• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

2019: General Discussion

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
A good experience? At Thorpe?
There's more to a good experience then just good ride operations.
There's been times where we end up just chatting (not getting in the way of ops) for a bit with hosts!

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Maybe, but bad ride operations still inevitably leads to a bad experience all round. Unless you've paid for unlimited fastrack obviously.

I still consider the VIPMAP to be enormously underpriced but that's a different discussion.
Bad operations affect VIPs as well! Keep in mind a significant number of VIPs are using it as rap isn't accessable to them for whatever reason.

We should probably continue this chat in the Merlin VIP annual pass thread.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur.../&share_tid=4563&share_fid=47680&share_type=t


Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Now that Ian Crabbe is leaving Alton Towers to become head resort theme parks, I wonder does anybody know of all the park's directors over the years? Just curious really!

Is this correct?

I think initially it was John Broome himself (for a short while)?
Andrew Hollingsworth — continued with Tussauds after the takeover from Broome
Ralph Armound 1995–2004 — left the park when Tussauds was bought out?
Russel Barnes 2004–2009 — survived the Merlin takeover and later went on to run their midway stuff
Ian Crabbe — knew Nick Varney from the Vardon years?

I suppose it's not as significant as Tussauds or Merlin's changes of parent company but still, the park hasnt changed director that many times over nearly 40 years.

I have absolutely no idea what Ian Crabbe was like obviously. But I think he had quite a difficult job, managed to survive the park's worst ever incident (considering his job held full accountability), a tonne of cuts by Merlin and still get it back on track.
 
Ralph Armound 1995–2004 — left the park when Tussauds was bought out?

Ralph Armond left Alton Towers as a result of a re-structure of the business (which may have coincided with the sale of Tussauds to DIC). Basically Ralph was Divisional Director of everything at Alton Towers (Park, Hotels & Conference Centre). Tussauds decided to split off the hotels into a separate business with it's own Divisional Director. Ralph felt this was a large chunk of his job being taken off him & decided to leave. He ended up at ZSL (London Zoo) and ran that business for a good few years. Am sure I read he retired from there a year or two ago.
 
Went today, raining most of the day but the park was quiet and all rides seemed to be working well, apart from Thirteen which was unavailable everytime i checked the app.

The dungeons are a welcome addition on a day like today. Plenty of time to dry off.

On a side not, The Smiler's effects were all working. I can't remember which one it is which sprays you with cold water, but that was definitely working very well! It was so forceful and cold it actually hurt!
 
Rapids seem to be shifting people fairly well today. What's with changeable maximum boat capacity? Today it's max seven per boat.
 
Went today, raining most of the day but the park was quiet and all rides seemed to be working well, apart from Thirteen which was unavailable everytime i checked the app.

The dungeons are a welcome addition on a day like today. Plenty of time to dry off.

On a side not, The Smiler's effects were all working. I can't remember which one it is which sprays you with cold water, but that was definitely working very well! It was so forceful and cold it actually hurt!
Merlin can fix effects?

Sent from my Swift 2 Plus using Tapatalk
 
Assume it’s the weight limit on the boats changing with the adaptions.
That was my first thought, but the signs appear to be changeable whereby they can set one limit for one day and one for another.

There's usually a water level tolerance on those rides but as far as I know that doesn't tend to affect capacity.
 
Alton Towers have extended their operating season by pushing Fireworks back a weekend and re-introducing the Friday night! Scarefest will also run for two extra says (when Fireworks were originally scheduled for).



Brilliant news!
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top