AT86
TS Member
Back to the drawing board.
Alton Towers Scarefest presented by AramarkTM
Because just like this event, our food will also make you s*** yourself.
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2024: General Discussion
- Thread starter Craig
- Start date
Alton Towers Scarefest presented by AramarkTM
Because just like this event, our food will also make you s*** yourself.
Towers' corporate team are throwing the doors open to sponsorship enquiries, which alludes to the possibility of ride sponsorships again:
More here: https://www.altontowers.com/about-alton-towers/partners-and-sponsors/
Given the "Activation across our marketing platforms for maximum reach" and "Permanent, in-Resort brand presence and touch points", I'm dreading any possibility of being thrown back into the festering Fanta sponsorship era once again.
“Memorific”
Will these people do anything other than run a theme park well? Is it really beyond the wit of man.
Build more attractions so more people visit?
Stay longer?
Create better merchandise so they spend more? Better food? Higher quality sit down dining? Create better events throughout the year for repeated visits?
Add world class attractions to increase entry fee?
Add in shows with dining experiences? Add in higher quality accommodation which demands a higher fee?
Create an all year round resort with good mix of indoor and outdoor attractions?
Create unique characters and IP and use them over a range of media and attractions?
Have more park capacity, because people in queues don’t spend money and aren’t happy!
No no, Runaway Mine Train sponsored by greggs…
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Bowser
TS Member
How many MAP holders are there? I can't imagine an extra £2 pp spread across all those attractions is going to mean anything in the context of building big new attractions.
Shame Merlin don't release any information (that i'm aware of), would be fascinating to know the number of MAPs, the amount of daily visitors compared to general admission and so on.
And always worth the somewhat polarising reminder that a Paultons annual pass costs almost as much as a MAP (arguably more as most people buy MAP in the sales) for access to one attraction versus around 30.... which in my opinion contributes massively to a better user experience. That income is going back solely into the park you're paying for (once Peppa has siphoned off her royalties presumably).
Blackhole_Sun
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Black Hole
Would go straight into the back pocket. Without any doubts.
Not sure what to make of the sponsorship deals. If it’s just naming, on signs for example it won’t really take much away from the coasters. If they were to use it for an immersive dark ride like Hex then I would be annoyed.
I feel like the park is currently slipping back in the wrong direction. Ride availability, lack of rides in general, short operating hours, ripping people off for poor food. They’ve got a couple of months to pull it round now before the season is over. Hex would help but there isn’t enough for the casual guest to make them return.
Bert2theSpark
TS Member
They’re just not going to do it well with the whole LadBaby situation coming up…
Weird that they’ve published this on the website for the public to see. It suggests that they want to reach out to young businesses that don’t have the connections in Merlin like Coca-Cola and Cadbury have had (and continue to have) previously.
When Trick O’ Treat Town got sponsored by Haribo, it was because someone from the company did the attraction and then had someone reach out to a contact within Merlin. I’d argue that’s how brand integration should be done in a theme park setting. Not saying that it’s morally acceptable to advertise ultra-processed food to children, mind.
Weird that they’ve published this on the website for the public to see. It suggests that they want to reach out to young businesses that don’t have the connections in Merlin like Coca-Cola and Cadbury have had (and continue to have) previously.
When Trick O’ Treat Town got sponsored by Haribo, it was because someone from the company did the attraction and then had someone reach out to a contact within Merlin. I’d argue that’s how brand integration should be done in a theme park setting. Not saying that it’s morally acceptable to advertise ultra-processed food to children, mind.
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Steve74
TS Member
Yes your right it would, just like how all vehicle tax doesn't necessarily go into the road infrastructure. But if an increase was ring-fenced or somehow proved by Merlin that the extra would be spent on ride investment then I'd be happy with an increase. We can dream...
Steve74
TS Member
I only suggested £2-£3 as an arbitrary figure. An increase online/gate prices too would help also. I'm very surprised - what with the recent large rise in inflation in the last couple of years - that Merlin didn't jump on that and increase the admission prices more than they have done.
Bowser
TS Member
Merlin have openly said virtually nobody pays the full admission price, all their customers are MAP, online bookings and promotional offers.
