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2023: General Discussion
- Thread starter Craig
- Start date
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Dobba
TS Member
I'd been fairly lucky with the weather whilst visiting in recent years but yesterday certainly made up for that.
My biggest takeaway was the lack of covered seating options in the majority of the park. Yes weather like we had this week is rare enough that they gave it a name, but it seemed like 80% of people in the food outlets were just trying to get out of the rain.
My biggest takeaway was the lack of covered seating options in the majority of the park. Yes weather like we had this week is rare enough that they gave it a name, but it seemed like 80% of people in the food outlets were just trying to get out of the rain.
Skyscraper
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
Think my jaw just hit the floor.Ooft... no thanks. Photo from the MAP FB group.
That's insane!
Good practice for Nemmy's opening next year though
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Never seen it like that. Wonder if the full queue line is open on the left. Queues never used to be this bad prior to the RAP system being implemented, they really need to re-examine this. Was reading on the socials yesterday that some people have been able to get passes without providing any evidence
Blackhole_Sun
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
AT86
TS Member
Both John Burton and Bianca Sammut have been included in the Blooloop 50 theme park influencers of the year list for 2023.
From: https://x.com/blooloop/status/1720113972009959818?s=46&t=zG_i8R9vX93ZZU0RljfzWA
From: https://x.com/blooloop/status/1720123765990863131?s=46&t=zG_i8R9vX93ZZU0RljfzWA
From: https://x.com/blooloop/status/1720113972009959818?s=46&t=zG_i8R9vX93ZZU0RljfzWA
From: https://x.com/blooloop/status/1720123765990863131?s=46&t=zG_i8R9vX93ZZU0RljfzWA
Danscott22
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Smiler
Another season gone! This one really has flown by! Here’s to hoping 2024 will be better with Nemesis and Hex and Skyride back!
I'm gutted we've hit winter again. Time for me to find a winter hobby to make time pass quicker because last winter was depressing
Alexsniff7
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- ICON
don't wanna start an rap discussion here because there is a thread for it elsewhere but you have to give evidence now through nimbus since last year, you can't apply for it on the day anymore
Not sure if this is the place for general reviews of the year so admins please relocate if not.
Recently back in from fireworks and now seems a good a time as any to get some thoughts out.
TCOAM: A much needed retheme that feels like it has bedded in well. Still entertaining at the end of the season but must have the maintenance. It would be good to see further tweaks for next season to keep it fresh.
Events:
Scarefest - Boy does it need a major refresh and further capacity. It needs more free scare zones to try and spread the crowds, especially with an addition on the “valley” side of the park.
Fireworks - the muted lack of applause at the end of this years fireworks perhaps showed what people thought, songs not quite as good as previous years. A mish mash of ideas. And an awful pre-show entertainment (too quiet, bad songs and bad audio). Stick to the DJ. The fireworks themselves though were great as always and the projection screen welcome addition. Very “fantasmic” esque…
Xmas - Appreciate this is yet to happen, but what on paper appears a much slimmed down attraction feels a backward step. And highlights the lack of quality indoor rides in certain areas of the park.
Operations:
Queues - It feels an awful year for queues this year, with what feels like 1hr 30 - 2hr queues becoming the norm. As we all know, it’s a miserable experience for most of us as the queue lines aren’t the best places to be (uncovered, un entertaining, badly maintained)
Ops on rides just don’t seem interested in throughput, and the park is clearly struggling
Closures - Hex, Skyride need to reopen, and prolonged periods of downtime for other rides is woeful, especially given capacity issues.
Maintenance - No better news here, the state of the park appears to be regressing year on year outside of the new attraction, Galactica, Oblivion, Thirteen, Smiler are all in a terrible state, and there’s no excuses other than the money won’t be spent. The fences, theming, graffiti, lack of audio, queue line shops, buildings. And the gardening maintenance across the park is just as bad. Overgrown trees, hedges and bushes, and the actual gardens are in a real state. Yesterday I saw ride staff on spinball kicking a sensor “open” every 15 minutes in the brake run as it wouldn’t return to open and slow down the ride. Bonkers
RAP - It needs fixing, the queues aren’t set up for it. The attractions don’t have capacity for fast track, main queue and RAP and it’s just a miserable experience for everyone. It needs reigning in. The park didn’t look this way 15 years ago, and nor does any other park in Europe. It needs capping\curbing or both because it isn’t working, or fair for anyone involved.
Capacity - Perhaps the single biggest issue at the moment. The place desperately needs filler rides and high capacity rides to offset many of the other issues. Not just one or two. 6 to 8. Flat rides back in x sector, forbidden valley and dark forest. Smaller dark ride from Garmendale near Mutiny Bay. Flying theatre near the towers or towers street. Large POTCC type boat ride…anywhere. Reopen the 4D cinema, make dungeons free to use. It’s barely possible to get on all the rides on a busy day using fast track!…it needs major investment.
Other:
F&B - Alton Manor shop is a welcome addition. Elsewhere it’s awful. Only two places on park to not eat fast food, and that’s a stretch. Food trucks are not a long term fix. Get Towers Street family restaurant fully used. Get the Swiss Cottage open. Walliams world with nowhere for parents to sit and have a coffee?!
Photos - the new photo app/setup is good (at least I think it’s new)
Parking - Get the meadow with proper hard standing asap, no more parking on unlit grass fields.
