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2021: General Discussion

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tayspru said:
It’s clear that the row thing isn’t a legal requirement either now that other parks aren’t bothering, so I’m genuinely wondering why the park didn’t pull the trigger in anticipation of the very busy half term ?
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It may surprise some, but social distancing has never been a law like the "rule of 6" has - it's always been government guidance. In terms of Alton Towers, like all businesses there has been a set of guidelines published for each sector on what can be done to mitigate the risks from Covid-19 transmission when operating. However, that doesn't mean it's a free-for-all to do what they like and ignore that guidance. All businesses have a legal requirement to provide a safe environment for both customers and employees, so the guidance is used by the HSE and local Environmental Health teams to enforce that requirement and assess whether a business is safely operating.

The differences you see with Blackpool and say Alton Towers is not because of a change in the law, it could be for one or a combination of the following:
  • A difference in how strict the local Environmental Health teams are in their interpretation of the guidelines.
  • The business's insurer interprets those guidelines differently and therefore enforces them as a requirement of cover to reduce risk.
  • The business themselves interpret the guidelines differently.
  • The business has made a conscious decision to keep the rows free to increase guest comfort for those who are still anxious over visiting.
 
Craig said:
It may surprise some, but social distancing has never been a law like the "rule of 6" has - it's always been government guidance. In terms of Alton Towers, like all businesses there has been a set of guidelines published for each sector on what can be done to mitigate the risks from Covid-19 transmission when operating. However, that doesn't mean it's a free-for-all to do what they like and ignore that guidance. All businesses have a legal requirement to provide a safe environment for both customers and employees, so the guidance is used by the HSE and local Environmental Health teams to enforce that requirement and assess whether a business is safely operating.

The differences you see with Blackpool and say Alton Towers is not because of a change in the law, it could be for one or a combination of the following:
  • A difference in how strict the local Environmental Health teams are in their interpretation of the guidelines.
  • The business's insurer interprets those guidelines differently and therefore enforces them as a requirement of cover to reduce risk.
  • The business themselves interpret the guidelines differently.
  • The business has made a conscious decision to keep the rows free to increase guest comfort for those who are still anxious over visiting.
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To your last point, I think the anxiety is coming firmly from the crowded queues and paths , not the less than 5% of someone’s day actually experiencing an attraction.

Are theme parks just less covid-y in the north and specifically on Blackpool’s coaster trains? I think we know the answer to that - common sense would be a fine thing ...
 
tayspru said:
To your last point, I think the anxiety is coming firmly from the crowded queues and paths , not the less than 5% of someone’s day actually experiencing an attraction.
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The thing is there are rules in place for queues (chevrons, announcements, closing them when hitting capacity) and on paths too (one way systems around Katanga/Dark Forest and X Sector. They're harder to enforce of course, but in general they do the best they can under the circumstances. You've also got the temp checks, which have largely been determined to be pretty pointless as time has gone on, but are still in place for additional assurance.

But sitll, the consideration of a guest's anxiety of visiting forms only one of the points I'm making. There's still the thoughts of the insurers, Towers management, Merlin's management, the HSE and Environmental Health views which form the reasons why we have the ride restrictions that we do.
 
This park builds fences in front of everything decorated with "Danger of Death" signs, feels the need to practically hold your hand during the everyday occurrence of boarding a train and turned off the water features on a water ride in case someone gets wet. They were never going to load trains to capacity before 21st June.

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The biggest factor in a lot of those things probably are the insurers. They would be the ones “scared” of litigious guests when they climb rocks and fall or do something else that causes injury.
 
I once spoke to a friend who's parents owned a restaurant. As a restaurant order you are bonded to very heavy Public health acts. Every year someone comes round from the council and marks them out of 5. Nobody marks the general public in the same way.

I was on the park Thursday. Usually, because I have no offspring. I avoid the school holidays like the plague. (Or a covid as it will in future be known.) What I saw from the general public shocked me. Do I blame the towers. No. Literally doing a very good job in awful conditions. If thousands of people are ignoring the systems in place. You are literally powerless to do anything about it. One lass tasked with stopping people going towards Kantanga canyon from duel using one path. Even then the abuse and anger she was getting was just not on.