I’d say the new surge pricing is their response to inflation.
jon81uk
TS Member
I think they did start increasing them, we did have a lot more days with prices over £40, but with poor sales they've cut back and some £29 have come back over the summer with all other days £39. I think they aren't sure if its people not visiting in general or the price is too high? Currently Scarefest is £44, will have to see if it remains that way.
I thought they had finally got rid of Kellogg's vouchers, but the new 25% off is just as cheap, or cheaper than a 2for1 was, because its now based on the online price. So instead of 2for1 at £68 (so £34 each) its £21.75-£33 as only fireworks is over £44.
I think they had planned to increase prices for the top end days and have a big peak off-peak range from £29 up to £47, but sales haven't been good enough in the summer for many days to get the highest prices.
VerticalLoop123
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
We should all club together and have a bench or toilet block sponsored by Towers Street. Curse of Alty mans mega bogs sponsored by Towers Street 
Jokes apart along as all these sponsorship deals are tasteful and within keeping with the rides and areas I don’t mind it. Yes I do think sponsorship deals fit in better with Thorpe, but if it tasteful like air was I don’t mind it.
Jokes apart along as all these sponsorship deals are tasteful and within keeping with the rides and areas I don’t mind it. Yes I do think sponsorship deals fit in better with Thorpe, but if it tasteful like air was I don’t mind it.
The_bup
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Professor Burp’s Bubbleworks
I’m going to play devils advocate to my own point here; maybe they could do a paultons and just have one standard entry price and then they can have a bit more cash for a better park.
That being said, Merlin already make filthy amounts of money, so…
That being said, Merlin already make filthy amounts of money, so…
Dave
TS Founding Member
I thought they made a loss last year?
The_bup
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Professor Burp’s Bubbleworks
Good correction, i think you’re right. But don’t you think continuing in the same direction isn’t going to change anything. Just charge a standard flat entry ticket, increase the quality and de-complicate the whole thing.
jon81uk
TS Member
I think trying to incentivise people to visit on quieter off-peak days is a good thing to spread the crowds out. They had two prices through most of the 90s and early 2000s, one for off-peak (usually weekdays during school term time) and another for peak (school holidays and most weekends). Now there is just about five different prices. The bigger issue I think is that the annual passes are still a bit too cheap for what you get and all the prices are a bit low, especially with the discount vouchers.
Bowser
TS Member
Went to the Water Park today. Tickets were slightly discounted and slots were ample so was hoping it would be quiet… how wrong I was!
I’ve never seen it so heaving. The lazy river was like a Wuhan pool party at times and the slide queues were intertwining down the stairs. Shame they limit the outdoor area hours on such a nice sunny day.
I’m assuming they’ve amended the capacity as previously it was much quieter on “sold out” days?
Was going to pop in the park tomorrow but still no Wickerman and general misery so think we’ll go Drayton and try Gold Rush if it stays dry.
I’ve never seen it so heaving. The lazy river was like a Wuhan pool party at times and the slide queues were intertwining down the stairs. Shame they limit the outdoor area hours on such a nice sunny day.
I’m assuming they’ve amended the capacity as previously it was much quieter on “sold out” days?
Was going to pop in the park tomorrow but still no Wickerman and general misery so think we’ll go Drayton and try Gold Rush if it stays dry.
Numaticjoe
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Oblivion
That is my thought. Merlin surely can't be short on cash I'm pretty sure their quite well off at the moment could be wrong though. You shouldn't pay to enter the place and still have ads shoved in your face, if they do pull it off like how they did imperial leather making it creative I think it could be a good decision for Towers. If they just let companies do like the Oblivion + Fanta thing of 2011 it will be horrendous. My say in it all is up the ticket prices by a few quid and even stuff in the park if needed, I absolutely despise advertisements haha
Steve74
TS Member
Not sure where to post this, as its Merlin-wide not just Towers, but you can now get 25% discount on online ticket prices for friends and family when using your MAP. This is instead of the walk-up gate price as it used to be.
www.facebook.com
Merlin Annual Pass
We bring good news! 🎉🥳 We're updating your Friends & Family discount based on your positive feedback following our recent test! Now, instead of a discount on the walk up price at theme parks...
www.facebook.com
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