Or don't knowing merlin!
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2021: General Discussion
- Thread starter Skyscraper
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MakoMania
TS Member
That’s the thing though. You can’t take a ride down every month in a year round park. You’ll end up having no time when the park is able to be fully open to deal with high capacity seasons at easter, summer, and halloween etc. You can maybe get away with taking two or three rides down for extended maintenance each year and then the rest have to be worked on overnight between each park closure and opening. If you had a monthly closure for each ride you’d never have a full park open.
Take Montu for example, excluding the covid park closure the ride has not been taken out of service since 2016 and operates 365 days per year. I drive past the park at 2/3am sometimes and it is not uncommon to see maintenance working on the ride, welding track, doing testing of trains that have just been reassembled and are being brought back into guest service etc. This not only requires massive manpower, but a massive maintenance budget and unorthodox working hours. Not sure towers would be willing to pay for any of this. Nemesis can’t even operate daily throughout a limited season.
Rick
TS Member
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- Crux
The former is a help rather than a hindrance. If certain rides can't operate in certain months, that's when you do your maintenance on them. Year round parks typically choose to do their water ride/park maintenance during the colder months.
On the latter, I think there's some truth in that, but if you're seeking to operate a longer or year round season, you select appropriate rides for this purpose.
As much as I’d love to see year round opening, I do wonder if it would be financially worth it for them to have the entire workforce on the payroll all year?
During the normal season there are several weeks where it’s extremely quiet, and I wonder if they even break even on some days as it is.
like I said though - would love to have it open all year. As long as all the rides are open during the summer and during events.
During the normal season there are several weeks where it’s extremely quiet, and I wonder if they even break even on some days as it is.
like I said though - would love to have it open all year. As long as all the rides are open during the summer and during events.
Yes that's a major factor working against it and something that I feel could stop something like this dead in its tracks. I'm just not sure it makes financial sense for them to open all year round.
That's a good point however most of the rides in the park cannot operate in the colder weather so that means most of the rides would be down in January or February and so there'd only be a few rides open making it not really worth them opening at all.
I think an all-round year opening could work however during some winter months rides would have to be closed and the gardens and Towers ruins be the focus of these months. This would allow it to be financially viable and sensible for maintenance too. After all the towers and gardens still have to be maintained year round regardless of if anyone's visiting them.
Rick
TS Member
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- Crux
The challenge is to find a way to get people to come more if you open more. A number of US parks have seen them extend seasons but keep fairly flat attendance, which is not ideal. It's a bit of a long game though ...
They're not that far off year round now, especially if they were to bring back February half term and keep the Christmas event for future years.
They're not that far off year round now, especially if they were to bring back February half term and keep the Christmas event for future years.
Yes that's very true although not all the rides are open during these events. It still gives them time to the the essential maintenance on the big coasters. Also because they are particular events with a particular focus and marketing strategy they work. I'm not sure just a flat out full year opening would have that appeal of what are sort of advised as exclusive events.
Rick
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- Crux
Yes I'm well aware and I don't believe rumours like this ever. I certainly don't believe this one and I think it's unlikely for the foreseeable future. I was merely discussing the possibility and the practicality as I believe you were.
Danscott22
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- The Smiler
I know the vlog you're referring to - it was a staff member at Enterprise. Not sure how reliable it would be.
Skyscraper
TS Member
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- Nemesis
Anything like that should be taken with a pinch of salt unless it's officially confirmed by reliable sources or the park themselves.
AT86
TS Member
Wayne Burton did an interview a few years back where he did state that the plan is that they will move to 365 day operation in the future. Whether this is still the plan though I don’t know. But it gives the theory a little more weight than just ‘the guy from Enterprise’ said so.
Skyscraper
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- Nemesis
It's possible that "the guy from Enterprise" was referencing that interview.
Rick
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Crux
Or that he had spoken to someone who works in the hotel shop at lunch.
jon81uk
TS Member
like a giant hamster wheel?
Rick
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I think this might stem from this interview Wayne Burton did with Kip Hakes.
Do you see a time when there will be no rides or attractions SNBO (standing but not operating) or is it something the public will have to get used to?
I would like to think that in the next 4-5 years we will be in a place where we can be a 365 resort, like other resorts in the world, with planned maintenance. We could be open from January 5th but maybe something would be shut for a month and you could rotate that throughout the year.
We have some rides shut at the moment, some for some TLC and some for more than TLC with a long-term aim, I can’t say much more, so watch this space.
Do you see a time when there will be no rides or attractions SNBO (standing but not operating) or is it something the public will have to get used to?
I would like to think that in the next 4-5 years we will be in a place where we can be a 365 resort, like other resorts in the world, with planned maintenance. We could be open from January 5th but maybe something would be shut for a month and you could rotate that throughout the year.
We have some rides shut at the moment, some for some TLC and some for more than TLC with a long-term aim, I can’t say much more, so watch this space.
You can also invest in existing rides to increase their operating condition range.
It's really interesting that they have a long term plan to open year round. I didn't know they had long term plans.
Joking aside though, I’d be surprised if they opened year round. I can see advantages in terms of staff retention and hotel occupancy, but there are a lot of disadvantages. Every day the park’s operating there are a lot of overheads in terms of staff, electricity, wear on the rides etc. Even if they have most of the food units closed, minimal staffing, some rides closed for maintenance etc, that’s a big expense. Would they get enough visitors to make it worth it?
Joking aside though, I’d be surprised if they opened year round. I can see advantages in terms of staff retention and hotel occupancy, but there are a lot of disadvantages. Every day the park’s operating there are a lot of overheads in terms of staff, electricity, wear on the rides etc. Even if they have most of the food units closed, minimal staffing, some rides closed for maintenance etc, that’s a big expense. Would they get enough visitors to make it worth it?
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