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2019: General Discussion
- Thread starter WL18
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AT86
TS Member
On 2017 opening weekend The Smiler was closed entirely. On 2018 opening weekend pretty much everything was closed due to the weather.
It has become increasingly likely over the last few years that opening weekend will have poor ride availability and reliability so if it’s your only visit of the year or you really want to get on the big 7 then I would avoid opening weekend.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
I'm so excited; my mum has booked the Alton Towers Hotel for me, her and my nan in June, and one of the days we're there falls on a Monday, as my GCSEs will have finished by the time we go! I'm personally excited to see the beauty of Alton Towers midweek; is it nice and quiet midweek in June? If so, we should get plenty of rides in!
Joel3
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Hey! I'm going there the exact same time, Alton towers hotel at the end of June for a end of GCSE's trip. I do hope it will be decently quiet at the end of June, as it will get busier as it gets into July.
Danny
TS Contributor
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I'd love to see your reaction on a day when fast track has been oversold across the board, operations are dire, customer service has been thrown out of the window, food and beverage queues are ridiculously long only for your order to be messed around with and to not get on a single ride...
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
A Monday in June shouldn't be busy, however if the day is quiet, there be less cars running on the track, so the poor put through will make the queues seem just a long on a busy day.
There seems to have school trips every day of the year at most attractions. However, the school trips usually peak and are at there worse any day during the 2 to 3 weeks leading up to the summer holidays.
Matt N
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Shambhala (PortAventura Park)
While that of course isn't the best of predicaments, Alton hasn't ever been like that when I've visited, and even if it was, the place has such a nice atmosphere and theming and it means so much to me that it makes it all worthwhile, in my opinion!
Also, thanks for the idea of crowd levels @RoyJess!
Also, thanks for the idea of crowd levels @RoyJess!
BarryZola
TS Member
Quiet days are pretty much a thing of the past now due to these cheap season passes, especially in summer.
Last season there were probably a few actual very quiet days, but these would have been when the weather was expected to be poor. My definition of very quiet is when pretty much everything is almost walk on or 5 minute queues. This also doesn't happen because the place is now completely closed on historically really quiet days, therefore making the other historically quieter days busier when the place is actually still open. I think what I'm trying to say is, don't ever expect to get a very quiet day at Alton Towers ever again.
Last season there were probably a few actual very quiet days, but these would have been when the weather was expected to be poor. My definition of very quiet is when pretty much everything is almost walk on or 5 minute queues. This also doesn't happen because the place is now completely closed on historically really quiet days, therefore making the other historically quieter days busier when the place is actually still open. I think what I'm trying to say is, don't ever expect to get a very quiet day at Alton Towers ever again.
As above, really quiet days (everything 5mins / walk-on) are pretty much a thing of the past at Towers. Sure, the arrival of Wicker Man & the £55 season passes certainly boosted attendance last year - and the cheap Towers passes are on offer again this year.
Whilst I appreciate that quieter days were doubtless not particularly profitable for Towers / Merlin, then have really driven down the quality of the product they offer on days they expect to be quiet. Expect all the coasters to be working at reduced capacity & staffing levels, thus boosting the queues. Food & Beverage units will be understaffed. And then we have the infamous 4pm park close time. It's not much better on busy days as the park can no longer cope with crowds the way it used to be able to. Due to across the board cutbacks you just don't leave the place feeling like you have had a good day out - let alone a "Magical" one. The only certainty whenever you visit is that you WILL leave with a wallet or purse that is significantly lighter.
Just a reminder - Merlin claim to be second only to Disney Corporation. The latter are experts at extracting money from you [lots of it] but they run parks that have plenty of rides, reliable rides, very high standards of theming / maintenance, decent opening hours, decent hotels, a wide range of food & beverage offer etc.... I could go on.
Whilst I appreciate that quieter days were doubtless not particularly profitable for Towers / Merlin, then have really driven down the quality of the product they offer on days they expect to be quiet. Expect all the coasters to be working at reduced capacity & staffing levels, thus boosting the queues. Food & Beverage units will be understaffed. And then we have the infamous 4pm park close time. It's not much better on busy days as the park can no longer cope with crowds the way it used to be able to. Due to across the board cutbacks you just don't leave the place feeling like you have had a good day out - let alone a "Magical" one. The only certainty whenever you visit is that you WILL leave with a wallet or purse that is significantly lighter.
Just a reminder - Merlin claim to be second only to Disney Corporation. The latter are experts at extracting money from you [lots of it] but they run parks that have plenty of rides, reliable rides, very high standards of theming / maintenance, decent opening hours, decent hotels, a wide range of food & beverage offer etc.... I could go on.
jon81uk
TS Member
Posters on Disney forums have much the same complaints as you make about Alton Towers, it’s just the starting point is different.
Disney has been cutting staff and number of ride vehicles operated back on quiet days a lot more recently, so the days of walk on queues in quiet periods are no longer there as well. Disney have also cut back opening hours, it’s just moving from 12 midnight to 10pm doesn’t feel as bad as 5pm to 4pm.
Disney have also cut back some food service locations, some are closed or have hours changed, many table service places have more generic menus using cheaper cuts of meat etc.
Also I don’t think Merlin ever claim to be second on quality, just in size of the business.
Danny
TS Contributor
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
What power would that be then? The power to bore you to death with an uninspired, copy and paste midway attraction? The power to fleece you of your wallet for ludicrous rates to sleep in a cramped shed? Or the power to re-locate two used rides and market them as new? Perhaps the power to continue hiding rotting attractions behind fences?
It's clear the marketing department have dreamed up some bizzare campaign to make the board feel like they can get some return on paying for Alton towers new substation.
"It's theming, honest. We wanted an electrical style industrial look 'walk by' attraction and thought it best that the theming be legitimate to appease the enthusiasts. Real pylons, passed off as theming, it's genius! Plus we'll be able to reap the rewards of actually being able to start up all the rides in one go without blacking out the town, or whatever lies we told them last year"
"It's theming, honest. We wanted an electrical style industrial look 'walk by' attraction and thought it best that the theming be legitimate to appease the enthusiasts. Real pylons, passed off as theming, it's genius! Plus we'll be able to reap the rewards of actually being able to start up all the rides in one go without blacking out the town, or whatever lies we told them last year"
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