Hotels - Post scarefest we walked into splash to get a drink and wait for the car park queues to die down, granted I may not be the chosen market for a half term visit but the place was like a hell scape. Screaming kids, messy tables, no seating and 10 deep at the bar. Needless to say we bought a £3.20! bottle of coke from the shop and left…”second to Disney”
Due to its history the place will always be great to visit. But there’s a long way to go and a lot of work to do just to get the basics right I’m afraid.
Recently back in from fireworks and now seems a good a time as any to get some thoughts out.
TCOAM: A much needed retheme that feels like it has bedded in well. Still entertaining at the end of the season but must have the maintenance. It would be good to see further tweaks for next season to keep it fresh.
Events:
Scarefest - Boy does it need a major refresh and further capacity. It needs more free scare zones to try and spread the crowds, especially with an addition on the “valley” side of the park.
Fireworks - the muted lack of applause at the end of this years fireworks perhaps showed what people thought, songs not quite as good as previous years. A mish mash of ideas. And an awful pre-show entertainment (too quiet, bad songs and bad audio). Stick to the DJ. The fireworks themselves though were great as always and the projection screen welcome addition. Very “fantasmic” esque…
Xmas - Appreciate this is yet to happen, but what on paper appears a much slimmed down attraction feels a backward step. And highlights the lack of quality indoor rides in certain areas of the park.
Operations:
Queues - It feels an awful year for queues this year, with what feels like 1hr 30 - 2hr queues becoming the norm. As we all know, it’s a miserable experience for most of us as the queue lines aren’t the best places to be (uncovered, un entertaining, badly maintained)
Ops on rides just don’t seem interested in throughput, and the park is clearly struggling
Closures - Hex, Skyride need to reopen, and prolonged periods of downtime for other rides is woeful, especially given capacity issues.
Maintenance - No better news here, the state of the park appears to be regressing year on year outside of the new attraction, Galactica, Oblivion, Thirteen, Smiler are all in a terrible state, and there’s no excuses other than the money won’t be spent. The fences, theming, graffiti, lack of audio, queue line shops, buildings. And the gardening maintenance across the park is just as bad. Overgrown trees, hedges and bushes, and the actual gardens are in a real state. Yesterday I saw ride staff on spinball kicking a sensor “open” every 15 minutes in the brake run as it wouldn’t return to open and slow down the ride. Bonkers
RAP - It needs fixing, the queues aren’t set up for it. The attractions don’t have capacity for fast track, main queue and RAP and it’s just a miserable experience for everyone. It needs reigning in. The park didn’t look this way 15 years ago, and nor does any other park in Europe. It needs capping\curbing or both because it isn’t working, or fair for anyone involved.
Capacity - Perhaps the single biggest issue at the moment. The place desperately needs filler rides and high capacity rides to offset many of the other issues. Not just one or two. 6 to 8. Flat rides back in x sector, forbidden valley and dark forest. Smaller dark ride from Garmendale near Mutiny Bay. Flying theatre near the towers or towers street. Large POTCC type boat ride…anywhere. Reopen the 4D cinema, make dungeons free to use. It’s barely possible to get on all the rides on a busy day using fast track!…it needs major investment.
Other:
F&B - Alton Manor shop is a welcome addition. Elsewhere it’s awful. Only two places on park to not eat fast food, and that’s a stretch. Food trucks are not a long term fix. Get Towers Street family restaurant fully used. Get the Swiss Cottage open. Walliams world with nowhere for parents to sit and have a coffee?!
Photos - the new photo app/setup is good (at least I think it’s new)
Parking - Get the meadow with proper hard standing asap, no more parking on unlit grass fields.
Hotels - Post scarefest we walked into splash to get a drink and wait for the car park queues to die down, granted I may not be the chosen market for a half term visit but the place was like a hell scape. Screaming kids, messy tables, no seating and 10 deep at the bar. Needless to say we bought a £3.20! bottle of coke from the shop and left…”second to Disney”
Due to its history the place will always be great to visit. But there’s a long way to go and a lot of work to do just to get the basics right I’m afraid.
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TroySmith1
TS Member
What’s happening with AT Facebook page recently, it’s looks like a 16 year old has taken control and it’s all over the place? The quality of the posts should be reconsidered for one of uk biggest theme parks, it looks abit messy and amateur since Halloween started.
AT86
TS Member
New social media manager took over a few months back and this seems to be their ‘style’.
RIPCorky
TS Member
I just had a quick look and to be honest can't see much wrong with it. It appeals greatly to this generation of internet users, little or no attention span, or ability to think or solve problems for themselves.
I saw a post once a women had turned up at the "resort" and her child had ear ache so she messaged AT on facebook asking if they sold calpol. That's what they're up against.
AT86
TS Member
You’ve lost me slightly. What’s the issue with this question?
RIPCorky
TS Member
If you're at McDonald's do you message them on the internet to see if they sell a certain burger?
No you do not. You walk up to the counter as ask. I hope this clears it up for you
AT86
TS Member
Fair enough, still can’t see the issue myself. It’s a big park with lots of potential ‘counters’ to walk up to with staff who often don’t have much clue stood behind them.
The park encourage people to use Facebook to ask questions, so it’s not an unreasonable approach really.
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