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2020: General Discussion

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Thirteen, Rita and Galactica are the only big coasters operating currently! (And Galactica is on 75 mins) Not good at all. :mad:
 
Wow, their Twitter account is full of people complaining again and rightly so!
Today they're saying that The Smiler is closed for maintenance, so they're either fobbing people off or doing something to fix its reliability after yesterday.
 
People need to remember that the park still isn't ready yet. Ride trains are in maintenance for the winter and new staff and teams are being broken in. Yes, they probably shouldn't offer these buy-out days on the guise that people are getting a half-arsed product in most circumstances, but it's also the best way to start ironing out the kinks in preparation for the beginning of the season.

Everyone needs to take a deep breath and chill.
 
Danny said:
People need to remember that the park still isn't ready yet. Ride trains are in maintenance for the winter and new staff and teams are being broken in. Yes, they probably shouldn't offer these buy-out days on the guise that people are getting a half-arsed product in most circumstances, but it's also the best way to start ironing out the kinks in preparation for the beginning of the season.

Everyone needs to take a deep breath and chill.
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Except people who have you know, paid good money for this ‘service’.
 
AT86 said:
Except people who have you know, paid good money for this ‘service’.
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Except nobody has paid a full price ticket. I would understand if people were made to pay full price entry, then they really would need to get their act together.

Hence I said these buy-out days shouldn't be offered. However it's better to do it now before the main season at a discounted price as opposed to closing the park to the general public for a day in the main season at the inconvenience of everyone else.
 
Just had a quick scroll through at Twitter

Counted at leat 10 or more in the last hour
“
Hi there, we’re terribly sorry that our services didn’t match your expectations. If you direct message us we can see what we can do to resolve your issue”
Smiley face ... :rolleyes:
 
Danny said:
Except nobody has paid a full price ticket. I would understand if people were made to pay full price entry, then they really would need to get their act together.

Hence I said these buy-out days shouldn't be offered. However it's better to do it now before the main season at a discounted price as opposed to closing the park to the general public for a day in the main season at the inconvenience of everyone else.
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I’m sorry but this is ludicrous. Tickets might not be ‘full price’ but that is irrelevant. The days are advertised as a full park hire and people hand over their cash on this basis. It is not advertised as ‘we are training our staff and running in the rides so things might be open, but then again they might not’ because of course they know people wouldn’t buy tickets, take time off work, travel 100s of miles and so on.

If they need run-in days then do it with staff and friends and family - for free. Don’t offer products that you can’t deliver.
 
Danny said:
Except nobody has paid a full price ticket. I would understand if people were made to pay full price entry, then they really would need to get their act together.

Hence I said these buy-out days shouldn't be offered. However it's better to do it now before the main season at a discounted price as opposed to closing the park to the general public for a day in the main season at the inconvenience of everyone else.
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Almost nobody pays full price most days at Alton Towers.

The proposition isn't 'pay a bit less and help us get ready'.
 
AT86 said:
I’m sorry but this is ludicrous. Tickets might not be ‘full price’ but that is irrelevant. The days are advertised as a full park hire and people hand over their cash on this basis. It is not advertised as ‘we are training our staff and running in the rides so things might be open, but then again they might not’ because of course they know people wouldn’t buy tickets, take time off work, travel 100s of miles and so on.

If they need run-in days then do it with staff and friends and family - for free. Don’t offer products that you can’t deliver.
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The ticket price is absolutely relevant. If guests were paying full whack for the experience they're getting today, I'd totally understand the frustration people on here are showing. The discount itself lends notion to the fact the park isn't fully operating. The issue however lies in the lack of communication with regards to this respect.

In an ideal world, the park would have informed the buy-out guests that as this is prior to the main season opening, they are unable to guarantee that full operational availability can be offered. However, as the park is ran by suits and bank figures, doing this would deter people from visiting. The notion of a 'free' staff family and friends day simply wouldn't work, as not only does this not give the correct volume of guests that a buy-out day does, it would also be done so at a tremendous loss and we all know that the park simply cannot do this anymore. That's common sense.


But as I said previously, these buy-out days should not be offered full stop. It really is a case of don't bother opening at all prior to opening day however and then impact guests who are paying full price; or offer discounted pricing on the basis they cannot guarantee a full line up. They simply do not have the budget or workforce to get the park turned around over the winter period like they used to.

My issue is that people on here are acting so surprised the park isn't ready yet; despite the fact this is the same circumstance year-on-year now. It's a tedious cycle of teething issues assaulted with "HOW DARE THEY NOT RUN FLAWLESSLY LIKE A DISNEY PARK ON DAY 1" mantra.

I'm sure guests visiting today will be given a free return visit. Granted hotel costs should be reimbursed with a discounted future stay, but we'll see.

WillPS said:
Almost nobody pays full price most days at Alton Towers.

The proposition isn't 'pay a bit less and help us get ready'.
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No, but people still pay more than what the buy-out day prices are. When the park was open for February Half-Term years ago, the prices were reflected in that.
 
The cost of an adult Blue Light service day ticket in 2018 and 2019 was £18.50 (not sure on this year's price).

That's not too dissimilar to the pricing of February Half Term park entry from years gone by; a skeletal line-up in comparison.
 
bluesonichd said:
but if you go on one of theses days before official opening, then you must expect some disruption and rides closed.
if you want everything open then go any other time of the year
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Why 'must' the general public expect that? Why should they be at all concerned with the maintenance schedules of a seasonal theme park?

Unless it's specifically stated (ala thrill weeks or Feb half term events in years gone by), they have every right to expect a theme park in a fully operational state, save for any break downs.
 
bluesonichd said:
but if you go on one of theses days before official opening, then you must expect some disruption and rides closed.
if you want everything open then go any other time of the year
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The only thing you should ‘expect’ is for the service that has been advertised should be delivered. Why give the park excuses to provide a poor guest experience?

Danny said:
The cost of an adult Blue Light service day ticket in 2018 and 2019 was £18.50 (not sure on this year's price).

That's not too dissimilar to the pricing of February Half Term park entry from years gone by; a skeletal line-up in comparison.
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So advertise it as a reduced line up for a reduced price then.
 
WillPS said:
Why 'must' the general public expect that? Why should they be at all concerned with the maintenance schedules of a seasonal theme park?

Unless it's specifically stated (ala thrill weeks or Feb half term events in years gone by), they have every right to expect a theme park in a fully operational state, save for any break downs.
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its not like they are just turning up off the street and expecting it all to be open, they know AT opens on the 21st March, this is a special day before the park opens, so yeah you get what you get
 
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