The public as a whole are proper gang of scruffs. The amount of people not washing their hands after a slash...........Staggering.

The queue line is a interesting thing. In the smiler line as a example. You can keep a chevron apart to the ground in front and behind all the way round. As the queue snakes round like it does, you are literally stood next to someone in the adjoining cage. In thirteen I noticed towards the station they have placed a barrier up between riff raff queue and FastTrack. That's the only real protection you have. Even then, I think it rue to stop us seeing what a lurvely time the fastrackers are having.

I understand the concerns. It was my first time away from anywhere that is not work or a shop and its shock to the system. The concerns are down to people behaviour not the businesses.
 
Matt.GC said:
Oh dear lord where is all this nonsense going!?

I would rather sit next to @Rick on his park bench and be severely beaten by hoodlums with cricket bats whilst being forced to watch an entire episode of Love Island than ride Colossus. However some on here love it. That's fine.

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Coming back after being gone for a couple days and reading through all the drama it would appear my most controversial opinion is enjoying Love Island
 
Heidi said:
Coming back after being gone for a couple days and reading through all the drama it would appear my most controversial opinion is enjoying Love Island
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Please leave this forum immediately. Mods - please revoke Heidi's login. :D:D:p

If this forum software is capable of blanking out swear words, can we add Love Island to the list of banned words? Or get it to auto correct it to The Smiler each time?! :D:D
 
Anyone know if there are any plans to reopen Tree Top Quest this year?

In 2019 it was opened for the summer holiday period. With the parks and hotels being in high demand this year will they open it up to help spread guests about more?
 
AT86 said:
Anyone know if there are any plans to reopen Tree Top Quest this year?

In 2019 it was opened for the summer holiday period. With the parks and hotels being in high demand this year will they open it up to help spread guests about more?
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I guess that hangs on a few things:
  • Whether they want to fork out the money to recommission it
  • If they choose to outsource its operation again, and most importantly whether an operator is willing to do that
  • What impact Covid restrictions will have on the operation/profitability of the attractions
My gut feeling is they'll leave it closed this year, especially as they've already missed out on a fairly big chunk of the season. Maybe they'll try for next year when things have hopefully improved.
 
I think in 2019 it was outsourced (or staffed by) In2Action who run all sorts of outdoor activities including kids clubs in hotels in Spain etc. They may well be short of business this year if the amber list doesn’t change much so any extra business for them would probably be welcome!
 
Craig said:
I guess that hangs on a few things:
  • Whether they want to fork out the money to recommission it
  • If they choose to outsource its operation again, and most importantly whether an operator is willing to do that
  • What impact Covid restrictions will have on the operation/profitability of the attractions
My gut feeling is they'll leave it closed this year, especially as they've already missed out on a fairly big chunk of the season. Maybe they'll try for next year when things have hopefully improved.
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We went to Go Ape last August and they are operating fairly normally really, you weren't meant to get on the same platform as another household (normally three people on each platform) but otherwise there wasn't many extra Covid rules.
At this point I am surprise AT didn't just contract it out to Go Ape (as they already operate at Chessington), but then Tree Top Quest looks quite small/short so maybe they aren't interested?
 
jon81uk said:
At this point I am surprise AT didn't just contract it out to Go Ape (as they already operate at Chessington), but then Tree Top Quest looks quite small/short so maybe they aren't interested?
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There was an outsourced operator for 2019 (I can't recall the name) who operated it from July to September. I'd agree that Towers is probably a little too small for GoApe to slap their name onto it though. From memory, I believe the opening hours were shortened in 2019 too as take-up was lower than expected - that'd likely put off the previous operator returning too, especially after the struggles of the past 14/15 months!
 
Doesn’t Chessington have a very similar high ropes course operated by GoApe, though? Or am I misremembering that?
 
Well the reviews are on trip advisor from the past week from people who went to towers…. And they are not good at all. Most complaining how busy it was
 
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