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2023: General Discussion

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They might have to think about “The Smiler Takeover” part of it as if it’s closed it’ll be taking the mick a little bit. “Let’s celebrate our world record holder that’s 10 years old, but oh whoops sorry you can’t ride it.”
 
Danny said:
Current Forest Holidays Retail/F&B Manager Samantha Edwards has been confirmed as the new Park Operations Director for Towers.
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Can someone give a run-down of all the position changes in the Senior Leadership Team for this season? I swear this is like the 4th or 5th position that's had a replacement.

Furthermore, considering previous issues at the park and change in management, I expected this season to be very temperamental. Hopefully the new management learn from the mishaps of this season and remedy a lot of the issues that have been bubbling since COVID.
 
FB_IMG_1681467954889.jpgNothing screams immersion like 80's retro squad music, smiler sound track, oblivion soundtrack and whatever music they'll be performing for festival of thrills all in the same area.

Picture source: The Alton towers news and discussion Facebook group.
 
I guess they haven’t had much choice but to put it there thought this year. I’m all for calling them out, but they had it in front of Enterprise’s entrance last year which is obviously not possible this year. I do agree that it’s probably going to sound horrific though.
 
Double post, but in the images where you can see the theming on the X Sector stage (despite being unfinished) it looks so tacky and doesn’t look like it has anything to do with The Smiler at all. The background reminds me of that patchwork elephant from those kids books and there’s a dog kennel with the name Fido? And what looks like the Galactica flight seats with “The Smiler takeover” banners on them. It really doesn’t look great 😬😬albeit its a work in progress
 
I’m visiting the park tomorrow. Only visit once a year so want to make the most of it. This is my plan of the order to do the rides:

• Arrive between 8.30-9.00. Did this last year and it was the best decision we made. Got on Nemesis, Galactica, Thirteen And Rita all in 45 mins.

1. Thirteen
2. Rita
3. Galactica
4. The Blade/Funk n’ Fly if less than 20 minute queue
5. The Curse At Alton Manor
6. Runaway Mine Train
7. Congo River Rapids
8. Wicker Man if queue is less than an hour, if not return at the end of the day
9. Spinball if it’s open which i doubt very much
10. Oblivion
11. The Smiler
12. Spinjam/Twistatron if less than a 30 minute queue
13. If there’s some time left, Gangsta Granny, Hex (if it’s open which again i doubt very much), and the rides in mutiny bay.
14. Re-Rides if time

Is there anything you would change about this.

I will share any park updates if i spot anything that has gone unnoticed.
 
I'd probably go:

Smiler
Oblivion
Rita
13 (then exit via the bottom path from Dark Forest)
Wicker Man (queue dependant)
Rapids
Mine Train
Alty Mans
Galactica
Other FV stuff
Alty Mans
Wicker Man (Queue Dependant)
Mutiny Bay
Spinball if you're lucky
Star Fighter/Air Raid or whatever they're called in X Sector
Gangsta Granny
Hex if you're lucky
Wicker Man

No Skyride as of yet so Forest to Valley is either the death march or you're walking past a load of rides.
 
The theme of TowersStreet's social media post today paint a scarily tragic state of affairs:

1. Monorail - Closed.
2. Thirteen - Closed.
3. Rita - Closed.
4. Thirteen - Good ops.
5. F&B - £1.75 for a packet of crisps.
6. Galactica - Longest European coaster wait time.
7. Skyride - Closed.
8. Hex - Closed.
9. Rita - Still closed.
10. Gangsta Granny - Closed.
11. Spinball - Closed.

Edit: 12. Wicker Man temporarily closed.
 
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My typical day trip to Towers over the last few years (there are outliers like The Curse opening day and if I'm staying overnight locally etc):

- Turn up early or ridiculously early simply to avoid road traffic and entrance plaza queues.
- Walk down to Wicker Man and end up near the front of the queue, then wonder why I bothered when I'll be standing around for nearly an hour anyway.
- Probably eat a sandwich or something from my packed lunch whilst waiting (whilst running away from wasps in the summer and appearing to be deranged).
- Take a couple of pictures of something around the entrance or queueline that I've not noticed before, but probably isn't that interesting.
- Stand at the front of the preshow area next to the doors for the previously mentioned ride having only around 4% interest in the whole affair.
- Really enjoy my ride on Wicker Man (I really do enjoy it every time, it's just good fun).
- Exit the ride and try to gather my thoughts and understand why I actually turned up this time, yet again.
- Go and ride some more rides whilst it's still early and the queues aren't too mad (usually the couple in Dark Forest and then Nemesis or Smiler and Oblivion).
- Not long after realise that the queues have grown so I give up on riding for the rest of the day.
- Go and do some video recording or taking of photo's that I'd pre-planned to do before the visit (remembering that that's basically why I was there in the first place, really).
- Eat some food in the gardens, usually on the bench near the middle of the Grand Conservatories or on the bench behind the Choragic Monument which overlooks the gardens.
- Take some photo's in the gardens if it looks like anything has materially changed since the last visit
- Go and see if the Towers ruins are open in any meaningful way. They're usually not.
- All of this has been punctuated by several toilet visits, obviously.
- Decide to beat the traffic home and leave by around 1.30pm
- Get home and have another wee.

Other experiences are available for certain events or if anything of any particular interest is happening :)
 
Well after all the mess that I'm hearing Towers and all the Merlin parks are in...kinda glad I've decided not to go this year with only a first trip to Flamingo Land in July coming and maybe the trip to PBB too. Emotions will be running high and there will be much finger pointing at who is to blame and no doubt there are many that are too many to mention I feel.

Hate to say this but Merlin need to go full on Beeching cuts style for management as it seems there is much rot and deadwood at the top who must carry the can for this but those at the top will not want to lose their positions even if the product they are looking over is currently more bent than a three pound note.
 
Towers may be in a state but it is lightyears clear of Flamingo Land.

This is several years of poor management coming to a head.
 
QTXAdsy said:
Well after all the mess that I'm hearing Towers and all the Merlin parks are in...kinda glad I've decided not to go this year with only a first trip to Flamingo Land in July coming and maybe the trip to PBB too. Emotions will be running high and there will be much finger pointing at who is to blame and no doubt there are many that are too many to mention I feel.

Hate to say this but Merlin need to go full on Beeching cuts style for management as it seems there is much rot and deadwood at the top who must carry the can for this but those at the top will not want to lose their positions even if the product they are looking over is currently more bent than a three pound note.
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They have just put in new management at Towers. They have a new divisional director and hotel director.
 
Dave said:
They have just put in new management at Towers. They have a new divisional director and hotel director.
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I see, can't be sure to lay the current problems at them as they're just in the door or the previous management for the many poor years if service that have finally come to the surface here?
 
The talk of beer has reminded me. On my last visit at the end of March I had the Oblivion beer in Ma Garrita's bar. The barman said they're no longer going to be stocking the Nemesis and Oblivion ales and "once they've gone they've gone". Whether that is true or not, we'll see... but it'll be a shame to lose even more choice
 
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Alsty said:
The talk of beer has reminded me. On my last visit at the end of March I had the Oblivion beer in Ma Garrita's bar. The barman said they're no longer going to be stocking the Nemesis and Oblivion ales and "once they've gone they've gone". Whether that is true or not, we'll see... but it'll be a shame to lose even more choice
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I’m assuming Aramark doesn’t want to set up a contract with Peakstones Brewery.
 
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