where they want to park with it being out of the parking attendants controls and bother to do anything about it?

Just ignore them and park where you want. As long as 98% of people are filling up from the bottom of the car park it's not causing them an issue so they're naturally not too bothered. Just remember if you get the monorail back at park close then you've gotta walk up the hill anyway to get back to the car.

 

[SuperMuscleMan]

Do you think all this will change with the new owners? I have a feeling they should really push 'now under new management'. Next year if they can because at the moment towers gets less and less credibility.

 

[Ethan]

Do you think all this will change with the new owners? I have a feeling they should really push 'now under new management'. Next year if they can because at the moment towers gets less and less credibility.

Can someone explain this new owner thing cus I've got no idea what's going on. Is merlin not going to be running towers anymore

 

[Tibble]

Can someone explain this new owner thing cus I've got no idea what's going on. Is merlin not going to be running towers anymore

There has been an offer to take over Merlin by a consortium which has been led by the family that controls Lego, which has been accepted. So unless they change the name. Merlin will still operate but under new management (and hopefully investment)

 

[GaryH]

I did see a tweet from them saying it’s not confirmed whether the season passes will be an available product next year. Possibly a lesson learnt?

I think the Season Pass could actually have a detrimental effect in the long term. The summer and past 2 weekends have shown that while its great having all these extra visitor numbers, the park simply cannot cope with the volumes of guests. Flat rides have been removed and not replaced, food and drink outlets closed down, staggered ride openings,reduced opening hours cut and car parking spaces removed.

Add to this the profit from the season pass comes from the additional sales during the day, such as food and drink which have a huge profit margin, however, with prices so high in the park, we are seeing an increasing number of people taking in their own food and drink now which again could back fire if they are counting on this for income instead of ticket sales.

I was in the park on the 7th Sept and it was rammed, and they did extend park opening until 6pm. I am amazed they didnt do the same this weekend and cant understand why!

 

[Kraken27]

Car parking spaces removed??

Back when I worked there a F&B team leader often came into our greenroom (staff room - actually a Portakabin). She openly admitted that Towers F&B prices were expensive - "but we are careful to limit the costs to the same as you would pay at a cinema". This was in the days when the brand partners (McD's, KFC & Pizza Hut) were present, so ther was a "cheaper than Towers F&B" offering. Now the brand partners are all long gone & all the F&B offer is run by Merlin, bar Eastern Express. There is a separate thread on the F&B offering - but suffice it to say the consensus is it's generally well overpriced & of poor / inconsistent quality.

Merlin are shooting themselves in the foot by ripping people off for food & drink, as it will encourage people to go elsewhere / bring their own. When we visit the park we stop at a McD's on the way for breakfast & often leave the park early afternoon and stop at a pub on the way home for food. F&B expenditure at Towers, zero.

With regard to the Season Pass - I can see it not being offered next year (in an attempt to get people to buy MAP's). Towers cannot cope with the crowds any more so reducing the visitor numbers a little will help them. I pity anyone going at Fireworks as the ride queues will be horrendous.

 

[GaryH]

Car parking spaces removed??

Back when I worked there a F&B team leader often came into our greenroom (staff room - actually a Portakabin). She openly admitted that Towers F&B prices were expensive - "but we are careful to limit the costs to the same as you would pay at a cinema". This was in the days when the brand partners (McD's, KFC & Pizza Hut) were present, so ther was a "cheaper than Towers F&B" offering. Now the brand partners are all long gone & all the F&B offer is run by Merlin, bar Eastern Express. There is a separate thread on the F&B offering - but suffice it to say the consensus is it's generally well overpriced & of poor / inconsistent quality.

Merlin are shooting themselves in the foot by ripping people off for food & drink, as it will encourage people to go elsewhere / bring their own. When we visit the park we stop at a McD's on the way for breakfast & often leave the park early afternoon and stop at a pub on the way home for food. F&B expenditure at Towers, zero.

With regard to the Season Pass - I can see it not being offered next year (in an attempt to get people to buy MAP's). Towers cannot cope with the crowds any more so reducing the visitor numbers a little will help them. I pity anyone going at Fireworks as the ride queues will be horrendous.

Yeah, the mini golf took up part of the car park, the hotel has taken up some more (Splash Landings) and the Stargazing pods and Enchanted village parking takes up the rear overflow car park.

I think the Season Pass may be offered next year but it may increase in price to try and limit numbers a bit. Would be good if they could do one which includes car parking!

 

[Dave]

I would guess the season pass will increase in price. It’s served it’s purpose which was to tempt people back to the park.