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Alton Towers Oktoberfest 2020

That actually makes the event more like the German Oktoberfest events does it not?

I believe they normally have waiting staff bringing the drinks to you (hence the photos of staff carrying about 10 steins at once).
 
I was there today & although it felt well organised it was abit awkward having to hold the menu in the air to be get their attention to be served, I felt like I was being rude (that’s just me personally)
 
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Ordering system sounds great and following what's required.

But why on earth are they ending it with a mass conga line dance through all the tables?
 
Wasn't a fan of the table service today; it's too big a space and not enough staff serving. Them's the rules though.

On a more positive note though... 8pm close!!! Unbelievable. Towers is so much more enjoyable when you're not rushing around knowing you'll be booted out at 5pm. Ended the day with night rides on Wicker and Nemesis.

More events like Oktoberfest please.
 
I was there yesterday and today.

Yesterday (Friday) was great! Chilled day, arrived at 2pm knowing we'd get a few rides in and somehow managed all the coasters (nemesis and wicker man twice!)

Today was horrendous. Far too many people in the park and not enough enforcement of the social distancing queues (made worse by thirteen and wicker man being closed all day). We left early as we felt so uncomfortable.
 
Why not just have a QR code on the table to order drinks and pay on the app and then get them delivered to your table like most pubs and restaurants? They're using the app in Woodcutters and the hotels at the moment anyway. Surely that would make sense, unless it's already in the pipeline and this is just a temporary solution.
 
siralgenon said:
Why not just have a QR code on the table to order drinks and pay on the app and then get them delivered to your table like most pubs and restaurants? They're using the app in Woodcutters and the hotels at the moment anyway. Surely that would make sense, unless it's already in the pipeline and this is just a temporary solution.
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The outlets on the lawns are all external, so can't be tied into the app at the moment. It's clear that things have just been done in the simplest way possible for the timescale they had though, so hopefully there'll be some tweaks and changes.
 
adsyrah said:
Today was horrendous. Far too many people in the park and not enough enforcement of the social distancing queues (made worse by thirteen and wicker man being closed all day). We left early as we felt so uncomfortable.
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There would've been no more people in the park than any other day, but the lack of Wickerman and Th13teen would've made the park feel like it was heaving as they usually would absorb a lot of the crowds
 
adsyrah said:
I was there yesterday and today.

Yesterday (Friday) was great! Chilled day, arrived at 2pm knowing we'd get a few rides in and somehow managed all the coasters (nemesis and wicker man twice!)

Today was horrendous. Far too many people in the park and not enough enforcement of the social distancing queues (made worse by thirteen and wicker man being closed all day). We left early as we felt so uncomfortable.
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I was there yesterday and today, both days busy but not manic.

Thirteen did open late afternoon and stayed open till the end.

The activated their rainy day come back for free thing for yesterday too.

Oktoberfest - entertainments, everything they've laid on, atmosphere absolutely fantastic. Bar staff (on the lawns) not so. There was not enough staff taking orders. One was rude and when we pointed out to her she didn't come to our table when she signalled to us that we were next, she got all arsey and aggressive saying she was stressed and walked off, refusing to serve us. Just to reiterate, this is NOT Towers staff serving drinks on the lawn. Unfortunately not everyone will know this and won't be impressed. We have heard from the Box Office that they have had a lot of complaints about the bar staff/setup on the lawns. Btw, I'm not complaining about the fact it's table service but more they lack of staff and attitude of one of them!

The courtyard bar area is operated by Towers and therefore Towers staff, must more friendly and fun! Plus you get MAP discount there.

One thing to note though, you now cannot buy in the courtyard and take to the lawns anymore. There are security staff in the courtyard telling you this.

If you go to Oktoberfest and have the app, you'll get a link to complete a questionnaire. I believe there is an area to give your thoughts, so that would be your chance to give them ideas (and complain about the bar set up on the lawns if you wanted to!)
 
Josh said:
There would've been no more people in the park than any other day, but the lack of Wickerman and Th13teen would've made the park feel like it was heaving as they usually would absorb a lot of the crowds
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Amazing how much busier it made it feel.

The Rita queue was the culprit for us leaving the park as the cattle pen without social distancing caused far too much anxiety for us.
 
Steve74 said:
One thing to note though, you now cannot buy in the courtyard and take to the lawns anymore. There are security staff in the courtyard telling you this
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That's a shame as it means you can no longer get AP discount and sit on the lawns. However I guess that's just part of the new law which means businesses have to ensure customers who buy food and drink remain at their table.
 
