• ℹ️ Heads up...

    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.

2024: General Discussion

Went in for Octoberfest today. Impressed with the setup on the lawn. Other than the 2 odd game stalls looked out of place and not really needed.

I believe it was originally 4pm today (dead off-peak today). Was extended till 5pm. Not moaning, but considering the cuts this year.

Both Rita and Thirteen were both working in the morning, which was a miracle.

I was thinking about staggered openings, even though that goes down like a bucket of cold sick. Towers is massive and on an off peak dead day, why open everything at 10am? No one is in David Walliams, Dark Forest is dead. Why not do 10am - 5pm on off peaks, and open Dark Forest about 11 or 12, close cbeebies 4pm. The general public would hardly notice, as they don't reach these parts till the afternoon. More people would be willing to watch shows, eat more prison food and feel they have had a better day.

And can they PLEASE sort Galactica, what a sorry state that's in. Why are those random wires still dangling from that shelter from Air in the extended queue line! We are famously 2nd to Disney, come on!
 
I also think the controversy around staggered openings is overblown. Another example would be the Fanta sponsorship on Oblivion. Both are not at all welcome, but let's be realistic about where he park is currently.

In eras when they intentionally didn't open much of the park until gone 11am and whacked soft drinks sponsorship all over one of their rollercoasters, they still actually had some other rides available to enjoy (and actually had the staff to fix them when they broke down), they opened beyond 4pm, you could get from one end of the park to the other on the Skyride, fast food was edible for a fraction of the price it is now, there was a functioning spa waiting for you when you returned to your accommodation, and the monorail was fit for purpose. They even measured your kids at ride entrances before you queued up, theming didn't consist of shipping containers and fences, and there was an included family boat ride rather than an upcharge horror attraction slap bang in the middle of the park's main family area.

Standards have dropped so low now, that both issues would now be quite low on my list of priorities. You're lucky if what remains of the dwindling line up of aging hardware opens at all on your visits nowadays.

I'd settle for the opressive Alcatraz watch towers of the Rapids, and visual feast that is the flaking paint of Walliams World to be manned a little later, with the Smiler being plastered in Frijj milkshake Banana flavour stickers over what we have now.
 
Ben Anderson said:
...
I was thinking about staggered openings, even though that goes down like a bucket of cold sick. Towers is massive and on an off peak dead day, why open everything at 10am? No one is in David Walliams, Dark Forest is dead...
Click to expand...
Dark Forest used to be quite busy early on, but manageable... a good area to go to first to avoid the crappy queueline pens.
Perhaps the reason it is now often dead early on is precisely because of the shoddy operations...tardy opening means less people in the area, as they get to realise the poor availability in the area at the start of the day.

I would say the area is very quiet at the outset because operations have become so poor.
The operating day is now so short, everything should be open from the start, to spread the guests around the park , not having them shuffle round the open areas in a pack, looking for something that is actually open.
 
Only been to the park twice this year, both times started in the Dark Forest, both times Rita opened up before 10am and Thirteen by about ten past. In my experience over the last couple of years starting at Wicker-Man or in X Sector has always been way more unreliable - but appreciate everyone will have their own experiences.

But I guess in summary that whilst certain rides/areas may have a reputation, really it’s a complete lottery what will and won’t open on time, and that’s just not good enough.
 
The woman ride op on Nemesis first thing this morning needs a lesson in customer service. We followed some people into the nemesis queue before 10 this morning. The staff member that had been at the entrance had left and the gates were wide open. When the ride opened at 10 the op made an announcement shouting at us all for opening the gates. They were wide open…
 
rob666 said:
Dark Forest used to be quite busy early on, but manageable... a good area to go to first to avoid the crappy queueline pens.
Perhaps the reason it is now often dead early on is precisely because of the shoddy operations...tardy opening means less people in the area, as they get to realise the poor availability in the area at the start of the day.

I would say the area is very quiet at the outset because operations have become so poor.
The operating day is now so short, everything should be open from the start, to spread the guests around the park , not having them shuffle round the open areas in a pack, looking for something that is actually open.
Click to expand...
Yes on peak days everything should open at 10. I don't see the point on dead off peak days when queues are max 15min. If it's busier then expected, get thr staff in for those days and guests will be happy with the surprise.

The money could be better spent elsewhere than making sure it all opens at 10..
 
lozzyhickers said:
The woman ride op on Nemesis first thing this morning needs a lesson in customer service. We followed some people into the nemesis queue before 10 this morning. The staff member that had been at the entrance had left and the gates were wide open. When the ride opened at 10 the op made an announcement shouting at us all for opening the gates. They were wide open…
Click to expand...
They are in character, mardy Phalanx operatives. Excellent acting.

Their favourite line is “there’s no front row queue, fill all the bays”
 
Lewis232 said:
Last minute visit today due to an unscheduled day off. So quiet, every ride was pretty much walk on. Still no bike parking at Towers but the corkscrew is probably the best looking cycle parking I've ever used 1000015384.jpg
Click to expand...
I reckon you should have been charged for express bike parking. But don't worry, as an annual pass holder, you may have 50% off the gate price bike express parking (not online price).
 
Had a very enjoyable day at towers today, queues weren’t too bad and made the most of the new single rider lines.

It’s nice to see wicker man signs replaced as you come out the station.

The trommel in curse and the second lifts weren’t working in subterra which was a shame.

Really hoping the sky ride makes its return next season, my feet are very sore
 
deathproof69 said:
Had a very enjoyable day at towers today, queues weren’t too bad and made the most of the new single rider lines.

It’s nice to see wicker man signs replaced as you come out the station.

The trommel in curse and the second lifts weren’t working in subterra which was a shame.

Really hoping the sky ride makes its return next season, my feet are very sore
Click to expand...
What Wicker man signs have been replaced?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top