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2024: General Discussion

One of the big problems with Alton Towers is the overheads of maintaining and running such a large estate, along with all the planning issues that go with it.

It's not really an attractive proposition from a business perspective, which is why I think it would be difficult to find a buyer if they did decide to sell; especially with the land not being owned by the park.

I get the feeling it's become something of an unwanted necessity for Merlin as large amounts of people probably purchase MAPs because of AT's inclusion.
 
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We keep accepting that the maintenance of the Resort is hideously expensive, relative to its income, but I’m really not convinced. I’m sure they spend a sizeable amount on maintenance, but I’m far from convinced that it’s unaffordable relative to the income generated.

Let’s face it, they don’t actually maintain what they should. The toilets haven’t been refurbished in decades, the maintenance of the gardens is appalling, they infrequently repaint anything, the Towers are left to rot outside of the capex works they do to satisfy planning conditions. They can’t even clean the monorail cars.

The maintenance budget must be the bare minimum.
 
venny said:
The toilets haven’t been refurbished in decades
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They have actually. All the toilet doors and cubicle fixtures were new compared to my last visit. The Mutiny Bay toilets have been stripped back and had all new fittings and cubicles in the Towers Loving Care project about 6-8 years ago. Other than the poor design with not enough hand dryers I thought they all seemed fine on my recent visit. Certainly an adequate level of maintenance and presentation given the semi-outdoor locations. So the big project stuff like new cubicles is being done.

Its the ongoing stuff like employing enough gardeners that is the issue.
 
Unsure as if I was correct to make this thread just yet so feel free to change, but thought it right to post this in here as it’s relevant to next season!

Alton towers have announced the first event of the full season. Alton after dark is back on more dates than last year. Hopefully will give more the chance to experience some early season night rides. 8PM closes have been advertised.


From: https://x.com/altontowers/status/1866484320732627108?s=46
 
Midweek closures but additional layer hours. I imagine it would work out to be slightly less than usual for opening weeks, but since the midweek days would be 4pm
Closes no real losses really. Works similar to scarefest. Less overall weeks of scarefest but condensed and extended hours on the peak days.
 
I’ve merged the newly created 2025 discussion topic with the 2024 topic. We only have one ”General Discussion“ topic running at a time until the Christmas season is over. This is because people can be on park this season and see updates for things going on for next year while visiting the park, so it ends up with duplicate discussion across two topics.

The team will make a new 2025 discussion topic summarising things and lock this one around January :).
 
AltonLover123 said:
Midweek closures but additional layer hours. I imagine it would work out to be slightly less than usual for opening weeks, but since the midweek days would be 4pm
Closes no real losses really. Works similar to scarefest. Less overall weeks of scarefest but condensed and extended hours on the peak days.
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When are the midweek closures, I haven’t been watching closely but up to now they have just converted the two buy out weekends into standard weekends and open fully around the time they usually would haven’t they? Unless others have been announced?
 
Dave said:
When are the midweek closures, I haven’t been watching closely but up to now they have just converted the two buy out weekends into standard weekends and open fully around the time they usually would haven’t they? Unless others have been announced?
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The opening dates and hours for the first few months of the season are now up.

The midweek close dates are more to do with the way Easter falls than anything else. With it being so late next year if the usual pattern of opening a couple of weeks before Easter hits had been kept then opening weekend wouldn’t be until 28th ish.

If anything the Alton After Dark event gives them good cause to extend the season over what it might have been.

www.altontowers.com

Opening Times - Theme Park & Waterpark | Alton Towers Resort

Our Theme Park and Waterpark Opening Times vary throughout the year to it's best to plan ahead. Use our calendar to check what time Alton Towers opens.
www.altontowers.com www.altontowers.com
 
AT86 said:
The opening dates and hours for the first few months of the season are now up.

The midweek close dates are more to do with the way Easter falls than anything else. With it being so late next year if the usual pattern of opening a couple of weeks before Easter hits had been kept then opening weekend wouldn’t be until 28th ish.

If anything the Alton After Dark event gives them good cause to extend the season over what it might have been.

www.altontowers.com

Opening Times - Theme Park & Waterpark | Alton Towers Resort

Our Theme Park and Waterpark Opening Times vary throughout the year to it's best to plan ahead. Use our calendar to check what time Alton Towers opens.
www.altontowers.com www.altontowers.com
Click to expand...

Yes that’s my point, I would argue those are not “closed days” in the comparative sense because the park has never opened those days and the weekends they are opening were previously buy out days that the park liked as it acted as a test weekend.

Clearly this year they have either had no one interested in the buyout days or they didn’t want them as a park but still wanted the test weekends.
 
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