With reference to the rude external staff on the lawns... sounds like a repeat of when McDonalds were at Towers. They [Towers] identified a number of McDonalds staff who were generating all the complaints (as guests assumed the McDonalds units were all run & staffed by Towers, so complained to Towers).

At the end of season Towers did take action - they gave McDonalds a list of staff who they could not employ in the 3 Towers units the following season. With the trouble-makers gone, the service improved no end.
 
Did a full afternoon from 14:00-19:00 on the lawns yesterday for Oktoberfest and despite it being VERY nippy out there, we had a fantastic time! The German Jukebox and the old accordion guy are the entertainment standouts. I've filled out the survey and mentioned this as such for next year. The girl singing with the backing tracks and the guy on the guitar were fine, I guess, but it wasn't themed to the event and seemed a bit twee after the full on fun of the OOM-PAH stuff!
Food prices didn't really bother me tbh, as we really enjoyed what we had (the topped chips in particular) but the beer was obviously overpriced and soon added up. Considering they're obviously gouging a little, the level of service needs to be better than it is. We ordered one round and it didn't come for 20 mins, so I had to take a receipt to the bar and get it sorted. The guy called our server in my presence and she'd simply not called it in. Mistakes happen, but come on, they literally have one job!! They are also losing money by not having enough staff taking drinks orders, as our glasses were often empty for long time periods. All stuff that can be resolved in the future of the event hopefully.
Erdinger draft is bloody lovely though and we had 2 VERY jolly rides on Mine train and Duel on the way out!! :tonguewink:
 
I am not sure about food prices. If they were more reasonable, they would earn more revenue as more people would buy it.

You aren't going to just keep "nipping over" for an £8 hotdog or chips, are you? I didn't buy a thing from those outlets - instead heading to Mutiny Bay.

I actually think the beer prices are more in-line with exectations.
 
AstroDan said:
I am not sure about food prices. If they were more reasonable, they would earn more revenue as more people would buy it.

You aren't going to just keep "nipping over" for an £8 hotdog or chips, are you? I didn't buy a thing from those outlets - instead heading to Mutiny Bay.

I actually think the beer prices are more in-line with exectations.
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I don't think your average punter really puts that much thought in to it. You're obviously familiar with the lower priced options elsewhere due to your familiarity with the park and made that decision for yourself, but they seemed to be doing gangbusters all day on the food that was available in the Oktoberfest area tbh, particularly the bratwurst stall.
I actually did keep nipping over all day to try different items at the prices they were available for because I knew it was unique stuff only available to me on this trip, so your thinking isn't universal.
 
Maybe, people are obviously more daft than I would like to think.

The fact that a Bratwurst is £5 at a Birmingham Christmas market, or maybe pushing £6.00 at the "known to be overpriced" Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is obviously an irrelevance at Alton "where the money flows from peoples wallets" Towers.

I guess the fact I go to Germany a lot, where you pay €3.50 (£3.20) for a better one probably doesn't help - and I probably should understand that Alton Towers is going to be 150% more expensive than that, and 50 to 70% more than a Christmas market... I guess that in the UK, a Bratwurst is, oddly, exotic - even though it's available in every city centre these days for 10 weeks between November and January.

:)
 
The fact that for 4 portions of bratwurst and chips, 2 cokes and 2 beers (let's say this is what a typical family of 4 might order), it will genuinely set you back £80. Completely ridiculous pricing!
 
Burbs said:
The fact that for 4 portions of bratwurst and chips, 2 cokes and 2 beers (let's say this is what a typical family of 4 might order), it will genuinely set you back £80. Completely ridiculous pricing!
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I get what you're saying by making 2x food items per person make a 'meal' to add up to that sum, but I don't think that's accurate for what would happen in reality. Each of those items at £8 or so is more than enough to satisfy someone with even a big appetite for a good few hours, there's no physical way I could have eaten the topped chips and the bratwurst at the same time and I'm pretty greedy! So yeah, probably more like £40 for a theme park meal at an event. There's cheaper options available from packed lunches to buying rollovers at £3 less in the park, but I just don't get the outrage over a few quid more. I appreciate its a big deal for you guys though, so respect that.
 
The portions were huge, we had loaded fries, bratwurst and brownie to share. So £21 in total for two.

Not far off the price of two meal deals at Burger Kitchen.

It’s certainly not cheap, but for a meal on a treat day out at a theme park, it’s not outrageous. If you visit every weekend I can see it adding up, but for your average once a year visitor, it’s ok.
 
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