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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. - Thread starter Danny
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2020: General Discussion
I disagree, in law under the consumer act, something must be as described, it doesn't matter if you get something in the sale or at a reduce price, it must still be as advertised. If I bought a shirt in the sale and it has a small hole in it, I'm entitled to my money back.
Alton do have a get out of jail card as in their terms and conditions, they have the right to close any ride due to poor weather or unforeseen circumstances. However this is forgivable for the odd ride or two down for an hour or two, but not to have many of the main headline rides closed due to the fact that they are simply not ready, is very poor service for a company that claims to be only second to Disney.
Danny
TS Contributor
Enthusiasts expecting the park to be fully operational at this time of year based on previous experience is equally frustrating.
Danny
TS Contributor
As I'm fully aware of the consumer act, I totally agree it should be advertised, as I've already stated in my posts.
There is no get out clause in this for them.
My initial point is conceptualised by enthusiasts knowing full well the park is never fully ready at this time of year, yet seemingly disregard this.
It's exactly the same as the people who go to Pleasure Beach for the first weekend in February, yet are the first to kick off when something is immediately out place. It's virtually a year-on-year guarantee that not everything is going to run smoothly on day dot. Whilst I feel for the genuine paying guests who aren't necessarily aware of this, it's beyond tiring seeing geeks lambaste a park for not being able to run before it can walk at the start of a season.
AT86
TS Member
It doesn’t mean that things should stay the same year on year on year. People shouldn’t just sit back and be of the mindset that because it’s always been like that it should be accepted as being good enough.
It’s not good enough and should be called out as such.
ReneBlade Master
TS Member
Their main get out clause is that you pay to enter the park, and the rides are free. Your money is to pass the turnstiles not to go on the rides.
It’s a shaft, but that’s how it is
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MellowPasta
TS Member
Roll on my first trip on Monday 6th April, as long as I get some rides on Nemesis and the new Nemesis mug I’ll be happy as a pig in **** 
Isn't this about 'people' (not enthusiasts) complaining on Twitter? Kind of changing the argument somewhat don't you think...
Danny
TS Contributor
My initial post was aimed at those who know full well what to brace for when a park opens its gates before the main season begins. I don't expect guests / general public to understand that; rightfully so. But for enthusiasts to lambaste them (and I'm not just defending Towers here, it's the same for every park of a similar calbire across the globe) when they know exactly what to expect is a different story.
I'll return to my usual tirade of justifiably criticising the park in the season when everything has bedded in. At this point however, knowing that there new and old staff members alike trying to work around a poor maintenance schedule and still settling in, I'm happy to give them the benefit of the doubt (providing the guests who are ultimately having a crap day are given returns for their troubles).
bluesonichd
TS Member
well from first hand experience of how they teat VIPs ... being treated as second class customers seams like a luxury
ben199
TS Member
Merlin do friends and family days, I was at the Chessington one today. I had free tickets on the basis that I was a Guinea pig for the day and it was great. Tomb Blaster was shut all day and there was a fair bit of downtime but no one minded because we weren't paying and the day hadn't been advertised as a normal day. In fact the operations and availability were better than I experienced at Towers yesterday. Basically I don't buy how people are defending Towers because yesterday was the first day of it operating for paying guests so the park should have been ready.
Looking at Ride Times today it's even more of a mess. At least Smiler was open for two hours yesterday, having the two headliner rides shut all day is poor.
Looking at Ride Times today it's even more of a mess. At least Smiler was open for two hours yesterday, having the two headliner rides shut all day is poor.
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Rick
TS Member
There is an inherent risk in choosing to hold a corporate day so early in the season. You can argue that the park should be 'ready' and one of these days should operate as smoothly a standard open day in the summer, but realistically the corporate customer is aware that there can be problems. Worth noting many of them come back year after year and book the same weekends.
Guest volume typically means that the effect of poor attraction availability is lessened.
Glad to see the entitled enhanced annual pass nonsense continues even after the thing was binned.
AstroDan
TS Team
As far as I am aware, several rides/attractions were always planned to be unavailable this (and next) weekend. This is the case every year.
Selfishly, i quite like the fact that by the time the park *actually* opens, most of these problems have been ironed out. In reality, it is regrettable. Really, it's too early for the park to be opening and they should sack it off. Just do one week in advance.
The season still has not begun. It starts on March 21st.
Selfishly, i quite like the fact that by the time the park *actually* opens, most of these problems have been ironed out. In reality, it is regrettable. Really, it's too early for the park to be opening and they should sack it off. Just do one week in advance.
The season still has not begun. It starts on March 21st.
I'm assuming Rita will be back on 2 trains by the start of the season
AstroDan
TS Team
Alton Towers *never* run Rita on 1 train unless there is a mechanical fault.
IanB
TS Member
The only disappointment from Sunday was that the Wickerman was not available(I have not ridden it yet, and was looking forward to riding it with Annabelle for the first time), but I am glad I found this out on Saturday rather than when arriving on park. I was prepared for the teething problems with the rides because it is the first weekend of operations, and by the afternoon, everything that was open was working and the queues had evened out.
I can not remember what time exactly, but around midday, the Alton Towers App provided a notification saying that if you return any day during the year (Except Scarefest and Fireworks) you can return for free and when we left at 5ish, there was no queue at guest services.
We had a great day, Annabelle going on Th13teen for the first time was really good. She loved it that much, she ended up going on it three times. The only other ride she went on three times was Heave Ho. Daisy went on her first big roller coaster, Run Away Mine train, which she really enjoyed. They both enjoyed the Rapids, and laughed when they got wet from the waves.
Daisy enjoyed CBeebies land, and while some rides have had a lick of paint of the winter season, when you compare the attractions to those at other parks, I cant help but feel that Cbeebies does not get the love that others do. Some of the animatronics were not working on the rides, and I doubt these will be resolved over the next few weeks. Annabelle is starting to get to old for CBeebies now, but hopefully David Williams land will fill this gap nicely, and the 1.2M roller coasters.
The only big ride we did was Oblivion, and Annabelle and Daisy passed the time watching the trains drop in to the hole. So overall we had a great day, I think we got great value for money, and are looking forward to returning some point in the year thanks to Towers being proactive with offering the chance to return for free later in the year.
I can not remember what time exactly, but around midday, the Alton Towers App provided a notification saying that if you return any day during the year (Except Scarefest and Fireworks) you can return for free and when we left at 5ish, there was no queue at guest services.
We had a great day, Annabelle going on Th13teen for the first time was really good. She loved it that much, she ended up going on it three times. The only other ride she went on three times was Heave Ho. Daisy went on her first big roller coaster, Run Away Mine train, which she really enjoyed. They both enjoyed the Rapids, and laughed when they got wet from the waves.
Daisy enjoyed CBeebies land, and while some rides have had a lick of paint of the winter season, when you compare the attractions to those at other parks, I cant help but feel that Cbeebies does not get the love that others do. Some of the animatronics were not working on the rides, and I doubt these will be resolved over the next few weeks. Annabelle is starting to get to old for CBeebies now, but hopefully David Williams land will fill this gap nicely, and the 1.2M roller coasters.
The only big ride we did was Oblivion, and Annabelle and Daisy passed the time watching the trains drop in to the hole. So overall we had a great day, I think we got great value for money, and are looking forward to returning some point in the year thanks to Towers being proactive with offering the chance to return for free later in the year.
